BSc
Geoscience BSc (Hons)
With this BSc in Geoscience you gain the knowledge you need to understand how the Earth works and learn how Earth systems interact. You will investigate solutions to society's most challenging problems.
How to apply Apply via UCAS
Course details
Start date
Degree Type
BSc
UCAS Code
F643
Course length
3 years full-time
Typical offer
AAB
Tuition Fees
- Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
- Overseas (Full-time): £33,250 per year
Overview
Understanding the processes involved in shaping the Earth’s surface, our natural resources, natural hazards, water supplies and renewable energy can inform us about the impact of past and present changes in environmental conditions. This knowledge will allow us to predict behaviour and develop solutions to protect society and the planet’s future from today’s global challenges. Our flexible Geoscience degree, puts you in control, giving you both the fundamentals and increased specialisation as you progress, allowing you to choose a pathway of most interest to you. 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. You may be able to transfer to the four-year MSci degree in Earth Sciences at the end of your second year. You can also apply to add a placement year or a year abroad to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four.
Course details
Start date
Degree Type
BSc
UCAS Code
F643
Course length
3 years full-time
Typical offer
AAB
Tuition Fees
- Home (Full-time): £9,535 per year
- Overseas (Full-time): £33,250 per year
What you'll study
In the first year, you will develop a fundamental understanding of Earth Sciences. Year 2 specialises more in the geological aspects, during which you will develop your knowledge of core geological disciplines associated with igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary and tectonic processes. In Year 3, you will undertake a geological research dissertation and increase your understanding of specialist geological topics of your choice with optional residential fieldwork opportunities.
Core modules
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Field Studies
introduces 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.
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Introductory Data Science
introduces the fundamentals of data acquisition and analysis in a geoscientific context. You will learn how to apply computational tools to manipulate and visualise a range of scientific and geospatial data.
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Sustainability
introduces global issues and concepts around sustainability, with an emphasis on aspects most relevant to Earth Sciences such as water, climate, energy and mineral resources, food resources, and natural hazards, and is thematically taught around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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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.
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Mathematical Methods in GeosciencesFurther Mathematics for GeoscientistsEarth MaterialsEnvironmental Earth Science
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Structural Geology and TectonicsSedimentary EnvironmentsGeophysical Methods for GeoscientistsIsotopes and ClimateFieldworkIgneous and Metamorphic ProcessesModelling Earth ProcessesGeophysical Data ApplicationsAncient Life and its EnvironmentFrontiers in PalaeontologyEarth System and Climate: The QuaternaryEarth System and Climate: Long Term Processes
Core modules
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Dissertation
You will produce an independent research based upon field, laboratory or computer datasets chosen to suit your degree and interests.
Optional modules
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In recent years, optional modules have included: Monitoring the Oceans: Geohazards and Climate ChangeEnvironmental GeochemistryVolcanology and MagmatismEarth Sciences into SchoolsHabitable Environments (Astrobiology)Earth Structure and DynamicsEarthquake Sources and WavesEnvironmental ManagementWestern Alps Fieldtrip (Anatomy of a subduction zone)Groundwater HydrologyAtmospheric Circulation and DynamicsTectonic Processes and Renewable Geo-resourcesPolar Quaternary Environmental ProcessesGeochemistry of the Earth.
Learning
The course is delivered via lectures, practical classes, tutorials and fieldwork. The balance changes over the degree, as you develop your knowledge and your ability as an independent learner in preparation for professional life or postgraduate study. In Year 1, lectures and practicals dominate the timetable. You are also expected to undertake your own independent study to prepare for your classes and broaden your subject knowledge. The balance starts to shift in the second year, with a move towards greater emphasis on self-directed learning and an opportunity to practice research methods during field work. There are optional field courses within this degree. In the final year, you will carry out a research dissertation, producing a significant piece of independent research.Assessment
You will be assessed through a combination of coursework, class tests and end-of-year examinations. A significant proportion of your final assessment will be through your research dissertation in the final year. The range of assessment methods is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of geology-specific knowledge, alongside transferable skills in mathematics, scientific writing, informatics, policy, critical analysis and project management.Entry requirements
Fees & Funding
Choose which fees you want to see:
Home / Island students
£9,535 per year
International / EU Students
£33,250 per year
Home / Island students
Part Time - £ per year
International / EU Students
Part Time - £ per year
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).
Find out moreDepartment Information
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Earth Sciences is the holistic study of the planet from the core to the surface, its water and the surrounding atmosphere. Durham is one of the UK’s leading providers of Earth Sciences education. We offer six undergraduate courses, four of which are accredited by The Geological Society of London. Our courses explore the full geological spectrum including climate change, oceans, mass extinctions, rocks and minerals, volcanoes, and the structure and chemistry of the Earth. Our multidisciplinary approach applies physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and physical geography to real world scenarios to make sense of today's major geoscience concerns. Course structures are flexible with a balance of formal teaching, fieldwork and active learning to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. You can tailor your degree to your interests through the wide range of optional modules and you may also be able to spend a year studying abroad, extending your degree by a year. All our degree courses are informed by the latest pure and applied research, and you can be sure your education is in sync with the latest thinking and will help you on your journey to a profession in the Earth Sciences sector and beyond. For more information see our department pages.
Read moreFacilities
We are on the main science campus, and our teaching taks place in the modern, purpose-built Arthur Holmes Building equipped with brand new optical microscopes and a large teaching collection of rocks, fossils, geological maps, and thin sections. We use industry-standard and research-level software (e.g., ESRI ArcGIS Pro, Python and Matlab), and if your dissertation or research project involves laboratory study, you can access our world-class geochemistry and rock mechanics labs. Throughout your course you will have the opportunity to develop observation and analytical skills on residential field trips to study mountains, deserts, caves, volcanoes, rift valleys, faults and fossils.
Find out more -
Career Opportunities
Of those students who graduated in 2021-22
88%
Source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey asks leavers from higher education what they are doing 15 months after graduation. Further information about the Graduate Outcomes survey can be found here www.graduateoutcomes.ac.uk
Employability
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