Earth Sciences, M.Sc.
Earth Sciences
Head: Mostafa Fayek
Campus Address/General Office: 240 Wallace Building
Telephone: 204-474-9371
Fax: 204-474-7623
Email Address: Riddell.Graduate@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/environment-earth-resources/earth-sciences
Academic Staff: Please refer to the Riddell website for Faculty information.
Earth Sciences M.Sc. Program Information
The Master of Science program requires completion of a minimum of 9 credit hours of approved courses, and a research project and thesis.
Admission Information
Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.
Admission requirements for Master’s students are found in the Master’s Degrees General Regulations section of the Guide.
Earth Sciences M.Sc. Admission Requirements
The normal entry requirement is the equivalent of an Honours B.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences from the University of Manitoba. Students with honours degrees in related disciplines (such as Geography, Soil Science, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering Physics, and Earth, Civil and Electrical Engineering) may be accepted by the Graduate Admissions Committee providing their planned degree program involves studies in the Earth sciences. The majority of the required courses taken by the student should normally be from the Department of Earth Sciences. The research should also be in the Earth sciences
Pre-Master's Option
This unit offers a Pre-Master’s program of study. The Pre-Master’s program of study is intended to bring a student’s background up to the equivalent of the required 4-year degree in the major department/unit, and to provide the student with any necessary prerequisites for courses to be taken in the Master’s program. Completing the Pre-Master’s program does not guarantee acceptance to the Master’s program.
Application Information
Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the M.Sc. Earth Sciences program of study page.
Degree Requirements
Program Requirements
The M.Sc. program requires a thesis plus a minimum of 9 credit hours which includes:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GEOL 7760 | Seminar in Geological Sciences | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 6 credit hours of approved courses at the 7000 level | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Depending on the student’s background and needs, the Advisory Committee may assign additional courses at the 3000 level or above.
Expected Time to Graduate: 2 years
Progression Chart
| Year 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GEOL 7760 | Seminar in Geological Sciences | 3 |
| 7XXX | Approved courses at 7000 level | 6 |
| 3XXX or above | Additional courses at 3000 level or above as assigned by the Advisory Committee | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| GRAD 7000 | Master's Thesis | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Coursework is normally completed in Year 1, and thesis is normally completed Year 2 – 3. Adjustments may be made with the supervisor’s consultation and approval.
Students are required to complete a M.Sc. thesis proposal (normally within 8 months of start of program). The proposal must include an introduction with citation of relevant literature, the research objectives, the proposed methodology including a timetable, the anticipated significant of the research, and references. A proposed budget must be appended to the proposal.
Students are required to submit a report (proposals, results and timetable of thesis work) to the Head on or before February 1 annually. The report is generally 1 to 2 pages in length.
Students must produce a thesis that is appropriate for the M.Sc. degree being sought and must successfully defend their thesis as determined by the assigned examining committee. Further information on the format is available from the Department of Earth Sciences.
Registration Information
Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.
All students must consult with their advisor prior to registration and present a completed Program Form to the administrative assistant. The selection of courses and changes in a student’s program must be approved by their advisor in the case of Master's students or their advisory committee in the case of doctoral students.
Students should consult the administrative assistant regarding the schedule of graduate course offerings in the department. Please note that some courses require a field component to be run before lectures begin in the fall. Courses with insufficient enrolment may be cancelled well in advance of the first week of lectures.
Regulations
Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.
Supplementary Regulations
Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations.
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.
All students must successfully complete:
- GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
- GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;
unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.
Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.
General Regulations
All students must:
- maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).
Courses
Earth Science
An overview of the Earth structure, bedrock geology, surficial geology and hydrology of Manitoba and adjacent regions from an Earth systems perspective; and the occurrence and development of mineral, petroleum and water resources.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: enrolment in a M.Sc. or Ph.D. program, and permission of department.
Processes in crust-mantle evolution and geophysical methods used to study this region of the earth.
Seminars and lectures on sedimentary aspects of the Quaternary Epoch with emphasis on glaciation. The glacial and interglacial stratigraphic record on the continents and in the ocean basins. Three-day field trip in mid-September.
Selected topics in remote sensing with emphasis on geophysical and geologic problems.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: B.Sc. (Honours Geology, Geophysics, or Geological Engineering), or permission of instructor for graduates of other disciplines.
Lectures and seminars examining the four major components of petroleum geology: source and migration, reservoir, trap, and economics. Major emphasis on the origin and generation of petroleum and source rock geology. Field trip and core logging required.
Theory of wave propagation; source mechanisms; other selected topics.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 7260.
Seismic surface waves and normal modes of Earth, Earth tides and dynamic evolution.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 7480 or equivalent.
The principles and methods of isotopic age determination and the measurement of geological rate processes using certain radioactive nuclides and the variations of the isotopic compositions of their daughter products. The evolution of the earth's mantle, continental and oceanic crust. The application of light, stable isotope fractionation to understanding geological processes.
The chemistry, mineralogy, and petrology of mineral deposits and alteration zones of the hydrothermal type, and their association with igneous and tectonic events. Theory and experimental data on metasomatic processes.
Topics in paleobiology of the invertebrates, and principles of paleontology. Upon request, course may be adapted to individual requirements of students in other disciplines (for example, specific groups of invertebrates, paleoecology, trace fossils, etc.).
Topics in paleobiology of the invertebrates, and principles of paleontology. Upon request, course may be adapted to individual requirements of students in other disciplines (for example, specific groups of invertebrates, paleoecology, trace fossils, etc.).
Lectures and seminars on clastic depositional environments. Critical evaluation of accepted facies models followed in each case by examination of the ancient record. One week field trip and core logging required.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 3900, or permission of instructor.
Advanced frequency filter design; deconvolution methods for seismogram; velocity and wavefield stacking; various digital methods for potential field data; principles of tomography and geophysical imaging techniques.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: (GEOL 3740), and GEOL 7260, or permission of instructor.
Critical, in-depth group study of problems and new concepts in the geological sciences; discussion of current research by staff and visiting scientists; students will pursue individual research interests and will work with staff on specific topics.
Critical, in-depth group study of problems and new concepts in the geological sciences; discussion of current research by staff and visiting scientists; students will pursue individual research interests and will work with staff on specific topics.
A discussion of topics of current interest from the whole spectrum of geological sciences to inform students on research work outside their specialty. Required of all graduate students. For ancillary credit only. Geological Sciences Colloquium. Weekly discussion of topics of current interest. Presentation of recent research from geological literature, the department, and visitors. Required of all graduate students who have received credit for GEOL 7760.
Lectures and seminars on selected topics of carbonate sedimentology, including depositional environments, lithofacies sequences and diagenesis.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 3900, or permission of instructor.
Lectures and laboratory course covering the application of microbeam, mass spectrometer, diffraction and wet geochemical analytical techniques in mineralogy and geochemistry. Includes coverage of ICP, PIXE, powder and single crystal diffraction and electron microprobe analysis.
Examination of the theory and application of electromagnetic methods in geophysics. Topics include: electrical properties of earth materials, review of EM methods, EM theory for layered media, EM responses of simple structures and case studies.
Examination of the application of geophysics to environmental targets. Topics will vary according to student interest and may include aspects of new-surface geophysics, engineering geophysics, geophysics of global climate change and geophysical risk assessment.