Seismology is the study of earthquakes and how seismic waves move through the Earth. Through application of geological and mathematical techniques, seismology can reveal the inner workings of the Earth and provide hazard analysis for tectonic events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. This course will outline the practical applications of seismology to real-world scenarios of academic research and human exploration, while highlighting cutting-edge technological advances. Topics covered include subsurface imaging and surveying, catastrophe modelling, Martian seismology, stress and strain principles, wave theory, data inversion, and data science applications on seismic data analysis.

This course instructs students on the application of geophysical techniques (including gravity and magnetic surveys, electromagnetics, resistivity and seismology) to important societal issues, such as monitoring climate change, clean energy assessments, and how to build sustainable cities. This lecture-based course also teaches how to effectively communicate uncertainty when interpreting data.

This course examines the diversity of microorganisms, their adaptations to special habitats, and their critical role in the ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles. The course covers microbial phylogeny, physiological diversity, species interactions and state of the art methods of detection and enumeration.

The last 2.5 million years has seen the repeated formation of large continental ice sheets over North America and Europe. The course will review the geologic and geomorphologic record of past glacial and interglacial climates, the formation and flow of ice sheets , and modern day cold-climate processes in Canada's north. The course includes a one-day field trip to examine the glacial record of the GTA.

A field course on selected topics in aquatic environments. Aquatic environmental issues require careful field work to collect related hydrological, meteorological, biological and other environmental data. This hands-on course will teach students the necessary skills for fieldwork investigations on the interactions between air, water, and biota.

This course is intended for students who would like to apply theoretical principles of environmental sustainability learned in other courses to real-world problems. Students will identify a problem of interest related either to campus sustainability, a local NGO, or municipal, provincial, or federal government. Class meetings will consist of group discussions investigating key issues, potential solutions, and logistical matters to be considered for the implementation of proposed solutions. Students who choose campus issues will also have the potential to actually implement their solutions. Grades will be based on participation in class discussions, as well as a final report and presentation.

Same as ESTC34H3

This course surveys the processes that produce the chemical and mineralogical diversity of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks including: the distribution, chemical and mineral compositions of rocks of the mantel and crust, their physical properties, and their relation to geological environments. Descriptive petrology for various rocks will also be covered.

The course introduces mechanics of rock deformation. It examines identification, interpretation, and mechanics of faults, folds, and structural features of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks as well as global, regional and local scale structural geology and tectonics. Lectures are supplemented by lab exercises and demonstrations as well as local field trips.

“The Anthropocene” is a term that now frames wide-ranging scientific and cultural debates and research, surrounding how humans have fundamentally altered Earth’s biotic and abiotic environment. This course explores the scientific basis of the Anthropocene, with a focus on how anthropogenic alterations to Earth’s atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere, have shifted Earth into a novel geological epoch. Students in this course will also discuss and debate how accepting the Anthropocene hypothesis, entails a fundamental shift in how humans view and manage the natural world.
Same as ESTC38H3

Natural hydrochemical processes; the use of major ions, minor ions, trace metals and environmental isotopes in studying the occurrence and nature of ground water flow. Point and non-point sources of ground water contamination and the mechanisms of contaminant transport.

This course will introduce the physical processes that control mixing and transport in lakes. Understanding many environmental issues in the millions of lakes in Canada requires a deeper understanding of the role of wind driven currents in thermally stratified water bodies. The emphasis will be on a practical understanding of different physical limnological processes as they relate to government mandates on drinking water quality and the preservation of fish habitat. Students will learn to use the basic equations that model these processes and understand how these equations are used in water quality models. Students will also be introduced to field measurement techniques and learn to compare field data with model data. Among the subjects to be discussed are the dispersion of pollutants in lakes, the physical controls on lake hypoxia and the role of thermal stratification in setting fish habitat, mixing in stratified estuaries and the dynamics of the seasonal thermocline.

This course is jointly offered with graduate course EES1120H3.

Climate change over the last 150 years is reviewed by examining the climate record using both direct measurements and proxy data. Projection of future climate is reviewed using the results of sophisticated climate modeling. The climate change impact assessment formalism is introduced and applied to several examples. Students will acquire practical experience in climate change impact assessment through case studies.

Experiential learning is a critical element of applied environmental science. Hands-on experience in observing, documenting, and quantifying environmental phenomenon, patterns, and processes unlocks a deeper understanding and curiosity of the natural world, and prepares students for careers in the environment. This advanced field camp course explores applied scientific themes across geoscience, climate science, ecology, hydrology, environmental physics, and sustainability, while emphasizing student-led scientific enquiry and projects. Over a 7-10-day field camp in locations in Canada and abroad, students will develop a deep inquiry-based understanding and appreciation of the natural world, by immersing themselves in some of Earth’s most captivating environments.

This course entails the design, implementation, and reporting of an independent and substantial research project, under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Research may involve laboratory, fieldwork, and/or computer-based analyses, with the final products being presented primarily as a written thesis, although other course work, such as oral presentations of student research, may also be required. All areas of environmental science research that are supported by existing faculty members are permissible. The course should be undertaken after the end of the 3rd Year, and is subject to faculty availability. Faculty permission and supervision is required.

This course entails the design, implementation, and reporting of an independent and substantial research project, under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Research may involve laboratory, fieldwork, and/or computer-based analyses, with the final products being presented primarily as a written thesis, though other course work, such as oral presentations of student research, may also be required. All areas of environmental science research that are supported by existing faculty members are permissible. The course should be undertaken after the end of the 3rd Year, and is subject to faculty availability. Faculty permission and supervision is required.

This course focuses on an advanced examination of the motion of water at the hillslope and drainage basin scales. Topics explored include: catchment characterization, connectivity and thresholds; the relationship between surface and subsurface hydrological processes; hydrometric and modern isotopic research methods; cold regions hydrological processes, ecohydrology and the role of vegetation; hydrological modelling; water quality and quantity issues in relation to watershed policy and management. The course will follow a mixed lecture-seminar approach that includes the examination and discussion of original research articles related to course topics.

This course reviews the laws and policies governing the management of natural resources in Canada. It examines the role of law and how it can it can work most effectively with science, economics and politics to tackle environmental problems such as climate change, conservation, and urban sprawl at domestic and international scales.

This course consists of a study of the ways in which hazardous organic and inorganic materials can be removed or attenuated in natural systems. The theory behind various technologies, with an emphasis on bioremediation techniques and their success in practice. An introduction to the unique challenges associated with the remediation of surface and ground water environments, soils, marine systems, and contaminated sediments.

Students will select a research problem in an area of special interest. Supervision will be provided by a faculty member with active research in geography, ecology, natural resource management, environmental biology, or geosciences as represented within the departments. Project implementation, project monitoring and evaluation will form the core elements for this course.
Same as ESTD16H3

This course is designed to provide a strong interdisciplinary focus on specific environmental problems including the socioeconomic context in which environmental issues are resolved. The cohort capstone course is in 2 consecutive semesters, providing final year students the opportunity to work in a team, as environmental researchers and consultants, combining knowledge and skill-sets acquired in earlier courses. Group research to local environmental problems and exposure to critical environmental policy issues will be the focal point of the course. Students will attend preliminary meetings schedules in the Fall semester.
Same as ESTD17Y3

This course will be organized around the DPES seminar series, presenting guest lecturers around interdisciplinary environmental themes.  Students will analyze major environmental themes and prepare presentations for in-class debate.
Same as ESTD18H3

This course consists of 12 lectures given by senior industry professionals to prepare students for a post-graduate career in environmental consulting. Lectures will convey the full range of consulting activities, including visits to environmental investigation sites in the Toronto area. Technical writing and oral communication skills will be stressed in assignments.

This course reviews the geological and environmental evolution of the North American continent over the past 4 billion years by exploring the range of plate tectonics involved in continental growth and how those processes continue today. It will explore major changes in terrestrial and marine environments through geologic time and associated organisms and natural resources of economic importance, and will conclude with an examination of recent human anthropogenic influences on our environment especially in regard to urban areas and associated problems of waste management, resource extraction, geological hazards, and the impacts of urbanization on watersheds and water resources. The course will include a weekend field trip to examine the geology and urban environmental problems of The Greater Toronto Area. It provides students in environmental science with a fundamental knowledge of the importance of environmental change on various timescales and the various field methods used to assess such changes.

This course offers an advanced introduction to geophysical data analysis. It is intended for upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students interested in data analysis and statistics in the geophysical sciences and is mainly laboratory (computer) based. The goal is to provide an understanding of the theory underlying the statistical analysis of geophysical data, in space, time and spectral domains and to provide the tools to undertake this statistical analysis. Important statistical techniques such as regression, correlation and spectral analysis of time series will be explored with a focus on hypothesis formulation and interpretation of the analysis. Multivariate approaches will also be introduced. Although some previous knowledge of probability and statistics will be helpful, a review will be provided at the beginning of the course. Concepts and notation will be introduced, as needed.

Jointly offered with EES1132H.

This course introduces the rapidly growing field of environmental and earth system modelling. Emphasis will be placed on the rationale of model development, the objective of model evaluation and validation, and the extraction of the optimal complexity from complicated/intertwined environmental processes. By focusing on the intersections between climate change and ecological systems, students will develop the ability to integrate information from a variety of disciplines, including geosciences, biology, ecology, chemistry, and other areas of interest. The course will also involve practical training in the computer lab. Students will develop an intermediate complexity mathematical model, calibrate the model and assess the goodness-of-fit against observed data, identify the most influential model parameters (sensitivity analysis), and present their results.

Jointly offered with EES1118H

This course will introduce and discuss the basic topics and tools of applied climatology, and how its concepts can be used in everyday planning and operations (e.g. in transportation, agriculture, resource management, health and energy). The course involves the study of the application of climatic processes and the reciprocal interaction between climate and human activities. Students will also learn the methods of analyzing and interpreting meteorological and climatological data in a variety of applied contexts. Topics include: Solar Energy; Synoptic Climatology and Meteorology; Climate and Agriculture; Climate and Energy; Climate and Human Comfort; Urban Effects on Climate and Air Pollution.
Jointly offered with EES1131H

This course consists of a series of modules designed for students to gain practical skills necessary to investigate and characterize complex environmental systems. Field projects will allow students to collect scientific data that they will use to interpret the geology, hydrogeology, and chemistry of natural and anthropogenic environments.

This course introduces the fundamentals of studying English at the university level, and builds the skills needed to successfully navigate English degree programs as well as a liberal arts education more broadly. Students will learn how to read texts closely and think critically; they will practice presenting their ideas in a clear, supported way; they will be exposed to a variety of texts in different forms and genres; and they will gain a working familiarity with in-discipline terminology and methodologies. Moreover, the course is an opportunity to explore the power exercised by literature on all levels of society, from the individual and personal to the political and global.

This is a writing-focused, workshop-based course that provides training in critical writing about literature at the university level. Throughout the term, students will examine and develop fundamental writing skills (close reading, critical analysis, organization, argumentation, and research). Specifically, this course aims to equip students with the practical tools and confidence to consult different academic writing styles, develop thesis-driven analyses, and produce short thesis-driven papers. The course will also provide overview of library research methods, MLA-style citation guidelines, and strategies for improving the craft of writing itself (grammar and style). While this course focuses on critical writing about fiction, it will also help students develop a set of transferrable skills that may be applied to various academic and professional settings. English A02 is not a language course. All students entering the course are expected to have a basic grasp of the conventions of academic writing.

An introduction to the fundamentals of creative writing, both as practice and as a profession. Students will engage in reading, analyzing, and creating writing in multiple genres, including fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and drama.