Earth Sciences (MSc, PhD)

National and International Recognition

Students take major responsibility by performing their research activities leading to achievement of their research objectives. 

Our graduate degrees in earth sciences are recognized nationally and internationally. Graduates are eligible to register in professional geoscientific societies in Canada.

Valuable Employment Skills

Graduates have an advanced understanding of Earth processes and gain critical research skills, logistical planning skills, and technical writing and presenting skills that make them an asset to employers.

High Employment Prospects

Geoscientists have excellent salary prospects upon entering industry positions. Students who graduate from our programs who have an undergraduate degree in geoscience generally qualify for registration in the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). As of the 2022 APEGS salary survey, Geoscience (Geology, Geochemistry, Hydrogeology, Geophysics) graduates with five or less years’ experience (e.g., a student with an MSc degree who has been working for three years or less in industry) have a mean salary of $85,000. Saskatchewan geoscientists with more than 20 years of experience make an average of $170,000 per year!

Research

Our students build expertise in field and/or lab skills through their research projects.

The research activities in the Department of Earth Sciences can be grouped into hard rock, soft rock, geofluids, and environmental in terms of research fields, and into hydrocarbon resources, mineral resources, and environmental geoscience according to the fields of application.

Our research faculty members, graduate students and collaborators are active in geoscience research in various parts of Saskatchewan, Canada, and around the world. In addition to geological field work, there are also opportunities to pursue laboratory-based research.

Industry and Government Collaboration

Since its inception, the Department of Earth Sciences has derived great benefit and support from its close and continuing research collaboration with the Saskatchewan Geological Survey and the Saskatchewan Research Council. On the 'soft rock' side, both the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC-Calgary) and the Saskatchewan Geological Survey - Subsurface Laboratory and core depository constitute an invaluable research resource. Similarly, a large amount of research and student support (both for field and laboratory work) has come from the Precambrian Division of the Saskatchewan Geological Survey.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching assistantships provide our graduate students with hands-on experience mentoring and supervising undergraduate students, which are transferable skills they can use in careers in industry or government where teamwork is common. This work also provides students with opportunities to further develop their presenting skills.

Internships

Many of our students work on projects that are co-funded by industry partners, and additional funds can be obtained for some projects to enable students to participate in industry internship projects (e.g., MITACs Accelerate internships).

Students gain practical, industry-applicable skills through these experiences. These internships provide students the opportunity to build their resume with work experience in an industry setting, network with people working in their field, and gain experience in subfields of geoscience to help them with decision-making about their career post-graduation. Some of these jobs also lead to full-time positions after graduation.

Community Service Learning and Volunteer Opportunities

Many of our graduate students volunteer with our departmental community outreach activities. Here, they meet with elementary or high school students or community organizations to share Earth science-related activities with them and spread the word on our programs. Graduate students who participate in these activities gain experience fielding geoscience questions from a lay audience, and gain logistical planning experience preparing for these events. Some of our graduate students also organize events with the local student chapter of the Society of Economic Geology, including field trips within western Canada; again, this builds their practical logistical planning skills which are valuable as they transition into jobs in industry or government.

Specialized Labs, Equipment, and Resources

The department has research laboratory space providing faculty and graduate students access to a variety of specialized equipment and resources.

Research Laboratories

• Geofluids Research Lab
• Sedimentary Basin Studies and Geomodeling Research Lab
• Precambrian Geology Research Lab
• Quaternary Geology and Paleoecology Research Lab
• Sedimentary Geochemistry Research Lab
• Solid Earth Studies Lab
• Environmental Geochemistry and Interfaces Lab
• Geomicrobiology Lab

Research Facilities

• Cold-Cathodoluminescence for Optical Microscope
• Fluid Inclusion Heating-Freezing Stages
• Petrographic Microscopes and Imaging Systems
• Raman Spectroscopy
• Epifluorescence microscope
• Rock Sample Preparation Facility (Cutting, Grinding and Milling)
• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) - Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS)
• SEM-CL Imaging and Spectrometry Facility
• Well Log Microfiche Library and Reader
• Geochemistry Laboratories
• X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD)
• X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF)
• Anaerobic glove box
• PCR machines
• Ultra-low temperature freezer

Award-winning Opportunities

• A MSc candidate in our department was awarded an NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship in 2022
• A PhD candidate in our department was awarded an NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship in 2022
• Several of our students have won prizes in the annual Saskatchewan Geological Open House since 2020