Program Overview

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Overview

The Master of Science in Geological Sciences (MSc) program at the University of British Columbia is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of geological sciences, including field-based studies, experimental research, and laboratory analyses. The program is consistently ranked as one of the best geological science programs in Canada and in the top 20 internationally.

What makes the program unique?

• The program is housed in the recently constructed Earth System Science Building, which provides world-class instrumentation for isotopic and geochemical research.
• The university's location in British Columbia provides an ideal natural laboratory for combined field and laboratory research.
• The program has extensive industry and government collaborations, which often lead to full-time employment for graduate students.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Academic Unit: Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences
• Specialization: Geological Sciences
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Coursework + Options
• Tuition (First Year):
  • Domestic: $5,626.02
  • International: $9,883.98

Admission Information & Requirements

Check Eligibility

• Minimum Academic Requirements: The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC).
• English Language Test: Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.
  • TOEFL:
    • Overall score requirement: 100
    • Reading: 22
    • Writing: 22
    • Speaking: 23
    • Listening: 22
  • IELTS:
    • Overall score requirement: 7.0
    • Reading: 6.5
    • Writing: 6.5
    • Speaking: 7.0
    • Listening: 6.5

Prior degree, course and other requirements

• Prior Degree Requirements: Applicants with a B.Sc. or B.A.Sc. are considered; a B.Sc. in Earth Science or a B.A.Sc. in geological engineering is desirable.

Meet Deadlines

• Program Name: Master of Science in Geological Sciences (MSc)
• Intake:
  • September 2026:
    • Canadian Applicant Deadline: 15 January 2026
    • International Applicant Deadline: 15 January 2026
  • January 2027:
    • Canadian Applicant Deadline: 15 June 2026
    • International Applicant Deadline: 15 June 2026

Prepare Application

• Transcripts: All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study.
• Letters of reference: Applicants have to submit 3 references to apply to this graduate program.
• Statement of Interest: Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
• Supervision: Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor.

Research Information

Research Focus

Research within the program includes:

• the effects of climate change on landscapes, surface processes, and terrestrial sedimentary deposits
• carbon sequestration processes at and near the surface of the Earth
• processes involved in the genesis of mineral deposits
• composition and thermal structure of the mantle underlying the oldest portions of the earth (cratons)
• reservoir characterisation of unconventional petroleum resources
• strain localization and processes in structural geology
• processes operating in subduction zones
• the origin and evolution of silicate magmas and mineralization potential
• the reconstruction of the elevation of mountain belts through time
• constraining the dynamics and geochemistry of the lithosphere through time
• the distribution of elements and isotopes in Earth systems
• volcanology and igneous petrology as related to the formation, transport and eruption of magma

Facilities

The program is housed in the recently constructed Earth System Science Building, which includes research facilities such as:

• the Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research (PCIGR)
• the Electron Microbeam and XRD Facility (EMXDF)
• the Centre for Experimental Studies of the Lithosphere (CESL)
• the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU)

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Fees:
  • Application Fee:
    • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $118.50
    • International: $168.25
  • Tuition:
    • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $5,626.02 per year
    • International: $9,883.98 per year
• Other Fees and Costs:
  • Student Fees (yearly): $1,144.10 (approx.)
  • Costs of living: Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.

Financial Support

• Program Funding Packages: Masters students are guaranteed a minimum salary of CAN $26,530.20 per year for the first two years.
• Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding): All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education.
• Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA): Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision.
• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA): Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students.
• Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA): Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis.

Career Options

The two-year M.Sc. program in Geological Science is designed to prepare students for employment in the public or private sector, or to pursue further studies in a Ph.D. program. Recent graduates have taken positions at numerous mining exploration companies, government Geological Surveys, and faculty positions around the world.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

• ENROLMENT DATA:
  • Applications: 44 (2023), 49 (2022), 41 (2021), 32 (2020), 51 (2019)
  • Offers: 12 (2023), 16 (2022), 13 (2021), 12 (2020), 13 (2019)
  • New Enrolment: 11 (2023), 14 (2022), 10 (2021), 8 (2020), 11 (2019)
  • Total Enrolment: 39 (2023), 34 (2022), 32 (2021), 35 (2020), 44 (2019)
• Completion Rates & Times:
  • Graduation rate: 81% based on 47 students admitted between 2015 - 2018
  • Minimum time to completion: 2.05 years
  • Maximum time to completion: 8.2 years
  • Average time to completion: 3.54 years

Research Supervisors

• The list of faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program includes:
  • Ameli, Ali
  • Barker, Shaun
  • Beckie, Roger
  • Bustin, Robert Marc
  • Chritz, Kendra
  • Crowe, Sean
  • d'Arcy, Mitch
  • Eberhardt, Erik
  • Groat, Lee
  • Hickey, Kenneth
  • Jellinek, Mark
  • Johnson, Mark
  • Kopylova, Maya
  • Mayer, Ulrich
  • McDougall, Scott
  • Peacock, Simon
  • Prytulak, Julie
  • Saylor, Joel Edward
  • Scoates, James
  • Smit, Matthijs
  • Tarling, Matthew
  • Weis, Dominique

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Petrochemistry of iron-titanium oxide minerals from ultramafic–mafic plutonic rocks : a comparison of magnetite and ilmenite from the Skaergaard intrusion (East Greenland) and magnetite from Alaskan-type intrusions (British Columbia)
• Origin and number of melt sources in the formation of the Kovdor Massif : a combined petrography, mineralogy, and isotope geochemistry approach
• Geology and footprints of porphyry deposits in the Iron Mask District, British Columbia
• Mineralogical and textural analysis of the Torbrit and Wolf silver deposits, Kitsault Valley, northwestern British Columbia
• Platinum group elements and gold deportment in the Kwanika copper-gold±molybdenum porphyry system, British Columbia, Canada
• Anomalous deformation corridors and the structural evolution of the Galore Creek district, Northwestern British Columbia
• Petrology and geochemistry of the Lorraine alkalic copper-gold deposit, British Columbia, Canada
• Measuring enhanced carbon dioxide exchange between the atmosphere and mine waste derived from ultramafic hosted mineral deposits
• Reassessing the Pionerskaya pipe : effect of crustal xenolith-kimberlite reactions on host rock classification
• Marine biomonitoring with lead isotopic compositions and metal concentrations using coastal British Columbia pink salmon
• Paragenesis and evolution of Ba-silicate mineralization in Devonian strata at the Gun occurrence, the Yukon, Canada
• Geologic time : exploring postsecondary students' knowledge and museum visitors' patterns of engagement
• Petrophysics, carbon dioxide sequestration, and storage potential of Montney Formation’s shale oil and shale gas pools, with implications for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery
• Using radiogenic isotopes to fingerprint the source of geochemical enrichment in the Hawaiian mantle plume from the Koʻolau basalts on Oʻahu
• Emplacement environment and structural modification of the Big Bulk Cu-Au porphyry system, northwestern British Columbia

Related Programs

• Same specialization:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
• Same Academic Unit:
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD)
  • Graduate Certificate in Applied Geological Engineering (GCAGE)
  • Master of Applied Science in Geological Engineering (MASc)
  • Master of Applied Science in Geophysics (MASc)
  • Master of Engineering in Geological Engineering (MEng)
  • Master of Science in Atmospheric Science (MSc)
  • Master of Science in Geophysics (MSc)
  • Master of Science in Oceanography (MSc)

Further Information

• Specialization: Geological Sciences
• UBC and the Province of British Columbia offer exceptional opportunity for combined field and laboratory research.
• The Canadian Cordillera offers research opportunities in:
  • petrology of intrusive and volcanic rocks of many kinds, and of metamorphic rocks of all grades
  • structural studies of complex metamorphic terrains exposed in three dimensions
  • metalliferous deposits of varied genetic types
  • mineral exploration methods; mineralogy associated with many different environments
  • complexly folded and faulted successions of bedded rocks in the mountain belts and plateaus, and in virtually undisturbed coal- and gas-bearing strata of the north-eastern province
  • numerous problems of engineering, environmental geology-related to water, slope stability, natural geological hazards, and hydrogeology (lakes, fjords, deltas, tidal flats, continental shelf, and oceanic depths provide a wide range of aquatic environments for students interested in sedimentology, geochemistry, biostratigraphy, and geological oceanography)