Undergraduate Student Handbook

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2013-2014

Undergraduate Student

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1 University of Toronto, Department of Earth Sciences

Undergraduate Handbook, DRAFT version July 2013

Welcome to Earth Sciences at UofT. We hope to make your stay with us a pleasant and productive one, and to provide you with the knowledge and skills that enable you to go out and use Earth sciences in your careers.

This handbook hopes to provide answers to some of the questions you have. It does not replace the official Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) Calendar -- see

http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/crs_ess.htm and

http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/timetable/winter/es.html -- but is intended as a supplement to these official documents.

You are always welcome to approach the following people with questions, comments, or concerns: Charly Bank (Associate Chair Undergraduates, room 2107, [email protected], 416 978-4381)

Russ Pysklywec (Department Chair, room 1066, [email protected] )

Lynn Slotkin (Student Affairs Officer, room 1066, [email protected] , 416 978-1240) If you find errors or omissions, please contact the undergraduate associate chair.

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The UGA, your Undergraduate Geoscience Association

arranges regular social events, seminars, fieldtrips, and runs a pop machine in the undergrad lounge. All geoscience undergrads are members, and are welcome to contribute their time and talents. The 2013-14 president is Kristyna Buchan, and vice-president is Ivee Molina. Other positions are that of treasurer, social coordinator, and pop machine organizer. You will find these people in the undergrad lounge, and you may contact them via email:

[email protected]

[email protected] The undergrad lounge, room ES2117,

is the place to meet advanced students who will be able to answer many questions, and where you can discuss assignments, arrange social activities, or just hang out between classes. And you can get pop for 75 cents.

The help center (room ES2119)

welcomes all students taking ESS courses. It is staffed by senior TAs who can help you with many questions related to material covered in 2nd_{and 3}rd_{-year core courses, and also distribution courses.}

The help center also houses a small reference library (books cannot be taken out). Hours will be posted on the door.

Notices online

We tend to broadcast important messages to the undergrad community via email using a department listserv. All undergraduates are encouraged to sign up for this service. Please send an email message to the address [email protected]" with the subject line "subscribe" (no quotes, case insensitive). This will generate an automatic response with instructions on how to confirm your subscription request.

You can also follow us on Twitter via hashtag #UTesug (short for University of Toronto Earth Sciences UnderGraduates).

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Undergraduate courses

We offer courses covering a range of subdisciplines. Course descriptions can be found online (see http://www.artsandscience.utoronto.ca/ofr/calendar/crs_ess.htm ). The following flowchart shows the logical progression of courses relevant for the geology specialist and geoscience major programs:

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5 Program requirements are detailed in the calendar. Each program comprises foundation courses from other sciences (chemistry, physics, and/or math), core courses in Earth sciences (including field

courses) and electives. We suggest students in the geoscience major program choose course clusters with logical progression.

In 2012 we changed the name of the department from Geology to Earth Sciences, and this year we are using new course codes. The following lists our new courses and the corresponding old course codes:

new course code and title old code

ESS102 Earth Science glg102

ESS103 Geology in Public Issues glg103

ESS104 Controversies in Earth Science glg105

ESS105 Our Home Planet glg110

ESS205 Confronting Global Change glg205

ESS211 Geochemistry glg202

ENV233 Chemistry of the Earth System glg202

ESS221 Minerals and Rocks glg206

ESS222 Petrology glg207

ENV234 Environmental Biology env234

ESS241 Geol. Structures and Maps glg345

ESS261 Earth System Evolution glg217

ESS299 Research Opportunity Program glg299

JGA305 Env. & Archaeol. Geophysics jga305

ESS311 Aqueous Geochemistry glg351

ESS312 Hydrogeology glg450

ESS322 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology glg318

ESS330 Introduction to Geol. Field Methods glg340

ESS331 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy glg360

ESS332 Sedimentology glg430

JEE337 Human Interaction with the Env jge236

ESS345 Computational Geology glg204

ESS381 Special Topics in Earth Science -

ESS391H/392Y Directed Studies glg371H/372Y

ESS398H/399Y Research Excursions glg398H/399Y

ESS410 Field Techniques in Hydrogeochem glg448

ESS420 Advanced Geological Field Methods glg445

ESS423 Mineral Deposits glg442

ESS425 Analytical Methods for the Geosci env315

ESS441 Advanced Structural Geology -

ESS445 Global Tectonics glg465

ESS450 Geophysical Field Techniques glg330

ESS461 Palaeoenvironmental Studies glg436

ESS481 Advanced Topics in Earth Sciences -

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ESS491H/492Y Undergraduate Thesis Project glg470Y/471H

Courses you have taken but are now discontinued (e.g., glg216) will still count towards your degree.

Courses taught in other departments, and graduate courses

Students may count courses taken in other divisions towards their Earth Science program (for example GIS or Remote Sensing in GGR, Mineral Resource Estimation in CIV, Evolution in EEB). If you take courses in the Faculty of Engineering your registrar will probably ask for a note from CIV and the ESS undergrad assoc. chair. In exceptional circumstances undergraduates can be admitted into graduate courses in ESS; if you are interested please check with the instructor of that course plus the

undergraduate chair, and be aware that you need a minimum B- to pass a graduate course.

A note to UTM students

We are aware that students enrolled in a geology specialist program at UTM have to enroll in

downtown ESS courses. Currently these students do not have preferential enrollment, but in the past we have been able to accommodate you.

APGO correspondence

Most of our undergraduate students in a specialist program plan to work as a professional geoscientists. This requires professional registration, and in our program this is regulated by the Association of Professional Geoscientists in Ontario, see http://www.apgo.net/student-req.htm . This registration requires 3 steps: knowledge (4-year BSC degree), work experience (4 years), and an ethics exam. The APGO registrar assesses your knowledge requirements on an individual basis. This is unlike engineering, where university programs are accredited. A PDF detailing the knowledge requirements, including course descriptions, can be found on the website of “Geoscientists Canada” (

http://www.ccpg.ca/main/index.php?lang=en ) as

http://www.ccpg.ca/pgeoreg/en/Documents/Geoscience%20Knowledge%20Requirements%20Booklet .Rev%20March%202012_E_Web.pdf , and the form used by APGO to assess your courses can be found at http://www.apgo.net/files/min_knowledge_april2009.pdf .

To help you, here is a suggested correspondence between UofT courses and APGO knowledge requirements:

group 1A: foundation science (you need all 3) chemistry CHM138H organic chemistry math MAT135H calculus

physics PHY131H intro or PHY151H foundations

group 1B: additional foundation science (need 6, not more than 2 from one area) biology BIO120H adaptation and biodiversity

computer programming ESS345H computational geology or

CSC108H introduction to computer programming chemistry CHM139H physical principles

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7 mathematics MAT136H calculus 1B or MAT223H lin alg I or MAT221H appl lin alg

physics PHY132H intro or PHY152H foundations

statistics STA220H statistics or GGR270H intro analytical methods group 2A: compulsory foundation geosciences (you need all 4)

field techniques ESS330H intro to geological field methods (for geophysics: ESS450H geophysical field methods)

mineralogy and petrology ESS221H minerals and rocks

sedimentation and stratigraphy ESS331H sedimentation and stratigraphy structural geology ESS241H geological structures and maps group 2B: additional foundation geosciences (you need 5)

- for geology and environmental geoscience APGO allows you to choose courses from the two columns for these

geochemistry ENV233H chemistry of the Earth system

geophysics JGA305H environmental & archaeological geophysics igneous/metamorphic/sedimentary petrology: APGO will count two courses

ESS222H petrology and

ESS322H igneous and metamorphic petrology sedimentology ESS332H sedimentology

geomorphology GGR201H geomorphology hydrogeology ESS312H hydrogeology - for geophysics each of the following are required

digital signal processing PHY408H time series analysis physics of the Earth PHY395H physics of the Earth seismology PHY493H seismology

exploration geophysics JGA305H environmental & archaeological geophysics electrical & em methods PHY494H geophysical imaging: EM and potential fields group 2C: other geoscience/science (total 9 courses, rather flexible)

Again, you will be assessed on an individual basis. Especially for groups 1A and 1B above list is a suggestion, other courses will probably fulfill these requirements also.

Fieldcourses and fieldtrips

Field education has been a hallmark of geoscience education for centuries, and good field observations are the basis of many exploration and research activities. Several field courses run during the summer:

ESS330H introduction to geological field methods (Whitefish Falls, in May) ESS420H advanced geological field methods (Benny Belt, in May)

ESS410H field techniques in hydrogeochemistry (Deep River, in late Aug/Sep) ESS450H geophys field techniques (same time and same place as ESS410H) ESS490H geological capstone fieldtrip (destination varies, e.g., Newfoundland)

If you are a full-time student and the course is required for your program you do not have to pay tuition fees; however, please note that you need to pay the incidental fees at the start of the summer term, and that these will be reimbursed at the end of summer as long as you do not enroll in any other courses. In addition there is a course fee of ~$400 to the department to help cover cost of

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8 transportation and accommodation. You will be responsible for the cost of your own food, usually purchased and prepared by your cabin groups.

Several courses offer fieldtrips. Longer trips in past years’ Reading Week went to Chile, Texas, and New Zealand, and a 2014 trip is planned for Hawaii. Other courses offer day or weekend trips during the fall term.

Curriculum map

We expect graduates of our programs to be knowledgeable in Earth sciences and have the necessary skills to be productive workers and citizens. The following table provides a simplified summary of how we have mapped core competencies into our curriculum; th clusters are those suggested for the geoscience major (specialist students typically take courses from more than one cluster).

Competencies and abbreviations: (i) critical and creative thinking: C

(ii) communication: W=writing, P=presenting, T=team work (iii) information literacy: I including M=map reading

(iv) quantitative reasoning: Q

(v) social and ethical responsibility: R=reflection on responsibilities, V=values course \ competency i ii iii iv v

core courses

ESS221 Minerals and Rocks C I Q

ESS222 Petrology C P Q

ESS241 Geol Structures and Maps W M Q R

ESS261 Earth System Evolution P I/M V

ESS331 Sedimentation and Stratigraphy C I upper year courses

(1) materials/mineral resources cluster

ESS322 Igneous Petrology C I Q R

ESS330 Geol Field Methods W/T M Q R

ESS332 Sedimentology P I V

ESS423 Mineral Deposits C W I/M Q V

ESS425 Analytical Methods W Q R

(2) tectonics cluster

JGA305 Env & Archaeol. Geophysics W/T I Q R

ESS345 Computational Geology C W/T I Q V

ESS441 Adv Structural Geology C M Q

ESS445 Global Tectonics C I Q

ESS450 Geophysical Field Techniques W/T I Q R

(3) environmental cluster

ESS311 Aqueous Geochemistry I Q

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9 ESS410 Field Techniques in Hydrogeochem C W/T I Q R

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Submitting assignments, lateness, missed tests

Assignments are usually submitted to the dropbox at the reception desk in the main office during regular office hours (M-F 9-5). Always write your name, student number, course code, and name of prof (and TA) on the front page. Unless an instructor has other rules on their course outline,

department policies on lateness and missed tests as found on our website under

http://www.es.utoronto.ca/students/undergraduate-students/course-listing are part of the course outline.

Departmental Scholarships

Various scholarships and awards - typically based on academic merit (ie, GPA) and financial need, and having a value of up to $3,000 - are awarded to FAS undergraduate students enrolled in our programs each year. The first two in the following list require applications; all others are determined from lists the department receives from the FAS Registar’s Office:

Joubin James Scholarship ($3000). Awarded to a student registered in an Earth Sciences POSt who has completed his/her second year of study in Science in the Faculty of Arts & Science. Awarded on the basis of academic merit and contribution to the academic program through extracurricular activities. Students need to submit a (1-pg) written statement of their extracurricular activities that benefit the department community by the end of June.

Nicholas Wemyss Undergraduate Explorers Fund Award (~$850). Awarded to an undergraduate student in the geosciences based on academic merit. Financial need will also be considered. Students need to submit a one-page statement why they are interested in exploration geosciences by the end of June; this statement will be forwarded to the donor.

H. V. Ellsworth Undergraduate Award in Mineralogy ($3000). Awarded to a student enrolled in a program offered by the Department with a demonstrated interest in the general field of Mineralogy. Garnet W. McKee-Lachlan Gilchrist Scholarship (~$300). Awarded to a student enrolled in the Specialist Program in Geophysics. If there is no eligible candidate, awarded to a student enrolled in 300/400 series courses in Earth Sciences and Physics (including joint courses).

Alexander McLean Scholarship (~$90). Awarded to an outstanding student who has completed ESS322H Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology.

Roger E. Deane Memorial Scholarship in Geology. Awarded to the student showing the best performance at the departmental geological field camp (ESS330).

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11 James P. Nowlan Explorers Fund Undergraduate Scholarship (~$1250). Awarded to an undergraduate student in the geosciences based on academic merit. Financial need will also be considered.

Coleman Gold Medal. Awarded to the student graduating as a Geology specialist and obtaining the highest average standing in the Geology courses of his/her fourth year. (Due to financial constraints this award stretches over two graduating classes.)

Wesley Tate Scholarship (~$650). Awarded to the student who earns the Coleman Gold Medal as best graduating student.

Daniela and Alexander Tintor Undergraduate Scholarship (~$1250). Awarded to an undergraduate student in the geosciences based on academic merit. Financial need will also be considered.

Daniel Wilson Scholarship in Science (~$75). Awarded every other year to a second or third year student enrolled in a program offered by the Department of Earth Sciences. Rotates between Earth Sciences and Geography.

Frederick W. Schumacher Scholarship (~$900). Awarded every other year to a specialist in Geology with high academic standing. Preference will be given to students coming from Schumacher, Ontario. Rotates between Earth Sciences and Geological Engineering.

Other awards

In addition to FAS awards students can apply, or their names are forwarded, to other awards. Notably among them

Don Salt Memorial Scholarship Teck-Cominco scholarship

Geological Association of Canada (GAC) Student Award Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC) Award Notices will be broadcast to students.

Each year two of our students participate in industry-sponsored fieldtrips, one related to hard-rock mining (Student Industry Mineral Exploration Workshop or S-IMEW, see

http://www.pdac.ca/programs/students/s-imew ) and the other linked to the petroleum industry (Student Industry Field Trip or SIFT, see

http://www.cspg.org/CSPG/Students/SIFT/CSPG/Students/SIFT.aspx ). Applications are vetted by the department, and the undergraduate chair provides information on how to apply during the fall term.

Research opportunities

You can boost your CV by being involved in summer research with a professor, and you can get funding to do so. NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) offers several prestigious awards to undergraduate students, including the NSERC USRA (Undergraduate Student Research Award) Program (see

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http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/UG-PC/USRA-12 BRPC_eng.asp ) to which students apply via a faculty member supervising the project. A GPA of B+ is expected, and the award provides a stipend for the four summer months. An equivalent program is the UTEA-NSE (University of Toronto Excellence Awards in the Natural Sciences and Engineering) with funding coming from the UofT Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

Other research opportunities are the 299 Research Opportunity Program and 399 Research

Excursions, for which you earn academic credit and which may take you to exotic locations (for details see http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course/ and talk to a faculty member offering such

courses).

We encourage students to get involved in a thesis project in their last year of study. This provides a true capstone experience, as you move through the various steps involved in research (developing a hypothesis, collecting data, interpreting results, communicating), and experience the excitement and sometimes frustration of research. Ideally you contact faculty you are interested to work with during your 3rd year of study.

Other work and study experience

Many students look for work experience during the summer months. Venues to network are CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining) events (see http://www.cim.org/en/Students.aspx ), as well as the PDAC (Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada) Convention (see

http://www.pdac.ca/programs/students ).

Students can earn UofT credits via the Study Abroad program (see http://cie.utoronto.ca/Going.htm ) or take a Professional Experience Year (see http://engineeringcareers.utoronto.ca/students/pey/ ). Such opportunities are invaluable because they offer you a wider view of our world and provide amazing opportunities to get to know other people and the geology of other countries.

Geology field supplies

If you are serious about becoming a geoscientist you will need supplies like handlenses, hammers, waterproof notebooks, vests, etc. The UGA has compiled a list (see appendix A) and you can also talk to Riaz at the front desk.

Hammers, Hand Lenses, Boots, Notebooks Compasses, Magnets, Cruiser Vests, GPS, Gold Pans

Universal Field Supplies Inc. (ask for student discounts)

1540 Trinity Drive #4

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5T 1L6 Tel: 905-795-1632 Toll Free: 800-795-1610 Fax: 905-795-4940 Store Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday to Sunday Closed

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12 Hammers, Gold Pans

Atlas Machinery Supply Ltd. 233 Queen Street West Toronto, Ontario M5V 1Z4, Canada Tel: 416-598-3553 Email: [email protected] Store Hours: Monday to Wednesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Friday to Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday Closed Hand Lenses TGW Tools & Supply

215 Victoria Street 1st Floor Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T9, Canada Tel: 416-815-7700 Fax: 416-815-0400 Email: [email protected] Store Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM Saturday to Sunday Closed

James McTamney & Co. Inc. 139 Church Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 1Y4, Canada Tel: 416-360-6595 Fax: 416-360-6595 Email: [email protected] Store Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 5:45 PM Saturday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM Sunday Closed

Lacy & Co. Jewellery Supply 69 Queen St. E 2nd_Floor Toronto, Ontario M5C 1R8, Canada Tel: 416-367-1375 Website: http://www.lacytools.ca/ Store Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM Saturday and Sunday Closed

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13 Boots, Notebooks, Compasses, GPS

Mountain Equipment Co-op 400 King Street West

Toronto, Ontario M5V 1K2, Canada Tel: 416-340-2667 Store Hours: Monday to Wednesday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Thursday to Friday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM Europe Bound 383 King Street West Toronto, Ontario M5V 1K1, Canada Tel: 416-205-9992 Store Hours: Monday to Wednesday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Thursday to Friday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM

Undergraduate Student Handbook

2013-2014