Science (Earth, Geographic and Climate)

McGill University

Earth Science and Geography: blue ink subject illustration

4 / 3 years
Duration (years)
4 years from high school; normally 3 years after Quebec CEGEP
McGill Science, Arts and Arts/Science freshman and CEGEP routes
Optional Science Industrial Practicum or Internship Year in Science.
Work experience
Optional Science Industrial Practicum or Internship Year in Science.
McGill Science · complete internship structure and eligibility

Deadlines

January 2027

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14		16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Next deadlineFriday, January 15, 2027

Application
Fall 2027 entry · Applicants studying or last studying at an overseas or U.S. school, college or university
Official deadline

Other deadline details

March 1Advanced Level supporting documentsFall 2027 entry

Applicants using the Advanced Level route
March 1

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

March 1International Baccalaureate supporting documentsFall 2027 entry

Applicants using the standalone IB Diploma route
March 1

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

April 1 to May 15Ontario mandatory grade self-reportingFall 2027 entry

Ontario high-school applicants in Canada
April 1 to May 15
Unless already admitted or refused in the first round, or exempt from self-reporting

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

May 4Ontario supporting documentsFall 2027 entry

Ontario high-school applicants in Canada
May 4
Upload items requested in the Applicant Portal
Grade self-reporting has a separate window

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

May 4Other Canadian high-school supporting documentsFall 2027 entry

Canadian high-school applicants in Canada outside Ontario and Quebec
May 4

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

March 1 to May 1Other Canadian mandatory grade self-reportingFall 2027 entry

Canadian high-school applicants in Canada outside Ontario and Quebec
March 1 to May 1

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

April 15Quebec supporting documentsFall 2027 entry

Quebec CEGEP, college and high-school applicants, where documents are requested
April 15

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

March 1U.S. supporting documentsFall 2027 entry

U.S. high-school applicants, where documents are requested
March 1

SourceChecked Nov 9, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4U / FRA4UGrade 12 core English or French
MCV4UGrade 12 Calculus and Vectors
Two of Grade 12 Biology (SBI4U), Chemistry (SCH4U) or Physics (SPH4U)

Complete the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six Grade 12 4U, DU or 4M courses. At least four and all prerequisites must be 4U or DU. McGill includes prerequisites in its Top 6 calculation.

Application steps

Entry terms · Fall

September 2027 first-year entry. This BSc group was not offered for January 2027.

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
McGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlinesMcGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlines
Step 2Apply through McGill admissions
- Create your application and select this program.
McGill admissionsMcGill admissions
Step 3Ontario applicants: self-reported grades and transcript
- Ontario high school applicants in Canada normally self-report through the Applicant Portal and upload an unofficial transcript. Exceptions include Ontario schooling outside Canada, high school completed over five years ago and specified partial Canadian-school histories. The portal gives the applicable route.
McGill Ontario applicant documentationMcGill Ontario applicant documentation
Step 4English proficiency results when no exemption applies
- Applicants who have lived and attended school for at least four years in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language are exempt. Otherwise submit official accepted test results unless another published exemption applies.
McGill Ontario applicant English-proof conditionsMcGill Ontario applicant English-proof conditions
Step 5Check whether English proficiency evidence is required. Programme-specific extras, scholarship/financial-aid requests and extenuating circumstances have separate documentation.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlinesMcGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlines
Step 6The central page names Population & Global Health, Dietetics, Education, Global Engineering, Music, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Religious Studies and Social Work as choices with extra requirements. This common review does not certify their separate checklists or imply a universal CASPer, French test, reference or personal statement.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlinesMcGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlines
Step 7Apply directly through McGill’s undergraduate application.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlinesMcGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlines
Step 8Choose Arts or the applicable Science group and pay the application fee.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlinesMcGill Ontario high-school requirements and deadlines

Applicant pathways

Ontario school credential assessed within Canada

Ontario curriculum applicants attending a school in Canada; BA & Sc and Science degree groups

Obtain the OSSD before classes and present at least six 4U/DU/4M courses. At least four and every prerequisite must be 4U/DU; no more than two 4M courses count. A core 4U English/French course is required; second-language courses do not satisfy that core prerequisite.
The Top 6 calculation includes required subjects and excludes most applied courses. Science/mathematics prerequisites must be within five years. BA & Sc and Science degree groups require their exact language, Calculus and Vectors and two Biology/Chemistry/Physics subjects as specified separately; published competitive grades remain unchanged. An Ontario diploma from a school outside Canada follows a separate policy.

Ontario applicants also completing IB or AP

Ontario-curriculum applicants in Canada with additional IB Diploma, individual IB or AP examinations

Declare IB/AP study on the application. Assessment normally uses the Ontario Top 6 credential; any later advanced standing uses final IB/AP results. This is distinct from the full-IB applicant route and does not promise transfer credit.
Normally self-report all Grade 11/12 academic courses through the Applicant Portal and upload the grade report used. Exceptions include school completion more than five years ago, only one Canadian high-school year, certain Quebec/Ontario transitions, Ontario Grade 12 completed in Quebec, and fewer than ten academic Grade 11/12 courses. The official record controls discrepancies. Complete the personalized checklist; exact dates are not changed.

Earth, Geographic and Climate Sciences Ontario subjects and historical grades

Ontario high-school applicants in Canada

Complete Grade 12 core English or French. Second-language English or French does not satisfy this requirement.
Complete Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors and two of Grade 12 Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Math and science prerequisites must be completed within five years.
This group is new for Fall 2027. McGill has not published past admission grades for it.

Canadian high school outside Ontario and Quebec

Canadian high-school applicants completing school in Canada outside Ontario and Quebec

Complete a high-school diploma and present the top five academic Grade 12 courses. Include English or French according to the school’s language of instruction.
Include Grade 12 precalculus or calculus, and two of Grade 12 Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
This group is new for Fall 2027. McGill has not published past admission grades for it.

Full International Baccalaureate Diploma

Applicants assessed on the full IB Diploma

McGill reviews the full Diploma with the school transcript and predicted or final IB results.
Present mathematics and two of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at HL or SL, with at least one math or science at HL. SL Mathematics Applications and Interpretation does not satisfy the math prerequisite.
This group is new for Fall 2027. McGill has not published past admission grades for it.

U.S. high school

U.S. high-school applicants assessed on their U.S. diploma

Complete precalculus and two of Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
For Fall 2027, applicants to this degree may choose to exclude SAT and ACT results. Eligible U.S. high-school applicants studying in the U.S. self-report grades in the Applicant Portal.

Advanced Levels

Applicants assessed on Advanced Levels or equivalent

Present three different A-Levels including Mathematics and at least one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Present Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics at GCSE level.

University transfer

Applicants assessed on prior university study

Present one semester each of differential and integral calculus and two semesters of Biology, Chemistry and/or Physics with labs. McGill reviews both CGPA and math and science results.

Quebec CEGEP

Applicants completing a Quebec pre-university DEC

Current Science DEC prerequisites list Biology 0B01, Chemistry 0C01 and 0C02, Mathematics 0M02, 0M03 and 0M04, and Physics 0P01, 0P02 and 0P03.
Current Arts and Science DEC equivalents are Biology 7BL1, Chemistry 7CH1 and 7CH2, Mathematics 7MA1, 7MA2 and 7MA4, and Physics 7PH1, 7PH2 and 7PH3. Previous DECs have separate equivalent lists.
McGill can assign missing prerequisite courses after admission where its published exceptions apply.
This group is new for Fall 2027. McGill has not published past admission grades for it.

Choosing a Science group

Applicants to the Faculty of Science

Select your Science program group in the McGill application. A second choice can use the same application fee for the same term and level. The two choices are assessed independently.
Changing groups requires an intra-faculty transfer after completing one full year at McGill.

Degree requirements

Credits and degree requirements

BSc degree: minimum 120 credits, including applicable advanced standing. The admission letter establishes the individual credit requirement.
Students entering with fewer than 24 credits of advanced standing begin at U0; qualifying Quebec CEGEP students normally receive 30 advanced-standing credits.

References

Foundation requirements

Earn at least 60 credits at McGill outside the Foundation math and science requirements, and complete at least two-thirds of each departmental program at McGill.

References

Grades and academic standing

Graduate with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00, or 3.00 for Honours unless the program sets a higher minimum.
Earn a grade of C or higher in required and complementary courses, including applicable Foundation courses.

References

Program facts

Entering averageNot researched

The admission average has not been researched for this program.

InternshipOptional Science Industrial Practicum or Internship Year in Science.

Check work experience options

Majors & specializations

Apply to this entry program. Choose a major later; some majors require university courses or separate selection.

Atmospheric Science

BSc

Published requirements

Courses

Separate study choices within this entry program. Each course block belongs to its named choice; it is not required of every student in the degree.

Atmospheric Science55 listed

Published required and complementary course choices for the 62-credit Atmospheric Science Major (B.Sc.). This is a program within the degree, not the complete degree or a term-by-term timetable. Some requirements specify course levels or subjects rather than naming courses. 62 credits for this program; faculty-wide degree and foundation requirements apply separately.

ATOC 214Introduction: Physics of the Atmosphere3 credits
An introduction to key physical processes operating in the atmosphere, designed for students in science and engineering. Topics typically include: composition of the atmosphere; vertical structure; heat transfer; solar and terrestrial radiation and Earth's energy balance; seasonal and daily temperature changes; humidity and the formation of clouds and precipitation; stability of tropospheric air layers; applications of adiabatic charts.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 312Rotating Fluid Dynamics3 credits
Fundamentals of fluid motion on a rotating sphere: Rotating coordinate systems, the Lagrangian time derivative, and equations of motion. The geostrophic approximation and thermal wind balance; departures from geostrophy, such as frictional Ekman layers, inertial oscillations, and the gradient wind balance. The shallow water equations, including potential vorticity conservation, quasigeostrophy, and simple wave solutions.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 315Thermodynamics and Convection3 credits
Buoyancy, stability, and vertical oscillations. Dry and moist adiabatic processes. Resulting dry and precipitating convective circulations from the small scale to the global scale. Mesoscale precipitation systems from the cell to convective complexes. Severe convection, downbursts, mesocyclones.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
COMP 208Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering 3 credits
Programming and problem solving in a high level computer language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms such as searching and sorting. Modular software design, libraries, file input and output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in Physical Sciences and Engineering, such as root finding, numerical integration, diffusion, Monte Carlo methods.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 222Calculus 33 credits
Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 223Linear Algebra3 credits
Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 314Advanced Calculus3 credits
Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss. Fourier series with applications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 315Ordinary Differential Equations3 credits
First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 215Oceans, Weather and Climate3 credits
An introduction to key physical and dynamical processes in the oceans and atmosphere. Topics typically include air-sea-ice interactions, laws of motion, the geostrophic and thermal wind relations, general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, weather, radiative balance, climate sensitivity and variability, role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 219Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry3 credits
An introduction to the basic topics in atmospheric chemistry. The fundamentals of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and its chemical reactions. Selected topics such as smog chamber, acid rain, and ozone hole will be examined.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
CHEM 219Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry3 credits
An introduction to the basic topics in atmospheric chemistry. The fundamentals of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and its chemical reactions. Selected topics such as; a smog chamber, acid rain, and the ozone hole, will be examined.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 357Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Laboratory3 credits
Students will gain hands-on experience in several fundamental atmospheric and oceanic science topics through practical experimentation. A diverse set of experiments will be conducted, ranging from in situ observations in Montreal, to remote sensing of clouds and radiation, to laboratory chemistry and water-tank experiments. As a background for these experiments, students will receive training on sensor principles and measurement error analysis, as well as the fundamental physical processes of interest in each experiment. They will learn to operate, and physically interpret data from, various sensors for in situ and remote observation of meteorological variables. Their training will also extend to operational weather observations, analysis, and forecasting.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 257Experimental Methods 13 credits
Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 230Dynamics of Simple Systems3 credits
Translational motion under Newton's laws; forces, momentum, work/energy theorem. Special relativity; Lorentz transforms, relativistic mechanics, mass/energy equivalence. Topics in rotational dynamics. Noninertial frames.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 251Honours Classical Mechanics 13 credits
PHYS 232Heat and Waves3 credits
The laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamics of P-V-T systems and simple heat engines. Free, driven, and damped harmonic oscillators. Coupled systems and normal modes. Fourier methods. Wave motion and dispersion. The wave equation.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 253Thermal Physics3 credits
Energy, work, heat; first law. Temperature, entropy; second law. Absolute zero; third law. Equilibrium, equations of state, gases, liquids, solids, magnets; phase transitions.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
CHEM 213Introductory Physical Chemistry 1: Thermodynamics3 credits
Thermodynamics. Topics include gas laws, kinetic theory of collisions, heat capacity, enthalpy, thermochemistry, bond energies, the entropy and free energy functions, absolute entropies, Maxwell relations and chemical and thermodynamic equilibrium states, phase rule and phase diagrams, ideal solutions, colligative properties, solubility, electrochemistry, Debye-Hückel Theory.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
CHEM 273Introductory Physical Chemistry 2: Kinetics and Methods3 credits
Kinetics: Transition State Theory, complex reactions, free-radical reactions, chain reactions, catalysis, reactions at surfaces, ionic effects of reactions in solution, photochemistry. Methods: physical chemistry laboratory, differential equations and linear algebra applied to physical chemistry, computation methods for data analysis and modeling
MCGILL complete current official course definition
CHEM 367Instrumental Analysis 13 credits
An introduction to modern instrumental analysis emphasizing chromatography, atomic spectroscopy and computational data analysis. Analytical methods to be examined in detail include gas-liquid and high performance liquid chromatography, LC mass spectrometry, and common methods of atomic determinations using flames/furnaces/plasma sources.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
CHEM 575Chemical Kinetics3 credits
Kinetic laws, measurement of reaction rates, transition state and collision theory, experimental techniques in reaction kinetics, reaction mechanisms, RRKM theory, Marcus theory of electron transfer, photochemistry and catalysis. Recent developments and their application to chemical and biological problems. Elementary reactions in gas, solution and solid phases and on surfaces.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
COMP 551Applied Machine Learning4 credits
Selected topics in machine learning and data mining, including clustering, neural networks, support vector machines, decision trees. Methods include feature selection and dimensionality reduction, error estimation and empirical validation, algorithm design and parallelization, and handling of large data sets. Emphasis on good methods and practices for deployment of real systems.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 203Principles of Statistics 13 credits
Examples of statistical data and the use of graphical means to summarize the data. Basic distributions arising in the natural and behavioural sciences. The logical meaning of a test of significance and a confidence interval. Tests of significance and confidence intervals in the one and two sample setting (means, variances and proportions).
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 317Numerical Analysis3 credits
Error analysis. Numerical solutions of equations by iteration. Interpolation. Numerical differentiation and integration. Introduction to numerical solutions of differential equations.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 319Partial Differential Equations 3 credits
MATH 323Probability3 credits
Sample space, events, conditional probability, independence of events, Bayes' Theorem. Basic combinatorial probability, random variables, discrete and continuous univariate and multivariate distributions. Independence of random variables. Inequalities, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 324Statistics3 credits
Sampling distributions, including Normal, Chi-squared, Student’s t, and F distributions. Sampling properties of the sample mean and variance. Point estimation: bias, variance, mean squared error, consistency, sufficiency, UMVUE. Method of moments and maximum likelihood estimation. One- and two-sample inference. Confidence intervals and sample size determination. Hypothesis testing, Type 1 and Type 2 errors, power, and p-values. The Neyman Pearson framework and likelihood ratio tests. Linear models used as illustrative examples, linking them to topics in estimation and hypothesis testing. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and contingency tables.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 333Thermal and Statistical Physics3 credits
Introductory equilibrium statistical mechanics. Quantum states, probabilities, ensemble averages. Entropy, temperature, Boltzmann factor, chemical potential. Photons and phonons. Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions; applications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 340Majors Electricity and Magnetism3 credits
The electrostatic field and scalar potential. Dielectric properties of matter. Energy in the electrostatic field. Methods for solving problems in electrostatics. The magnetic field. Induction and inductance. Energy in the magnetic field. Magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's equations. The dipole approximation.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 342Majors Electromagnetic Waves3 credits
Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 350Honours Electricity and Magnetism3 credits
Fundamental laws of electric and magnetic fields in both integral and differential form.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 352Honours Electromagnetic Waves3 credits
Vector and scalar potentials; plane waves in homogeneous media; refraction and reflection; guided waves; radiation from simple systems; dipole and quadrupole radiation; introduction to fields of moving charges; synchrotron radiation; Bremsstrahlung.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 309Weather Radars and Satellites3 credits
Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 521Cloud Physics3 credits
A detailed overview of the environmental factors and microphysical processes involved in the formation of clouds and precipitation. Topics typically include: cloud observations, atmospheric thermodynamics, environmental stability regimes, convection, the microphysics of the formation of cloud droplets and ice crystals, initiation of precipitation, aerosol–cloud interactions.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 540Synoptic Meteorology 13 credits
Analysis of current meteorological data. Description of a geostrophic, hydrostatic atmosphere. Ageostrophic circulations and hydrostatic instabilities. Kinematic and thermodynamic methods of computing vertical motions. Tropical and extratropical condensation rates. Barotropic and equivalent barotropic atmospheres.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 541Synoptic Meteorology 23 credits
Analysis of current meteorological data. Quasi-geostrophic theory, including the omega equation, as it relates to extratropical cyclone and anticyclone development. Frontogenesis and frontal circulations in the lower and upper troposphere. Cumulus convection and its relationship to tropical and extratropical circulations. Diagnostic case study work.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 546Current Weather Discussion1 credits
Half-hour briefing on atmospheric general circulation and current weather around the world using satellite data, radar observations, conventional weather maps, and analyses and forecasts produced by computer techniques.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 404Climate Physics3 credits
This course covers the essentials of climate physics through the lens of one-dimensional, vertical atmospheric models. This includes shortwave and longwave radiative transfer, convection, phase changes, clouds, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric escape. This is an adequate level of detail for understanding Earth's climate, paleoclimate, anthropogenic climate change, or pursuing studies of Solar System planets and extrasolar planets.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 512Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics3 credits
Equations of motion used to study waves, turbulence, and the general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans. Standard approximations to these equations, including the Boussinesq, primitive, quasigeostrohic, and rotating shallow water equations. Emphasis is on effects for which rotation and/or buoyancy play essential roles. Simple classes of flow, e.g., geostrophic, thermal wind, Ekman, and inertial oscillations.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 517Boundary Layer Meteorology 3 credits
ATOC 525Atmospheric Radiation3 credits
Solar and terrestrial radiation. Interactions of molecules, aerosols, clouds, and precipitation with radiation of various wavelengths. Radiative transfer through the clear and cloudy atmosphere. Radiation budgets. Satellite and ground-based measurements. Climate implications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 531Dynamics of Current Climates3 credits
A detailed overview of the climate and the global energy balance. Topics typically include: energy balance at top of the atmosphere and at the surface, poleward energy flux, the role of clouds, climate and atmospheric/oceanic general circulations, natural variability of the climate system, evolution of climate and climate change.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 548Mesoscale Meteorology3 credits
Theory of meteorologically important mesoscale phenomena including mesoscale instabilities, cumulus convection and its organization (including thunderstorms, squall lines, and other forms of severe weather), internal gravity waves, and topographically forced flows. Application of theory to the physical interpretation of observations and numerical simulations.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 558Numerical Methods and Laboratory3 credits
Numerical simulation of atmospheric and oceanic processes. Finite difference, finite element, and spectral modelling techniques. Term project including computer modelling of convection or large-scale flows in the atmosphere or ocean.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 568Ocean Physics3 credits
Major topics in physics and dynamics of the ocean including seawater properties, density and equation of state, sea ice, air-sea-ice exchanges, mixing and stability in the ocean, wind-driven and thermohaline circulations. Observational techniques and numerical models of the ocean, which include some data analysis and literature review.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ESYS 300Earth Data Analysis3 credits
An applied introduction to programming and statistical image processing tools used in Earth system science, typically covering linear regression, statistical significance, Fourier analysis, empirical orthogonal function analysis. Use of global remote-sensing and in-situ observations.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ESYS 301Earth System Modelling3 credits
Introduction to principal concepts of systems modelling related to Earth system science and environmental science, including simple numerical models, conservation laws of mass, energy, and momentum, discretization of governing differential equations, the stability of numerical schemes, and exploration of the ideas of equilibria, feedbacks, and complexity.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 322Environmental Hydrology3 credits
Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 372Running Water Environments3 credits
The course focuses on the physical habitat conditions found in streams, rivers, estuaries and deltas. Based on the laws governing flow of water and sediment transport, it emphasizes differences among these environments, in terms of channel form, flow patterns, substrate composition and mode of evolution. Flooding, damming, channelisation, forestry impacts.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 555Fluid Dynamics4 credits
Kinematics. Dynamics of general fluids. Inviscid fluids, Navier-Stokes equations. Exact solutions of Navier-Stokes equations. Low and high Reynolds number flow.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 404Climate Physics3 credits
McGill 2026–27 PHYS 404: exact credit-column value, distinct from footnote numbers
PHYS 432Physics of Fluids3 credits
The physical properties of fluids. The kinematics and dynamics of flow. The effects of viscosity and turbulence. Applications of fluid mechanics in biophysics, geophysics and engineering.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 512Computational Physics with Applications3 credits
Computational methods in Physics illustrated with realworld applications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 513Waves and Stability3 credits
Description of the principal wave types and instability mechanisms of geophysical fluid dynamics. Geostrophic adjustment, wave dispersion, the WKBJ approximation. Wave types considered include (internal) inertia-gravity waves, planetary Rossby waves, and the equatorial and coastal wave guides. Instabilities considered include inertial, symmetric, barotropic, baroclinic, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 519Advances in Chemistry of Atmosphere3 credits
Exploration of the field of atmospheric chemistry that is identified as the significant driver of climate change and the cause of millions of premature death every year. Discussion of cutting-edge novel technologies for observing and quantifying pollutants (from ground to satellite) using artificial intelligence, the fate of emerging contaminants (e.g., nano/microplastics, trace metals, persistent organic), and modelling of atmospheric and interfacial processes. Examination of topics like atmospheric gaseous and multiphase components like bioaerosols. Study of photochemical, photophysical, and aerosol nucleation processes that affect air quality, climate change, and ecosystem health.
MCGILL complete current official course definition

Atmospheric Science and Physics43 listed

Published required and complementary course choices for the 67-credit Atmospheric Science and Physics Major (B.Sc.). This is a program within the degree, not the complete degree or a term-by-term timetable. Some requirements specify course levels or subjects rather than naming courses. 67 credits for this program; faculty-wide degree and foundation requirements apply separately.

ATOC 214Introduction: Physics of the Atmosphere3 credits
An introduction to key physical processes operating in the atmosphere, designed for students in science and engineering. Topics typically include: composition of the atmosphere; vertical structure; heat transfer; solar and terrestrial radiation and Earth's energy balance; seasonal and daily temperature changes; humidity and the formation of clouds and precipitation; stability of tropospheric air layers; applications of adiabatic charts.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 215Oceans, Weather and Climate3 credits
An introduction to key physical and dynamical processes in the oceans and atmosphere. Topics typically include air-sea-ice interactions, laws of motion, the geostrophic and thermal wind relations, general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, weather, radiative balance, climate sensitivity and variability, role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 309Weather Radars and Satellites3 credits
Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 312Rotating Fluid Dynamics3 credits
Fundamentals of fluid motion on a rotating sphere: Rotating coordinate systems, the Lagrangian time derivative, and equations of motion. The geostrophic approximation and thermal wind balance; departures from geostrophy, such as frictional Ekman layers, inertial oscillations, and the gradient wind balance. The shallow water equations, including potential vorticity conservation, quasigeostrophy, and simple wave solutions.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 315Thermodynamics and Convection3 credits
Buoyancy, stability, and vertical oscillations. Dry and moist adiabatic processes. Resulting dry and precipitating convective circulations from the small scale to the global scale. Mesoscale precipitation systems from the cell to convective complexes. Severe convection, downbursts, mesocyclones.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
COMP 208Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering 3 credits
Programming and problem solving in a high level computer language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms such as searching and sorting. Modular software design, libraries, file input and output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in Physical Sciences and Engineering, such as root finding, numerical integration, diffusion, Monte Carlo methods.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 222Calculus 33 credits
Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 223Linear Algebra3 credits
Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 314Advanced Calculus3 credits
Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss. Fourier series with applications.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 315Ordinary Differential Equations3 credits
First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 230Dynamics of Simple Systems3 credits
Translational motion under Newton's laws; forces, momentum, work/energy theorem. Special relativity; Lorentz transforms, relativistic mechanics, mass/energy equivalence. Topics in rotational dynamics. Noninertial frames.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 232Heat and Waves3 credits
The laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamics of P-V-T systems and simple heat engines. Free, driven, and damped harmonic oscillators. Coupled systems and normal modes. Fourier methods. Wave motion and dispersion. The wave equation.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 241Signal Processing3 credits
Linear circuit elements, resonance, network theorems, diodes, transistors, amplifiers, feedback, integrated circuits.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 257Experimental Methods 13 credits
Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
PHYS 333Thermal and Statistical Physics3 credits
Introductory equilibrium statistical mechanics. Quantum states, probabilities, ensemble averages. Entropy, temperature, Boltzmann factor, chemical potential. Photons and phonons. Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions; applications.
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PHYS 340Majors Electricity and Magnetism3 credits
The electrostatic field and scalar potential. Dielectric properties of matter. Energy in the electrostatic field. Methods for solving problems in electrostatics. The magnetic field. Induction and inductance. Energy in the magnetic field. Magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's equations. The dipole approximation.
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PHYS 342Majors Electromagnetic Waves3 credits
Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles.
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PHYS 346Majors Quantum Physics3 credits
De Broglie waves, Bohr atom. Schroedinger equation, wave functions, observables. One dimensional potentials. Schroedinger equation in three dimensions. Angular momentum, hydrogen atom. Spin, experimental consequences.
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ATOC 357Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Laboratory3 credits
Students will gain hands-on experience in several fundamental atmospheric and oceanic science topics through practical experimentation. A diverse set of experiments will be conducted, ranging from in situ observations in Montreal, to remote sensing of clouds and radiation, to laboratory chemistry and water-tank experiments. As a background for these experiments, students will receive training on sensor principles and measurement error analysis, as well as the fundamental physical processes of interest in each experiment. They will learn to operate, and physically interpret data from, various sensors for in situ and remote observation of meteorological variables. Their training will also extend to operational weather observations, analysis, and forecasting.
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PHYS 258Experimental Methods 23 credits
Advanced laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Computers will be employed routinely for data analysis and for numerical computation, and, particularly, to facilitate the use of Fourier methods.
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ATOC 404Climate Physics3 credits
This course covers the essentials of climate physics through the lens of one-dimensional, vertical atmospheric models. This includes shortwave and longwave radiative transfer, convection, phase changes, clouds, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric escape. This is an adequate level of detail for understanding Earth's climate, paleoclimate, anthropogenic climate change, or pursuing studies of Solar System planets and extrasolar planets.
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ATOC 480Honours Research Project3 credits
The student will carry out a research project under the supervision of a member of the staff. The student will be expected to write a report and present a seminar on the work.
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ATOC 512Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics3 credits
Equations of motion used to study waves, turbulence, and the general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans. Standard approximations to these equations, including the Boussinesq, primitive, quasigeostrohic, and rotating shallow water equations. Emphasis is on effects for which rotation and/or buoyancy play essential roles. Simple classes of flow, e.g., geostrophic, thermal wind, Ekman, and inertial oscillations.
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ATOC 513Waves and Stability3 credits
Description of the principal wave types and instability mechanisms of geophysical fluid dynamics. Geostrophic adjustment, wave dispersion, the WKBJ approximation. Wave types considered include (internal) inertia-gravity waves, planetary Rossby waves, and the equatorial and coastal wave guides. Instabilities considered include inertial, symmetric, barotropic, baroclinic, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.
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ATOC 515Turbulence in Atmosphere and Oceans3 credits
Application of statistical and semi-empirical methods to the study of geophysical turbulence. Reynolds' equations, dimensional analysis, and similarity. The surface and planetary boundary layers. Oceanic mixed layer. Theories of isotropic two- and three- dimensional turbulence: energy and enstrophy inertial ranges. Beta turbulence.
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ATOC 517Boundary Layer Meteorology 3 credits
ATOC 521Cloud Physics3 credits
A detailed overview of the environmental factors and microphysical processes involved in the formation of clouds and precipitation. Topics typically include: cloud observations, atmospheric thermodynamics, environmental stability regimes, convection, the microphysics of the formation of cloud droplets and ice crystals, initiation of precipitation, aerosol–cloud interactions.
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ATOC 525Atmospheric Radiation3 credits
Solar and terrestrial radiation. Interactions of molecules, aerosols, clouds, and precipitation with radiation of various wavelengths. Radiative transfer through the clear and cloudy atmosphere. Radiation budgets. Satellite and ground-based measurements. Climate implications.
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ATOC 531Dynamics of Current Climates3 credits
A detailed overview of the climate and the global energy balance. Topics typically include: energy balance at top of the atmosphere and at the surface, poleward energy flux, the role of clouds, climate and atmospheric/oceanic general circulations, natural variability of the climate system, evolution of climate and climate change.
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ATOC 540Synoptic Meteorology 13 credits
Analysis of current meteorological data. Description of a geostrophic, hydrostatic atmosphere. Ageostrophic circulations and hydrostatic instabilities. Kinematic and thermodynamic methods of computing vertical motions. Tropical and extratropical condensation rates. Barotropic and equivalent barotropic atmospheres.
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ATOC 541Synoptic Meteorology 23 credits
Analysis of current meteorological data. Quasi-geostrophic theory, including the omega equation, as it relates to extratropical cyclone and anticyclone development. Frontogenesis and frontal circulations in the lower and upper troposphere. Cumulus convection and its relationship to tropical and extratropical circulations. Diagnostic case study work.
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ATOC 548Mesoscale Meteorology3 credits
Theory of meteorologically important mesoscale phenomena including mesoscale instabilities, cumulus convection and its organization (including thunderstorms, squall lines, and other forms of severe weather), internal gravity waves, and topographically forced flows. Application of theory to the physical interpretation of observations and numerical simulations.
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ATOC 557Research Methods: Atmospheric and Oceanic Science3 credits
The analysis of observational and modeling data, and the advantages and limitations of different data. Different analysis methods including regression, linear stochastic processes autocovariance and spectral analysis, principle component analysis, inverse problems and data assimilation, commonly used in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
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ATOC 558Numerical Methods and Laboratory3 credits
Numerical simulation of atmospheric and oceanic processes. Finite difference, finite element, and spectral modelling techniques. Term project including computer modelling of convection or large-scale flows in the atmosphere or ocean.
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ATOC 568Ocean Physics3 credits
Major topics in physics and dynamics of the ocean including seawater properties, density and equation of state, sea ice, air-sea-ice exchanges, mixing and stability in the ocean, wind-driven and thermohaline circulations. Observational techniques and numerical models of the ocean, which include some data analysis and literature review.
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COMP 551Applied Machine Learning4 credits
Selected topics in machine learning and data mining, including clustering, neural networks, support vector machines, decision trees. Methods include feature selection and dimensionality reduction, error estimation and empirical validation, algorithm design and parallelization, and handling of large data sets. Emphasis on good methods and practices for deployment of real systems.
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PHYS 331Topics in Classical Mechanics3 credits
Forced and damped oscillators, Newtonian mechanics in three dimensions, rotational motion, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, small vibrations, normal modes. Nonlinear dynamics and chaos.
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PHYS 339Measurements Laboratory in General Physics3 credits
Introduction to modern techniques of measurement. The use of computers in performing and analysing experiments. Data reduction, statistical methods, report writing. Extensive use of computers is made in this laboratory; therefore some familiarity with computers and computing is an advantage.
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PHYS 404Climate Physics3 credits
This course covers the essentials of climate physics through the lens of one-dimensional, vertical atmospheric models. This includes shortwave and longwave radiative transfer, convection, phase changes, clouds, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric escape. This is an adequate level of detail for understanding Earth's climate, paleoclimate, anthropogenic climate change, or pursing studies of Solar System planets and extrasolar planets.
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PHYS 432Physics of Fluids3 credits
The physical properties of fluids. The kinematics and dynamics of flow. The effects of viscosity and turbulence. Applications of fluid mechanics in biophysics, geophysics and engineering.
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PHYS 434Optics3 credits
Fundamental concepts of optics, including applications and modern developments. Light propagation in media; geometric optics and optical instruments; polarization and coherence properties of light; interference and interferometry; diffraction theory and applications in spectrometry and imaging; Gaussian beams, Fourier optics and photonic band structure. A laboratory component provides hands-on experience in optical setup design, construction and testing of concepts introduced in lectures.
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PHYS 449Majors Research Project3 credits
A supervised research project.
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PHYS 512Computational Physics with Applications3 credits
Computational methods in Physics illustrated with realworld applications.
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Geology37 listed

Published required and complementary course choices for the 66-credit Geology Major (B.Sc.). This is a program within the degree, not the complete degree or a term-by-term timetable. Some requirements specify course levels or subjects rather than naming courses. 66 credits for this program; faculty-wide degree and foundation requirements apply separately.

EPSC 210Introductory Mineralogy3 credits
Elementary crystallography, chemistry and identification of the principal rock-forming and ore minerals, in hand specimens and using optical microscopy. Demonstrations of other techniques applied to the identification of minerals and to the analysis of their composition and structure. Optional 2-day field trip.
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EPSC 212Introductory Petrology3 credits
A survey of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and the processes responsible for their formation. The laboratory will emphasize the recognition of rocks in both hand-specimen and thin section using optical microscopes.
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EPSC 220Principles of Geochemistry3 credits
Basic concepts in geochemistry and the quantitative application of principles of chemistry to geological subdisciplines using simple scripts in Matlab. Particular emphasis on the thermodynamics and kinetics of reactions on Earth and other planets, controls on elemental distribution, stable and radiogenic isotopes, and water chemistry. Application of phase diagrams to geology.
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EPSC 231Field School 13 credits
Held locally in Québec. Field projects focused on geological mapping of selected areas, the preparation of maps and reports from field notes, the use of aerial photographs, and the exploration of various field techniques in various tectonic settings.
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EPSC 233Earth and Life Through Time3 credits
Interpretation of stratified rocks; history of Earth with special emphasis on the regions of North America; outline of the history of life recorded in fossils.
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EPSC 240Geology in the Field3 credits
Lectures and field-based exercises, held locally on campus and in the Montreal area, introduce students to the reading and interpretation of a topographic map, the basic description of a stratigraphic section and the inference of its depositional environment, the nature of intrusive contacts, and the field measurement of some structural features and geophysical properties. Students plot geological information on a map, identify landforms in aerial views and learn the tectonic features diagnostic of plate margins. By the end of the course, the students relate a geological map to the geological history of Quebec.
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EPSC 303Structural Geology3 credits
Primary igneous and sedimentary structures, attitudes of planes and lines, stress and strain, fracturing of rocks, faulting, homogeneous strain, description and classification of folds, foliation and lineation, orthographic and stereographic projections.
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EPSC 320Elementary Earth Physics3 credits
Physical properties of Earth and the processes associated with its existence as inferred from astronomy, geodesy, seismology, geology, terrestrial magnetism and thermal evolution.
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EPSC 340Earth and Planetary Inference3 credits
Introduction to modern techniques for combining geological, geophysical, and geochemical measurements with theoretical knowledge about Earth and other planets. Use of tools from time series analysis and inverse methods to build models and test hypotheses within the Earth and Planetary Sciences.
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MATH 222Calculus 33 credits
Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.
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EPSC 355Sedimentary Geology3 credits
The origin, classification, diagenesis and economic importance of sedimentary rocks. The physical properties of sedimentary rocks, the processes by which sediments are transported and deposited, and the environments in which they accumulate. Introduction to techniques for describing and analyzing sedimentary rocks in thin section, hand specimen, and on the outcrop.
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EPSC 423Igneous Petrology3 credits
Physical properties, nucleation, crystallization, differentiation and emplacement of magmas. Integrated studies on various rock suites.
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EPSC 425Sediments to Sequences3 credits
EPSC 445Metamorphic Petrology3 credits
The origin, classification and petrological significance of metamorphic rocks, from the point of view of theory, experiment and field observations.
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EPSC 452Mineral Deposits3 credits
A systematic review of the nature and origin of the major types of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits; typical occurrences; geographic distribution; applications to exploration. Emphasis on magmatic ores, massive sulfides, iron formations.
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GEOG 272Earth's Changing Surface3 credits
Introduction to the study of landforms as products of geomorphic and geologic systems acting at and near the Earth's surface. The process geomorphology approach will be used to demonstrate how landforms of different geomorphic settings represent a dynamic balance between forces acting in the environment and the physical properties of materials present.
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EPSC 519Isotopes in Earth and Environmental Science3 credits
The theory and application of stable and radioactive isotope measurements in the Earth and environmental sciences, including applications in geology, hydrology, climatology, biogeochemistry, and ecology.
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EPSC 325Environmental Geochemistry3 credits
The basic concepts and calculations needed to quantitatively understand the geochemical processes occurring between minerals and waters in Earth’s near-surface environment. The important concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics will be exemplified using examples that concentrate on reactions between minerals and water and their impact on the environment.
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EPSC 549Hydrogeology3 credits
Introduction to groundwater flow through porous media. Notions of fluid potential and hydraulic head. Darcy flux and Darcy's Law. Physical properties of porous media and their measurement. Equation of groundwater flow. Flow systems. Hydraulics of pumping and recharging wells. Notions of hydrology. Groundwater quality and contamination. Physical processes of contaminant transport.
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EPSC 561Ore-forming Processes3 credits
Physicochemical controls of hydrothermal mineral deposition. Discussion of fluid inclusion theory and application; stable isotope systematics, wall-rock alteration; ore mineral solubility and speciation; and mechanisms of mineral deposition.
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EPSC 590Applied Geochemistry Seminar3 credits
Seminar course devoted to field case studies that illustrate the applications of geochemical principles to solving geologic problems. Each student will prepare and lead a class devoted to a geochemical subject of their own choosing.
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GEOG 305Soils and Environment3 credits
Discussion of the major properties of soils; soil formation, classification and mapping; land capability assessment; the role and response of soils in natural and disturbed environments (e.g. global change, ecosystem disturbance).
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EPSC 331Field School 23 credits
Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences.
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EPSC 334Invertebrate Paleontology3 credits
Preservation of fossils; the fossil record of invertebrates; use of fossils in stratigraphy and paleoecology; fossils in evolutionary studies. Fossils of invertebrates are studied in the laboratory.
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EPSC 470D1Undergraduate Thesis Research 3 credits
EPSC 470D2Undergraduate Thesis Research3 credits
See EPSC 470D1 for description.
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EPSC 482Research in Earth and Planetary Sciences3 credits
Research project designed by a student in consultation with a departmental faculty member of Earth & Planetary Sciences.
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EPSC 501Crystal Chemistry3 credits
Discussion of crystal structures and compositions of important mineral groups, especially oxides, sulphides and silicates. Solid solution. Relation of structure to morphology and to chemical and physical properties of the rock-forming minerals.
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EPSC 520Earthquake Physics and Geology3 credits
What are earthquakes and how do we study them? Fundamental mechanics of faulting and earthquake source processes are explored from theoretical and observational perspectives. The lectures cover concepts of earthquake source mechanism, including seismic waves, earthquake energy budget, fracture and friction mechanics, earthquake cycle deformation, earthquake triggering and prediction, and seismic hazards. This is complemented by in-class discussion on recent major discoveries and challenges in the field. Students learn to investigate earthquake source process by using seismic, geodetic and geological data in computer labs and course projects supervised by the instructor(s).
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EPSC 522Advanced Environmental Hydrology3 credits
Traditional and emerging theories of dominant runoff generation processes. Streamflow generation. Surface and near-surface solute and contaminant transport. Concentration-discharge relationships. Geochemical mixing models. Dyes and biological tracers of water. Isotope ecohydrology. Water source and water age estimation approaches. Development, execution, and evaluation of process-based watershed models. Case studies from forested, agricultural and periurban watersheds.
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EPSC 525Microbiology of the Earth System3 credits
Examination of microbes that have influenced the earth’s elemental cycles that sustain life on the planet, their interactions with the goal of understanding the diversity, dynamics and function of microbes in shaping our environment. Topics include global biogeochemical cycling, marine microbiology, microbe-metal interactions, bioremediation, astrobiology and the impact of climate change on microbial processes.
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EPSC 530Volcanology3 credits
The physical mechanisms which drive volcanoes and volcanic activity are presented. Descriptive, practical and theoretical approaches to the study of volcanoes are discussed.
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EPSC 547Modelling Geochemical Processes3 credits
Modelling will be applied to construct equilibrium and transport models that quantitatively investigate geochemical processes occurring on Earth and other planets. Topics include, but are not restricted to: box modelling of the transport of elements between geochemical reservoirs, chemical reactions of components during flow through systems, interactions between multiple, competing reactions and/or processes. Model applications will vary from the core and mantle of planets to their surface environments and humans' impact upon them.
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EPSC 548Igneous Petrogenetic Mechanisms3 credits
Investigation of the primary mechanisms causing the diversity of igneous rock compositions on the Earth, other planets, asteroids, and meteorite parent bodies.
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EPSC 567Advanced Volcanology3 credits
An in-depth approach to physical and chemical processes associated with volcanic systems. Examination of magma chamber dynamics, magma behaviour in conduits, and eruption mechanisms. Study of eruptive products including pyroclastic deposits, lava flows and lava domes, and volcanic gases. Volcanic-tectonic and magma-hydrothermal interactions.
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GEOG 201Introductory Geo-Information Science3 credits
An introduction to Geographic Information Systems. The systematic management of spatial data. The use and construction of maps. The use of microcomputers and software for mapping and statistical work. Air photo and topographic map analyses.
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GEOG 322Environmental Hydrology3 credits
Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.
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Earth System Science104 listed

Published required and complementary course choices for the 57-credit Earth System Science Major (B.Sc.). This is a program within the degree, not the complete degree or a term-by-term timetable. Some requirements specify course levels or subjects rather than naming courses. 57 credits for this program; faculty-wide degree and foundation requirements apply separately.

ENVR 201Society, Environment and Sustainability3 credits
This course deals with how scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional and behavioural factors mediate society-environment interactions. Issues discussed include population and resources; consumption, impacts and institutions; integrating environmental values in societal decision-making; and the challenges associated with, and strategies for, promoting sustainability. Case studies in various sectors and contexts are used.
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ESYS 200Earth-System Interactions3 credits
Topics related to climate change, biogeochemical cycles and natural resources are evaluated from an Earth System perspective. Exploration of the scientific literature in targeted areas of Earth system science with a focus on human-Earth interactions. Emphasis is on complex global issues that cross traditional disciplines, and interpreting and communicating academic knowledge derived from Earth system research.
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ESYS 300Earth Data Analysis3 credits
An applied introduction to programming and statistical image processing tools used in Earth system science, typically covering linear regression, statistical significance, Fourier analysis, empirical orthogonal function analysis. Use of global remote-sensing and in-situ observations.
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ESYS 301Earth System Modelling3 credits
Introduction to principal concepts of systems modelling related to Earth system science and environmental science, including simple numerical models, conservation laws of mass, energy, and momentum, discretization of governing differential equations, the stability of numerical schemes, and exploration of the ideas of equilibria, feedbacks, and complexity.
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ESYS 500Collaborative Research Project3 credits
The main steps in developing an Earth System Science research project: identifying knowledge gaps using scientific literature, designing a research strategy (observational, analytical or computational), conducting the research, analyzing and synthesizing results, and communicating results as a formal scientific report.
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MATH 222Calculus 33 credits
Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
EPSC 340Earth and Planetary Inference3 credits
Introduction to modern techniques for combining geological, geophysical, and geochemical measurements with theoretical knowledge about Earth and other planets. Use of tools from time series analysis and inverse methods to build models and test hypotheses within the Earth and Planetary Sciences.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
MATH 203Principles of Statistics 13 credits
Examples of statistical data and the use of graphical means to summarize the data. Basic distributions arising in the natural and behavioural sciences. The logical meaning of a test of significance and a confidence interval. Tests of significance and confidence intervals in the one and two sample setting (means, variances and proportions).
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COMP 202Foundations of Programming3 credits
Introduction to computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, primitive types, methods, conditionals, loops. Introduction to algorithms, data structures (arrays, strings), modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging, exception handling. Selected topics.
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COMP 208Computer Programming for Physical Sciences and Engineering 3 credits
Programming and problem solving in a high level computer language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms such as searching and sorting. Modular software design, libraries, file input and output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in Physical Sciences and Engineering, such as root finding, numerical integration, diffusion, Monte Carlo methods.
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ATOC 214Introduction: Physics of the Atmosphere3 credits
An introduction to key physical processes operating in the atmosphere, designed for students in science and engineering. Topics typically include: composition of the atmosphere; vertical structure; heat transfer; solar and terrestrial radiation and Earth's energy balance; seasonal and daily temperature changes; humidity and the formation of clouds and precipitation; stability of tropospheric air layers; applications of adiabatic charts.
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ATOC 219Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry3 credits
An introduction to the basic topics in atmospheric chemistry. The fundamentals of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and its chemical reactions. Selected topics such as smog chamber, acid rain, and ozone hole will be examined.
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EPSC 210Introductory Mineralogy3 credits
Elementary crystallography, chemistry and identification of the principal rock-forming and ore minerals, in hand specimens and using optical microscopy. Demonstrations of other techniques applied to the identification of minerals and to the analysis of their composition and structure. Optional 2-day field trip.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
EPSC 220Principles of Geochemistry3 credits
Basic concepts in geochemistry and the quantitative application of principles of chemistry to geological subdisciplines using simple scripts in Matlab. Particular emphasis on the thermodynamics and kinetics of reactions on Earth and other planets, controls on elemental distribution, stable and radiogenic isotopes, and water chemistry. Application of phase diagrams to geology.
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GEOG 308Remote Sensing for Earth Observation3 credits
A conceptual view of remote sensing and the underlying physical principles. Covers ground-based, aerial, satellite systems, and the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to microwave. Emphasis on application of remotely sensed data in geography including land cover change and ecological processes.
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GEOG 314Geospatial Analysis3 credits
Overview of both the theoretical and applied aspects of geographic information science and systems. Topics will include spatial analysis techniques, geographic models as abstractions of the real world, spatial data manipulation and management, and conceptual issues related to geographic data and technology. Introduction to a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro.
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GEOG 428Earth System Geographic Information Science3 credits
Foundational concepts, methods and techniques in Geographic Information Science (GIS) to manage, process, interpret, understand, and analyze digital geospatial land surface data for a variety of Earth system applications, with a special focus on global hydrology. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing issues of resolution, scale, data accuracy and uncertainties.
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ENVR 200The Global Environment3 credits
A systems approach to study the different components of the environment involved in global climate change: the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The interactions among these components. Their role in global climate change. The human dimension to global change.
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GEOG 203Environmental Systems3 credits
An introduction to system-level interactions among climate, hydrology, soils and vegetation at the scale of drainage basins, including the study of the global geographical variability in these land-surface systems. The knowledge acquired is used to study the impact on the environment of various human activities such as deforestation and urbanisation.
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BIOL 215Introduction to Ecology and Evolution3 credits
An introduction to the fundamental processes of ecology and evolution that bear on the nature and diversity of organisms and the processes that govern their assembly into ecological communities and their roles in ecosystem function.
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ENVR 202The Evolving Earth3 credits
Formation of the Earth and the evolution of life. How geological and biological change are the consequence of history, chance, and necessity acting over different scales of space and time. General principles governing the formation of modern landscapes and biotas. Effects of human activities on natural systems.
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ANTH 339Ecological Anthropology3 credits
Intensive study of theories and cases in ecological anthropology. Theories are examined and tested through comparative case-study analysis. Cultural constructions of "nature" and "environment" are compared and analyzed. Systems of resource management and conflicts over the use of resources are studied in depth.
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GEOG 217Cities in the Modern World3 credits
An introduction to urban geography. Uses a spatial/geographic perspective to understand cities and their social and cultural processes. Addresses two major areas. The development and social dynamics in North American and European cities. The urban transformations in Asian, African, and Latin American societies that were recently predominantly rural and agrarian.
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GEOG 221Environment and Health3 credits
Key chemical, physical, and social stressors in the environment, and how these affect the health of people and ecosystems. Hazards in air, water, food, and work environments. Historic, current, and future need for environmental health science, from scientific, personal, and practical perspectives.
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GEOG 300Human Ecology in Geography3 credits
The course will examine research approaches in human ecology since its inception early in this century. Emphasis will be placed on the theoretical shifts that have led to its emergence as an important social science perspective. The course will also involve case studies to evaluate the methodological utility of the approach.
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GEOG 310Development and Livelihoods3 credits
Geographical dimensions of rural/urban livelihoods in the face of socioeconomic and environmental change in developing regions. Emphasis on household natural resource use, survival strategies and vulnerability, decision-making, formal and informal institutions, migration, and development experience in contrasting global environments.
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ATOC 215Oceans, Weather and Climate3 credits
An introduction to key physical and dynamical processes in the oceans and atmosphere. Topics typically include air-sea-ice interactions, laws of motion, the geostrophic and thermal wind relations, general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, weather, radiative balance, climate sensitivity and variability, role of the atmosphere and oceans in climate.
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ATOC 309Weather Radars and Satellites3 credits
Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.
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ATOC 312Rotating Fluid Dynamics3 credits
Fundamentals of fluid motion on a rotating sphere: Rotating coordinate systems, the Lagrangian time derivative, and equations of motion. The geostrophic approximation and thermal wind balance; departures from geostrophy, such as frictional Ekman layers, inertial oscillations, and the gradient wind balance. The shallow water equations, including potential vorticity conservation, quasigeostrophy, and simple wave solutions.
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ATOC 315Thermodynamics and Convection3 credits
Buoyancy, stability, and vertical oscillations. Dry and moist adiabatic processes. Resulting dry and precipitating convective circulations from the small scale to the global scale. Mesoscale precipitation systems from the cell to convective complexes. Severe convection, downbursts, mesocyclones.
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ATOC 404Climate Physics3 credits
This course covers the essentials of climate physics through the lens of one-dimensional, vertical atmospheric models. This includes shortwave and longwave radiative transfer, convection, phase changes, clouds, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric escape. This is an adequate level of detail for understanding Earth's climate, paleoclimate, anthropogenic climate change, or pursuing studies of Solar System planets and extrasolar planets.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
ATOC 512Atmospheric and Oceanic Dynamics3 credits
Equations of motion used to study waves, turbulence, and the general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans. Standard approximations to these equations, including the Boussinesq, primitive, quasigeostrohic, and rotating shallow water equations. Emphasis is on effects for which rotation and/or buoyancy play essential roles. Simple classes of flow, e.g., geostrophic, thermal wind, Ekman, and inertial oscillations.
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ATOC 513Waves and Stability3 credits
Description of the principal wave types and instability mechanisms of geophysical fluid dynamics. Geostrophic adjustment, wave dispersion, the WKBJ approximation. Wave types considered include (internal) inertia-gravity waves, planetary Rossby waves, and the equatorial and coastal wave guides. Instabilities considered include inertial, symmetric, barotropic, baroclinic, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.
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ATOC 519Advances in Chemistry of Atmosphere3 credits
Exploration of the field of atmospheric chemistry that is identified as the significant driver of climate change and the cause of millions of premature death every year. Discussion of cutting-edge novel technologies for observing and quantifying pollutants (from ground to satellite) using artificial intelligence, the fate of emerging contaminants (e.g., nano/microplastics, trace metals, persistent organic), and modelling of atmospheric and interfacial processes. Examination of topics like atmospheric gaseous and multiphase components like bioaerosols. Study of photochemical, photophysical, and aerosol nucleation processes that affect air quality, climate change, and ecosystem health.
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ATOC 521Cloud Physics3 credits
A detailed overview of the environmental factors and microphysical processes involved in the formation of clouds and precipitation. Topics typically include: cloud observations, atmospheric thermodynamics, environmental stability regimes, convection, the microphysics of the formation of cloud droplets and ice crystals, initiation of precipitation, aerosol–cloud interactions.
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ATOC 525Atmospheric Radiation3 credits
Solar and terrestrial radiation. Interactions of molecules, aerosols, clouds, and precipitation with radiation of various wavelengths. Radiative transfer through the clear and cloudy atmosphere. Radiation budgets. Satellite and ground-based measurements. Climate implications.
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ATOC 531Dynamics of Current Climates3 credits
A detailed overview of the climate and the global energy balance. Topics typically include: energy balance at top of the atmosphere and at the surface, poleward energy flux, the role of clouds, climate and atmospheric/oceanic general circulations, natural variability of the climate system, evolution of climate and climate change.
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ATOC 540Synoptic Meteorology 13 credits
Analysis of current meteorological data. Description of a geostrophic, hydrostatic atmosphere. Ageostrophic circulations and hydrostatic instabilities. Kinematic and thermodynamic methods of computing vertical motions. Tropical and extratropical condensation rates. Barotropic and equivalent barotropic atmospheres.
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ATOC 541Synoptic Meteorology 23 credits
Analysis of current meteorological data. Quasi-geostrophic theory, including the omega equation, as it relates to extratropical cyclone and anticyclone development. Frontogenesis and frontal circulations in the lower and upper troposphere. Cumulus convection and its relationship to tropical and extratropical circulations. Diagnostic case study work.
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BIOL 308Ecological Dynamics3 credits
Principles of population, community, and ecosystem dynamics: population growth and regulation, species interactions, dynamics of competitive interactions and of predator/prey systems; evolutionary dynamics.
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BIOL 309Mathematical Models in Biology3 credits
Application of finite difference and differential equations to problems in cell and developmental biology, ecology and physiology. Qualitative, quantitative and graphical techniques are used to analyze mathematical models and to compare theoretical predictions with experimental data.
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BIOL 310Biodiversity and Ecosystems3 credits
Ecological bases of the natural causes and consequences of current global environmental changes, including how biodiversity and ecosystem processes are defined and measured, how they vary in space and time, how they are affected by physical and biological factors, and how they affect each other and human societies.
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BIOL 432Limnology3 credits
A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.
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BIOL 441Biological Oceanography3 credits
An introduction to how the ocean functions biologically: biology and ecology of marine plankton; regulation, extent and fate of production in the sea.
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BIOL 465Conservation Biology3 credits
Discussion of relevant theoretical and applied issues in conservation biology. Topics: biodiversity, population viability analysis, community dynamics, biology of rarity, extinction, habitat fragmentation, social issues.
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BIOL 540Ecology of Species Invasions3 credits
Causes and consequences of biological invasion, as well as risk assessment methods and management strategies for dealing with invasive species.
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BIOL 573Vertebrate Palaeontology Field Course3 credits
Terrestrial vertebrate fossils (i.e. dinosaurs, crocodiles and other reptiles) and palaeocommunity analysis, including practical training with fossil identification, mapping, collecting, and stratigraphic interpretation.
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BREE 217Hydrology and Water Resources3 credits
Introduction to water resources and hydrologic cycle. Precipitation and hydrologic frequency analysis. Soil water processes, infiltration theory and modeling. Evapotranspiration estimation methods and crop water requirements. Surface runoff estimation as a function of land use modifications. Estimation of peak runoff rates. Unit hydrograph. Design of open channels and vegetated waterways.
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BREE 319Engineering Mathematics3 credits
Advanced topics in engineering mathematics, including systems of ordinary differential equations, stability analysis, special functions, orthogonal functions and Fourier series, boundary value problems in various coordinate systems, and integral transforms. The use of computer-based mathematical tools is an integral part of the course.
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BREE 509Hydrologic Systems and Modelling3 credits
Hydrologic cycle in the nature and how to quantitatively describe those processes using models. The fundamentals of hydrology including basic concepts, precipitation, snow and snowmelt, evapotranspiration, subsurface flow, infiltration and soil water movement, and runoff and streamflow. Equivalent attention to theories and hands-on practices on model application. How to set up and execute weather data driven physical based models, both at a point-scale and a watershed scale, to predict snowmelt, evapotranspiration, infiltration, soil water redistribution, subsurface drainage, runoff, and stream flow in hydrologic systems.
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BREE 510Watershed Systems Management3 credits
A holistic examination of methods in watershed management with a focus on integrated water resources management (IWRM). Topics include: integration, participatory management, water resources assessment, modeling, planning, adaptive management, transboundary management, and transition management.
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BREE 533Water Quality Management3 credits
The water phases of terrestrial ecological systems and the processes that link them. Physical, chemical, and biological properties of water, and water quality standards. The fate and transport of pollutants in rivers and streams, lakes, and wetlands. Methods to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen cycle to predict nutrient leaching. Impacts of human activities (e.g., agricultural drainage) on water quality and measures to improve drainage water quality. Assess the effectiveness of proposed engineering measures or management practices in improving or maintaining water quality of a real site/water body using numerical methods or a computer modelling approach.
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ECON 347Economics of Climate Change3 credits
The course focuses on the economic implications of, and problems posed by, predictions of global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Attention is given to economic policies such as carbon taxes and tradeable emission permits and to the problems of displacing fossil fuels with new energy technologies.
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ECON 405Natural Resource Economics3 credits
Topics include: Malthusian and Ricardian Scarcity; optimal depletion of renewable and non-renewable resources; exploration, risk and industry structure, and current resources, rent and taxation. Current public policies applied to the resource industries, particularly those of a regulatory nature.
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EPSC 212Introductory Petrology3 credits
A survey of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and the processes responsible for their formation. The laboratory will emphasize the recognition of rocks in both hand-specimen and thin section using optical microscopes.
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EPSC 320Elementary Earth Physics3 credits
Physical properties of Earth and the processes associated with its existence as inferred from astronomy, geodesy, seismology, geology, terrestrial magnetism and thermal evolution.
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EPSC 325Environmental Geochemistry3 credits
The basic concepts and calculations needed to quantitatively understand the geochemical processes occurring between minerals and waters in Earth’s near-surface environment. The important concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics will be exemplified using examples that concentrate on reactions between minerals and water and their impact on the environment.
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EPSC 331Field School 23 credits
Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences.
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EPSC 334Invertebrate Paleontology3 credits
Preservation of fossils; the fossil record of invertebrates; use of fossils in stratigraphy and paleoecology; fossils in evolutionary studies. Fossils of invertebrates are studied in the laboratory.
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EPSC 341Field School 33 credits
Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences to examine processes in geology.
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EPSC 350Tectonics3 credits
Rheology of the Earth, mechanics of the crust and mantle and core, convection in the mantle, evolution and kinematics and deformations of the oceanic and continental plates, thermal evolution of the Earth, the unifying theory of plate tectonics.
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EPSC 355Sedimentary Geology3 credits
The origin, classification, diagenesis and economic importance of sedimentary rocks. The physical properties of sedimentary rocks, the processes by which sediments are transported and deposited, and the environments in which they accumulate. Introduction to techniques for describing and analyzing sedimentary rocks in thin section, hand specimen, and on the outcrop.
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EPSC 423Igneous Petrology3 credits
Physical properties, nucleation, crystallization, differentiation and emplacement of magmas. Integrated studies on various rock suites.
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EPSC 425Sediments to Sequences3 credits
EPSC 445Metamorphic Petrology3 credits
The origin, classification and petrological significance of metamorphic rocks, from the point of view of theory, experiment and field observations.
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EPSC 452Mineral Deposits3 credits
A systematic review of the nature and origin of the major types of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits; typical occurrences; geographic distribution; applications to exploration. Emphasis on magmatic ores, massive sulfides, iron formations.
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EPSC 519Isotopes in Earth and Environmental Science3 credits
The theory and application of stable and radioactive isotope measurements in the Earth and environmental sciences, including applications in geology, hydrology, climatology, biogeochemistry, and ecology.
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EPSC 525Microbiology of the Earth System3 credits
Examination of microbes that have influenced the earth’s elemental cycles that sustain life on the planet, their interactions with the goal of understanding the diversity, dynamics and function of microbes in shaping our environment. Topics include global biogeochemical cycling, marine microbiology, microbe-metal interactions, bioremediation, astrobiology and the impact of climate change on microbial processes.
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EPSC 530Volcanology3 credits
The physical mechanisms which drive volcanoes and volcanic activity are presented. Descriptive, practical and theoretical approaches to the study of volcanoes are discussed.
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EPSC 549Hydrogeology3 credits
Introduction to groundwater flow through porous media. Notions of fluid potential and hydraulic head. Darcy flux and Darcy's Law. Physical properties of porous media and their measurement. Equation of groundwater flow. Flow systems. Hydraulics of pumping and recharging wells. Notions of hydrology. Groundwater quality and contamination. Physical processes of contaminant transport.
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EPSC 561Ore-forming Processes3 credits
Physicochemical controls of hydrothermal mineral deposition. Discussion of fluid inclusion theory and application; stable isotope systematics, wall-rock alteration; ore mineral solubility and speciation; and mechanisms of mineral deposition.
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EPSC 567Advanced Volcanology3 credits
An in-depth approach to physical and chemical processes associated with volcanic systems. Examination of magma chamber dynamics, magma behaviour in conduits, and eruption mechanisms. Study of eruptive products including pyroclastic deposits, lava flows and lava domes, and volcanic gases. Volcanic-tectonic and magma-hydrothermal interactions.
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EPSC 590Applied Geochemistry Seminar3 credits
Seminar course devoted to field case studies that illustrate the applications of geochemical principles to solving geologic problems. Each student will prepare and lead a class devoted to a geochemical subject of their own choosing.
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GEOG 272Earth's Changing Surface3 credits
Introduction to the study of landforms as products of geomorphic and geologic systems acting at and near the Earth's surface. The process geomorphology approach will be used to demonstrate how landforms of different geomorphic settings represent a dynamic balance between forces acting in the environment and the physical properties of materials present.
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GEOG 305Soils and Environment3 credits
Discussion of the major properties of soils; soil formation, classification and mapping; land capability assessment; the role and response of soils in natural and disturbed environments (e.g. global change, ecosystem disturbance).
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GEOG 321Climatic Environments3 credits
The earth-atmosphere system, radiation and energy balances. Surface-atmosphere exchange of energy, mass and momentum and related atmospheric processes on a local and regional scale. Introduction to measurement theory and practice in micrometeorology.
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GEOG 322Environmental Hydrology3 credits
Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.
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GEOG 351Quantitative Methods3 credits
Multiple regression and correlation, logit models, discrete choice models, gravity models, facility location algorithms, survey design, population projection.
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GEOG 372Running Water Environments3 credits
The course focuses on the physical habitat conditions found in streams, rivers, estuaries and deltas. Based on the laws governing flow of water and sediment transport, it emphasizes differences among these environments, in terms of channel form, flow patterns, substrate composition and mode of evolution. Flooding, damming, channelisation, forestry impacts.
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GEOG 401Socio-Environmental Systems: Theory and Simulation3 credits
Conceptual and simulation models of key case studies for developing system thinking, including system stability, threshold dynamics in regime shifts, resilience, and adaptive environmental management.
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GEOG 414Advanced Geospatial Analysis3 credits
Advanced techniques in geospatial analysis. Geospatial methods and using geospatial information systems. Topics: geodatabases, interpolation techniques, spatial classification methods, data mining and machine learning, including working with a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop/Pro.
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GEOG 470Wetlands3 credits
An examination of the structure, function and utility of wetlands. Topics include the fluxes of energy and water, wetland biogeochemistry, plant ecology in freshwater and coastal wetlands and wetlands use, conservation and restoration. Field trip(s) are envisaged to illustrate issues covered in class.
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GEOG 495Field Studies - Physical Geography3 credits
Field research projects in physical geography. Held locally in Monteregian or Eastern Township regions. The course is organised around field projects designed to formulate and test scientific hypotheses in a physical geography discipline. May Summer session.
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GEOG 505Global Biogeochemistry3 credits
An examination of the storage, transfers and cycling of major elements and substances, with an emphasis on the global scale and the linkages between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
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GEOG 506Advanced Geographic Information Science3 credits
Critically analyse major themes in geographic information science and draw out the practical ramifications for spatial technologies and research. Topics such as spatial interoperability, data quality, scale, visualization, location based services and ontologies are covered.
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GEOG 530Global Land and Water Resources3 credits
Linkage of physical processes (hydrology and ecosystems) with issues of societal and socio-economic relevance (land, food, and water use appropriation for human well-being). Application of a holistic perspective on land, food and water issues in an international setting, highlighting linkages, feedbacks and trade-offs in an Earth system context.
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GEOG 535Remote Sensing and Interpretation3 credits
Basic photogrammetry and interpretation procedures for aircraft and space craft photography and imagery.
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GEOG 536Geocryology3 credits
Study of the unique geomorphic aspects of periglacial and permafrost environments. The focus will be on processes in cold climates, the impact of human activity on permafrost landscapes and potential impacts of climatic change.
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GEOG 550Historical Ecology Techniques3 credits
Principles and methods of Quaternary paleoecology and vegetation reconstruction. Examination of ecosystem response to human disturbance and environmental change.
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MATH 314Advanced Calculus3 credits
Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss. Fourier series with applications.
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MATH 315Ordinary Differential Equations3 credits
First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions.
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MATH 317Numerical Analysis3 credits
Error analysis. Numerical solutions of equations by iteration. Interpolation. Numerical differentiation and integration. Introduction to numerical solutions of differential equations.
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MATH 319Partial Differential Equations 3 credits
MATH 323Probability3 credits
Sample space, events, conditional probability, independence of events, Bayes' Theorem. Basic combinatorial probability, random variables, discrete and continuous univariate and multivariate distributions. Independence of random variables. Inequalities, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem.
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MATH 326Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos3 credits
Linear systems of differential equations, linear stability theory. Nonlinear systems: existence and uniqueness, numerical methods, one and two dimensional flows, phase space, limit cycles, Poincare-Bendixson theorem, bifurcations, Hopf bifurcation, the Lorenz equations and chaos.
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MATH 423Applied Regression3 credits
Multiple regression estimators and their properties. Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals. Analysis of variance. Prediction and prediction intervals. Model diagnostics. Model selection. Introduction to weighted least squares. Basic contingency table analysis. Introduction to logistic and Poisson regression. Applications to experimental and observational data.
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MATH 437Mathematical Methods in Biology3 credits
The formulation and treatment of realistic mathematical models describing biological phenomena through qualitative and quantitative mathematical techniques (e.g. local and global stability theory, bifurcation analysis and phase plane analysis) and numerical simulation. Concrete and detailed examples will be drawn from molecular and cellular biology and mammalian physiology.
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MATH 447Introduction to Stochastic Processes3 credits
Conditional probability and conditional expectation, generating functions. Branching processes and random walk. Markov chains, transition matrices, classification of states, ergodic theorem, examples. Birth and death processes, queueing theory.
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MATH 525Sampling Theory and Applications4 credits
Simple random sampling, domains, ratio and regression estimators, superpopulation models, stratified sampling, optimal stratification, cluster sampling, sampling with unequal probabilities, multistage sampling, complex surveys, nonresponse.
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PHYS 331Topics in Classical Mechanics3 credits
Forced and damped oscillators, Newtonian mechanics in three dimensions, rotational motion, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, small vibrations, normal modes. Nonlinear dynamics and chaos.
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PHYS 340Majors Electricity and Magnetism3 credits
The electrostatic field and scalar potential. Dielectric properties of matter. Energy in the electrostatic field. Methods for solving problems in electrostatics. The magnetic field. Induction and inductance. Energy in the magnetic field. Magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's equations. The dipole approximation.
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PHYS 342Majors Electromagnetic Waves3 credits
Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles.
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PHYS 404Climate Physics3 credits
This course covers the essentials of climate physics through the lens of one-dimensional, vertical atmospheric models. This includes shortwave and longwave radiative transfer, convection, phase changes, clouds, greenhouse gases, and atmospheric escape. This is an adequate level of detail for understanding Earth's climate, paleoclimate, anthropogenic climate change, or pursing studies of Solar System planets and extrasolar planets.
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PHYS 432Physics of Fluids3 credits
The physical properties of fluids. The kinematics and dynamics of flow. The effects of viscosity and turbulence. Applications of fluid mechanics in biophysics, geophysics and engineering.
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Geography50 listed

Published required and complementary course choices for the 58-credit Geography Major (B.Sc.). This is a program within the degree, not the complete degree or a term-by-term timetable. Some requirements specify course levels or subjects rather than naming courses. 58 credits for this program; faculty-wide degree and foundation requirements apply separately.

GEOG 201Introductory Geo-Information Science3 credits
An introduction to Geographic Information Systems. The systematic management of spatial data. The use and construction of maps. The use of microcomputers and software for mapping and statistical work. Air photo and topographic map analyses.
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GEOG 203Environmental Systems3 credits
An introduction to system-level interactions among climate, hydrology, soils and vegetation at the scale of drainage basins, including the study of the global geographical variability in these land-surface systems. The knowledge acquired is used to study the impact on the environment of various human activities such as deforestation and urbanisation.
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GEOG 272Earth's Changing Surface3 credits
Introduction to the study of landforms as products of geomorphic and geologic systems acting at and near the Earth's surface. The process geomorphology approach will be used to demonstrate how landforms of different geomorphic settings represent a dynamic balance between forces acting in the environment and the physical properties of materials present.
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GEOG 290Local Geographical Excursion1 credits
Introduction to landscape interpretation and geographical site analysis in physical and human geography. A three-day fall excursion with preparatory and concluding seminars.
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GEOG 351Quantitative Methods3 credits
Multiple regression and correlation, logit models, discrete choice models, gravity models, facility location algorithms, survey design, population projection.
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BIOL 373Biometry3 credits
Elementary statistical methods in biology. Introduction to the analysis of biological data with emphasis on the assumptions behind statistical tests and models. Use of statistical techniques typically available on computer packages.
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GEOG 202Statistics and Spatial Analysis3 credits
Exploratory data analysis, univariate descriptive and inferential statistics, non-parametric statistics, correlation and simple regression. Problems associated with analysing spatial data such as the 'modifiable areal unit problem' and spatial autocorrelation. Statistics measuring spatial pattern in point, line and polygon data.
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MATH 203Principles of Statistics 13 credits
Examples of statistical data and the use of graphical means to summarize the data. Basic distributions arising in the natural and behavioural sciences. The logical meaning of a test of significance and a confidence interval. Tests of significance and confidence intervals in the one and two sample setting (means, variances and proportions).
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PSYC 204Introduction to Psychological Statistics3 credits
The statistical analysis of research data; frequency distributions; graphic representation; measures of central tendency and variability; elementary sampling theory and tests of significance.
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SOCI 350Statistics in Social Research3 credits
This is an introductory course in descriptive and inferential statistics. The course is designed to help students develop a critical attitude toward statistical argument. It serves as a background for further statistics courses, helping to provide the intuition which can sometimes be lost amid the formulas.
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GEOG 305Soils and Environment3 credits
Discussion of the major properties of soils; soil formation, classification and mapping; land capability assessment; the role and response of soils in natural and disturbed environments (e.g. global change, ecosystem disturbance).
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 321Climatic Environments3 credits
The earth-atmosphere system, radiation and energy balances. Surface-atmosphere exchange of energy, mass and momentum and related atmospheric processes on a local and regional scale. Introduction to measurement theory and practice in micrometeorology.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 322Environmental Hydrology3 credits
Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 372Running Water Environments3 credits
The course focuses on the physical habitat conditions found in streams, rivers, estuaries and deltas. Based on the laws governing flow of water and sediment transport, it emphasizes differences among these environments, in terms of channel form, flow patterns, substrate composition and mode of evolution. Flooding, damming, channelisation, forestry impacts.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 373Arctic Geomorphology3 credits
Introduction to the principles of periglacial and permafrost science and its field context in the Canadian North. Objectives focus on the geomorphic significance of freezing and frozen ground and training in field methods of permafrost mapping, measurement and interpretation.
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GEOG 470Wetlands3 credits
An examination of the structure, function and utility of wetlands. Topics include the fluxes of energy and water, wetland biogeochemistry, plant ecology in freshwater and coastal wetlands and wetlands use, conservation and restoration. Field trip(s) are envisaged to illustrate issues covered in class.
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GEOG 471Arctic System Science3 credits
The complex Arctic system and its interrelated elements as a coupled system. Topics include: the physical, biological, and social processes that shape the Arctic, including the Arctic atmosphere and ocean, sea ice, permafrost, and terrestrial ecosystems. Unique challenges and opportunities in this fragile and rapidly changing environment, including current research in Arctic science.
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GEOG 495Field Studies - Physical Geography3 credits
Field research projects in physical geography. Held locally in Monteregian or Eastern Township regions. The course is organised around field projects designed to formulate and test scientific hypotheses in a physical geography discipline. May Summer session.
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GEOG 496Geographical Excursion3 credits
Lecture course on the geography of a region and excursion through the selected country or region including landscape interpretation and field study projects.
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GEOG 308Remote Sensing for Earth Observation3 credits
A conceptual view of remote sensing and the underlying physical principles. Covers ground-based, aerial, satellite systems, and the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to microwave. Emphasis on application of remotely sensed data in geography including land cover change and ecological processes.
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GEOG 314Geospatial Analysis3 credits
Overview of both the theoretical and applied aspects of geographic information science and systems. Topics will include spatial analysis techniques, geographic models as abstractions of the real world, spatial data manipulation and management, and conceptual issues related to geographic data and technology. Introduction to a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro.
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GEOG 384Principles of Geospatial Web3 credits
Theory and practice of geospatial web, including examining spatial data accuracy and uncertainty of user generated content; Understanding motivations of contributors of volunteered geographic information for purposes like citizen science and crisis mapping; Critically evaluating political, societal, economic and legal issues in online mapping applications; Developing geospatial applications and identifying basic problem solving requirements for geospatial apps. For proposed solutions, evaluating and justifying various existing and emergent geospatial technologies and enabling software stacks; Exploring underlying methods of digital earth architectures; Understanding implications to geospatial analysis and visualization of real time streaming data and mobile sensors
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GEOG 414Advanced Geospatial Analysis3 credits
Advanced techniques in geospatial analysis. Geospatial methods and using geospatial information systems. Topics: geodatabases, interpolation techniques, spatial classification methods, data mining and machine learning, including working with a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop/Pro.
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GEOG 428Earth System Geographic Information Science3 credits
Foundational concepts, methods and techniques in Geographic Information Science (GIS) to manage, process, interpret, understand, and analyze digital geospatial land surface data for a variety of Earth system applications, with a special focus on global hydrology. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing issues of resolution, scale, data accuracy and uncertainties.
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ENVR 200The Global Environment3 credits
A systems approach to study the different components of the environment involved in global climate change: the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The interactions among these components. Their role in global climate change. The human dimension to global change.
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ENVR 201Society, Environment and Sustainability3 credits
This course deals with how scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional and behavioural factors mediate society-environment interactions. Issues discussed include population and resources; consumption, impacts and institutions; integrating environmental values in societal decision-making; and the challenges associated with, and strategies for, promoting sustainability. Case studies in various sectors and contexts are used.
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ENVR 202The Evolving Earth3 credits
Formation of the Earth and the evolution of life. How geological and biological change are the consequence of history, chance, and necessity acting over different scales of space and time. General principles governing the formation of modern landscapes and biotas. Effects of human activities on natural systems.
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ESYS 200Earth-System Interactions3 credits
Topics related to climate change, biogeochemical cycles and natural resources are evaluated from an Earth System perspective. Exploration of the scientific literature in targeted areas of Earth system science with a focus on human-Earth interactions. Emphasis is on complex global issues that cross traditional disciplines, and interpreting and communicating academic knowledge derived from Earth system research.
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ESYS 300Earth Data Analysis3 credits
An applied introduction to programming and statistical image processing tools used in Earth system science, typically covering linear regression, statistical significance, Fourier analysis, empirical orthogonal function analysis. Use of global remote-sensing and in-situ observations.
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GEOG 302Environmental Management 13 credits
An ecological analysis of the physical and biotic components of natural resource systems. Emphasis on scientific, technological and institutional aspects of environmental management. Study of the use of biological resources and of the impact of individual processes.
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GEOG 360Analyzing Sustainability3 credits
Examines challenges to sustainability through a series of case studies to illustrate the analytical approaches used to understand the linkages between scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional, ethical, and human behavioural aspect of systems. Includes cases that are thematic and place-based, national and international, spanning from the local to global scales.
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GEOG 438Sand in the Anthropocene3 credits
A critical examination of the increasing global consumption of sand resources and the human-causedchanges and impact on sediment dynamics, landscape evolution, ecological processes in freshwater ecosystemand conservation biology.
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GEOG 460Research in Sustainability3 credits
Through engaging in real-world sustainability challenges through hands-on research, learn to critically analyze problems that arise at the interface of multiple disciplines including the scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional, ethical, and human behavioural. Develop an understanding of the leverages and road blocks in achieving a sustainability transition.
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GEOG 210Global Places and Peoples3 credits
Introduction to key themes in human geography. Maps and the making, interpretation and contestation of landscapes, 'place', and territory. Investigation of globalization and the spatial organization of human geo-politics, and urban and rural environments.
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GEOG 216Geography of the World Economy3 credits
The course introduces the geography of the world economic system. It describes the spatial distribution of economic activities and examines the factors which influence their changing location. Case studies from both "developed" and "developing" countries will test the different geographical theories presented in lectures.
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GEOG 217Cities in the Modern World3 credits
An introduction to urban geography. Uses a spatial/geographic perspective to understand cities and their social and cultural processes. Addresses two major areas. The development and social dynamics in North American and European cities. The urban transformations in Asian, African, and Latin American societies that were recently predominantly rural and agrarian.
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GEOG 221Environment and Health3 credits
Key chemical, physical, and social stressors in the environment, and how these affect the health of people and ecosystems. Hazards in air, water, food, and work environments. Historic, current, and future need for environmental health science, from scientific, personal, and practical perspectives.
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GEOG 303Health Geography3 credits
Discussion of the research questions and methods of health geography. Particular emphasis on health inequalities at multiple geographic scales and the theoretical links between characteristics of places and the health of people.
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GEOG 310Development and Livelihoods3 credits
Geographical dimensions of rural/urban livelihoods in the face of socioeconomic and environmental change in developing regions. Emphasis on household natural resource use, survival strategies and vulnerability, decision-making, formal and informal institutions, migration, and development experience in contrasting global environments.
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GEOG 311Economic Geography3 credits
Different theories and approaches to understanding the spatial organization of economic activities. Regional case studies drawn from North America, Europe and Asia used to reinforce concepts. Emphasis also on city-regions and their interaction with the global economy.
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GEOG 315Urban Transportation Geography3 credits
Discusses the history and development of urban transportation systems, as well as problems and potential solutions from a geographic perspective. Specific topics include analysis of the social, economic, and environmental impacts; interaction of land use and transportation systems; the analysis of urban travel behaviour; and the implications of various policy alternatives.
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GEOG 401Socio-Environmental Systems: Theory and Simulation3 credits
Conceptual and simulation models of key case studies for developing system thinking, including system stability, threshold dynamics in regime shifts, resilience, and adaptive environmental management.
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GEOG 404Environmental Management 23 credits
Practical application of environmental planning, analysis and management techniques with reference to the needs and problems of developing areas. Special challenges posed by cultural differences and traditional resource systems are discussed. This course involves practical field work in a developing area (Kenya or Panama).
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 505Global Biogeochemistry3 credits
An examination of the storage, transfers and cycling of major elements and substances, with an emphasis on the global scale and the linkages between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 506Advanced Geographic Information Science3 credits
Critically analyse major themes in geographic information science and draw out the practical ramifications for spatial technologies and research. Topics such as spatial interoperability, data quality, scale, visualization, location based services and ontologies are covered.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 530Global Land and Water Resources3 credits
Linkage of physical processes (hydrology and ecosystems) with issues of societal and socio-economic relevance (land, food, and water use appropriation for human well-being). Application of a holistic perspective on land, food and water issues in an international setting, highlighting linkages, feedbacks and trade-offs in an Earth system context.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 535Remote Sensing and Interpretation3 credits
Basic photogrammetry and interpretation procedures for aircraft and space craft photography and imagery.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 536Geocryology3 credits
Study of the unique geomorphic aspects of periglacial and permafrost environments. The focus will be on processes in cold climates, the impact of human activity on permafrost landscapes and potential impacts of climatic change.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 550Historical Ecology Techniques3 credits
Principles and methods of Quaternary paleoecology and vegetation reconstruction. Examination of ecosystem response to human disturbance and environmental change.
MCGILL complete current official course definition
GEOG 555Ecological Restoration3 credits
A broad overview of ecological restoration. Considers causes of environmental degradation, why and what we restore, how restoration goals are set, and standards in restoration practice, as well as critiques and philosophies of ecological restoration, such as "ecocultural" restoration.
MCGILL complete current official course definition

Elective choices

Approved course menus and remaining elective space depend on the chosen major, Liberal program or honours route. McGill permits up to six credits per year and 18 credits in total outside Arts and Science, with named program exceptions.

Study locations

Published academic-unit location: The 2026–27 catalogue lists the Science Office for Undergraduate Student Advising in Frank Dawson Adams Building, room 23, ground level, at 3450 University Street. SOUSA serves both BSc and BA & Sc degrees. This is a degree-advising office; individual teaching rooms are separate.Mcgill: named science-earth academic-unit location

References

Careers

Career examples

Environmental geologist
Exploration geologist
Mine geologist
Hydrogeologist
Geotechnical project coordinator
Geothermal-energy analyst
Earth-materials quality-control specialist

Scope and qualifications

The university publishes these career examples. They are not employment rates or guaranteed outcomes. Professional, clinical and specialist roles may require further education, registration or experience.

Geology option within the Earth, Geographic and Climate Sciences group; the current Faculty table also permits Geology in the Physical, Earth, Math and Computer Sciences group. These careers and professional-academic requirements concern Geology only.

Professional recognition

The Geology programme states that it meets the academic requirements shared by the professional orders for geologists and environmental geoscientists in most Canadian provinces. This is the named Geology route and academic preparation only; it is not automatic professional registration or a claim covering every province or every programme in the broad group.

Scope and qualifications

Accreditation