3 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

	Ottawa Environmental Geoscience (4 years) (French Immersion Stream is available) OUAC OWO Remove	Ottawa Géosciences environnementales (4 ans) OUAC OWP Remove	Waterloo Climate and Environmental Change (Regular/Co-op) OUAC WCE Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	80%	75–80%“75%; co-op 80%”	77–80%“High 70s”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	MCV4U MHF4U	MCV4U MHF4U	ENG4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	one of ENG4U, FRA4U two of SBI4U, SCH4U, SES4U, SPH4U	one of ENG4U, FRA4U two of SBI4U, SCH4U, SES4U, SPH4U	one of SCH4U, SPH4U
Prerequisitesas published	ENG4U or FRA4U MHF4U MCV4U 2 of SBI4U, SCH4U, SPH4U, SES4U A combined minimum average of 70% is required for all prerequisite courses in science and mathematics. +2 more on the program page	FRA4U or ENG4U MHF4U MCV4U 2 of SPH4U, SCH4U, SBI4U, SES4U A combined minimum average of 70% is required for all prerequisites in science and mathematics. +3 more on the program page	English (ENG4U – min. 70%) Any Grade 12 U Mathematics (min. 70%) Chemistry or Physics
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Marks only	Marks only
Co-op	Available	Available	Available
Degree	Bachelor of Science, BSc, Bachelor of Science (Co-op), BSc (Co-op)	Bachelor of Science, BSc, Bachelor of Science (Co-op), BSc (Co-op)	—
First-year intakewhere published	—	—	5
What you study	Environmental Studies Geology Human Geography Physical Geography	Environmental Studies Geology Physical Geography	Chemistry Environmental Studies Human Geography Physical Geography
What it is	Environmental Geoscience is the study of Earth's physical systems — rocks, landforms, water, and climate — combined with how human activity affects and depends on the environment. It differs from pure geology because it emphasizes the interactions between natural processes and people, drawing on geography and environmental science alongside earth science. It suits students curious about how landscapes form and change, and interested in solving real-world problems like pollution, resource management, or climate impacts.	You study how Earth's physical systems — rocks, soil, water, and climate — interact with living things and human activity. This program combines geology, geography, and environmental science rather than focusing on just one. The co-op option lets you do paid work terms with employers in the environmental or resource sector alongside your coursework, giving you real experience before you graduate. This suits people interested in understanding environmental problems and possibly working in conservation, resource management, or environmental consulting.	You study how Earth's climate and environment work, using chemistry, physics, and geography to understand weather systems, ecosystems, and human impacts. This program combines natural science with social geography, so you examine both the physical causes of environmental change and how people and communities respond to it. It suits students curious about climate science who want hands-on experience through co-op placements alongside their coursework.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	Applied to directly	Applied to directly
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	22 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	22 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them
Source	University of Ottawa on OUInfo	University of Ottawa on OUInfo	University of Waterloo on OUInfo

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Ranges are what each university publishes, not guaranteed cutoffs, and limited-enrolment programs often admit above them. Confirm anything you are about to act on with the university; each column links to its source.