The University of British Columbia Geological Engineering programme is a postgraduate course awarding a research-based Master of Applied Science or a taught Master of Engineering.
Students complete training and research projects according to their qualification pathway.
The Geological Engineering Program is intended for students interested in the application of earth sciences principles to engineering problems. While most geological engineering degree programs are based in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, students may also base their studies in allied Applied Science departments such as Civil or Mining Engineering. The program is highly interdisciplinary and draws upon courses, laboratories, and faculty members from the departments of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Civil Engineering, Mining Engineering, Forestry, Geography, and others. Graduate students are often co-supervised by faculty members from different departments.
Geological engineering faculty members in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences have research interests in the following general areas:
- landslides, debris flows, engineering geology, slope stability
- groundwater hydrology, groundwater contamination and remediation, reactive transport modeling, environmental geochemistry
- rock engineering, rock slopes, and tunneling
Other research areas include geotechnical engineering, environmental geology, engineering geology, economic geology, and applied geophysics. The specific fields of study may involve geomorphology and terrain analysis, groundwater hydrology, natural hazards, slope stability, petroleum and coal geology, coalbed methane, mineral prospecting and valuation, and other similar subjects. Students are encouraged to consult individual faculty members for information about current research areas.
Admission to graduate studies in geological engineering is open only to students with an undergraduate degree in engineering or, at the discretion of the program director, to students with sufficient engineering work experience.
- Degree: Master of Applied Science (research-based), Master of Engineering (course-based, 1 year)
- Specialization: Geological Engineering
- Subject: Engineering
- Mode of delivery: On campus
- Faculty: Faculty of Science
The following postgraduate funding may be available to study Geological Engineering at the University of British Columbia.
Cities and their growing populations depend on infrastructure to provide energy, water, sanitation, telecommunications and healthcare. Developing and maintaining infrastructure solutions that are safe, affordable, reliable, environmentally sustainable and resilient over the long term is a challenge of incredible complexity and breadth. There is a pressing need for professionals who are able to develop innovative solutions for our urban systems. Graduates of the MEL in Urban Systems will be uniquely positioned to do so, bridging the gap between urban planning, engineering and project management.
The Master of Engineering Leadership (MEL) in Urban Systems is an intensive one-year degree program that equips you with the high-level technical skills needed to develop practical and sustainable solutions to meet the challenges associated with large urban infrastructure systems. The project-based curriculum covers all stages of community and infrastructure system life cycles. You will develop a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the range of professional roles and technologies that support urban infrastructure systems. You will also explore the social, ecological and economic factors that are so important for successful infrastructure systems management. While 70 per cent of your classes will focus on your technical specialization, the remaining 30 per cent are leadership development courses that will enhance your business, communication and people skills. Delivery of the management and leadership courses are in partnership with UBC's Sauder School of Business.
The MEL in Urban Systems was developed in close collaboration with industry partners. They told us they need professionals with the technical and leadership skills to develop innovative solutions across sectors, manage multi-disciplinary teams and lead collaborative projects.
Students will develop the sector-relevant cross-disciplinary technical skills in demand by top employers. Distinct from other programs in Canada and internationally, the MEL in Urban Systems will create technically proficient managers who have the administrative and leadership skills needed to lead multidisciplinary teams.
The combination of technical expertise and leadership development makes the MEL in Urban Systems unique and highly relevant in today’s business environment.
To complement your academic studies, professional development workshops, delivered by industry leaders, are offered throughout the year-long program. These extra-curricular sessions cover a range of topics such as:
-Leadership fundamentals
-Giving and receiving feedback
-Learning how to deliver a successful pitch
-Effective presenting
The workshops also provide opportunities to network with professionals from a wide range of industries, UBC faculty and students in the MEL and MHLP programs.
There is a growing demand for talented professionals with a confident understanding of engineering and urban planning and who have the management and leadership skills to guide large and complex projects. Graduates of this program will be highly sought after for their unique combination of leadership and technical sector-specific skills.
Our graduates will be in high demand locally, nationally and internationally by a wide range of employers – from municipalities and utilities to transportation providers and engineering consulting firms. – seeking technical experts who can also manage and lead teams. Graduates will take on roles as city engineers, urban planners, sustainability manager, project manager, asset manager, management and consultants, policy advisors and entrepreneurs.
