Degree and Diploma Programs by Graduate Unit
2014-15 SGS Calendar
Earth Sciences
Faculty Affiliation
Arts and Science
Degree Programs Offered
Earth Sciences—MASc, MSc, PhD
Collaborative Programs
The following collaborative programs are available to
students in participating degree programs as listed below:
1. Environmental Studies
 Earth Sciences, MASc, MSc, PhD
2. Earth Sciences and Physics
 Earth Sciences, MSc, PhD
Overview
The Department of Earth Sciences accepts students for
advanced degrees—Master of Applied Science (MASc),
Master of Science (MSc), and Doctor of Philosophy
(PhD)—in a broad range of topics in the earth sciences.
Students may also undertake studies in interdisciplinary
areas by arrangement with other departments such as
Civil Engineering, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
School of the Environment, Physics, Chemistry, and
Materials Science and Engineering.
In recent years, research by staff and graduate students
has been carried out in all parts of North America and
other parts of the world, both on land and at sea. In
addition to field-based studies, the department has a wide
range of modern laboratories; advanced studies are
encouraged in a broad spectrum of geological problems.
Further details of research emphases, facilities, detailed
degree requirements, and graduate courses are available
on the departmental website.
Contact and Address
Web: www.es.utoronto.ca
Email: slotkin@es.utoronto.ca
Telephone: (416) 978-1240
Fax: (416) 978-3938
Department of Earth Sciences
University of Toronto
Earth Sciences Centre
Room 1066, 22 Russell Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1
Canada
1
Earth Sciences
Degree Programs
Earth Sciences
Master of Applied Science
Minimum Admission Requirements
 Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations
of the School Graduate Studies. Applicants must also
satisfy the Department of Earth Sciences' additional
admission requirements stated below.
 The department has no formal foreign language
requirements. Students proceeding by thesis to any
degree are expected to become familiar with the
literature of their subjects, in whatever language it is
written.
Program Requirements
 Normally, complete the graduate seminar (ESS 1101H),
one of the six breadth courses, and 1.0 FCE of elective
courses, for a total of 2.0 FCEs.
 A research thesis.
 Minimum full-time residence is one academic session.
Program Length
6 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence:
F/W/S/F/W/S)
Time Limit
3 years full-time
Master of Science
Minimum Admission Requirements
 Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations
of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also
satisfy the Department of Earth Sciences' additional
admission requirements stated below.
 The department has no formal foreign language
requirements. Students proceeding by thesis to any
degree are expected to become familiar with the
literature of their subjects, in whatever language it is
written.
Program Requirements
 Students in the all-coursework option are normally
required to complete the graduate seminar (ESS
1101H), the all-course research project (ESS 3608H),
one of the six breadth courses, and 3.5 FCEs of elective
courses for a total of 5.0 graduate full-course equivalents
(FCEs).
 Students in the doctoral-stream option are normally
required to complete the graduate seminar (ESS
1101H), the research project (ESS 3603Y+), research
presentation (ESS 3601Y+), one of the six breadth
2014-2015 School of Graduate Studies Calendar
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Degree and Diploma Programs by Graduate Unit
courses, and 1.0 FCE of elective courses, for a total of
4.0 FCEs.
 To encourage breadth, the department will permit
students to substitute electives with equivalent non-earth
science courses.
 Students may proceed on a part-time basis.
Program Length
3 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S);
6 sessions part-time
Time Limit
3 years full-time;
6 years part-time
+ Extended course. For academic reasons, coursework is
extended into session following academic session in which
course is offered.
Program Length
4 years full-time; 5 years direct-entry; 5 years transferfrom-master's
Time Limit
6 years full-time; 7 years direct-entry; 7 years transferfrom-master's
Course List
Check with the department for the current year's offerings.
ESS 1100Y
Seminars in Geology Y
ESS 1101H
Graduate Seminars in Geology
ESS 1423H
Mineralogy
ESS 1430H
Basin Analysis
ESS 1436H
Paleoecological Assessment of
Environmental Change
ESS 1440H
Petrology
ESS 1441H
Remote Sensing of Earth and the
Terrestrial Planets
ESS 1442H
Introductory Mineral Deposits I
Program Requirements
ESS 1443H
Introductory Mineral Deposits II
 Preparation of a research thesis constituting a significant
ESS 1445H
Global Tectonics
ESS 1450H
Contaminant Fate and Transport in
Subsurface Environments
ESS 2222H
Tectonics and Planetary Dynamics
ESS 2302H
Mineral Resources
ESS 2303H
Earth Systems Evolution
ESS 2304H
Geochemistry
ESS 2608H
Advanced Glacial Sedimentology
ESS 2704H
Isotope Geochemistry
ESS 2708H
Characterization of Geological
Materials
Doctor of Philosophy
Minimum Admission Requirements
 Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations
of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also
satisfy the Department of Earth Sciences' additional
admission requirements stated below.
 The department has no formal foreign language
requirements. Students proceeding by thesis to any
degree are expected to become familiar with the
literature of their subjects, in whatever language it is
written.
contribution to the knowledge of the earth.
 Students normally complete the graduate seminar
course, one of the six breadth courses and an additional
half course, for a total of 1.5 full-course equivalents
(FCEs). The additional half course may be taken in
departments other than Earth Sciences with the approval
of the student's advisory committee. A reduction in the
number of required courses may be granted for students
who have previously undertaken graduate studies in the
appropriate fields. Recommendations must be made by
a student's advisory committee for consideration and
approval by the department's Graduate Affairs
Committee.
 Students who begin the PhD program directly from the
department's research-based MSc are required to take
one of the six breadth courses and an additional half
course. In all cases, the student's supervisory committee
reserves the right to assign additional courses if they feel
that the student is deficient in a subject area essential to
the research.
 Students are normally expected to complete the MSc
degree before proceeding to the PhD, but exceptions
may be made when the student has the appropriate
research experience. Normal departmental rules for the
completion of the PhD apply (see departmental website).
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Earth Sciences
ESS 3601Y+ Research Presentation
ESS 3602H
Seminars in Geology
ESS 3603Y+ Research Project
ESS 3604H
Selected Topics in Geology
ESS 3605H
Selected Topics in Geochemistry
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Degree and Diploma Programs by Graduate Unit
ESS 3606H
Selected Topics Earth System
Evolution
ESS 3607H
Selected Topics in Geodynamics
ESS 3608H
All-Course Research Project
JGN 2607H
Advanced Techniques in
Hydrogeology
Additional courses related to geophysics can be found in
the Graduate Department of Physics course listings.
Extended course. For academic reasons, coursework is
extended into session following academic session in which
course is offered.
+
3
Earth Sciences
2014-2015 School of Graduate Studies Calendar
www.sgs.utoronto.ca/calendar