Program Overview

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Master of Applied Science in Geological Engineering (MASc)

The Master of Applied Science in Geological Engineering (MASc) program delivers an interdisciplinary experience, combining principles of geotechnical engineering, hydrogeology, and geology to provide a versatile set of skills needed to solve a wide range of practical problems related to engineering interactions with the earth environment.

Overview

Our program is designed to prepare graduate students for employment in industry, consulting companies, or the public sector, or for PhD studies. Recent graduates have taken positions in geotechnical and environmental consulting companies, mining and oil and gas companies, as well as provincial and federal government offices.

What makes the program unique?

Geological Engineering is an interdisciplinary field, in which principles of geoscience are used to solve engineering and environmental problems. It connects geology, physics, and chemistry with civil engineering and other fields (e.g., mining, geography, forestry) to provide a versatile set of skills applicable to a wide range of contemporary problems.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Academic Unit: Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences
• Specialization: Geological Engineering
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Coursework + Thesis required
• Tuition (First Year): Domestic: $5,626.02 | International: $9,883.98
• Median Funding: 50% of students receive $33,240 or more funding per year in the first 2 years, before tuition and fees

Admission Information & Requirements

1) 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). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements.

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. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

2) Meet Deadlines

• Program Name: Master of Applied Science in Geological Engineering (MASc)
• Intake: September 2026
• Canadian Applicant Deadline: 15 January 2026
• International Applicant Deadline: 15 January 2026

3) 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

Facilities

The Geological Engineering program is housed in the recently constructed Earth Science Building and the associated buildings EOAS-Main and EOAS-South.

Research Areas

Faculty members in the Geological Engineering program have research interests in the following general areas:

• landslides, debris flows, runout analysis, hazard assessment
• groundwater hydrology, groundwater contamination & remediation, reactive transport modeling, environmental geochemistry
• rock mechanics & rock engineering, open pit & underground mine design, tunnelling

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

Fees| Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat| International
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Application Fee| $118.50| $168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year| 3| 3
Tuition per installment| $1,875.34| $3,294.66
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)| $5,626.02| $9,883.98
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible)| | $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)| $1,144.10 (approx.)

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e., based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e., based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Career Options

The M.A.Sc. program in Geological Engineering is designed to prepare graduate students for employment in industry, consulting companies, or the public sector, or for PhD studies.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Applied Science in Geological Engineering (MASc).

• Applications: 15
• Offers: 2
• New Enrolment: 2
• Total Enrolment: 10

Research Supervisors

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for this program

Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Scaling up of the reaction rates for the waste rock at Antamina Mine, Peru
• Dynamicity of catchment hydrologic function: exploring the causal drivers through numerical experimentations in natural settings

Related Programs

Same specialization

• Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Engineering (PhD)
• Master of Engineering in Geological Engineering (MEng)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Atmospheric Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geophysics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Oceanography (PhD)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

• Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Further Information

Specialization

Geological Engineering applies earth sciences principles to engineering problems. Research interests include landslides, debris flows, engineering geology, slope stability, groundwater hydrology, groundwater contamination and remediation, reactive transport modeling, environmental geochemistry, rock engineering, rock slopes, and tunneling.