Earth Sciences
Head: Alfredo Camacho
Campus Address/General Office: 240 Wallace Building
Telephone: (204) 474-9371
Fax: (204) 474-7623
Website: umanitoba.ca/geoscience
Academic Staff: Please refer to the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources website at: umanitoba.ca/environment-earth-resources/faculty-staff
Program Information
The Earth Sciences deal with the history of the Earth and its life, especially that which is recorded in rocks. Different component parts of the Earth system, the lithosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere, operate at different length and time scales. During interactions between the spheres there is feedback between the component parts as energy and mass are exchanged, transferred and redistributed. In a geological context, the feedback can occur on a global scale, or on very small scales such as that which we see in minerals. More recently humans have become a major force in this Earth system because we have intervened in many of these exchanges.
Considering the Earth's past, earth scientists typically work with long time scales (in the order of millions to billions of years). We also use Hutton's original philosophy of uniformitarianism, stated as the present is the key to the past, to solve geological problems. However, as we see changes at the Earth's surface (our environment) occurring on very short time scales we need to learn how to extract the anthropogenic signal. Once we understand and quantify the nature and extent of the Earth's natural evolution as well as our more recent environmental impact, earth scientists can help predict future changes to the Earth.
Earth Sciences provides the sciences that provide the quantitative data on the physical and chemical behaviour and characteristics of Earth materials - rocks, minerals, fluids and gases. These data are needed to model the behaviour of minerals in natural as well as many industrial systems. The theoretical and instrumental expertise needed to tackle many resource extraction, mineral processing and environmental problems is resident in geo science departments. From a broad Earth, environmental and resource perspective our collective future will depend on sustainable use of our Earth's resources and care of the environment.
The three-year General program (comprising 90 credit hours) in Earth Sciences is designed to give students a basic understanding of the discipline in combination with a concentration of courses in a second subject area. The General Program is intended for those students who do not seek a career in the geosciences. Rather, it is a useful consideration for students planning to enter the Bachelor of Education program (see the Faculty of Education in this calendar) or other programs that require an undergraduate degree for admission. Students intending to pursue a career in the Earth Sciences or graduate study should hold an Honours or Major degree (comprising at least 120 credit hours) in Geology, Geophysics or Environmental Geoscience.
Professional Registration
The professional practice of geoscience in Canada is governed by provincial/territorial law and is regulated by professional geoscience associations. In Manitoba, Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba (EGM) regulates professional practice. The requirements for professional registration are acceptable academic preparation and a subsequent period of acceptable geoscience experience. Students considering professional registration should take the B.Sc. Honours or Major degree and make appropriate course selections, particularly in the basic sciences. Graduates who do not meet the academic requirements may be required by the professional association to take additional courses or examinations. Current registration information for EGM is available in the department or from the association’s web site: www.enggeomb.ca
Earth Sciences Prerequisite Information
To fulfil prerequisite requirements, a grade of 'C' must be achieved in any course stipulated as a prerequisite to a further course in Earth Sciences unless otherwise stated. Please note that some GEOL courses require a minimum grade of 'C+' in the prerequisite course.
Programs
| Degree/Diploma | Years to Completion | Total Credit Hours | Has Co-op Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree/Diploma Earth Sciences, B.Sc. General | Years to Completion 3 | Total Credit Hours 90 | Has Co-op Option no |
| Degree/Diploma Earth Sciences Minor | Total Credit Hours 18 | Has Co-op Option no | |
| Degree/Diploma Environmental Geoscience, B.Sc. Honours | Years to Completion 4 | Total Credit Hours 120 | Has Co-op Option no |
| Degree/Diploma Environmental Geoscience, B.Sc. Major | Years to Completion 4 | Total Credit Hours 120 | Has Co-op Option no |
| Degree/Diploma Geology, B.Sc. Honours | Years to Completion 4 | Total Credit Hours 120 | Has Co-op Option no |
| Degree/Diploma Geology, B.Sc. Major | Years to Completion 4 | Total Credit Hours 120 | Has Co-op Option no |
| Degree/Diploma Geophysics, B.Sc. Honours | Years to Completion 4 | Total Credit Hours 120 | Has Co-op Option no |
| Degree/Diploma Geophysics, B.Sc. Major | Years to Completion 4 | Total Credit Hours 120 | Has Co-op Option no |
Courses
Environment, Earth, and Resources
This course will present a multi-disciplinary introduction to the Planet Earth as both the source of essential resources and as the site of resulting negative impacts. Focus in the course will be provided by addressing important and current topics, case studies, and concepts that the well-educated citizen of the Earth should understand and will include natural and human-induced processes within a broad range of spatial and temporal scales.
Attributes: Recommended Intro Courses
Geological Sciences
(Lab required) An introduction to dynamics of the Earth's interior and surface that created the environment in which life evolved and that continue to change the world in which people now live. Not to be held with the former GEOL 1440 or the former GEOL 2250. Required for students intending to proceed in further courses in the Geological Sciences
Mutually Exclusive: GEOL 1440, GEOL 2250
Attributes: Recommended Intro Courses
Take a trip across billions of years, as we explore awesome times in the evolution of our planet and its life -- from dust to us! Not to be held with GEOL 1350.
Equiv To: GEOL 1350
Attributes: Recommended Intro Courses
Discover how and when natural disasters occur, and how to identify and recognize them. Explore the Earth processes that lead to natural disasters and global change. Not to be held with the former GEOL 1360.
Equiv To: GEOL 1360
Attributes: Recommended Intro Courses
Discover the Solar System as we explore ancient ideas and modern concepts. Emphasis will be on recent space exploration and a comparison of the Earth and its neighbours. Not to be held with the former GEOL 1370.
Equiv To: GEOL 1370
Attributes: Recommended Intro Courses
(Lab required) An introduction to geophysical exploration, Earth physics, seismology, electrical methods, and potential fields. Emphasis will be on quantitative modeling and will include geophysical measurements and handling of data.
This is a general interest course. Journey through the spectacular story of Canada's geology- its rocks and how they were assembled over time into the amazing country that we live in today.
Examination of geological processes and material as they interact with human activities, environmental planning, and management.
(Lab Required) Elementary mechanical principles of rock deformation, brittle and continuous deformation, geometry of faults, folds, joints, cleavage, lineations. Descriptive geometric and stereonet solution to structural geology problems, cross sections, structural contour maps.
(Lab Required) An introduction to the chemistry, physics and classification of minerals. Brief, systematic description of about 200 of the most important minerals. Laboratory: hand specimen identification. Not to be held with the former GEOL 2540.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: GEOL 1340 (C+) and [one of Chemistry 40S (50%), CKSL 0100 (P) or the former CHEM 0900 (Pass)]. (CHEM 1100 or CHEM 1101) and ( one of CHEM 1120, CHEM 1121, or CHEM 1126) are highly recommended.
Mutually Exclusive: GEOL 2540
(Lab Required) The classification, occurrence and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks. The study and identification of rocks using hand specimens and thin sections.
(Lab Required) An introduction to sedimentary deposits and principles of stratigraphic analysis. Occurrence, classification and origin of sedimentary deposits. Facies concept, stratigraphic classification and correlation.
An introduction to the geological factors and processes responsible for the origin, concentration and distribution of fuels, geothermal resources, metallic and nonmetallic minerals.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: Any university-level Geology course.
(Lab Required) The cosmic abundance of the elements, nucleosynthesis, geological differentiation of the elements; chemical petrology of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. An introduction to aqueous and low-temperature geochemistry.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: [GEOL 2500 or the former GEOL 2540] and [one of MATH 1300, MATH 1301, MATH 1210, MATH 1211, MATH 1230, MATH 1500, MATH 1501, MATH 1510, or MATH 1520]. Pre or Corequisite: [(CHEM 1100 or CHEM 1101) and (one of CHEM 1120, CHEM 1121 or CHEM 1126)] or the former CHEM 1300 or the former CHEM 1301.
(Lab Required) Use of the petrographic microscope; microscopic recognition of common rock-forming minerals; introduction to spectroscopic techniques in geosciences (including optical, vibrational and luminescence techniques).
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Pre- or Corequisite: GEOL 2500 or the former GEOL 2540.
(Lab Required) Crystallization processes in magma and resultant textures; physical, chemical, and kinetic processes of magmatic systems.
(Lab Required) Practice in oral and written description of geologic subjects; tools of library and database research; manuscript organization; abstract writing; preparation of tables, figures, and audio-visual material. This course is for students in the Honours and Major Geological Sciences programs only.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: GEOL 2440 and GEOL 2520 and GEOL 2530.
Attributes: Written English Requirement
(Lab Required) An introduction to the scientific study of natural and synthetic gem materials, methods of their identification and principles of gemstone appraisals. Laboratory: identification of gemstones using optical methods.
(Lab Required) The study of fossils: invertebrate paleontology, with an introduction to paleontologic principles, vertebrate paleontology, and paleobotany.
Engineering properties of rocks and soils, laboratory testing and site investigations in engineering geology. Engineering geology of tunnels, bridges, dams, reservoirs, shorelines, sanitary landfills, landslides, seismic risk areas, etc.
(Lab required) Structural and metamorphic geology, links between deformation and metamorphism, and the application of pressure-temperature and time paths to study metamorphic equilibria. Not to be held with the former GEOL 3290.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: GEOL 2440 and GEOL 2520 and GEOL 3910.
Equiv To: GEOL 3290
(Lab required) The hydrologic cycle and basic hydrologic processes; properties of aquifers and principles of groundwater flow; well hydraulics and groundwater resource evaluation; regional groundwater flow and subsurface geology; and basic chemical hydrogeology. May not be held with CIVL 4250.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: [MATH 1230 or MATH 1500 or MATH 1501 or MATH 1510 or MATH 1520] and [PHYS 1020 or PHYS 1021 or PHYS 1050 or PHYS 1051] and [(CHEM 1100 or CHEM 1101) and (one of CHEM 1120, CHEM 1121, or CHEM 1126)] or [the former CHEM 1300 or the former CHEM 1301] and [GEOL 2060 or GEOG 2310 or (one of STAT 1000, or STAT 1001, or STAT 1150)] and [GEOL 2530].
Mutually Exclusive: CIVL 4250
(Lab required) Principles of landform development with emphasis on glacial deposition. Aerial photo and map interpretation in lab. Not to be held with the former GEOG 3580.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2530.
Mutually Exclusive: GEOG 3580
(Lab required) Collection of seismic data (land and sea); simple elastic wave theory; geometry of refraction and reflection seismology; rock velocity determination; seismic noise and signal; data corrections; data enhancement techniques; representation of data; survey procedures.
(Lab required) Physical and chemical nature of the inner and outer planets and their satellites, asteroids and meteorites. The application of geophysical, geochemical and petrological techniques to planetology; remote sensing study of geological features of planetary surfaces and atmospheres.
(Lab required) The application of geophysical methods in exploration and in environmental and engineering projects.
(Lab Required) The study of depositional environments of sedimentary rocks. Facies analysis and modeling of sedimentary deposits.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2530.
Course introducing field mapping techniques including field navigation and basic geologic interpretations. Students are responsible for costs of room and board during the field course. Offered in the Summer Term.
(Lab required) Introduction to linear and non-linear geophysical inversion theory.
Field instruction in the planning and execution of geophysical surveys and the use of geophysical equipment; analysis, interpretation and reporting of acquired geophysical data. Taught with the first half of GEOL 4740 in the summer term. Students are responsible for costs of room and board during the field course. Not to be held with GEOL 4740.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: GEOL 3810, GEOL 2440, GEOL 2520, GEOL 2530, and permission of department.
Mutually Exclusive: GEOL 4740
Advanced study in a selected subject in Earth sciences. As the course content will vary from year to year, students may take this course more than once for credit.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: Permission of department head.
(Lab required) Lecture and laboratory course introducing modern instrumental techniques for the characterization of materials. Includes coverage of diffraction, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, electron and scanning probe techniques. Emphasis is placed on basic principles, instrument operation, data analysis and sample preparation.
(Lab required) The tectonic setting and deformational and structural nature of ore deposits. The physics and chemistry of ore deposition and ore bearing fluids. The mineralogical, textural and environmental constraints on resource exploitation.
(Lab required) Interpretation of Earth history using fossils: topics in taxonomy, functional morphology, paleoecology, evolution, biostratigraphy, and biogeography.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 3310 or permission of department.
Seismology and the structure, physical properties and equations of state of the Earth’s interior; thermal constitution and the history of the Earth.
Potential field theory; magnetic properties of Earth materials; figure and rotation of the Earth; theory and application of Earth’s gravity and magnetic fields.
(Lab required) Methodologies used in exploration and evaluation of Canadian mineral deposits and case studies illustrating the application of these methods.
Examination of the major processes controlling global change through time. The causes, magnitude, and periodicity of changes in the geological record resulting from the variability and interaction of continents, oceans, atmospheres, climate, Earth-sun relationships, and ice sheets, with an emphasis on paleoclimate.
Examination of economic, political, social, and environmental considerations that affect exploration and mining activity.
(Lab required) A study of the physical properties, origins and maturation, migration, and accumulation of petroleum products.
(Lab required) The structure and properties of, and physical processes taking place within, the Earth's interior. Continental cratons and their margins, orogenic belts, structural and petrologic features of the ocean basins, modern diastrophism, global tectonic theories.
Field instruction in planning and execution of geophysical surveys and use of geophysical equipment; analysis, interpretation and reporting of acquired geophysical data. Students are responsible for costs of room and board during the field course. Taught in the summer term. Not to be held with GEOL 4260.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisites: GEOL 2440, GEOL 2520, GEOL 2530, GEOL 3810, and permission of department.
Mutually Exclusive: GEOL 4260
(Lab Required) The theory and application of spectral methods in geophysics. The use of Fourier Transforms, convolution, power spectra, coherence, transfer functions, covariance, correlation and filtering.
A thesis based on a geoscience research project conducted by a fourth-year student in Geology or Geophysics. Selection of a project and supervisor to be arranged prior to registration, submitted in writing to and approved by the department head. This course is for Honours students only and is to be taken in the student's final year before graduation. Not to be held with GEOL 4920.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 3130 and permission of department head.
Mutually Exclusive: GEOL 4920
(Lab required) The study of major sedimentary basins. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of basin origin, classification, evolution, fluid content and diagenesis, and sedimentary facies architecture.
Course developing field mapping techniques including independent mapping and interpretation and synthesis in complex geological terrains. Students are responsible for costs of room and board during the field course. Offered in the summer term.
A technical report based on a geoscience research project conducted by a fourth year Major student in Geology or Geophysics. Selection of a project and supervisor to be arranged prior to registration, submitted in writing to and approved by the department head. This course is for students in the Major program only and is available during the student's final year of study before graduation. Not to be held with GEOL 4870. Technical reports written for this course are not considered compliant with National Instrument 43-101.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: GEOL 3130 and permission of department head.
Mutually Exclusive: GEOL 4870