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Geology

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About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Geology

Understanding the processes involved in shaping the Earth’s surface through the study of minerals and rocks can inform us about the impact of past and present changes in environmental conditions. This knowledge will allow us to develop solutions to protect society and the planet from today’s challenges, from climate change and natural disasters to resource shortages and sustainability.

Our flexible degree puts you in control, giving you both the fundamentals and increased specialisation as you progress through the degree, allowing you to choose a pathway of most interest to you. The BSc Geology is accredited by the Geological Society of London.

Combining academic excellence and cutting-edge research, the course will equip you with the tools needed for employment in a range of sectors, including mineral exploration and petroleum geology, engineering geology, environmental and hydrogeology consultancies, GIS, geological surveys, or for further study or research. Numeracy, critical thinking and problem-solving skills developed on the course are highly valued in a wide range of non-geology careers, including teaching, business management, insurance and accounting, banking and finance.

In the first year, you will develop a fundamental understanding of Earth Sciences and build on the practical skills required to study rocks and fossils in the field, including a field trip to the Lake District. Year 2 specialises more in geological aspects, during which you will develop your knowledge of core geological disciplines associated with igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary and tectonic processes and includes three one-week field courses, to Assynt, Almeria and Arran. In Year 3, you will undertake a research geological mapping dissertation and develop advanced knowledge in specialist geological topics of your choice with multiple residential field work opportunities, including one week in Cyprus.

You may be able to transfer to the four-year MSci degree in Earth Sciences at the end of your second year.

Modules

Year 1
Core modules:
Earth Materials introduces you to Earth minerals and rocks and teaches you techniques for identifying them.

Field Studies identifies techniques for description and interpretation of natural geological features. This module also covers mapping skills, and the observation, recording and processing techniques needed for fieldwork and imagery.

Understanding Earth Sciences covers an introduction to the areas of petrology, sedimentology, structural geology and palaeontology and relates the processes to the plate tectonic cycle.

Environment and Resources covers the key concepts in environmental chemistry and the processes involved in shaping the Earth. From fossil fuels and ores to the water cycle, it introduces you to the formation, distribution and extraction of the Earth's resources and energy.

Geoinformatics introduces the fundamentals of Earth observation and remote sensing. You will learn how to apply geospatial and digital cartography skills to plot and interpret you own results

Examples of optional modules:
Mathematical Methods in Geosciences
Further Mathematics for Geoscientists.
Year 2
Structural Geology and Tectonics describes and analyses deformation structures, processes and systems in the Earth, providing you with an understanding of the relationship between tectonics and surface processes.

Sedimentary Environments covers the processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks and application of the techniques used to analyse these processes and a variety of environments.

Field work (Environmental) introduces the principles of laboratory and field investigations to prepare you for further research in your final-year dissertation.

Igneous and Metamorphic Geochemistry and Petrology explores geochemical and petrological methods to understand how igneous and metamorphic rocks form. You will also learn about identifying and interpreting the geological significance of a range of these rocks in the context of geological evolution.

Examples of optional modules:
Geophysical Methods for Geoscientists
Isotopes and Climate
Modelling Earth Processes
Ancient Life and its Environment.
Year 3 (Year 4 if undertaking a year abroad)
Worth one-third of your final year credits, you will produce an independent research Dissertation based on a geological mapping exercise chosen to suit your interests.

Examples of optional modules:
Petrology, Geochemistry and Global Tectonics (Field work)
Environmental Geochemistry
Volcanology and Magmatism
Deformation Processes in the Lithosphere
Earth Structure and Dynamics
Hazardous Geophysical Flows
Earth System and Climate
Environmental Management
Petrology, Geochemistry and Global Tectonics
Earth Sciences into Schools.
Additional pathways
You may be able to study abroad for a year. Places on these pathways are in high demand and if you are chosen your studies will extend from three years to four.

Placement
You may be able to take a work placement. Find out more.

The Uni


Course locations:

College allocation pending

Durham City

Department:

Earth Sciences

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

85%
Geology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Earth sciences

Teaching and learning

88%
Staff make the subject interesting
95%
Staff are good at explaining things
88%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
78%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

85%
Library resources
85%
IT resources
80%
Course specific equipment and facilities
83%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

88%
UK students
12%
International students
58%
Male students
42%
Female students
89%
2:1 or above
5%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
A

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Earth sciences

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
75%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

16%
Business, research and administrative professionals
16%
Natural and social science professionals
12%
Teaching and educational professionals

The market for geologists is has been quite linked to the oil industry for some time now, and the drop in the price of oil has meant the industry has stopped recruiting as many people for the time being. Geologists are still in demand, though, so the main effect has been to reduce the opportunities - and salaries - for geologists working abroad. At home, the oil industry remains a big employer, and so are the mining, civil engineering, construction and consultancy industries, with geology graduates working as geologists, geophysicists, civil engineers and environmental professionals.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Earth sciences

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£25k

£25k

£31k

£31k

£41k

£41k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here