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• Frank Dawson Adams Building, Room 238
• 3450 University Street
• Montreal, Quebec H3A 2A7

• Telephone: 514-398-6767
• Fax: 514-398-4680
• Email: kristy.thornton [at] mcgill.ca
• Website:

The domain of Earth and Planetary Sciences includes the solid Earth and its hydrosphere and extends to the neighbouring terrestrial planets. It is a multidisciplinary field in which the principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics are applied to the rich problems of the real world in order to understand how planets like the Earth work; in the past, the present, and the future.

Career opportunities are many and varied for graduates in the Earth and Planetary Sciences. There is presently a demand for graduates with expertise in many disciplines of the Earth Sciences. Our students are recruited for employment in the petroleum and mining industries, and in the environmental sector.

During the summer months, undergraduate students are generally able to obtain employment from industry or government agencies, providing them with both financial benefits and first-hand geoscientific experience. Career opportunities in planetary science are present in universities and research organizations.

The Department has a full-time staff of 17 professors and one faculty lecturer. There are approximately 55 graduate and 50 undergraduate students. Classes are therefore small at all levels, resulting in an informal and friendly atmosphere throughout the Department in which most of the faculty and students interact on a first-name basis. Emphasis is placed equally on quality teaching and research providing undergraduate students with a rich and exciting environment in which to explore and learn.

The undergraduate curriculum is designed to provide both a rigorous foundation in the physical sciences and the flexibility to create an individualized program in preparation for careers in industry, teaching, or research. In addition to the Major and Honours undergraduate programs, the Department is part of the Earth System Science Interdepartmental program, and also offers a Joint Major in Physics and Geophysics which provides a rigorous mathematics and physics preparation and a geological background in the geosciences.

The Minor in Geology offers students from other departments the opportunity to obtain exposure to the Earth Sciences, while the Minor in Geochemistry is oriented towards Chemistry Major students who want to see the application of chemistry to problems in Earth and Planetary Sciences.

A Science Major concentration in Earth, Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences is available to students pursuing the B.A. & Sc. degree. This Major concentration is described in the Bachelor of Arts and Science section of this publication; see Bachelor of Arts and Science > Earth, Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences for details.

Students interested in any of the programs should inquire at Room 238, Frank Dawson Adams Building, 514-398-6767, or should consult the Undergraduate Director:

• Professor Jeanne Paquette
• Frank Dawson Adams Building, Room 214
• Email: jeanne.paquette [at] mcgill.ca
• Telephone: 514-398-4402