205
Graduate Programs
205.20
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
205.20 Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
1-26 Earth Sciences Building
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3
E-mail: EAS.Inquiries@ualberta.ca
205.20.1 General Information
The Department offers the degrees of Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences in conjunction with the Department of Physics also offers a course-based Master of Science (MSc) degree in Integrated Petroleum Geosciences.
Active research fields, which are listed on the Department's website (www.ualberta.ca/eas), include aqueous and sedimentary geochemistry; Arctic environments; atmosphere and ocean modelling; basin analysis; biogeography; carbonate sedimentology; clastic sedimentology; climatology; community, health and environment; diamond geology; economic geology; environmental values, attitudes and behaviors; environmental chemistry; environmental geology; experimental petrology; fluvial and glacial geomorphology; geochemistry; geochronology; geographic information systems; geomicrobiology; geotectonics; glaciology, glacier hydrology and glacier chemistry; global change; hot-springs; human-environment interactions; human dimensions of environmental hazards; hydrogeology; ichnology; igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic petrology; invertebrate and vertebrate paleontology; isotope geology; marine icing; meso-scale meteorology; metalliferous mineral deposits; microclimatology; micrometeorology; micropaleontology; mineralogy; paleolimnology; paleoecology of siliceous microfossils; periglacial geomorphology; petroleum geology; physical oceanography, paleoceanography and numerical model development; planetary geology; Precambrian palaeoenvironments; qualitative research methods; Quaternary palaeoenvironments; remote sensing; sedimentology; stratigraphy; structural geology; tectonics; and volcanology.
The Department will approve only thesis topics which lie within the research expertise of one or more of its faculty members.
The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences has research laboratories, instructional facilities, and technical support for numerous graduate students.
Entrance Requirements
The Department's minimum admission requirements are a relevant undergraduate degree with an average of 3.0 in the last two years of undergraduate work (or graduate work) at the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution, and a TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based) or 88 (internet-based), where applicable (see §203.2.4).
Financial Assistance
In addition to scholarships administered by the University, a number of graduate assistantships and discipline specific scholarships are awarded by the Department.
205.20.2 The Degrees of MA and MSc
Program Requirements
Requirements for the MA and MSc degrees include satisfactory completion of a thesis and at least 
9 of course work at the University of Alberta, with not more than 6 from the same instructor. More course work will be necessary if there is a significant change in discipline area from the undergraduate program. Normally not more than 3 of the required course work may be at the 400-level within the Department and only one 3 research or reading (directed studies) course may be counted towards the requirement, except with permission of the Department.
There is no language requirement for the degrees of MA and MSc.
Length of Program
An MA or MSc program should normally be completed in two academic years of work beyond an undergraduate degree.
205.20.3 The Degrees of MSc in Integrated Petroleum Geosciences
This course-based program requires the completion of 36 in graduate-level course work, including 24 of required, core courses and 12 of optional graduate-level course work. The core courses include a 6 research project that is to be completed once the course work has been completed. The core courses are in Integrated Petroleum Geosciences (IPG) whereas the optional courses are selected from prescribed Earth and Atmospheric Science (EAS) courses and Geophysics (GEOPH) courses. Students must maintain standards acceptable to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research to remain in the program.
Length of Program
The course-based MSc program in Integrated Petroleum Geosciences is designed for completion within one calendar year beyond a completed undergraduate degree in Earth Science. The program must normally be completed within three years from admission.
205.20.4 The Degree of PhD
Program Requirements
The essential requirement for the degree of PhD is the planning, execution, and reporting of high quality research. A candidacy examination is taken normally within 20 months after admission to the program, to ensure that a student has the necessary knowledge, background, and ability to complete a PhD thesis. At least 18 of course work beyond the undergraduate degree is required. At least 9 of the required course work must be taken at the University of Alberta. Not more than 6 of the University of Alberta courses may be taken from the same instructor, except with permission of the Department. Normally, not more than 3 of course work may be at the 400-level within the Department and only one (3) research or reading (directed studies) course may be counted towards the requirement.
A reading knowledge of foreign languages is not a formal requirement, although it may be required if appropriate to the particular program.
The minimum period of residence is one academic year of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.
Length of Program
The time required to complete the PhD will vary according to the previous training of the applicant and the nature of the research undertaken; a minimum of three years of study and research is normally required. A PhD program should normally be completed in four academic years of work beyond a master's degree or five academic years beyond an undergraduate degree if no master's degree has been completed.
205.20.5 Graduate Courses
Graduate course descriptions can be found in §231, Course Listings, under the following subject headings:
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)
Integrated Petroleum Geosciences (IPG)
Paleontology (PALEO)
