Program Overview

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Earth Sciences - Master of Science (MSc)

The Master of Science in Earth Sciences program offers a quantitative and scientifically rigorous education in water sciences, sustainable mining, earth processes, and geohazards. Students can join one of the leading groundwater hydrology research groups in the world, focusing on characterization of biogeochemical, hydrogeologic, and geological systems, and the response of these systems to human interference, while learning from award-winning faculty members. The program allows students to choose between the thesis option or research paper option for a master’s degree experience that fits their needs and interests.

Research Fields

• Aqueous and Organic Hydrogeochemistry
• Ecohydrology
• Foundational Earth Sciences
• Hydrogeology and Geophysics
• Isotope Hydrology and Geochemistry

Research Project Opportunities

Coastal Processes and Landforms

An opportunity to work with the Waterloo Coastal Group examining the response and recovery of coastal barriers and other environments to changes in water level, storm activity, and ice cover in the Great Lakes and in the maritimes. The research ranges from geophysical surveys and geochronology of coastal systems to UAS-based remote sensing and advanced geospatial analysis of scale-dependent landscape morphology and evolution.

Program Overview

Department/School

The program is offered by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Faculty

The program is part of the Faculty of Science.

Admit Term(s)

The program accepts students in the Fall (September - December), Winter (January - April), and Spring (May - August) terms.

Delivery Mode

The program is delivered on-campus.

Program Type

The program is a Master's, Research program.

Length of Program

The program is 24 months long for full-time students.

Registration Option(s)

Students can register as full-time or part-time.

Study Option(s)

Students can choose between the thesis option and the Master's Research Paper option.

Application Deadlines

• February 1 (for admission in September)
• June 1 (for admission in January of the following year)
• October 1 (for admission in May of the following year)

Supervisors

Students are strongly advised to establish contact with potential supervisors before applying to the program. It is a good strategy to identify whether the potential supervisors that students would like to undertake research with have available positions and funding.

Admission Requirements

• Students should have a honours bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in earth sciences, or equivalent (e.g., Geology, Geosciences), with no less than a 75% standing.
• Outstanding students in other fields will also be accepted, but will have to take extra courses to strengthen their background preparation.

Degree Requirements

• Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree.
• Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences graduate students.

Application Materials

• Resume
• Statement of interest: A statement of maximum 500 words explaining your interest in and fit for the program you’re applying to.
• Transcript(s)
• References: Three references are required; at least two academic.
• Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable: TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)

Tuition and Fees

• Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program.
• Review living costs and housing.
• Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students.