CANADIAN CONSENSUS DOCUMENTATION FOR REGISTRATION OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS

Professional registration of geoscientists in Canada is a provincial/territorial responsibility, governed by a legislative act in each jurisdiction. Geoscientists Canada is the national organization of the provincial/territorial regulatory bodies; it provides leadership in Canadian professional geoscience and represents Canadian professional geoscience nationally and internationally.

In 2008, Geoscientists Canada released the publication “Geoscience Knowledge and Experience Requirements for Professional Registration in Canada’ the results of a four year review process towards a national syllabus. This document now serves as the basis for the geoscience knowledge and experience requirements for registration as a professional in Canada.

The Geoscience Knowledge and Experience (“GKE”) document is the result of a collaborative consensus-building process that addresses knowledge and experience requirements acceptable for registration. The geoscience knowledge requirement is based on a typical Canadian university Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Geoscience that has a duration of four years and includes 40 one-semester courses or their equivalent. The knowledge requirement covers three streams (geology, geophysics and environmental geoscience) and groups the knowledge requirement into three components: 1) foundation mathematics and science; 2) foundation geoscience, and 3) other geoscience.

Following university, geoscience graduates undertake supervised practice experience working in the capacity of a geoscientist to obtain the necessary range of capabilities required to enter independent practice. Geoscience practice experience involves the following components: 1) practical experience; 2) application of geoscience theory; 3) geoscience project management; 4) communication skills; and, 5) awareness of societal implications of geoscience.

This common framework was signed off by all 10 regulatory bodies and a subsequent Memorandum of Understanding was entered upon by all parties, such that it will form the basis by which applicants are assessed by Registration Committees or Boards of Examiners for entry to practice in their respective jurisdiction.