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:
- Africa Field Study Semester(AFSS)
- Panama Field Study Semester (PFSS)
- McGill Arctic Field Study Semester (MAFSS)
- Barbados Field Study Semester (BFSS)
- Barbados Interdisciplinary Tropical Studies (BITS)
Pre-approved field courses
Alternatively, B.Sc. students may fulfill the 6 credit requirement with the following courses:
BIOL 240. Monteregian Flora.
Credits: 3Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Summer 2025View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
Field studies of ferns, fern allies, conifers and flowering plants; the use of keys for plant identification.- 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’s 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderBIOL 331. Ecology/Behaviour Field Course.
Credits: 3Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Summer 2025View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
Methods of sampling natural populations. Testing hypotheses in nature.- 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’s 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 $885.00 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule Builder- Course information not available.
BIOL 335. Marine Mammals.
Credits: 3Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Summer 2025View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
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.- 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 $1913.86 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).
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderBIOL 432. Limnology.
Credits: 3Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Fall 2025View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems.- 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 $360.39, 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderBIOL 553. Neotropical Environments.
Credits: 3Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Winter 2026View offerings for Winter 2026 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
Ecology revisited in view of tropical conditions. Exploring species richness. Sampling and measuring biodiversity. Conservation status of ecosystems, communities and species. Indigenous knowledge.- Restriction: location in Panama. Students must register for a full semester of studies in Panama
- Winter
- 24 hours lecture and 36 hours field work over a 4-week period
- Prerequisites: HISP 218, MATH 203, and BIOL 215
- Corequisites: ENVR 451; GEOG 404 and HIST 510 alternating with GEOG 498 and AGRI 550
- Restriction: location in Panama. Students must register for a full semester of studies in Panama
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderBIOL 573. Vertebrate Palaeontology Field Course.
Credits: 3Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Summer 2025View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
Terrestrial vertebrate fossils (i.e. dinosaurs, crocodiles and other reptiles) and palaeocommunity analysis, including practical training with fossil identification, mapping, collecting, and stratigraphic interpretation.- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderENVR 610. Foundations of Environmental Policy.
Credits: 3Offered by: Bieler School of Environment (Graduate Studies)Terms offered: Summer 2025View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
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.- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderEPSC 231. Field School 1.
Credits: 3Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences (Faculty of Science)Terms offered: Summer 2025View offerings for Summer 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
Geological mapping of selected areas, preparation of maps, reports from field notes, aerial photographs, etc.- This course, given in Sutton, has an additional fee of $520 to cover the costs of transportation, meals and accommodation as well as other field expenses. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
- Prerequisite: EPSC 240, or permission of the instructor.
- This field course, given in the U.S,.has an additional fee projected to be $646.92 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderEPSC 331. Field School 2.
Credits: 3Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences (Faculty of Science)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences.- The field school will be based around the Bay of Fundy and central Nova Scotia and has an additional fee of $350 to cover the costs of transportation and accommodation as well as other field expenses. Six days will be 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.
- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderEPSC 341. Field School 3.
Credits: 3Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences (Faculty of Science)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
Two week field studies in selected branches of the geosciences to examine processes in geology.- This course, given every alternate year, has an additional fee of $500 to cover the costs of airfare, meals and accommodation as well as other field expenses. The fee is refundable during the period where a student can drop the course with full refund. The department of Earth and Planatary Science subsidizes a portion of the cost for this activity.
- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderGEOG 495. Field Studies - Physical Geography.
Credits: 3Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
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.- 2-week field school
- Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and 6 credits from the following list of Systematic Physical Geography courses: GEOG 305, GEOG321, GEOG 322, GEOG 372, GEOG 470.
- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderGEOG 496. Geographical Excursion.
Credits: 3Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
Lecture course on the geography of a region and excursion through the selected country or region including landscape interpretation and field study projects.- 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
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderGEOG 499. Subarctic Field Studies.
Credits: 3Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
An introduction to the geography of the subarctic with emphasis on the application of field methods in physical and/or human 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderGEOG 555. Ecological Restoration.
Credits: 3Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
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.- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderMRKT 434. Topics in Marketing 1.
Credits: 3Offered by: Management (Desautels Faculty Management)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
Current topics in marketing.- Section 017: The add/drop deadline for this section is PRIOR to the start of lectures. As for the withdrawal deadline, it is up to the 5th day of lecture.
- Section 013: This optional course is part of the Brazil Study Abroad Program which has a fee of $2890 that includes a 12 day trip to Brazil for company visits and classes. A portion of the fee is eligible for a tax receipt on the T2202A, and includes accommodation in Brazil, breakfasts, local course related transportation, as well as instructor costs.
- Section 017: This course is being offered to international students, and the Canada Day statutory holiday will not be taken into consideration. Students are expected to attend their lecture on Monday, July 2, 2012.
- Corequisite (Continuing Studies): MGCR 273
- Prerequisite: MGCR 352
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderORGB 380. Cross Cultural Management.
Credits: 3Offered by: Management (Desautels Faculty Management)Terms offered: Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026Description
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.- This optional course is part of the Brazil Study Abroad Program which has a fee of $2650 which includes a 12 day trip to Brazil for company visits and classes. A small portion of the fee is eligible for a tax receipt on the T2202A, and includes accommodation in Brazil, breakfasts, local course related transportation, as well as instructor costs.
- **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.
- Restriction: Open to U2, U3 students only
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderPLNT 358. Flowering Plant Diversity.
Credits: 3Offered by: Plant Science (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)Terms offered: Fall 2025View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
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.- A 4-day field week is held the week preceding the start of classes
- Prerequisite: PLNT 200 or AEBI 210 or ENVR 202 or permission of the 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderWILD 401. Fisheries and Wildlife Management.
Credits: 3Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)Terms offered: Fall 2025View offerings for Fall 2025 in Visual Schedule Builder.Description
Principles of fisheries and wildlife management are considered and current practices of research and management are discussed.- A $387.03 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 a research facility in New York. The Department of Natural Resource Sciences subsidizes a portion of the cost of this compulsory activity.
- 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.
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Launch Visual Schedule BuilderWILD 475. Desert Ecology.
Credits: 3Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Faculty of Agric Environ Sci)This course is not offered this catalogue year.Description
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.- 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.
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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.