EOS 400 Advanced Field Geology

EOS 400 is a field-based, summer session course, generally taken by SEOS students between their third and fourth year of studies.  It is a required course for students in our Earth Sciences program (Geology Option) and represents an elective course that can be used towards meeting Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC) academic qualifications for both their 'Geology' and 'Environmental Geoscience' designations (see here for more details). Pre-requisites of EOS 300 (Earth Science Field School) and EOS 316 (Igneous and Metamorphic Geology) will be strictly enforced.

Forecasted dates for future EOS 400 trips (tentative and subject to change – contact Siobhan for more info):

• See 2027 details below
• May 16 - 30, 2028 (domestic – details TBD)
• May 16 - 30, 2029 (domestic – details TBD)

2027 DOMESTIC BC/ALBERTA TRIP DETAILS:

Discover how continents evolve through orogenesis as we travel across the western Canadian Cordillera between Victoria and the Rocky Mountains. This 15-day field course includes a mix of hikes, full-day and multi-day projects at selected thematic field sites, and shorter roadside stops on travel days. Together, these field sites will build your understanding of how tectonics, magmatism, sedimentation, and climate have shaped BC and Alberta over Earth’s history. Hone your field skills on this capstone course that is key for anyone hoping to work in Geoscience in western Canada.

Dates: May 13 - 27, 2027

**If you were hoping to complete both EOS 400 (Advanced Field Geology) and EOS 401 (Oceanography) field schools in 2027: There is a slight overlap in course dates for 2027 only that is unavoidable due to external factors. This will be avoided in future offerings (from 2028 onwards). Please contact Siobhan and Eva ASAP for more details and to discuss possible arrangements based on your circumstances and degree timeline.

**If you were hoping to complete both Earth Science field schools (EOS 300 and EOS 400) in 2027: this is possible with the scheduled dates and will mean a fun month of field experience for you! The two courses run almost back-to-back, with a few days of rest in between. Contact Siobhan and Duncan if you have questions or concerns about this.

Location: Across the Canadian Cordillera of southern BC and Alberta. Trip starts & ends at UVic.

Course Instructor: Jon Husson

Coordinator: Siobhan McGoldrick

Pre-requisites: EOS 300 and EOS 316. Note that this means students hoping to complete BOTH Earth Science field schools in the same summer (EOS 300 and 400) will only have a few days rest between the courses. If you plan to complete both Earth Science field schools in the same calendar year, please ensure that in your application for EOS 300 you mention this in the comment field.

Enrolment capacity: 28 students maximum – registration priority will be given to declared SEOS students whose program requires the course. Note: students who qualify to take EOS 400 in a given year, but who delay will have lower priority than those who would normally take the course in a given year and are NOT guaranteed a spot.

Accommodation: Accommodation during the field school when we are away from Victoria will be provided by UVic. On the nights spent in Victoria students are responsible for their own accommodations (the nights of May 25 & 26, 2027).

Accommodations arranged by UVic are shared and may include standard hotel rooms (2 queen or double beds), cabins with queen or twin bunk beds. Students can bring a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and pillow for more privacy if they prefer not to share a bed. We also have room for some students to bring their own tent if they wish to camp for the 5 to 6 nights we stay in Bragg Creek. Contact Siobhan if you have concerns or questions about sleeping gear or arrangements.

Transportation: All transportation during the program will be provided. Students are responsible for arranging their travel to Victoria ahead of the start date, and from Victoria (leaving no earlier than 5 PM) on the last day.

Mandatory pre-trip meetings: There will be a few mandatory pre-trip meetings to prepare for the field component, including a small graded pre-trip assignment. These will be scheduled as 1-hr evening meetings at a mutually agreed upon time, from late February to April 2027 (dates/times TBD).

Estimated costs: As an off-campus course, EOS 400 carries a participation fee (not including regular tuition) paid to SEOS to partially recover costs of running the trip, including vehicle rentals, ferries, some food, fuel, and accommodations. The 2027 participation fee is expected to be between $1,300 and $1,500; application deposits are counted towards that fee.

Why is this fee higher than in some past years?  We are spending more days in the field in the re-designed field school (as of 2026), which increases the costs of running this field school. 

Refunds: All refund requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of SEOS administration.

• Deposits will ONLY be considered for refund under the following circumstances:
  • the student is not offered a seat in the course due to capacity
  • extenuating extreme circumstances (i.e. medical issue, death in the family, etc.)
• Participation fees over and above the deposit will be considered for refund under the following circumstances:
  • extenuating extreme circumstances (i.e. medical issue, death in the family, etc.)
  • failure of a pre-requisite course

No refunds will be considered in the case of conflicts with work schedules or personal choice circumstances.

Possible Sources of Funding:

• Experiential Learning Fund – requires an application through SEOS; watch for emails in January 2026; deadline typically in March annually.
• UVSS Travel Pool – contact UVSS directly, apply as an individual or as a group
• Traveling Geologist Field Work Scholarships
• Fundraising as a group!

Participation fees (deposit and remaining balance) can be paid online. Please select the relevant "EOS 400" options from the drop-down list to ensure you are paying the correct amount for the correct field school.

Students Enrolled with CAL: We can and do make accommodations for CAL-enrolled students who face barriers to participation in field courses. To make successful accommodations, students need to start that conversation with the field school coordinator and course instructor early in the planning process. If you foresee a requirement for accommodation to participate in EOS 400, please contact Siobhan McGoldrick and Jon Husson directly.

Questions? Concerns? Please contact Siobhan.