The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EAES) coordinates two interrelated programs: Earth Science (Geology) and Environmental Science. Earth Science studies the materials, processes, and history of our planet, including the history of life on Earth. Environmental Science studies the interactions among the Earth's fundamental systems: hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere.
Program Highlights
Earth and Environmental Scientists explore the Earth's biggest questions:
- What secrets do fossils reveal?
- How do we explore for essential natural resources?
- What are the causes of earthquakes and the shifting of continents?
- What unleashes the fury of volcanoes; can eruptions be predicted?
- Is global change a new phenomenon?
- What does the future hold regarding global warming, air and water pollution, human population growth, and loss of biodiversity?
- How does science work, and how can a scientific perspective improve our understanding of environmental issues?
GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES DIPLOMA PROGRAM
The Geological Resources Diploma Program offers a flexible 2-year path to a career in mineral exploration and mining, or a transfer path to university Earth Science degree programs. Students can get help on course selection (and other issues) on the Geological Resources Program Info Page.
Program Options
University Transfer
Douglas College EAES courses transfer to UBC, SFU, TRU, Royal Roads, University of Lethbridge, UVic, UVI, UFV, and other post-secondary institutions. Please refer to the BC Transfer Guide for details. Our current course offerings can be accessed here.
Professional Geoscientist Designation Through EGBC
In BC and across Canada, provincial legislation requires geoscientists to be professionally registered for many types of work. In BC the organization that regulates Professional Geoscientists is the Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC). Getting a professional designation is the next step after university, and many students prepare for this by joining EGBC as a student member. After earning a geoscience degree, graduates that qualify may register as a Geoscientist-in-Training with EGBC, and later qualify as a Professional Geoscientist.
While earning a Bachelor of Science degree, students need to carefully select courses that meet EGBC’s required syllabus. Douglas College offers many of the courses required for EGBC’s Geology syllabus and Environmental Geoscience syllabus. You can also check the Course Equivalent Listing for various universities at EGBC.