Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources applicant admission requirements (2024-2025)

This information is available with, and constitutes part of, the application. It is assumed that all applicants have read and understood it prior to submitting the completed application.

Programs offered

• Bachelor of Arts in Geography
• Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography
• Bachelor of Environmental Science
• Bachelor of Environmental Studies
• Bachelor of Science (Earth Sciences)
  • Majors available in Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Geoscience

Successful applicants are admitted to the General degree option for the B.A. Geography and B.Sc. Earth Sciences programs. Students interested in transferring to Advanced, Major or Honours within the listed programs should contact a student advisor in the Dean’s Office (see Section 8: Contact Information).

Successful applicants are admitted to the Major degree option for the B. Environmental Science, B. Environmental Studies, and B.Sc. Physical Geography programs. Students interested in transferring to General, Honours or Cooperative Education within the listed programs should contact a student advisor in the Dean’s Office (see Section 8: Contact Information).

The University of Manitoba will require graded coursework to fulfill all admission requirements as outlined in this bulletin. Pass grades will not be considered for meeting any of these requirements unless otherwise stated.

Students may be eligible for admission to the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources in one of two ways, depending on their previous academic history:

1. Direct Entry

Applicants in this category are current high school students or students who have already graduated from high school but have completed fewer than twenty-four (24) credit hours at a recognized university/college.

Applicants must meet the General Entrance and Specific Admissions Requirements as listed on the Direct entry programs applicant admission requirements page.

Mature Students (Canadian Armed Forces)

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have completed fewer than twenty-four (24) credit hours of recognized post-secondary study are eligible to apply to the B.A. Geography program as a Mature Student.

For  information regarding admission requirements, refer to the Direct entry programs applicant admission requirements page.

2. Advanced Entry

Applicants in this category must apply for admission both to the Faculty as well as to their intended degree program.

Admission is based on:

• Completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours through a recognized post-secondary institution
• Meeting the program-specific Academic Requirements and Required Courses outlined on this page.

Second Degree

Students possessing a first degree from a recognized university program with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00 (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)) may be eligible for admission as Second Degree students provided they have completed the required courses for their intended degree program. This applies for all programs within the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, regardless of which Academic Requirements are typically required by applicants. Students that have already completed a first degree may have their degree length shortened by up to 60 credit hours and, once admitted to the program, will be expected to conform to all continuation and graduation requirements.

Special Students

Students who hold a first degree from a recognized university, and who wish to take courses from the Faculty for personal interest without completing a degree, can apply for admission as Special Students.

University College of the North (UCN) Articulation Agreement

UCN graduates (with a “C” average or higher) of the Natural Resource Management Technology Diploma (NRMT) are eligible to the Bachelor of Environmental Science degree program and will receive 60 credit hours of transfer credit.

A. Academic Requirements

Applicants applying as Advanced Entry must fulfill the Academic Requirements as outlined below.

1. B.A. Geography

• Adjusted Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.00 calculated on the basis of the number of credit hours attempted as defined in Table 1.

2. B.Sc. Physical Geography

• Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00 (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)).

3. B. Environmental Science

• Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00 (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)).

4. B. Environmental Studies

• Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00 (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)).

5. B.Sc. Earth Sciences

• Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00 (see Section 4: Selection Process, A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA))

It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform the Admissions Office in writing of any deferred exams or grade changes.

All final grades, including grade changes must be submitted to the Admissions Office by the document deadline in order for them to be included in the final selection process. Grade changes will not be accepted after the documentation deadline date.  If a grade is not available by the documentation deadline date, an ‘F’ grade will be used in the final admission determination and calculation.

B. Required Courses

1. B.A. Geography

• Minimum grade of "C" or better in 6 credit hours from GEOG 1280, GEOG 1290, and/or GEOG 1700/GPE 1700.

2. B.Sc. Physical Geography

• Minimum grade of "C" or better in GEOG 1290; and
• Minimum individual grade of "C+" or better in 6 credit hours from:
  • GEOL 1340; or o MATH 1300 (or MATH 1310); or
  • MATH 1500 (or MATH 1230 or MATH 1510 or MATH 1520); or
  • PHYS 1020 (or PHYS 1050); or
  • PHYS 1030 (or PHYS 1070).

3. B. Environmental Science

Completion of 12 credit hours from the following list of courses:

• BIOL 1020; or
• BIOL 1030; or
• CHEM 1100; or
• CHEM 1110; or
• ENVR 1000; or
• ENVR 2000; or
• GEOL 1340 (or GEOG 1290); or
• MATH 1500 (or MATH 1510 or MATH 1520); or
• PHYS 1020 (or PHYS 1050); or
• PHYS 1030 (or PHYS 1070, MATH 1200, MATH 1300, MATH 1700); or
• STAT 1000 (or STAT 1150); or
• STAT 2000 (or STAT 2150).

At least six of the twelve credit hours must have a grade of at least "C+" and the remaining six credit hours must have a grade of at least "C".

4. B. Environmental Studies

Completion of 12 credit hours from the following list of courses:

• BIOL 1010 (or BIOL 1030); or
• ENVR 1000; or
• ENVR 2000; or
• GEOG 1280; or
• GEOG 1290; or
• INDG 1220; or
• INDG 1240; or
• INDG/HIST 2020; or
• INDG 2080; or
• STAT 1000

At least six of the twelve credit hours must have a grade of at least "C+" and the remaining six credit hours must have a grade of at least "C".

5. B.Sc. Earth Sciences

• Minimum grade of "C+" in GEOL 1340.

C. English Language Proficiency Requirements

All applicants whose primary language is not English and do not qualify for a waiver under the University of Manitoba’s English language proficiency regulations will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English through one of the options listed at the University of Manitoba Admissions web site.

Additional information regarding specific proficiency requirements, waiver information, and test options can be found on the English language proficiency requirements page.

• English language proficiency requirements

Results for most language tests, including TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo, expire two years from the test date. Test scores must be valid at the start of classes. Please confirm the validity of your test results.

Applications are not considered received until the application is submitted and the non-refundable application fee has been paid by the posted deadline.

All correspondence, including decision release information will be sent via email and posted to your application portal.

Please ensure your email account remains current and will accept emails from the University of Manitoba. Check your filters.

It is important to check your email and application portal regularly and specifically around the deadlines and important dates listed below.

B. Deadlines and important dates

C. Required Application Documentation

The following documents will be required to complete your application:

Please send all documentation to the following address:

Admission for the Riddell Faculty
University of Manitoba
424 UMSU University Centre
66 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2

Electronic transcripts should be submitted to applicant.services@umanitoba.ca.

In order to be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the email of the office responsible for issuing transcripts. Transcripts emailed or forwarded by the applicant are considered unofficial.

The University of Manitoba is a registered receiving organization with MyCreds^TM. Applicants from participating member universities and colleges can release their transcripts to the University of Manitoba through their MyCreds^TM portal. Applicants should select 'Share' and then 'Organization' instead of opting for 'email'.

Applications are not complete until all necessary documents are received. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that our office receives all required information.

Applicants must notify the Admissions Office immediately should they either enroll at a postsecondary institution not previously declared on their application or enroll in additional coursework not declared on the previously submitted final transcript provided for assessment. Applicants will be required to provide proof of registration.

D. Transfer credit information

At the University of Manitoba, all prior course work from recognized post-secondary institutions will be considered as part of the application for admission process for our undergraduate degree and diploma programs.

Courses are evaluated for advanced standing or transfer credit on a course-by-course basis and assigned a University of Manitoba equivalent, where applicable. Where a direct equivalent does not exist, students may receive general (unallocated) credit. The regulations regarding transfer credit are program specific and vary considerably depending on the faculty or school of application. The Riddell Faculty will only consider external courses completed within the last ten (or fewer) years.

Courses deemed acceptable for transfer credit will be awarded, subject to program approval, up to the maximum allowed under the program of admission, based on the Faculty or School’s transfer credit policy and residency requirements (consult the section of the University's Academic Calendar for details).

• Explore the Academic Calendar

Students may be asked to provide comprehensive and accurate course outlines or syllabi, as issued by their institution of study, for all courses lacking a current evaluation. Course outlines or syllabi should include information on course objectives, outline of the units studied, textbook(s) used, assignments, and accompanying laboratory information, if applicable, to assist in the transfer credit assessment process. An online transfer credit resource is available for information on current course evaluations receiving credit.

While we appreciate that some institutions do not have course information readily available, many students have been able to provide the information requested by contacting the individual departments or instructors at their prior institutions. Students that are unable to provide the requested course information may render themselves ineligible for programs with specific course requirements. In cases where outlines have not been provided, unsuccessful course attempts, including F grades, may be assessed as part of the academic assessment regulations of a student's program of study. Only successful applicants will be notified of transfer credit results.

Additional information related to transfer credit is available on the Admissions website.

Transfer credit information

A. Calculation of the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

The Cumulative Grade Point Average will be calculated using all post-secondary course work including original grades of repeated courses.

Should a grade be retained on your record yet excluded from your institutional GPA calculation, that grade will be used to meet admission requirements and the GPA calculation for your application to the University of Manitoba.

B. Returning Riddell Students

Former students of the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources at the University of Manitoba do not need to reapply for admission if they have not registered in another Faculty or at another university/college since their last registration in Riddell, except for any courses that may have been taken on a Letter of Permission approved by the Faculty. Students should contact the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources office to have their records reactivated.

All other returning students must complete the application process.

C. Notification of Decision

Decisions will be posted to the applicant’s portal. Applicants must log into their application portal to view the decision and to accept or decline their offer. If the offer is not accepted and the subsequent deposit paid by the deadline date indicated in the letter, the offer will lapse. Lapsed offers will be considered a declined response. It is imperative that emails and application portals are regularly checked.

Individuals who wish to have their applications reconsidered should submit their request in writing to the Admissions Office. Past experience has shown that most inquiries can be satisfied at this level without further reference. Persons wishing reconsideration of the decision shall direct their request to the Admissions Office within ten (10) business days of the posted decision date.

Should the student wish to pursue the reconsideration decision further, such an appeal will be made in accordance with the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals Procedures.

• Review the Senate Committee on Admission Appeals procedures

Applicants are advised that appeals of reconsideration decisions by the Senate Admissions Appeal Committee focus on questions of correct adherence to published policies and procedures, and not on subjective issues or the relative merits of the application.

The Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources and Admissions Office are able to assist applicants who seek counselling regarding admission to the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. However, it is policy not to instruct applicants as to a specific course of action they should follow, but rather to provide the information needed for applicants to make their own choice with respect to the alternatives available. The following points require special attention:

1. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their plans with all who can usefully advise them, but they should be aware that second and third hand information about admission policies may not be accurate.
2. No official at the university can guarantee the admission of any applicant. Admission is determined by the Committee on the basis of an annual competition.
3. All applicants are advised to supplement any personal enquiries with a written request so that an official written response can be made. It is only these written responses which will be considered as evidence of any advice given (see Section 8: Contact Information).

The University of Manitoba is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. If you are a student with a diagnosed disability (permanent, chronic, or temporary) who may require academic accommodations, please contact Student Accessibility Services at 204-474-7423 or by email at student_accessibility@umanitoba.ca to learn more about the confidential supports that are available.

The following other contacts may also be useful.