In partial fulfillment of the B.Sc. Global Designation, students may complete an approved Field Study Semester program or a minimum of 6 credits of approved field studies courses. This includes any course that is designated as a field studies course, is open to Science students, and involves a significant non-local element. An informal definition of "non-locality" is a field study that requires travelling and staying for a period of time outside of Montreal.
Field Study Semesters
Successfully completing one of the following field study semester programs can fulfill the field studies requirement:
Pre-approved field courses
Alternatively, B.Sc. students may fulfill the 6 credit requirement with the following courses:
-
BIOL 240
Monteregian Flora
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Biology (Sci): Field studies of ferns, fern allies, conifers and flowering plants; the use of keys for plant identification.
Offered by: Biology
- Prerequisite: BIOL 111 or permission
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PLNT 358
- Note: Taught at the Gault Nature Reserve. Contact instructor for specific dates, logistics: (virginie.millien [at] mcgill.ca).
- This course is offered in the summer.
- This course, given at the University鈥檚 Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilaire, has an additional fee of $485.56 which includes a hand lens, a textbook, handouts, lodging and supper each day.
-
BIOL 331
Ecology/Behaviour Field Course
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Biology (Sci): Methods of sampling natural populations. Testing hypotheses in nature.
Offered by: Biology
- Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215, or equivalents, or permission of the instructor.
- Note: This course has an additional fee. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
- The field portion of this course is given at the University鈥檚 Gault Nature Reserve in Mont St. Hilare over a two-week period in the summer term. In the summer, students prepare a report based on projects carried out during this field portion. There is an additional fee of $688.37 that covers room and board and handouts. This fee could be refundable if the department approves it.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Simon M Reader, Rowan Barrett, Anna L Hargreaves
-
BIOL 334
Course not available
-
BIOL 335
Marine Mammals
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Biology (Sci): Biology of marine mammals with special emphasis on seals and whales of the Bay of Fundy. Taught at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St. Andrews, N.B., for two weeks in August. The course combines lectures, laboratory exercises, field trips, and individual projects.
Offered by: Biology
- Prerequisite: BIOL 205
- This course is offered in the summer.
- Apply first to Huntsman, then contact susan.gabe [at] mcgill.ca.
- The fee for this field course is $1858.12 to cover fees related to the use of facilities for teaching and lab spaces in the Huntsman Marine Center (lodging, meals, facility rental spaces, transportation and tour fees).
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
BIOL 432
Limnology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Biology (Sci): A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.
Offered by: Biology
- Fall
- 3 hours lecture
- Prerequisites: BIOL 206 and BIOL 215 or permission of instructor.
- Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking ENVB 315.
- This course, involving two field weekends, has an additional fee of $353.32, which includes room and board and transportation. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The Department of Biology subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Lars Lonsmann Iversen, Irene Gregory-Eaves
-
BIOL 553
Neotropical Environments
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Biology (Sci): Ecology revisited in view of tropical conditions. Exploring species richness. Sampling and measuring biodiversity. Conservation status of ecosystems, communities and species. Indigenous knowledge.
Offered by: Biology
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
BIOL 573
Vertebrate Palaeo Field Course
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Biology (Sci): Terrestrial vertebrate fossils (i.e. dinosaurs, crocodiles and other reptiles) and palaeocommunity analysis, including practical training with fossil identification, mapping, collecting, and stratigraphic interpretation.
Offered by: Biology
- Summer
- Prerequisites: BIOL 304 and BIOL 352 or permission of instructor.
- Notes: Spring field course with completed project and presentation by the end of the Summer. Given in a selected Late Cretaceous Alberta and/or Saskatchewan site. Enrolment limited to 15 students.
- This course, given at selected localities in Alberta and/or Saskatchewan in May, has an additional fee of $1,500.00 which includes room and board, museum entrance fees, and transportation during the course, but not tuition or transportation to western Canada.
- This course is offered in the summer.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
ENVR 610
Foundations of Environ Policy
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Environment: Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies.
Offered by: Bieler School of Environment
- Restriction: Enrolment in the Graduate Environment Option or enrolment in the Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) or permission of the instructor.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.
-
EPSC 231
Field School 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Earth & Planetary Sciences: Geological mapping of selected areas, preparation of maps, reports from field notes, aerial photographs, etc.
Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences
- Prerequisite: EPSC 240, or permission of the instructor.
- This field course, given in the U.S,.has an additional fee projected to be $628.08 to cover the costs of transportation, some meals and accommodation as well as other field expenses. The fee is only refundable prior to the deadline to withdraw with full refund. The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
- Terms
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
EPSC 331
Field School 2
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Earth & Planetary Sciences: Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences.
Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences
- Two-week intensive field school to a range of national and international locations.
- Prerequisites: EPSC 240, enrolment in U2 or U3 EPS program, and permission of the instructor.
- Alternates years with EPSC 341.
- The field school will be based around the Bay of Fundy, and central Nova Scotia and has an additional fee of $611.92 to cover the costs of transportation and accommodation as well as other field expenses. Six days will be spent around the Chignecto peninsula, including visits to Parrsboro, Joggins, and Cape Chignecto park. The remaining time will be spent between Pictou, Wolfville and the Annapolis valley, and the coast south of Halifax.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
EPSC 341
Field School 3
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Earth & Planetary Sciences: Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences to examine processes in geology.
Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences
- Two week intensive field school to a range of national and international locations.
- Prerequisites: EPSC 240, enrolment in U2 or U3 EPS program and permission of the instructor.
- Alternates years with EPSC 331.
- This course, given every alternate year, has an additional fee of $611.92 to cover the costs of airfare, meals and accommodation as well as other field expenses. The fee is only refundable prior to the deadline to withdraw with full refund. The department of Earth and Planetary Science subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
GEOG 495
Field Studies-Physical Geog
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Geography: Field research projects in physical geography. Held locally in Monteregian or Eastern Township regions. The course is organised around field projects designed to formulate and test scientific hypotheses in a physical geography discipline. May Summer session.
Offered by: Geography
- 2-week field school
- Prerequisites: 6 credits from the following list of Systematic Physical Geography courses: GEOG 305, GEOG 321, GEOG 322, GEOG 350, GEOG 372
- Additional Dept. fee $579.99 will be charged to student fee account to cover the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and all meals for approximately 12 nights, as the course is held at the Gault Estate at Mont St.-Hilaire during May.
- **This is a field course, so students won't be taking the holiday.
- **Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
GEOG 496
Geographical Excursion
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Geography: Lecture course on the geography of a region and excursion through the selected country or region including landscape interpretation and field study projects.
Offered by: Geography
- Winter
- Prerequisites: GEOG 290 and permission of instructor
- Instructor's approval required.
- A fee of $2729.76 in Winter is charged to all students registered in GEOG 496 Geographical Excursion. The course is held in Barbados, West Indies and is given during the last week of February (Study Break). The fee is used to support the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and some meals for ten days. Note that the trip to Barbados is compulsory if you enroll for GEOG 496
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
GEOG 499
Subarctic Field Studies
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Geography: An introduction to the geography of the subarctic with emphasis on the application of field methods in physical and/or human geography.
Offered by: Geography
- Fall
- Prerequisite: GEOG 203 or GEOG 301
- Instructor's approval required.
- A fee of $2,329.11 is charged to all students registered in GEOG 499 Subarctic Field Studies. This course is held at Schefferville, Quebec in late August through early September. The fee is used to support the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and all meals. The department subsidizes a portion of the cost of this compulsory activity for each student registered in a Geography Major or Honours program.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
GEOG 555
Ecological Restoration
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Geography: A broad overview of ecological restoration. Considers causes of environmental degradation, why and what we restore, how restoration goals are set, and standards in restoration practice, as well as critiques and philosophies of ecological restoration, such as "ecocultural" restoration.
Offered by: Geography
- Prerequisites: GEOG 350 or BIOL 308 or PLNT 460 and permission of instructor.
- Note: Requires participation in a field trip over reading week. Offered in alternate years.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
MRKT 434
Topics in Marketing 1
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Marketing: Current topics in marketing.
Offered by: Management
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
-
ORGB 380
Cross Cultural Management
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Organizational Behaviour: Addresses dilemmas and opportunities that managers experience in international, multicultural environments. Development of conceptual knowledge and behavioural skills (e.g. bridging skills, communication, tolerance of ambiguity, cognitive complexity) relevant to the interaction of different cultures in business and organizational settings, using several methods including research, case studies and experiential learning.
Offered by: Management
- Restriction: Open to U2, U3 students only
- Terms
- Fall 2024
- Winter 2025
- Summer 2025
- Instructors
- Tatiana L Gauvin
- Matissa Hollister
-
PLNT 358
Flowering Plant Diversity
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Plant Science: Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow.
Offered by: Plant Science
- A 4-day field week is held the week preceding the start of classes
- Prerequisite: AEBI 210 or ENVR 202 or permission of instructor
- A $95.46 fee is charged to all students registered in this course, which has a fieldwork component prior to the beginning of classes in August. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, a hand lens, instructional handouts and identification aids. Students who have already received a hand lens may request a reimbursement of a portion of this charge through their department.
-
WILD 401
Fisheries&Wildlife Management
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Resource Development: Principles of fisheries and wildlife management are considered and current practices of research and management are discussed.
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences
- Prerequisite: WILD 307 and ENVB 305 or permission of the instructor.
- A fee is charged to all students registered in WILD 401, Fisheries and Wildlife Management, a course that has a required field trip. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, accommodations, food and fees associated with visiting research facilities where final projects are devised, and data are collected in the field (e.g., at the SUNY-ESF Adirondaks Ecological Center in Newcomb, New York). The Department of Natural Resource Sciences subsidizes a portion of the cost of this compulsory activity.
- A fee of $410.60 is charged to all students registered in WILD 401, Fisheries and Wildlife Management, a course that has a required field trip. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, accommodations, food and fees associated with visiting research facilities where final projects are devised, and data are collected in the field (e.g., at the SUNY-ESF Adirondaks Ecological Center in Newcomb, New York). The Department of Natural Resource Sciences subsidizes a portion of the cost of this compulsory activity.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Murray Humphries, Kyle Elliott, Melissa McKinney, Denis Roy
-
WILD 475
Desert Ecology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Resource Development: A three week field course exploring relationships between climate, geology, landforms, biodiversity, biotic adaptations and ecosystem conditions in the arid regions of Arizona and southern California. Focus is on the Sonoran and Mojave deserts but includes the transitions to adjacent grassland and forest biomes of the Sky Islands and Colorado Plateau. Exploration of issues arising from human use of land and water, and conservation in arid environments. Experiential learning involving team and individual projects and assignments before and during the field trip.
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences
- Odd-numbered Winter terms; enrollment limited to 20.
- The course begins and ends in Phoenix AZ. Students are responsible for their transportation to/from Phoenix.
- The course requires camping and living under desert conditions.
- Restriction(s): Restricted to U2 and U3 students.
- Prerequisite(s):Permission of the instructors is required to register. To be eligible students are required to have at least one systems-focused course, one ecology course and two organismal courses. Students should consult the instructors for list of appropriate courses.
- A course fee of $1,596.23 covers the cost of transportation, camping, admissions and most meals during the field trip.
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2024 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024 academic year
NOTE: MRKT 434 is approved as a valid field course for topic: Global Branding as part of the Brazil study abroad program. Please verify with the B.Sc. Global Designation Coordinator if a different topic is covered in this course.
NOTE: ORGB 380 is approved as a valid field course when taken as part of the Brazil study abroad program.
Other courses
To apply for a course not currently found on this pre-approved list to be added to the list, please send a detailed course outline/syllabus to the B.Sc. Global Designation Coordinator before the deadlines indicated.