Earth Sciences
The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Dalhousie University offers Majors in both Environmental Science and Earth Science. Complete your undergraduate degree as a major, or consider completing an honours or co-op degree and/or earning one or more certificates if certain courses are taken as part of the program. Obtain your degree while completing the knowledge requirements for Professional Geoscience Registration (PGeo).
Your major map: Earth Sciences
The Earth Sciences Major Map highlights academic and co-curricular opportunities and provides an overview of how students can customize their degree. Students are encouraged to connect with advising supports at Dalhousie and use the Academic Calendar and Timetable to create their course plan.
Where your degree can take you
A BSc degree in Earth Sciences provides great preparation for a variety of careers. The skills and knowledge acquired through this program can be applied, but are not limited to career paths in:
Government and regulatory affairs, environmental consulting, law, research, business, education, engineering, and industries such as oil, gas, and mineral, among many more.
To prepare to become a professional geoscientist, students should enroll in a 120-credit hour BSc or BA degree (Major, Honours or Combined) and meet the knowledge requirements for professional registration by following the Geoscience Knowledge and Experience handbook.
Core competencies gained
Discipline-related skills:
- Knowledge of the origin, composition, and evolution of the Earth, how it responds to internal and external forces, and spatial and temporal changes
- Ability to identify, describe and classify earth's processes, materials, and structures
- Ability to apply physics, chemistry, biology, statistics, and mathematics to solve geologic problems and apply this knowledge to address problems affecting society
Transferable skills:
- Academic writing and presentation skills
- Critical thinking, synthesis, and analytical skills
- Communication skills
- Numeracy skills
- Time/project management
- Leadership and teamwork
- Basic statistical analyses
- Research/fieldwork skills
Possible careers and employment
Earth Sciences Alumni can be employed within a variety of industries and have multiple career path options. These are influenced by the student's elective courses, experiential learning choices and certificates. Some of the options below will typically require additional or graduate-level training*, while some can be pursued following the completion of baccalaureate program only.
- Compliance Officer
- Cartographer
- Exploration Geologist*
- Engineering Technician
- Environmental Technician
- Environmental Consultant
- Environmental Lawyer*
- Geophysicist*
- GIS Specialist
- Geologist*
- Hydrologist*
- Laboratory Supervisor
- Paleontologist*
- Mine Geologist*
- Mining Engineering
- Technician
- Project Manager
- Petroleum Geologist*
- Regulatory Law Associate*
- Site Cost Controller
- Survey Technician
- Teacher/Professor*
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