What is Geology? The discovery and development of water, mineral, and energy resources – and their sustainability – is a key part of it. But so is coping with climate change, the human impact on our world, and the natural hazards facing a growing global population. These all depend on a deep understanding of natural processes gained through the study of Geology.

Students in this program study the Earth in this context, with high-demand careers in diverse fields such as mineral and oil exploration, mining and hydrocarbon extraction, surface and underground construction, environmental assessment, protection and rehabilitation, groundwater investigation and resource management.

Geological Science students will learn in a variety of ways. Many courses involve laboratory and field work in a small group setting. Second and upper year courses include several extended field trips.

Top 5 Reasons to study Geological Sciences:

1. The department has state-of-the-art facilities, including X-ray Diffraction and Applied Geophysics Labs.
2. Most students in the department gain over 240 hours of hands-on experience on various field trips.
3. The department is small and friendly. Students will get to know their classmates and professors very well.
4. The Miller Museum, the on-site museum right at Queen’s, is the classroom.
5. The internship program (QUIP) offers a wide range of careers to explore and companies to learn from.

Note: Students in this program are also eligible for the Queen’s Undergraduate Internship Program (QUIP) which provides 2nd or 3rd year students with a 12-16 month work experience. The internship normally occurs following the student’s third year of study, after which the student completes the final year of the honours degree. The internships are paid, professionally supervised, career-related positions offering students the opportunity to learn about current advances, practices, and technologies in business and industry.