Masters Degrees (Geoscience)

The Applied Petroleum Geoscience programme is a unique programme in subsurface geoscience and exploration at Heriot-Watt University.

This year-long MSc mainly focuses on petroleum geoscience, but it is closely linked with other MSc programmes and research groups in petroleum engineering and reservoir geology at Heriot-Watt's Institute of Petroleum Engineering. The programme is also applicable to non-petroleum subsurface geoscience subjects, such as CO2 storage and groundwater flow.

More information about the MSc is available in Heriot-Watt's online prospectus: http://www.postgraduate.hw.ac.uk/prog/msc-petroleum-geoscience-petgeo-/

About the programme

The MSc in Applied Petroleum Geoscience provides students with a thorough training in aspects of subsurface geology, geophysics and geo-engineering, relating to the exploration, appraisal and development of subsurface resources.

Although the programme mainly focuses on exploration for hydrocarbon resources, and delineation of hydrocarbon reservoirs in the subsurface, the skills and knowledge learned in this subject are applicable to all subsurface geoscience areas, including groundwater exploration, waste disposal or CO2 sequestration.

Project work, both as groups and individually is part of the programme. Two fieldtrips are also a permanent part of the course.

Topics covered:
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• Reservoir Concepts
• Petroleum Basins
• Formation Evaluation
• Reservoir Sedimentology
• Geomechanics and Flow Mechanics
• Petroleum Systems Analysis
• Petroleum Geophysics
• Stratigraphy and Reservoir Quality

For more information on the programme content, including course descriptions, please visit: https://www.hw.ac.uk/study/uk/postgraduate/petroleum-geoscience-petgeo.htm

Professional recognition

The Applied Petroleum Geoscience MSc is accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) and Energy Institute (EI).

Career opportunities

Recent graduates of the Applied Petroleum Geoscience MSc have gone into further research or to work in geoscience departments of major oil and gas companies as well as industry service organisations, contractors and small local companies. Companies who have employed some of the past students include Shell and Petroceltic here in the UK, and a number of other companies worldwide including Tullow, GNPC, and Total.

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, or your first degree was not taught in English, we’ll need to see evidence of your English language ability. The minimum requirement for English language is IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

We offer a range of English language courses: http://www.hw.ac.uk/study/english.htm

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• An on-line version of a well established programme with an international reputation for excellence in the petroleum industry.
• Primarily suited to hydrocarbon industry professionals who wish to further develop knowledge and skills whilst continuing full-time work.
• Comprehensive learning materials delivered via a dedicated web portal: video clips, animations, audio-visual presentations, fully-illustrated manuals, self-assessment quizzes, exercises and computer-based practicals.
• Field trips and intensive study seminars held at various locations worldwide.
• An option to be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Petroleum Geoscience is available if a project is not undertaken.

Hydrocarbons are a precious resource. Finding new reserves is becoming ever more challenging and the enhanced recovery of reserves from existing fields is becoming increasingly important. Well trained Petroleum Geoscientists with the ability to integrate geological and geophysical data, and to apply it on a variety of scales, have a vital role to play. The MSc in Petroleum Geoscience provides graduates with training in the practical and technical skills required to address a range of questions, from understanding the distribution of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins to quantifying the complex structural, stratigraphic and sedimentological architecture of individual reservoirs.

Studying Petroleum Geoscience at Royal Holloway
• The programme has the same curriculum as the MSc Petroleum Geoscience offered in London at the Royal Holloway campus and at Tyumen Oil and Gas State University in Russia.
• The department is ranked highly in national research assessment exercises as having a research output of international excellence.
• The programme has been developed by and is supported by a team of 13 academic staff, all active researchers and tutors in the field of Petroleum Geoscience.
• Tutorial support provided for each module by Royal Holloway staff
• With experience of supervising hundreds of independent projects for masters students, Royal Holloway staff can provide expert advice for the planning of projects to be carried out using industry data.

Course Content
The programme comprises six taught modules (MSc and PGDip) and an Independent Research Project (MSc only).
Geodynamics of Sedimentary Basins
Tectonics and geodynamic evolution of sedimentary basins, subsidence analysis, thermal histories.
Geophysical Analysis
Seismic acquisition and processing, interpretation techniques, seismic mapping, attribute analysis and reservoir characterisation.
Structural Analysis
Structural interpretation of seismic data, fault and fracture analysis.
Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
Siliciclastic and carbonate depositional systems, facies analysis, seismic and sequence stratigraphy, and palaeogeographic analysis and mapping.
Reservoir Geoscience
Well log analysis, rock mechanics, reservoir geology and geophysics, reservoir modelling.
Petroleum Systems
Petroleum systems, basin modelling, play analysis, petroleum economics.
Independent Project (MSc only)
An independent research project focussed on some aspect of Petroleum Geoscience, designed to meet individual training needs & carried out in association with industry.

Tuition and Assessment
Fully illustrated course materials provided through a web portal, with interactive coursework exercises and on-line tutorials. A two-week residential study period with team projects and incorporating a field course forms part of the programme. On-line quizzes and tutor-supported coursework provide feedback on learning; assessment is by coursework exercises submitted on-line and written examinations for each module.

Applications http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/geoscience

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Petroleum geology (oil and gas geology) is a large sector which employs 1000s of graduates every year. Globally there is an increasing demand for skilled petroleum geoscientists who can provide the quantitative, reservoir-focused geoscience skills needed by the hydrocarbon industry to maximize the rate of production and optimize recovery (total oil/gas) from a field. This MSc reflects the slow change of emphasis from exploration to production geoscience in mature basins such as the North Sea and Europe's Atlantic Margin.

The MSc in Petroleum Reservoir Geoscience at Liverpool is unique in the UK and links in closely with oil and gas industry professionals to develop graduates with specific knowledge and focus on the reservoir side of Petroleum Geoscience. This new MSc develops Geology, Geophysics and general Geoscience knowledge and skills, giving you the opportunity to gain expertise and experience to prepare you for your future career.

This MSc will explore the basinal context of petroleum reservoirs and introduce you to petroleum economics and risk & uncertainty analysis. You will gain in depth knowledge of how to define the shape, structure, stratigraphy and volume of reservoirs using remote sensing and geological models, as well as how to define rock properties with advanced seismic techniques. You will work with petrophysical data acquired from wells, to develop your understanding of structure and stratigraphy of the reservoir and incorporate data from drill-core.

In addition, you will develop your knowledge of reservoir sedimentology, fluid geochemistry and dynamic data analysis and simulation to refine the geological model. You will also use learn about using appropriate outcrop analogues and correlation techniques.

Outcrop studies and field work will include visits to rural and coastal locations around the UK (from northern Scotland to southern England) at sites where many of the reservoirs in the North Sea and other UK basins outcrop at the surface.

Guest lectures from world leading experts in academia and industry will be held throughout the course and give you the opportunity to incorporate the latest techniques, challenges and requirements for petroleum reservoir geoscience into your studies.

The 12-month course runs from September and consists of a taught component and a dissertation, totaling 180 credits.

The taught component represents 120 credits and is organised into two 12-week semesters with assessment or examinations at the end of each semester in January and May. The remaining 60 credits are allocated to the research project.

Assessment is by a combination of: examinations, coursework, teamwork, assessed field work and presentations and an individual dissertation.

Why Earth and Ocean Sciences?

Leaders in our field

Our staff are leaders in their fields and we're well-funded for both research and teaching.

We'll encourage and train you to publish academic papers

It's not unusual for our students to leave with two to three papers published in international peer-reviewed journals.

Career prospects

The MSc in Petroleum Reservoir Geoscience at Liverpool has been designed following detailed discussions with senior industry professionals in major oil and gas companies and with senior figures in some of the UK's largest consultancy companies who provide services to the oil and gas industry. Together, they have helped shape the MSc in order to provide successful graduates from this course with the maximum chance of obtaining well-paid, fulfilling careers.

Taken together, the course leader (programme director) and course teachers have wide experience of applied studies and research work joint with the oil and gas industry and are acknowledged leaders in their fields. They have worked with companies including: BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Eni, Statoil, Saudi Aramco, Petrobras, BG, Woodside, Nexen, Total, BHP, EnQuest, Taqa, Fairfield, CNR, Dana, as well as a range of companies that provide services to the oil industry. They have undertaken joint oil and gas industry projects in many parts of the world including: UK, Norway, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, USA, Canada, Brazil, Equador, Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Morocco, the Sudan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Azerbaijan, Russia, Indonesia, India, Columbia and the Philippines. This breadth of experience and contacts demonstrate the international relevance of this MSc.

It is expected that graduates from this MSc will be in high demand from the petroleum industry but its graduates may seek to continue their studies towards a PhD in this area.

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Geoscience provides essential guidance on how we can manage many of society’s most pressing future challenges. Whether it is reducing the impact of natural threats, exploiting resources more responsibly or developing new economic livelihoods, geoscientific knowledge has a critical role to play in effective geo-environmental decision making. With a holistic scientific approach and interdisciplinary problem-solving skills, our geoscience graduates will be at the forefront of sustainable thinking.

Key features

-Plymouth’s Sustainable Earth Institute provides the ideal research platform to explore how interdisciplinary thinking can build a more resilient world.
-With a hinterland that includes UNESCO-designated 'Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape', 'Jurassic Coast' and 'English Riviera Geopark', we live in a region where geology underpins local communities.
-South-west England’s long heritage of metal and clay mining provides a cultural and environmental legacy of both the benefits and costs of geological exploitation.
-Active engagement with local and international mining, quarrying and energy companies - including the newest UK metals mine on our doorstep – this provides industrial links and career opportunities.
-International fieldwork in areas celebrated for their geodiversity and geo-resources provide excellent natural laboratories for exploring sustainable geoscience.
-A research-based project allows you to apply your broad geoscience skill set to real-world problems, working with industry, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), or leading research academics.
-Modules are assessed 100 per cent by coursework, designed to reflect the outputs of the industry, readying you for what you are likely to be asked to do in your job.

Course details

The programme will outline the broad context of sustainable geoscience, showcasing a range of geological issues that challenge the modern world. Mineral, energy and water resources are the engine of economic development and national security, yet also a critical threat to the health and well being of ourselves and our environment, so we examine the societal issues around resource management. The programme also explores how the natural diversity of rocks and landscapes maintain cultural heritage and sustain tourism, providing communities with alternative economic livelihoods. More broadly, the programme sets geoscientific concerns in the wider national and global sustainable development framework and the interdisciplinary thinking that underpins it to give a holistic geo-perspective on sustainability science.

Core modules
-GEES515 Professional Practice in the Environmental Sector
-GEES516 Science, Society and Environmental Governance
-GEES517 Environmental Assessment
-GEES520 MSc Dissertation
-GEOL5006 Sustainable Geoscience: Research and Communication
-GEOL5007 Sustainable Minerals and Mining

Optional modules
-GEES518 Professional Experience in Environmental Management
-GEOL5008 Geodiversity and Geoheritage

The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.

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Overview

Our MSc in Geoscience Research is a research-focused postgraduate taught master's course with industry and international placement opportunities designed for a career in research, academia or a discipline related work setting.

The course consists of six modules spread over three semesters, including an extensive research project in geoscience, environmental science or physical geography.

Project areas range from applied and environmental geophysics to igneous petrology, volcanology, Quaternary environments, palaeoclimates, palaeoceanography, biogeochemistry, landscape ecology, sedimentology, palaeontology, renewable and alternative energy, and petroleum geoscience.

A distinct feature of this master’s programme is the opportunity for UK students to complete a placement at one of several European, North American and Asian partner institutions, all of which have established research links with Keele staff. However, as a UK student, you can also choose to carry out your research project here at Keele or in collaboration with local or UK-based industry. As an international student, you will undertake your research and placement at Keele University under the supervision of international experts in their chosen research area.

The emphasis on the substantial ‘hands on’ research training with the provision of an international placement option makes this programme unique within the Higher Education Sector in the UK and will thus increase your employability. We believe that this will help to develop future employees with an international outlook.

The MSc Geoscience Research programme at Keele offers the added value of the Distinctive Keele Curriculum (DKC), which develops students' intellectual, personal and professional capabilities (Keele Graduate Attributes) through both subject-specific and generic workshops and activities.

See the website https://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/geoscienceresearch/

Course Aims

The principal aim of this Masters course is to develop your generic and specific research skills in an area of the Geosciences or related scientific disciplines, which will enhance your employment prospects. On completion of the programme you will:

- Have a systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of the chosen research area in Geosciences;

- Gain a conceptual understanding to evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline area;

- Be able to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses;

- Possess developed scientific skills and knowledge, and transferable skills, in a UK-based or international workplace setting;

- Have a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to your own research;

- Attain organisational and commercial awareness.

For those students undertaking a placement/research project in Europe the work and achievement on the programme will be documented in the EU Europass, a record of achievement signed by all parties. All students are required to pursue the University’s ‘Realise’ scheme which enables them to identify their personal and professional skills and development needs.

Course Content

The MSc programme is full-time for 12 months, starting in September.

The programme comprises six modules including a research project/placement which is undertaken either at Keele University or on placement with a host institution overseas:
- Generic Research Skills (15 credits)

- Specific Research Skills (15 credits)

- Literature Review (15 credits)

- Modern Language Module* or Academic English for Postgraduate Students** or Geoscience Option Module*** (15 credits)

- Research Project Design and Management (30 credits)

- Dissertation (90 credits)

*Students undertaking their research project at a host institution overseas will choose a modern language module or a language and culture module for their international placement.

**International students for whom English is not their first language will take Academic English for Postgraduate Students to further improve their English language skills.

*** UK/Native English speaking international students undertaking their research project at Keele University or a host institution in the UK can take a selected Geoscience option module relevant to their research area. These may include: Natural Hazards; Glaciers & Glacial Geomorphology; Global Environmental Change; Water Resources; Hydrological & Engineering Geology; Structure and Geodynamics; Economic Geology; Advanced Topics in Sedimentology; Exploration Geophysics for the Hydrocarbon Industry; Petroleum Geology; Volcanic and Magmatic Processes.

Teaching & Assessment

You will be taught by experienced, well qualified and enthusiastic staff. All of the staff are research active within the discipline, accomplished at working on research funded work both nationally and internationally. The programme team are enthusiastic to share their teaching, research and professional experience to help you achieve success in your studies.

You will complete formal assessment on all modules. Assessments will include presentations, reflective diary, reports, reviews, portfolio and a dissertation. During your placement this will include keeping an extensive record of the training attended and skills obtained, with a reflective report (for the research training portfolio), as well as a dissertation on the project undertaken during the placement.

The research project/dissertation is based on the submission of a 20,000-25,000 word report that is undertaken in conjunction with an academic supervisor and, where appropriate, an industrial collaborator.

Additional Costs

There will be additional costs in terms of living expenses, travel and insurance related with the placement if you choose to undertake your research project with an overseas host institution. The amount required will be dependent on the cost of living associated with certain countries.

UK Students choosing a placement research project in an EU member state will be eligible to apply for an ERASMUS scholarship.

Employment Case Studies

Our research-focused course with industry and international placement opportunities leads our graduates into a diverse range of careers.

Our students have chosen careers in research, academia or a discipline related work setting, including geotechnical and environmental consultancies, and local, regional, national or multi-national corporations.

For examples of what graduates are doing now, see here - https://www.keele.ac.uk/gge/applicants/postgraduatetaughtcourses/mscgeoscienceresearch/employmentcasestudies/

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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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. 

• Benefit from a pioneering research culture, with 94% of Department of Earth Sciences research ranked world-leading or internationally excellent – no.2 in the UK (REF 2014).
• Graduate with a Masters degree developed and taught by a department consistently ranked among the UK’s top 10 (The Complete University Guide and The Guardian 2016).
• Study a programme recognised internationally as one of the industry’s best.
• Benefit from adaptable part-time learning fitted around your daily life.

PLEASE NOTE: All applications must be made through the University of London International Programmes website University of London application.

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Study for a prestigious MSc in Petroleum Geoscience

by distance learning

Primarily suited to hydrocarbon industry professionals who wish to further develop their knowledge and skills while working, this online version of the well-established Royal Holloway MSc course has an international reputation for excellence in the petroleum industry.

Finding new reserves is becoming ever more challenging and the enhanced recovery of reserves from existing fields is becoming increasingly important. Well-trained Petroleum Geoscientists with the ability to integrate geological and geophysical data, and to apply it on a variety of scales, have a vital role to play.

Practical and technical skills

This MSc in Petroleum Geoscience provides training in the practical and technical skills to address a range of exploration and production challenges, from predicting the likely distribution of hydrocarbons in a frontier sedimentary basin, to quantifying the complex structural, stratigraphic and sedimentological architecture of individual reservoirs.

Royal Holloway, University of London is one of the leading centres for Earth Science research in the UK. It has excellent links with the international oil industry and a strong programme of industry-funded petroleum geology research, which ensures that this Masters is up-to-date, focused and commercially relevant.

Royal Holloway staff provide tutorial support for each module, plus guidance for your dissertation and for project work, which is based on industry data.

Features of the programme

- Comprehensive learning materials delivered via a dedicated web portal: video clips, animations, audiovisual presentations, fully illustrated manuals, self-assessment quizzes, exercises and computer-based practicals including examples of subsurface data such as seismic and well-log data

- A field trip and intensive study seminars held in the UK as part of the final module on the course

- Option to be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Petroleum Geoscience if you choose not to undertake the project.

Prestige

The programme has been developed by academics within the Department of Earth Sciences at Royal Holloway using the material and experience from the campus-based Petroleum Geoscience MSc course that has been running since 1985. The Royal Holloway Earth Sciences Department achieved an 'excellence' rating for teaching quality and 70% of our research was graded as world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.

Career progression

Many graduates of the campus-based MSc are now well-established, successful industry professionals with careers ranging from national oil companies to geoscience IT and consultancy to academia.

Your time commitment

This course is offered online with each module running with tutor support for a three month period during the academic year, and available the rest of the time for preview and revision. This online structure enables you to fit your studies around work and family commitments. To complete an MSc in a three year period you will need to study an average of 20 hours per week during the academic session.

Excellent support

Fully supported by a Virtual Learning Environment, you will have the opportunity for interaction with online tutors to discuss course material and exercises; a virtual student cafe allows you to interact and network with other students.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact our Student Advice Centre.

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Your programme of study

This course is ideally situated to take advantage of the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen city and its industry experts who also have a strong input into the programme content and structure. This combination of academic overview and industry expertise ensures that you have a good range of skills and knowledge which is applicable to the global oil and gas and energy market so ideal if you are international or work or want to work internationally. Your skills are ideally placed to scope out maximising oil field recovery from declining field areas on top of upstream geoscience knowledge from initial exploration to mature and declining field recovery.

Aberdeen has been running this programme since 1973 to the current day, learning with the energy industry which is located in Aberdeen itself. This means that the programme is not only robust drawing on historical learning relevant to the current day, but highly regarded internationally. This strength of knowledge feeds down directly to you as a student and afterwards as a highly trained professional within the energy market.

Regarded as the best of its kind in the world the programme gives you vocational training in geoscience skills for minerals exploration and production, including: seismic interpretation, petrophysical analysis, geochemical evaluation, sedimentology, structural analysis, and reservoir modelling.

Courses listed for the programme

Semester 1

Geophysics and Petrophysics

Applied Sedimentology

Semester 2

Production Geology

Regional Exploration

Professional Skills Incorporating Field Trip

Semester 3

Project in Integrated Petroleum Geosciences

Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/degree-programmes/138/integrated-petroleum-geoscience/

Why study at Aberdeen?

• One of the best in the world in the heart of the European oil industry in Aberdeen
• The programme focuses on upstream geoscience from initial exploration to recovering declining fields
• You learn how to work in multidisciplinary teams involved in hydrocarbon exploration
• You join 98% of graduates in the past decade employed immediately in the oil and gas industry

Where you study

• University of Aberdeen
• Full time
• 12 Months
• September start

International Student Fees 2017/2018

Find out about fees:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/tuition-fees-and-living-costs-287.php

*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.

Scholarships

View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-taught/finance-funding-1599.php

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/

Living in Aberdeen

Find out more about:

• Your Accommodation
• Campus Facilities
• Aberdeen City
• Student Support
• Clubs and Societies

Find out more about living in Aberdeen:

https://abdn.ac.uk/study/student-life

Living costs

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/finance.php

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What is geoscience?

Geoscientists study the Earth, the rocks of which it is made, and the process by which it was formed.

How you will study

This program combines short courses presented by international and Australian experts, hands-on practical experience, field excursions, and research. You will benefit from JCU’s proximity to the world-class mineral districts of Mount Isa and Charters Towers.
This course is available in Townsville. It is available full time and part time (domestic students only) and all subjects are presented as block mode.

Award title

Minerals Geoscience Masters (MMinGeoSc)

Entry requirements (Additional)

English band level 1 - the minimum English Language test scores you need are:
*Academic IELTS – 6.0(no component lower than 5.5), OR
*TOEFL – 550 (plus minimum Test of Written English score of 4.0), OR
*TOEFL (internet based) – 79 (minimum writing score of 19), OR
*Pearson (PTE Academic) - 57

If you meet the academic requirements for a course, but not the minimum English requirements, you will be given the opportunity to take an English program to improve your skills in addition to an offer to study a degree at JCU. The JCU degree offer will be conditional upon the student gaining a certain grade in their English program. This combination of courses is called a packaged offer.
JCU’s English language provider is Union Institute of Languages (UIL). UIL have teaching centres on both the Townsville and Cairns campuses.

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 2 – Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

Why JCU?

James Cook University brings together a team of academic and associate staff across multiple disciplines.
*Nationally-recognised leader in geoscience
*major research centres including the Economic Geology Research Centre
*internationally-acclaimed academic teaching staff
*strong collaboration with industry and research organisations, both locally and internationally.

Career Opportunities

A postgraduate qualification from JCU can enhance your career prospects, enable you to reskill and change careers completely, or develop a specialist area of expertise and personal interest.
The Minerals Geoscience Masters Program is designed for geoscientists with different levels of professional experience. It offers a highly regarded degree and a world-class opportunity to gain a thorough up-date of economic geology and mineral exploration skills.
A range of opportunities await graduates in the academia as well as in private and public sectors.
Graduates can get jobs as research assistants or support staff for teaching. With a PhD, you can gain research positions (Postdoctoral, Fellowships) that are often funded for a few years, or apply for permanent positions as a lecturer and researcher.

Application deadlines

*1st February for commencement in semester one (February)
*1st July for commencement in semester two (mid-year/July)

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This Course is Open for 2016-17 entry.

Royal Holloway is one of the leading international centres for petroleum geoscience training and research. Our MSc Petroleum Geoscience course was established in 1985 and, with over 600 graduates from 32 countries, it is recognised around the world as one of the premier training courses for people starting out on careers in the hydrocarbon industry.

Our excellent links with the international oil industry, combined with high quality teaching and research facilities make the Royal Holloway MSc an ideal option if you are a recent graduate looking for a focused, vocational training course, or if you are an early career professional wishing to enhance your career development.

You can choose between several course modules to specialise your training in topics focussing on basin evolution or structural analysis and tectonics.

You will be joining a department where the Research Excellence Framework (REF) reported that 94% of research has been classified as 4* world leading and 3* internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour. By this criterion, Earth Sciences is 2nd place among UK universities. You will become part of a vibrant international graduate school, fully integrated into the research culture of the department.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/earthsciences/coursefinder/mscpetroleumgeoscience.aspx

Why choose this course?

- There is a huge demand for well qualified petroleum geoscientists. Companies worldwide are facing up to the challenge of replacing an ageing workforce with young graduates who can apply their knowledge and quickly learn from more experienced colleagues.

- We are one of the world leaders in the field of petroleum geoscience. Our MSc is recognised as a premier training course that will provide you with the practical and technical skills required to meet the challenges facing the hydrocarbon industry.

- You will develop the ability to integrate geological and geophysical data, and to apply your knowledge on a variety of scales, so that you can address a range of questions; from understanding the distribution of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins, to quantifying the complex structural, stratigraphic and sedimentological architecture of individual reservoirs.

- We have excellent links with the international oil industry, including an Advisory Board with representatives from 14 multinational companies, which ensures that our teaching is up-to-date, relevant and will prepare you for a career in the industry.

- An MSc in Petroleum Geoscience from Royal Holloway also provides you with the geological and transferable skills to work in other Earth Science-related fields, and prepares you for further postgraduate study.

- This is a flexible course, allowing you study full-time, part-time or through distance learning. If you opt to study part-time you will have also have the option of studying through sandwich mode (complete terms in separate years).

- Field work in the UK and Spain is an important part of the programme and is fully integrated with the course units.

- The Department receives a number of studentships from industry sponsors and from the Research Council which are available to UK and EU applicants. Everyone who applies for a place on this course is automatically considered for these studentships, and no further application is required.

Department research and industry highlights

Our research follows four main themes:

- Geodynamics and Sedimentary Systems
The interaction between tectonic, volcanic and sedimentary processes to generate surface and sub-surface architectures. With a diverse range of expertise, researchers integrate geophysics, structural geology, sedimentology and modelling to improve our understanding of a wide range of geodynamic settings. Our interests range from the evolution of rift systems and passive margins to the tectonics of mountain belts and include an emphasis on sediment dynamics in all settings. Much of the research in this theme is funded by industry.

- Physics & Chemistry of Earth Processes
Quantitative characterization of Physical and Chemical processes within the Earth. This group plays a role in many research activities across the department and helps to ensure a rigorous academic approach. Research applications in geochemistry stem from development of world-class geochemical techniques in radiogenic (Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf-U-Th) and stable (C,H,O,N,S) isotopes, based on strategic partnerships with instrument manufacturers. In geophysics we have extensive expertise in both exploration geophysics and global geophysics. However, the group's main contribution extends well outside the traditional scope of geophysics and geochemistry into areas such as sedimentology, tectonics, palaeontology, oceans and atmospheres, the link between magmatism and tectonics, and the nature of the shallow mantle. In addition to making wide use of geochemical and geophysical data, we have developed a wide variety of forward and inverse modelling techniques (mathematical, numerical and laboratory-analogue).

- Global Environmental Change
Key transitions in Earth history including modern global change. A wide range of proxies and finger-printing techniques are employed to focus on issues of global change such as methane as a greenhouse gas, coastal and estuarine dynamics, modern and ancient sedimentary processes, Phanerozoic environmental change and associated biotic responses, the biogeochemistry of Archaean ecosystems and evolution of life through geologic time. In addition, we pioneer new research on the impact of ice sheet contamination and associated chemistry on climate change.

- Natural Hazards
Integrating several strands of current research within the department, this newly developing theme investigates a range of natural hazards, including intraplate earthquakes, subduction zones, volcanoes, landslides and associated tsunami, as well as environmental hazards. It utilises field studies, remote sensing data, numerical modelling, geophysical data from sites around the globe.

On completion of the course graduates will have:

- an understanding of the processes that control the structural and stratigraphic architecture of sedimentary basins

- an understanding of petroleum systems and the controls on the distribution of hydrocarbons and other fluids in sedimentary basins

- an understanding of the properties of hydrocarbon reservoirs, and the implications of this for hydrocarbon production and field development

- the ability to use seismic, well log, core and remotely sensed data to evaluate sedimentary basins, hydrocarbon prospects and hydrocarbon fields.

Assessment

The taught course units are assessed by a combination of written exams and course work. 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.

Employability & career opportunities

Our graduates are highly employable; 92% remain in petroleum geosciences and related fields after graduation – approximately 75% entering the industry and 20% continuing in research (mainly as PhD students).

Graduates find employment in a wide range of companies, from multinationals (such as Shell, BP, Statoil, BG, Centrica, GDF-Suez), large independents (e.g. Tullow, Hess), small independent companies (e.g. Volantis), and a wide range of consultancy companies (e.g. Fugro-Roberston, RPS, Equipoise, IHS, Midland Valley)

How to apply

Applications for entry to our campus based full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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The Department of Earth & Space Sciences offers a 36-credit Master of Science degree in Geoscience designed for the professional development of geologists and precollege teachers. Students may also obtain Pennsylvania teaching certification in Earth and Space Science and/or General Science with the appropriate selection of courses. Employment and advancement opportunities for MS Geoscience graduates are excellent due to the hundreds of environmental firms, government agencies, and school districts within the greater Philadelphia area.

The Curriculum

All students complete a 19-credit core with the following courses: ESS 523 Field Geology, ESS 521 Geometrics, ESS 596 Earth Systems Science, ESS 547 Geoscience Seminar, and ESS 602 Directed Research. The core also includes choosing 2 of the following 4 courses: ESS 530 Oceanography, ESS 570 Meteorology, ESS 536 Environmental Geology, and ESS 549 Advanced Hydrogeology. The remaining 17 credits may be fulfilled by electives, of which at least 8 must be ESS or SCE courses. The MS Geoscience degree requires completion of a non-thesis, final project with a faculty advisor involving original, independent scientific or education research.

Benefits of the Program

• Evening, summer, and weekend courses
• Designed for completion in two years
• State-of-the-art equipment and facilities
• Focus on enhancing knowledge and skills needed by geologists and science teachers
• Meet and work with geologists and science teachers from throughout the greater Philadelphia area
• Affordable tuition
• Hundreds of alumni in the region employed as geologists and teachers

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Overview

This program has a professional orientation for those looking to establish their careers in the geo-science sector; covering geology, geochemistry, geophysics and geodynamics.

See the website http://courses.mq.edu.au/international/postgraduate/master/master-of-geoscience

Key benefits

- Students complete a capstone research project supervised by academic staff in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in an area of expertise appropriate to their research and study area.
- All students are assigned an academic advisor within the Department who will assist in planning a course of study appropriate to his/her area of interest.
- Students can choose to follow either the (1) geophysics or (2) mineral & petroleum resources study stream.

Suitable for

The Master of Geoscience provides an advanced degree that prepares students to work in private industry and government agencies across a range of sectors; minerals and mining, land use management, petroleum, ecology and scientific research, and consulting.

Recognition of prior learning

Course Duration
- 1.5 year program
Bachelor degree in a relevant discipline;
Bachelor degree in any discipline and work experience in a relevant area;
Work experience in a relevant area at a senior level.

- 1 year program
Bachelor degree, Honours, Graduate Diploma or Masters (coursework) completed 10+ years prior and work experience in a relevant area;
Honours, Graduate Diploma, Masters (coursework) or Higher Degree Research in a relevant discipline.

- Relevant disciplines
Geology, geophysics, physical geography, mineralogy, engineering, environmental science, marine sciences, chemistry, physics.

- Relevant areas
Scientific officer, advisor, consultant or researcher in areas such environmental management/remediation, management of mining activities, hydrocarbon exploration/production, road and slope stability, geochemical analyses and software development for geotechnical applications.

English language requirements

IELTS of 6.5 overall with minimum 6.0 in each band, or equivalent

All applicants for undergraduate or postgraduate coursework studies at Macquarie University are required to provide evidence of proficiency in English.
For more information see English Language Requirements. http://mq.edu.au/study/international/how_to_apply/english_language_requirements/

You may satisfy the English language requirements if you have completed:
- senior secondary studies equivalent to the NSW HSC
- one year of Australian or comparable tertiary study in a country of qualification

See the website http://courses.mq.edu.au/international/postgraduate/master/master-of-geoscience

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Programme description

This MSc is aimed at students who wish to pursue a geosciences-related career in the future energy sector, as it transitions from fossil fuels to a low carbon economy. The aim is to offer a programme that uses subsurface (geological) knowledge opening a diverse range of career pathways in lower carbon geoenergy technologies; the disposal of energy-related wastes and the hydrocarbon industry.

This MSc programme builds on the strength and reputation of the research groups operating in the School of GeoSciences on uses of the subsurface: carbon capture and storage (CCS); radioactive waste disposal; energy storage and extraction; unconventional and conventional hydrocarbons; wet and dry geothermal heat; and subsurface fluid tracing using noble gases and stable isotopes.

Programme structure

Compulsory courses (for students who have accredited prior learning, elective courses are taken in lieu) – 90 credits

• Future Geoenergy Resources
• Applied Hydrogeology and Near surface Geophysics
• Hydrogeology 2
• Environmental Geochemistry
• Project Design and Literature Analysis
• Carbon Storage and Monitoring

Compulsory Courses – for those with Geoscience background – 20 credits

• Subsurface Reservoir Quality

Compulsory Courses – for those without Geoscience background – 20 credits

• Geology for Earth Resources
• Hydrocarbons

Optional courses: choice of 10 credits from following

• Ore Mineralogy, Petrology & Geochemistry
• Seismic Reflection Interpretation
• Carbon Capture and Transport
• Helmsdale MSc Field Excursion
• Environmental Problems and Issues
• Nuclear Waste Management: Principles, Policies & Practice

Compulsory Dissertation

• Dissertation in Applied Geoscience (Geoenergy)

Career opportunities

This programme will train students in the use of subsurface geological knowledge opening a diverse range of career pathways in lower carbon geoenergy technologies and the disposal of energy-related wastes. These include radioactive waste disposal; carbon capture and storage; geothermal energy and subsurface energy storage including compressed air energy storage.

Other pathways include working in environmental and regulatory aspects of energy storage involving potential pollution; tracking subsurface fluids in the event of leakage from subsurface facilities and ground water resources.

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The Geoscience MSc at UCL aims to provide a set of programmes that suit each student's aspirations, background and experience. The MSc offers several pathways to ensure a coherent programme of study: Earth Systems Science; Palaeobiology; Earth and Planetary Physics; Environment; and Hydrogeology.

Degree information

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 two core modules (30 credits), six optional modules (90 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-Research Methods
-Project Proposal

Optional modules
-Earth and Planetary Systems Science
-Earth and Planetary Materials
-Melting and Volcanism
-Physical Volcanology and Volcanic Hazard
-Earthquake Seismology & Earthquake Hazard
-Tectonic Geomorphology
-Palaeoceanography
-Palaeoclimatology
-Biodiversity and Macroevolutionary Patterns
-Deep Earth and Planetary Modelling
-Geodynamics and Global Tectonics
-Crustal Dynamics, Mountain Building and Basin Analysis

Relevant modules can also be chosen 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.

Careers

First destinations of recent graduates include:
-Neftex Petroleum Consultants Ltd: Geologist
-TWP Architects and Surveyors: Geotechnical Surveyor
-UCL Earth Sciences Rock and Ice Physics Laboratory: Research Assistant
-UCL: Research Degree, Earth Sciences

Employability
MSc Geoscience students have gone on to pursue careers in many varied areas, such as planning and surveying, governmental organisations, academic research.

Why study this degree at UCL?

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 Aon Benfield 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.

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This course combines the teaching and research strengths of our School. We train you in methods that will support the oil industry's efforts to maximise recovery from oil and gas fields and extend the life of existing fields.

This Petroleum Geoscience course pathway meets industry's demand for skilled personnel by training graduates with specialist, research-based knowledge in appraisal, development and production as well as the fundamentals of reservoir engineering.

The course concentrates on how to characterise and model a reservoir and fluid flows. We also explore the impact of recovery mechanisms and dynamic displacement. You will also take units in seismic interpretation.

Career opportunities

The petroleum industry is the largest employer of earth science graduates, with good employment prospects in the United Kingdom and overseas in oil companies, consultancies, service companies, government bodies, the financial sector, and in teaching and research. During the research project students normally have the opportunity to work within sponsor oil company offices, gaining valuable industrial experience. The MSc course has a very strong track record for employability.

In semester 1, we typically have oil companies visiting the School to provide careers information and seek applications (typically BG, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Exxon, Hess, Talsiman, Neftex, Fugro etc). Some also interview in the University. This is in addition to the University career fairs and other employment events.

Petroleum Geoscience and Engineering at the University of Manchester has well-established links with the petroleum industry. Research is funded by a large number of international oil companies. Guest speakers are invited on a regular basis to the department. There is also an AAPG Student Chapter , PESGB Student Chapter, SPE Chapter and EAGE Chapter, which arrange meetings throughout the year.

Many of the academic staff teaching on the course have considerable petroleum industry experience or consult for the oil industry. In addition the teaching team has a very strong group of external lecturers, who are all active consultants or employees in the petroleum industry, and who bring considerable expertise and industrial links.

BP staff teach on the course, Shell teaches the 'Malampaya oil game' which offers an insight into the industry.

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