This four-year course will inspire a lifelong interest, knowledge and understanding of the way the Earth works. You’ll explore how the whole Earth system and its interactions control our environment, and will develop an understanding of the issues that threaten our future. 

Approximately one third of your degree will be spent studying mathematical techniques and gaining the skills necessary to analyse the physical environment. You’ll develop a critical awareness of issues at the frontier of research, along with a comprehensive understanding of research methods and their limitations. You will learn self-direction and originality in applying knowledge, solving problems and conducting research. 

You’ll get involved in a significant amount of fieldwork in many different geological environments. During your field courses you’ll learn to use a variety of technological equipment and techniques, including seismic and gravity investigations, magnetic and electrical measurements, and ground-penetrating radar surveys. 

Our geophysics degrees are run jointly by the School of Environmental Sciences and the School of Mathematics, and in collaboration with the School of Computing Sciences. So you’ll benefit from a broad choice of subject material, and have the chance to specialise in your field of interest to an advanced level. You can tailor your degree towards geological geophysics, geohazards, meteorology and climatology, or oceanography – or study a combination of them all. 

When you graduate, you'll be highly employable, with a wide range of skills that are highly prized by employers. Many of our graduates have gone on to work for local and multinational companies within sectors including geophysical exploration and services, geotechnical engineering, risk analysis and environmental consultancy. 

ACCREDITATION

This course has been accredited by The Geological Society of London. This accreditation status provides added assurance to prospective students that the course content and structure has been approved by an independent body of academics and industrialists and that the teaching is of the highest quality. An accredited degree will reduce the amount of post-graduation experience required for applications for Chartered Geologist and Chartered Scientist. A professional geoscientist holding an accredited degree is eligible to apply for Chartered status one year earlier than those with unaccredited degrees. Those holding two accredited degrees (e.g. BSc and MSc) can apply two years earlier.

In order to receive the award of an accredited degree, students are required to follow an accredited pathway – this is something that your advisor and course director will be able to advise you on. The accredited pathway requires students to take some particular modules and also requires the student to undertake a certain amount of field work (partly achieved by taking the required modules and partly by undertaking some fieldwork for the final year project).

The current period of accreditation is for a six-year period, from April 2018. We would expect to apply for renewal of accreditation at the end of this period. For more information about the Geological Society, accreditation and Chartered status see the Geological Society Web pages http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/. 

AFTER THE COURSE

After graduating you could follow in the footsteps of past graduates and go into sectors such as water management, resource exploration, geotechnical engineering, risk analysis, environmental consultancy, hazard management or teaching. Alternatively you could continue your studies with a PhD. 

To get your career off to the best start, our Careers Service run annual Environmental science events. These include alumni-led presentations and workshops across a range of sectors, including industry, government and academia. 

CAREER DESTINATIONS

Examples of careers that you could enter include: 

• Water management 

• Resource exploration 

• Geotechnical engineering 

• Risk analysis 

• Environmental consultancy 

• Hazard management