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.

	Waterloo Planning (Co-op Only) OUAC WP Remove	McMaster Environmental and Earth Sciences Gateway OUAC MEE Remove	Ottawa Environmental Geoscience (4 years) (French Immersion Stream is available) OUAC OWO Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	80–83%“Low 80s”	83–87%“Mid-80s”	80%
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U	ENG4U	MCV4U MHF4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	one of MCV4U, MHF4U one of SBI4U, SCH4U one of MCV4U, MHF4U, SBI4U, SCH4U, SPH4U	one of ENG4U, FRA4U two of SBI4U, SCH4U, SES4U, SPH4U
Prerequisitesas published	Any Grade 12 U English (min. 75%)	English 4U 1 of Advanced Functions 4U, Calculus & Vectors 4U 1 of Biology 4U, Chemistry 4U 1 of Advanced Functions 4U, Calculus & Vectors 4U, Biology 4U, Chemistry 4U, Physics 4U Applicants without Calculus & Vectors 4U will be required to take an equivalent Calculus course in Level I.	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
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)
First-year intakewhere published	200	85	—
What you study	Environmental StudiesPlanning	Environmental Studies Human Geography Physical Geography	Environmental Studies Geology Human Geography Physical Geography
What it is	This program teaches you how to design and manage the built and natural environments — from city neighborhoods and transportation systems to parks and land use. The co-op requirement means you'll alternate between classroom semesters and paid work terms at planning firms, municipalities, or environmental organizations, giving you real experience while you study. It suits people who want hands-on learning, enjoy solving problems about how communities develop, and are willing to commit to the co-op schedule.	This program introduces you to how Earth's physical systems — climate, geology, water — interact with human society and geography. You explore environmental challenges through both natural science and social perspectives, rather than focusing on just one. It suits students curious about environmental issues from multiple angles who want hands-on experience through co-op placements.	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.
The door tomajors you reach through it	Applied to directly	earth science environmental science	Applied to directly
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them	5 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	22 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 75%See them
Source	University of Waterloo on OUInfo	McMaster University on OUInfo	University of Ottawa on OUInfo

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