Graduate from the VIU Geoscience program

Bachelor of Science (BSc) with a Major in Geoscience

A Bachelor of Science (BSc) with a Major in Geoscience is offered at the Nanaimo Campus of Vancouver Island University. This degree program is offered jointly by the Earth Science and Geography Departments at VIU.  Students should be able to complete the program in four years.

Main Objective of the BSc Major in Geoscience Program

  • To provide students with a broad foundation in geoscience as well as expertise in specific areas of geoscience.
    • The broad foundation for their knowledge in geoscience will come from the 100 and 200 level courses offered by both the Departments of Earth Science and Geography
    • These compulsory lower level courses will give students a wide appreciation of earth processes, earth materials, landscape dynamics and geoscience field methods
    • Students will then be able to choose from a variety of upper level (300 & 400) courses to complete their major depending upon their specific interests
    • These courses could include: geomorphology, hydrogeology, geomatics (GIS and remote sensing), igneous & metamorphic petrology, mineral resources, environmental geology, climatology and many others

Main Theme of the BSc Major in Geoscience: ‘Environmental Geoscience’

  • This theme is reflected by:
    • The expertise of the faculty in the Earth Science and Geography Departments,
    • VIU’s regional setting on Coastal British Columbia and,
    • The on-going demand for this knowledge in the job market
  • A student who graduates with a BSc Major in Geoscience from VIU will be qualified for a wide range of career opportunities in BC, Canada and around the world
  • Types of employment might include sectors such as: environmental monitoring, water resource evaluation and management, mineral exploration and mining, land development, forestry activities, and other energy or engineering-related fields

Become a Professional Geoscientist

  • The BSc Major in Geoscience was developed so that students can also complete the academic requirements of the Engineers and Geoscientists BC (formerly APEGBC). 
    • All geoscientists practicing in a professional capacity in BC are regulated by this association
    • Registration as a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.) requires: a degree in geoscience, specific courses to satisfy the academic component, supervised work experience and the satisfactory completion of a professional practice exam
    • VIU offers all the courses needed to satisfy the academic requirements for registration as a Professional Geoscientist in the ‘Environmental Geoscience’ stream, and the ‘ Geology’ stream.
    • The website for both sets of requirements is as follows: P.Geo Geoscience Syllabi Note, that Engineers and Geoscientists BC is a self-regulating body and may change these academic requirements over time. Therefore it is in student’s interest to periodically check these requirements. It is also possible for students to become members of the association through their MAPS program

What courses do I need to take to become a P.Geo?

  • Two program grids have been completed for the BSc Major in Geoscience, one for those for those who want the flexibility to choose their own upper level electives and are less concerned with P.Geo. registration, and the other for those who want to complete the BSc Major and at the same time achieve academic accreditation with Engineers and Geoscientists BC for P.Geo status in the ‘Environmental Geoscience’ stream
  1. Program Grid I - BSc Major in Geoscience (with full flexibility of upper elective courses and less concerned with P.Geo registration)
  2. Program Grid II – BSc Major in Geoscience (with courses needed to satisfy academic requirements of for registration as a Professional Geoscientist in the ‘Environmental Geoscience’ stream)

*Note: students who do the P.Geo stream will likely require either GEOL 303 (Engineering Geology) and/or GEOL 307 (Applied Geophysics). To do these courses they will need to ensure that they take PHYS 121 and PHYS 122 as prerequisites. These are not specifically required for the BSc Major, however at least one is needed for P.Geo registration. These can be taken as science electives.

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