# Geoscience
**Source**: https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/geoscience-msc-thesis
**Parent**: https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/graduate/discover-opportunities/explore-programs/geography-phd
Master of Science (MSc)
Thesis-based program
[Start your application](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/how-apply)
## Program overview
This is a full-time degree with an expected completion time of two years, typically requiring a bachelor's degree in the same or a closely related discipline. Formed in 1963, the Department of Geoscience is a vibrant cornerstone of the University of Calgary – and is also the largest geoscience department in Canada. We are internationally and nationally recognized for strengths in seismic geophysics, petroleum geology, hydrology, petrology and regional tectonics. Our vision is an improved understanding of Earth systems through innovative and impactful geoscience research, interdisciplinary learning and discovery, empowered and inspired teaching, and effective communication that not only raises our profile as a geoscience centre of excellence but also creates a brighter future for our world. Many thesis-based students participate in field schools during their time in the program, gaining valuable training in geological field methods in a range of possible locations.
### Completing this program
- **Courses:** Topics may include hydrogeology, flow in porous media, petrologic methods, structural methods, basin studies, geochemistry and others.
- **Field Schools:** Many students participate in field schools for 12-16 days in late summer or early spring. Activities include orienteering, mapping surficial deposts, measuring sections in sedimentary rocks, and mapping geologic structures in places like the Canadian Shield, Alberta prairies, Rocky Mountains and deserts of southwest USA.
- **Thesis:** Students will prepare and defend an original research thesis.
### Outcomes
Post-Secondary Teaching and Research, Oil and gas , Resource exploration , Resource Management, Environmental Consulting, Geo Hazards, Renewable Energy, Policy and Regulation.
**A master’s degree in geoscience will give you the pre-requisite for a PhD.**
### Thesis-based program
Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.
### Courses
Four courses
[Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/programs/GEOSMSCT)
### Classroom delivery
### Time commitment
Two years full-time; four years maximum
### Supervisor
A supervisor is required; potential supervisors must be listed when applying to the program.
### Fees and funding
See the Graduate Calendar for information on [fees and fee regulations,](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/uofcregs/tuitionandfeesoverview/grad) and for information on [awards and financial assistance](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/uofcregs/studfinsupport/awardsgrad).
## Virtual Tour
Explore the University of Calgary (UCalgary) from anywhere. Experience all that UCalgary has to offer for your graduate student journey without physically being on campus. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.
[Take the FGS Virtual Tour](https://virtualtour.grad.ucalgary.ca/ucalgary/home/campuses/?utm_source=Explore+Programs+Pages&utm_medium=Web&utm_campaign=Circuit+Tour)
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## Supervisors
Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree.\
Please note: additional supervisors may be available. [Contact the program](mailto:sci.grad@ucalgary.ca) for more information.
---
1. [Benjamin Barst](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/node/3607)
Accepting Inquiries
Ecotoxicology, One Health, Environmental contaminants, Stable isotope analyses, Food webs
2. [Edwin Cey](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/edwin-cey)
Accepting Inquiries
Hydrogeology, Vadose Zone Hydrology and Preferential Flow, Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction, Numerical Simulation, Subsurface Microbial Transport, Expert Review and Regulatory Input
3. [Jan Dettmer](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/jan-dettmer)
Unavailable
Seismology
4. [David Eaton](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/david-eaton)
Accepting Inquiries
Seismology, Induced Seismicity, Passive Seismic Monitoring, Distributed Acoustic Sensing, Physics-Informed Machine Learning
5. [Eva Enkelmann](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/eva-enkelmann)
Accepting Inquiries
Tectonics, Thermochronology, Geochronology, Basin Evolution
6. [Chima Justin Ezekiel](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/chima-justin-ezekiel)
Accepting Inquiries
Geothermal (hydrothermal, closed-loop, etc.), CO2 capture- ultilization and storage (CCUS), CO2-based (plume) geothermal, Sustainable energy systems modeling (TEA, UQ, LCA, etc.), Energy storage
7. [Rob Ferguson](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/rob-ferguson)
Seeking Students
Geophysics
8. [Adriana Guatame](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/adriana-guatame)
Accepting Inquiries
Critical Mineral Resources, Geometallurgy, Mineral Resources Policy
9. [Charles Henderson](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/supervisor/charles-henderson)
Accepting Inquiries
Upper Paleozoic and Triassic Sequence Biostratigraphy and Conodont Paleontology
10. [Stephen Hubbard](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/node/3406)
Accepting Inquiries
Sedimentary Systems, Clastic Sedimentology, Basin Analysis
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## Admission requirements
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#### GPA
A minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.
#### Minimum education
Four-year Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent. An Honours degree in geology or geophysics, or a field related to geophysics, such as physics or mathematics, is preferred.
#### Work samples
None
#### Documents
A concise statement outlining the applicant’s research interests and reasons for wishing to attend the University of Calgary
#### Reference letters
Two
#### Test scores
None
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#### **English language proficiency (ELP)**
An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in different ways. For accepted criteria, please refer to the “Faculty of Science English Language Proficiency (ELP) Requirements” page in the [Academic Calendar](https://calendar.ucalgary.ca/pages/AtZIGQMl4WHoCe2qWSTP).
*\*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements.*
#### Deadlines
**For admission on September 1:**
- Canadians and permanent residents: Jan. 15 application deadline
- International students: Jan. 15 application deadline
If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about
[international requirements](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/international-students)
## Are you ready to apply?
[Application process](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/how-apply)
## Learn more about this program
### Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment
Earth Sciences Building Room 118\
2500 University Drive NW\
Calgary, ABT2N 1N4
[Contact the Graduate Program Administrator](mailto:sci.grad@ucalgary.ca)
[Visit the departmental website](https://science.ucalgary.ca/earth)
### Faculty of Science
Biological Sciences, Room 540\
2500 University Drive NW\
Calgary, ABT2N 1N4\
403.220.8600
[Visit their website](http://www.ucalgary.ca/science/)
Learn more about UCalgary by taking a
[virtual tour](https://virtualtour.grad.ucalgary.ca/)
## Related programs
If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.
#### [Geoscience](#collapse817987271)
[Course-based MSc](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/geoscience-msc-course)
[PhD](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/geoscience-phd)
#### [Chemical and Petroleum Engineering](#collapse2092568160)
[Thesis-based MEng](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/chemical-and-petroleum-engineering-meng-thesis)
[Course-based MEng](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/chemical-and-petroleum-engineering-meng-course)
[Course-based MEng (Petroleum only)](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/chemical-and-petroleum-engineering-meng-cohort)
[Course-based MSc](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/chemical-and-petroleum-engineering-msc-thesis)
[PhD](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/chemical-and-petroleum-engineering-phd)
#### [Civil Engineering](#collapse1753039356)
[Course-based MEng](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/civil-engineering-meng-course)
[Thesis-based MEng](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/civil-engineering-meng-thesis)
[Thesis-based MSc](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/civil-engineering-msc-course)
[PhD](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/civil-engineering-phd)
#### [Physics and Astronomy](#collapse556495181)
[Course-based MSc](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/physics-and-astronomy-msc-course)
[Thesis-based MSc](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/physics-and-astronomy-msc-thesis)
[PhD](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/explore-programs/physics-and-astronomy-phd)
## Curious about the University of Calgary?
Located in the nation's most enterprising city, we are a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude.
[Learn More about student life at UCalgary](https://grad.ucalgary.ca/future-students/student-life)