2004 - 2005 Calendar

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

EARTH SCIENCES PROGRAMS AND REGULATIONS

The following undergraduate programs are available:

120 credit hour programs
- Honours or General degrees in Earth Sciences
- Joint Honours in Earth Sciences/Physics
- Joint Honours in Geography/Earth Sciences
- Joint Honours in Geophysics/Physical Oceanography
- Joint Major in Earth Sciences/Physics

135 credit hour programs
- Joint Honours in Biology and Earth Sciences
- Joint Honours in Earth Sciences/Chemistry

24 credit hour program
- Minor in Earth Sciences

Although Honours programs can be completed in 120 credit hours, students who do not select the prescribed common block of required courses will normally need more than 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.

Details of joint programs are given after the Faculty of Science Honours B.Sc. regulations.

UNDERGRADUATE HANDBOOK

Additional information about the undergraduate program, individual courses and suggested timetables can be found in the Department of Earth Sciences Undergraduate Handbook which is available on the web at www.esd.mun.ca.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

In order to be formally admitted to major programs in Earth Sciences, students must have successfully completed 3 first-year credit hours in each of the following departments: English, Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics; these courses must be selected from the list of required courses for degree programs in Earth Sciences. Students are encouraged to declare their major in their first year of study at the university.

Most of the 2000 level Earth Sciences courses that are required for major and minor programs in Earth Sciences have Physics and Chemistry prerequisites, and students are advised to complete these prerequisites in their first year of study.

Students will not normally be permitted entry to 3000-level (or above) Earth Sciences courses without having completed all 1000 level courses listed in the COMMON BLOCK OF REQUIRED COURSES specified in point a) in the 'Major Programs in Earth Sciences'.

MINOR IN EARTH SCIENCES

A Minor in Earth Sciences will consist of the following:

a) Earth Sciences 1000, 1002, 2030, 2031, 2401 or 2702.

b) Nine credit hours chosen from Earth Sciences courses at the 2000 level or higher with at least 3 credit hours from courses at the 3000 level or higher. Credit hours from Earth Sciences 2150, 2311, 2914, 2915, 2916, 4310 and 4950 cannot be used to fulfil this requirement.

Several of the courses at 3000 level or higher have Earth Sciences 2502 or 2503 as prerequisites.

MAJOR PROGRAMS IN EARTH SCIENCES

Programs in Earth Sciences consist of a common block of required courses (below), and additional courses that depend on the degree being sought.

COMMON BLOCK OF REQUIRED COURSES

All majors in Earth Sciences must complete those courses specified in points (a) through (d). Students should examine prerequisites of 3000-level courses in order to decide which course to select under points (c) and (d).

a) English 1080 and 1110 (or equivalent), Mathematics 1000 and 1001, Earth Sciences 1000 and 1002, one of Chemistry 1010 or 1050 (or equivalent) and one of Chemistry 1011 or 1051 (or equivalent), Physics 1050 and (1051 or the former 1054) or Physics 1020* and 1021*.

*Students who intend or are required to complete higher level Physics courses must complete Physics 1051 or 1054 as well since it is a prerequisite to higher level Physics courses.

b) Earth Sciences 2030, 2031, 2502, 2905.

c) Mathematics 2000 or Statistics 2510.

d) Biology 2120 (or Biology 1001 and 1002), or Physics 2055.

Students must ensure that the prerequisites for Earth Sciences courses are fulfilled. Great difficulties in timetabling may be encountered if the required first-year courses are not completed before the beginning of second year.

HONOURS B.SC. DEGREE IN EARTH SCIENCES

Geoscientific careers vary widely in required background. The Honours B.Sc. program is designed with considerable choice in order that students may personalize their programs based on career goals. Note that the flexibility afforded by this program is not without limits. Some courses have prerequisites, and it is ultimately the student's responsibility to ensure that these prerequisites are satisfied. Students should consult faculty members and the departmental Student Handbook for guidance in selecting courses appropriate to particular career paths.

In addition to the COMMON BLOCK OF REQUIRED COURSES listed under MAJOR PROGRAMS IN EARTH SCIENCES, the following requirements must be completed to qualify for the Honours B.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences:

a) Earth Sciences 499A and 499B.

b) At least 37 additional credit hours from Earth Sciences courses, of which at least 30 credit hours must be from courses at 3000 and/or 4000 levels with a minimum of 12 credit hours from courses at the 4000 level. Credit hours from Earth Sciences 2150, 2914, 2915, 2916, 4310 and 4950 cannot be used to fulfil this requirement.

c) Six credit hours from the Faculty of Science courses numbered 2000 or higher. Credit hours from Earth Sciences courses, Biology 3811 and the former Physics 2050 are excluded.

d) Additional credit hours selected to conform with regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor Science so as to achieve a total of 120 credit hours. Students are encouraged to complete a minor in another department.

GENERAL B.Sc. DEGREE IN EARTH SCIENCES

In addition to the COMMON BLOCK OF REQUIRED COURSES listed under MAJOR PROGRAMS IN EARTH SCIENCES, the following requirements must be completed to qualify for the General B.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences:

a) Twenty-seven additional credit hours from Earth Sciences courses, of which at least 24 credit hours must be from courses at 3000 and/or 4000 levels with a minimum of 9 credit hours from courses at 4000 level. Credit hours from Earth Sciences 2150, 2914, 2915, 2916, 4310, 4950 and 499A/B cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.

b) Six credit hours from Science Faculty courses numbered 2000 or higher. Credit hours from Earth Sciences courses, Biology 3811 and the former Physics 2050 are excluded.

c) Additional credit hours selected to conform with regulations for the General Degree of Bachelor Science so as to achieve a total of 120 credit hours. Students are encouraged to complete a minor in another department.

Students are advised that this is the minimum requirement for the General B.Sc. in Earth Sciences. Many provinces, including Newfoundland and Labrador, have legislation requiring registration of professional geoscientists. A basic requirement for registration is, in most cases, the course equivalent of an Honours B.Sc. degree. Students intending to make a career in Earth Sciences should consider taking the Honours Degree program of courses, regardless of whether honours standing is maintained.

TABLE OF CREDIT RESTRICTIONS FOR PRESENT EARTH SCIENCES COURSES WITH FORMER COURSES

GENERAL NOTES FOR ALL EARTH SCIENCES PROGRAMS AND COURSES

NOTES: 1) Students wishing to pursue study within the programs offered by Earth Sciences are strongly advised to keep in close contact with the Department to discuss course programs before attempting telephone registration in order to maintain a proper sequencing.

2) Students wishing to take some Earth Sciences courses without intending to major in Earth Sciences should consult with the Head of Department (or delegate) to determine the courses most suitable to their needs and capabilities. Earth Sciences 2914, 2915, 2916 and 2150 are especially suitable for such students and have no Earth Sciences prerequisites.

3) Most courses comprise six hours of instruction per week, usually three hours of lectures or seminars and a three-hour laboratory period; however, at an advanced level other methods of instruction may be adopted.

4) Consult the notes of field courses 2905, 3905 and 4905 for additional information. These courses require payment of a participation fee to cover costs for logistics and equipment. Registration for these courses will be by application only and may be competitive.

5) The prerequisites for courses 4302, 4902 and 4903 refer to core courses in the Faculty of Science. For the purposes of these prerequisite statements, core courses are defined as those courses that are specified by each department as mandatory to fulfil the course requirements for their General or Honours programs.

6) Certain of the 4000-level courses may not be offered every year.

7) At most 6 credit hours in courses at the 1000-level can be used towards the course requirements in Earth Sciences for the Major, Minor, Joint Major, Honours or Joint Honours.

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