This MSc is a uniquely broad and flexible programme that suits students' aspirations, background and experience. UCL Earth Sciences has strengths in geophysics, geochemistry, palaeobiology, mineral physics, geodynamics, geohazards, climate science, environmental geosciences and policy, and other areas. Students choose from a wide range of optional modules from within the department and more widely across UCL, building an MSc tailored to their interests.
The programme aims to integrate theoretical studies with essential practical skills in the Earth sciences, both in the field and in the laboratory. Students develop the ability to work on group projects, prepare written reports, acquire oral skills and gain training in the methods of scientific research.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of three core modules (45 credits), six optional modules (75 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Students can also choose relevant elective modules from UCL Geography.
Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of approximately 10,000–12,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, and laboratory and fieldwork exercises. Student performance is assessed through coursework, written assignments, unseen written examination and the dissertation.
Fieldwork
Crustal Dynamics, Mountain Building and Basin Analysis is a fieldwork only module without a classroom element.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Geoscience MSc
Geoscience students have gone on to pursue careers in many varied areas, such as planning and surveying, governmental organisations, academic research.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Earth Sciences is engaged in world-class research into the processes at work on and within the Earth and planets.
Graduate students benefit from our lively and welcoming environment and world-class facilities, which include the UK's only NASA Regional Planetary Image Facility and access to the University of London Observatory in north London.
The department also hosts the UCL Hazard Research Centre, Europe's leading multidisciplinary hazard research centre, and engages in extensive collaborative work with the Royal Institution and the Natural History Museum.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Earth Sciences
92% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The hydrocarbon industry is crucial to provide us with domestic energy, transportation, plastics and other everyday needs. Petroleum Geoscience by Distance Learning with the University of London lets you earn a Masters degree in this booming sector which fits around your work or family commitments.
Choose from a range of course modules to tailor your learning, studying online over a period of years to earn your MSc. This flexible programme lets you choose between the standard course structure, a postgraduate diploma or a series of individual taught courses, letting you fit your studies around your daily life.
You’ll graduate with a Masters degree from the University of London by studying with the University of London International Programmes featuring academic direction from the renowned Royal Holloway Department of Earth Sciences, which is consistently ranked among the UK’s top 10. The programme finishes with a one-week field trip and research project, letting you contribute to our leading research culture while you develop your skills and knowledge.
Royal Holloway is recognised as one of the world’s premier training centres for the hydrocarbon industry, and has run a Petroleum Geoscience MSc programme since 1985. We’ve established invaluable links within the industry while helping over 600 graduates from 32 countries progress into rewarding careers in the Earth Sciences. Study Petroleum Geoscience (by Distance Learning) to enhance your career development without the need for full-time study.
Full details of the assessment process can be found on the University of London International Programmes website.
This course may be studied up to 5 years part-time.
Petroleum Geoscience (by Distance Learning) lets you earn a desirable Masters degree while studying part-time alongside employment. You’ll graduate with excellent employment prospects in a sector with many well-paid career opportunities in the UK and abroad, as well as the option to progress into further postgraduate study.
Royal Holloway, University of London has taught a Petroleum Geoscience programme since 1985, and it’s now recognised as one of the premier training facilities in the hydrocarbon industry. You’ll benefit from strong industry links, and a track record of helping 600 graduates from 32 countries progress to rewarding careers in the Earth Sciences.
PLEASE NOTE: All applications must be made through the University of London International Programmes website University of London application.
The hydrocarbon industry is one of our most important sectors, helping to cater for needs as diverse as domestic energy, transportation and plastics manufacturing. Our flexible MSc in Petroleum Geoscience provides you with the ideal training for a career in the hydrocarbon industry and related sectors.
Our teaching on Petroleum Geoscience at Royal Holloway, University of London is informed by leading research and links to the international oil industry, meaning that you’ll benefit from the most relevant, up-to-date learning. The programme lets you select from a range of course modules to tailor your learning to your own preferences and ambitions.
You’ll study in the renowned Department of Earth Sciences, which is consistently ranked among the UK’s top 10 (The Complete University Guide and The Guardian 2016) – contributing towards our leading research culture with your own Independent Research Project. You’ll become a part of a vibrant international graduate community, and make use of our extensive range of modern facilities as you work towards a rewarding future career.
Our Petroleum Geoscience MSc has run since 1985, and has become recognised as one of the world’s premier training centres for the hydrocarbon industry. We’ve established excellent industry links, and have helped over 600 graduates from 32 countries progress into rewarding careers. Study Petroleum Geoscience at Royal Holloway and you’ll graduate with excellent employment prospects in a well-paid sector with job opportunities across the globe.
Core modules
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
You will take either Sedimentology and Regional Tectonic Analysis or Reservoir Geoscienceand Advanced Structural Analysis.
The taught course units are assessed by a combination of written exams and coursework. Each of the six units comprises 10% of the total assessment for the MSc course. The remaining 40% of the assessment comes from the Independent Research Project.
Petroleum Geoscience at Royal Holloway, University of London was first established in 1985, giving us ample time to build valuable links with the international oil industry. We’re now recognised worldwide as one of the hydrocarbon industry’s premier training facilities, having helped more than 600 graduates from 32 countries progress into rewarding careers in the Earth Sciences.
This flexible Masters programme will equip you with a range of skills and knowledge necessary to achieve a fulfilling career in a sector with many well-paid career opportunities in the UK and abroad. There is huge demand for well qualified petroleum geoscientists, and as we’re considered world leaders in the field, you’ll graduate as a highly desirable candidate for employers in a variety of sectors.
This course is designed to provide specialist postgraduate professional development in this emerging and inclusive discipline, which recognises that many environmental challenges cannot be solved by one traditional discipline alone. The programme encompasses areas traditionally within civil engineering, earth sciences and biology.
This MSc offers you the knowledge and expertise that you need to help you forge a career as a consulting geoenvironmental engineer within a multi-disciplinary professional team. The course is designed to provide specialist postgraduate professional development in this emerging discipline, encompassing areas traditionally within civil engineering, earth sciences and biology.
Geoenvironmental engineering is an inclusive discipline which recognises that many environmental challenges cannot be solved by one traditional discipline alone. The solutions to environmental challenges relating to human interaction with soil, groundwater and surface water require engineers to possess a broad range of knowledge and expertise. Cardiff University's MSc in Civil and Geoenvironmental Engineering prepares you to meet these challenges.
Civil engineering, earth sciences and the life sciences are all part of the discipline of geoenvironmental engineering. As a geoenvironmental engineer you could be involved in a wide range of activities, including contaminated land management, hydrogeology, water resource management, geochemical analysis, groundwater and surface water contamination fate and transport prediction, environmental impact assessment, environmental risk assessment, and habitat management. Geoenvironmental engineers frequently work in multidisciplinary project teams and developments.
Distinctive features
The distinctive features of this course include:
The record of employment of graduates of the Cardiff University MSc in Civil and Geoenvironmental Engineering is excellent, with the majority of graduates joining engineering consultants. A small number of graduates each year go on to further study, typically a PhD.
Substantial industrial involvement with the design and delivery of the course ensures the continuing relevance of the MSc as preparation for professional employment work in this area.
Study petroleum and subsurface geoscience in Ireland and benefit from a modern interdisciplinary training delivered by leading researchers and industry specialists at University College Dublin.
UCD School of Earth Sciences provides a one-year full-time Petroleum Geoscience MSc. The course offers bright and motivated geoscience graduates a vocational training in the range of technical fields associated with hydrocarbon exploration and production, as a prelude to a career in the petroleum industry or to further studies at PhD level.
The UCD training experience:
· Covers all aspects of exploration, appraisal and development geoscience from pore to basin scale.
· Involves substantial field-based instruction (23 days) in classic outcrop locations including the Clare Basin, Ireland; Bristol Channel, UK; Pyrenees, Spain.
· Provides first-hand experience of typical industry workflows, experience with key industry software and a dedicated workstation for each student during the course.
· Involves problem-based learning drawing on a wide range of geophysical, subsurface, outcrop and ‘behind-outcrop’ datasets.
· Includes a three-month applied research project and possible industry placement.
Students accepted on to the course can apply for the Woodside Energy Masters Scholarship in Petroleum Geoscience (€15,000) and MSc Scholarship Opportunities in Petroleum-Related Courses from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (up to €12,000). Please see here for further details.
Graduates from the course will be equipped with all the necessary technical and transferable skills for a career in the petroleum industry or further studies at PhD level. Past students have found employment with exploration and production companies (including Shell, Petronas and Providence). Ireland is an EU country, and has a 24-month stay-back option allowing non-EU MSc graduates to remain in Ireland, working or seeking employment, for two years following graduation.
Semester 1 covers modules in Petroleum Systems, Basin Analysis and Modelling, Seismic Techniques, Petrophysics, Depositional Systems and Structural Geology.
Semester 2 then focusses on Exploration Geology and Production Geoscience with team-based exercises mimicking industry asset-team projects. Geological field excursions are a key component of the course with three trips to see classic outcrops of the Clare Basin (western Ireland), Bristol Channel and Wessex Basins (southern England) and the Ebro Basin (Pyrenees, Spain).
During the final semester students undertake a three-month independent research project on an exploration or development related theme with opportunities for summer internships working on company data.
The course builds on significant in-house research expertise in frontier exploration, rift and hyper-extended basin evolution, reservoir sedimentology, geophysical imaging techniques, fault analysis and reservoir and fluid flow modelling. Teaching is delivered by highly experienced academic staff, many of who have previously worked within industry and are recognised international leaders in a variety of petroleum geoscience disciplines.
The UCD School of Earth Sciences has an internationally recognised reputation for excellence in teaching and research. It is the lead participant and host for the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG) which conducts research in hydrocarbons, geophysics, 3D modelling and marine geoscience, as well as in geochemistry, geophysics, groundwater and raw materials.
Founded in 1854, University College Dublin is Ireland’s Global University with 235,000 alumni across 165 countries. The university is ranked number 1 in Ireland for Earth & Marine Sciences (QS World University Subject Rankings 2017).
Application can be made via the UCD webpage here. There is a rolling deadline for this course until such time as all places have been filled; therefore early application is advised. Course entry will generally require a minimum 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent in Geology, Geoscience, Earth Science, Geophysics or a cognate discipline but relevant industrial experience will also be taken into account.
Click here to visit the MSc Petroleum Geoscience page on the University College Dublin website to find out more and apply!
This MSc provides a broad introduction to geohazards, together with advanced courses in seismology, volcanology, hydrogeological hazards and meteorology. A key goal is to provide an essential grounding in quantitative modelling that can be widely applied to several fields, from pure research to the commercial sector.
The programme provides an introduction to the spectrum and impact of geophysical hazards, and a focus on quantitative models for hazard forecasting and assessment. Selected case studies illustrate how these models are essential for improving decision-making during emergencies, for raising the awareness of vulnerable populations, and for evaluating and implementing mitigation strategies.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of six core modules (120 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
There are no optional modules for this programme.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project in geophysical hazards, which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, directed reading and practical exercises. There are excellent opportunities for field investigations in the UK and abroad. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, practical problem-solving exercises and essays. The independent research report is assessed through the dissertation and an oral presentation.
Fieldwork
Field sites for field trips are normally in Italy. The department pays for accommodation and transport in the field. Students pay to get to the field and subsistence.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Geophysical Hazards MSc
On graduation from this programme about one-third of students have followed careers in global insurance and re-insurance and another third have pursued research with a PhD in hazard-related studies. The remaining third have developed careers in a wide range of sectors, from non-governmental organisations, through teaching, to the fields of emergency planning and environmental management.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
The MSc in Geophysical Hazards will provide essential training for careers in hazard assessment and risk evaluation, including: industry, from engineering to insurance; academic research; civil protection agencies and government organisations; and NGOs related to aid and development.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Earth Sciences is engaged in world-class research into the processes at work on and within the Earth and planets.
Graduate students benefit from our lively and welcoming environment and world-class facilities. The department hosts UCL Hazard Centre, Europe's leading multidisciplinary hazard research centre, and engages in extensive collaborative work with the Royal Institution and the Natural History Museum.
This MSc aims to include a short field trip to locations that illustrate the impact of natural hazards. Previous trips have included the Neapolitan volcanic district, the Italian Alps and the Po Delta, and the Cádiz region in south-western Spain.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Earth Sciences
92% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
The MSc Geospatial Sciences teaches students the theory, tools and techniques for working with geospatial data, from acquisition to processing to analysis. Students have the opportunity to engage and work with academics and industrial partners on cutting edge research through seminars and a dissertation.
The programme educates students in the geospatial sciences, equipping them for careers in this rapidly developing subject. Students will gain broad knowledge of the means of acquiring, processing, and analysing spatial data. Through optional modules, students can study aspects of the subject in more depth – whether focusing on the environment (built, marine, terrestrial), the means of data acquisition or on the computational and analytical processes.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of two compulsory modules (30 credits) and six optional modules (90 credits). All students carry out a dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma consisting of two compulsory modules (30 credits) and six optional modules (90 credits) is also available.
Core modules
All students will take the following compulsory modules in the first term:
Geospatial Science
Geospatial Programming
Optional modules
90 credits are to be studied from the following modules. Terms (T1, T2) are indicated in brackets.
Spatial Analysis & Geocomputation (T1)
Spatial Databases & Data Management (T1)
Engineering Surveying (T1)
Data Analysis (T1)
Applied BIM (T2)
Reality Capture & Precision 3D Sensing (T2)
Sensors & Location (T2)
Web & Mobile Apps & Programming (T2)
Spatio-Temporal Analysis & Data Mining (T2)
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000–12,000 words and a poster presentation (60 credits).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, computer sessions, seminars and field classes. Assessment is via coursework (individual and group), presentations, written examinations and the dissertation.
Fieldwork
Some modules contain an element of fieldwork using specialist equipment in an applied setting.
There is no additional cost for fieldwork
Students graduating with a degree in Geospatial Sciences will be equipped for a diverse range of roles, including GIS/BIM professional/officer, data scientist, geospatial software developer, and consultant. Our students establish strong links with industry through the industrial seminar series and industrial research projects. Additionally, many graduates from our programmes go on to PhD research at UCL or elsewhere.
Employability
Students will gain a range of technical skills in geospatial science that are highly valued by employers, including the use of specialist software for BIM and GIS (ArcMap, QGIS, FME, Revit, PostGIS); programming, web and software development (Python, R, Java, Javascript, HTML/CSS, PHP); geospatial data acquisition, processing and management; geospatial data visualisation and analysis.
UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering is an energetic and exciting multidisciplinary department with a tradition of excellence in teaching and research, situated in the heart of London. This exciting new MSc programme consolidates the department’s expertise in the geospatial sciences into a single degree, giving students a broad knowledge of the topic.
Students studying the MSc in Geospatial Sciences will benefit from the department’s excellent research and industry links, including attending our industrial and research seminar series, and carrying out a research project with one of our many industrial partners.
The Geospatial Sciences MSc is accredited by RICS. RICS works in partnership with universities to ensure that their accredited degree courses are relevant to industry. This means that when you study on an accredited degree this will be recognised by employers as the benchmark of quality.
The typical applicant will have an academic background in a subject such as engineering, architecture, environmental studies, geography, mathematics, earth sciences, physical or computational sciences. Alternative subjects may be accepted, provided that applicants can demonstrate numeracy and aptitude for programming through experience and appropriate training courses. Relevant work experience may also be considered in lieu of a degree, on a case by case basis.
The Geospatial Sciences (Building Information Modelling) MSc teaches students the theory, tools and techniques for working with geospatial data, from acquisition to processing to analysis. Students have the opportunity to engage and work with academics and industrial partners on cutting-edge research through seminars and a dissertation.
The specialist Building Information Modelling (BIM) programme will educate students in the geometric and semantic aspects of BIM and the integrated management of geospatial and BIM-related data. This includes principles of surveying, 3D reality capture, a general overview of technologies related to mapping sciences, geo-information science and 3D geometric modelling.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of seven compulsory modules (105 credits) and one optional module (15 credits). All students carry out a dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma consisting of seven compulsory modules (105 credits) and one optional module (15 credits) is also available.
Core modules
Students will take the following compulsory modules (term indicated in brackets):
Optional modules
Students may take the following optional module in term two:
Web & Mobile Apps & Programming
This module may be exhanged for an elective at the discretion of the programme director.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000–12,000 words and a poster presentation (60 credits).
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, computer sessions, seminars and field classes. Assessment is via coursework (individual and group), presentations, written examinations and the dissertation.
Fieldwork
Some modules contain an element of fieldwork using specialist equipment in an applied setting.
There is no additional cost for fieldwork
Students graduating with a degree in Geospatial Sciences (Building Information Modelling) will be equipped for a diverse range of roles, including BIM or surveying manager, geospatial data scientist, geospatial software developer and consultant. Graduates go on to work for a variety of organisations including major infrastructure projects, engineering consultancies, geospatial software companies and national mapping agencies. Our students establish strong links with industry through the industrial seminar series and industrial research projects. Additionally, many graduates from our programmes go on to PhD research at UCL or elsewhere.
Employability
Students will gain a range of technical skills in geospatial science that are highly valued by employers, including the use of specialist software for Surveying, Reality Capture, BIM and GIS (e.g. Cyclone, PhotoScan, Revit, QGIS, FME); programming, web and software development (e.g. Python, R, MATLAB); geospatial data processing and management; geospatial data visualisation and analysis.
UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering is an energetic and exciting multidisciplinary department with a tradition of excellence in teaching and research, situated in the heart of London. This exciting new MSc programme consolidates the department’s expertise in the geospatial sciences into a single degree, giving students a broad knowledge of the topic.
Students studying the Geospatial Sciences (Building Information Modelling) MSc will benefit from the department’s excellent research and industry links, including attending our industrial and research seminar series, and carrying out a research project with one of our many industrial partners.
The Geospatial Sciences (Building Information Modelling) MSc is accredited by RICS. RICS works in partnership with universities to ensure that their accredited degree courses are relevant to industry. This means that when you study on an accredited degree this will be recognised by employers as the benchmark of quality.
The typical applicant will have basic academic or professional experience with GIS and will want to enhance their technical skills and theoretical knowledge with this degree. Applicants should be numerate and have an enthusiasm for programming. We welcome applicants from a range of academic backgrounds including geography, engineering, environmental studies, mathematics/statistics, earth sciences, architecture, archaeology, physical and computational sciences. We also welcome applicants with relevant work experience in GIS or related industries.
This programme's emphasis on independent research allows you to work closely with scholars who are leaders in their field.
Research may be in any area of social, urban, environmental, development, political, economic, historical or cultural geography that is supported by the Human Geography Research Group. It is co-delivered with the University’s Graduate School of Social Science.
The programme can stand alone as a masters degree, or form the first year of a ‘1+3’ ESRC-backed PhD programme.
Students who successfully complete this programme will:
This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.
We offer a balance between general and specialist research training. The programme combines lectures, practical work, workshops, essays, seminars and one-to-one supervision of independent research leading to delivery of a dissertation.
Compulsory courses:
Option courses:
In consultation with the Programme Director, you will choose from a range of option courses. We particularly recommend:
Independent research
The emphasis on independent research allows you to work closely with scholars at the cutting edge in order to advance your own research passions. A highlight of the programme is the postgraduate conference where you present your research to colleagues.
The University of Edinburgh has an unbroken record of teaching and research in the earth sciences going back to 1770, when Robert Ramsay became the first Professor of Natural History.
James Hutton and Arthur Holmes were prominent among those who set an academic tradition in Edinburgh that continues today with the University achieving top ratings in earth sciences teaching and research.
Our interactive and interdisciplinary research environment allows us to tackle difficult research questions, from causes of past glaciations to interactions of earth, climate and society. The ambition and quality of our research was reflected in the latest Research Assessment Exercise: 66 per cent of our research was rated within the top two categories – world-leading and internationally excellent.
Our location at the King’s Buildings campus – home to most of the University’s science and engineering research – benefits our work too. Our King’s Buildings neighbours include external institutes such as the British Geological Survey; our proximity to them strengthens these research links.
As a research student, you will be affiliated to one of our research institutes, benefiting from an excellent peer-supported network.
As groupings of researchers with related interests, the institutes provide a forum for development of ideas, collaboration, and dissemination of results, and an environment for training, development and mentoring of research students and early career researchers.
The School receives strong backing from industry, particularly in areas such as hydrocarbons and carbon capture and storage. We receive support from the EU and from major UK research councils, including the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council.
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Department of Life Sciences – a leading international centre for research and training in ecology, evolution, conservation and the environment
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