Courses for your Earth Sciences degree

First-year courses (Geology specialization)

Programs/majors in the Faculty of Science start right in first year. To select your program with confidence, here’s some handy info to get you started.

September to December

EARTH 121/121L – Introductory Earth Sciences/Laboratory
CHEM 120/120L – General Chemistry 1/Laboratory
MATH 127 – Calculus 1 for the Sciences
EARTH 123 – Introductory Hydrology
PHYS 111/111L – Physics 1/Laboratory

January to April

EARTH 122/122L – Introductory Environmental Sciences/Laboratory
CHEM 123/123L – General Chemistry 2/Laboratory
MATH 128 – Calculus 2 for the Sciences
ENGL 193/COMMST 193 – Communication in the Sciences
PHYS 112/112L – Physics 2/Laboratory

This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

After first year

You must choose one of three specializations.

Geology - The majority of courses you'll take in your degree are Earth Science courses. Geology is the least math intensive of the Earth Science specializations and offers the most Earth electives.
Hydrogeology - You must be comfortable with math and chemistry. During your degree, you'll have the opportunity to take courses through multiple faculties, including engineering, to see the different applications of hydrogeology.
Geophysics - The majority of courses you'll take in your degree are Earth Science courses and program electives in Science and Math. You must be comfortable with math and higher level physics.

View a list of all the courses required for your degree.

Sample upper-year courses

EARTH 270 – Disasters and Natural Hazards
EARTH 331 – Volcanology and Igneous Petrology
EARTH 342 – Geomorphology and GIS Applications
EARTH 390 – Methods in Geological Mapping

Types of courses you'll take

61% Earth, 6% chemistry, 6% math, 6% physics, 6% program electives, 12% free electives, 3% communication

This is a general guideline. The ratio of courses may change slightly from year to year.

Skills you'll develop with this major

Critical thinking
Problem solving
Communication
Fieldwork capabilities, including rock sampling and geological mapping

This isn't an exhaustive list – rather a glimpse into the skills an Earth Sciences major can provide.

Your experience will be unique, and the skills you develop will depend on your goals; which courses you take; and your involvement with any clubs, jobs, or research projects.

Advisors are here to help

With so much flexibility, you might have a lot of questions. We're here to help! If you're applying for admission, contact our Faculty of Science recruitment co-ordinator.

Once you're a Waterloo student, you'll have access to academic advisors who can help you