geology is a modern, dynamic and diverse science that involves investigating the composition and evolution of earth and other planetary bodies.

geologists and earth scientists study the earth, including its chemical, physical and biological evolution. the university of ottawa’s programs teach students how to analyze earth materials, probe the earth from surface to core and model the processes that produced and shape its oceans and continents. the ottawa region is a natural laboratory where students investigate resources (water, metals, minerals, petroleum), hazards (earthquakes, tsunamis, eruptions, landslides) and a variety of geological environments.

the department of earth and environmental sciences offers programs in geology and, along with the department of physics, a program in geology-physics. these programs balance field-based learning with theoretical and analytical investigations directly relevant to the needs of society. the final year involves an independent research project or equivalent units (credits) in advanced courses in the discipline.

the honours requirements meet the professional accreditation requirements of the association of professional geoscientists of ontario and l’ordre des géologues du québec.

the university of ottawa french immersion stream is designed for anglophone and allophone students who wish to pursue part of their university studies in french. students who have attended high school in a language other than french and have followed a french-as-a-second-language program are eligible. the french immersion program allows students to study bilingually by taking 35% of their courses in french and discover le monde francophone at world’s largest french-english university. immersion courses will help students transition to french courses, by combining a three hour content course with a one and a half hour accompanying language course that is based on material in the content course but focused on comprehension skills. students also have the choice to take up to eight french courses as pass/fail grades, which won't count in their academic average (not available in the faculty of science or faculty of engineering).