Geological Sciences
About Geological Sciences
Geology is the science of the solid earth, including its composition, structure, physical properties, and history. Professionals in geological fields tend to have a strong background in chemistry and basic sciences, but they must also be able to integrate a wide variety of information in order to make decisions about where resources might be, how to extract them, what impact human activities will have on the Earth, and so on. Vancouver is the world capital for mineral exploration, and UBC has been supplying geologists to the mineral exploration industry for decades. Many graduates find work in the geo-environmental sector (especially within hydrogeology) or continue on to advanced studies at the graduate level and research careers in industry and academia.
Program Details
The Honours program is intended for students who wish to undertake graduate studies or pursue a professional career in geology. Graduates of the honours program who have chosen the appropriate technical electives may apply for registration as a professional geoscientist in British Columbia.
Skills
- Location, identification, classification and extraction of various earth materials and structures
- Application of the geologic time scale to indicate the order that events on Earth
- Surveying and sampling techniques
- Field mapping
- Technical report writing
- Mathematical modeling and quantitative analysis
- Computer methods used to analyze geological and geographical data
- Interpretation of 3D subsurface structures
- Microscopic petrography and mineral identification
Programs offered
- Major Geology
- Honours, Geological Sciences
- Combined Honours, Geology and another subject
- Co-op
Resources
Career Options
With an undergraduate degree
- Cartographer
- Geographic information systems technician
- Geological technician
- Geophysical data technician
- Laboratory technician
- Lobbyist
- Mineral technician
- Seismic technician
With additional study
- Agricultural consultant
- Assayer
- Agrogeologist
- Development geologist
- Environmental geologist
- Exploration geologist
- Geochemist
- Geophysicist
- Geodesist
- Geologist
- Glaciologist
- Groundwater geologist
- Hydrogeologist
- Hydrologist
- Land surveyor
- Landscape architect
- Mineralogist
- Mine geologist
- Mining technologist
- Oceanographer
- Palaeontologist
- Petrologist
- Petroleum geologist
- Sedimentologist
- Seismologist
- Stratigrapher
- Toxicologist
- Urban planner
UBC Science Geological Sciences Graduates Work As
- Graduate Geologist In-Training, Shell Canada Ltd
- Geological Field Assistant, Yukon Geological Survey Project
- Geologist, C.J. Greig & Associates
- Geologist, Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd.
- Environmental Geoscientist, Lorax Environmental Services Ltd
- PhD Candidate in Volcanology, Nanyang Technological University