Masters Degrees (Stratigraphy)

This course is one of the premier international applied petroleum geoscience courses. Since the inception of the course in 1985 its graduates have an unparalleled employment record in the petroleum industry both in the UK and worldwide. In addition our graduates are highly sought after for further PhD research in the petroleum geosciences.

● Recognised by NERC - 5 MSc studentships each year covering fees, fieldwork and maintenance.

● Recognised by Industry - Industry scholarships

● We offer highly focused teaching and training by internationally recognised academic experts as well as by visiting staff from the petroleum industry.

The course covers the applications of basin dynamics and evolution to hydrocarbon exploration and production. The course is modular in form providing intensive learning and training in geophysics, tectonics and structural geology, sequence stratigraphy and sedimentology, hydrocarbon systems, reservoir geology, remote sensing and applied geological fieldwork.

The MSc course provides ‘state of the art’ training in -

● 3D seismic interpretation and 3D visualization;

● Fault analysis and fault-sealing;

● Seismic sequence stratigraphy;

● Applied sedimentology;

● Well log analysis;

● Remote sensing analysis of satellite and radar imagery;

● Analysis of gravity and magnetic data;

● Numerical modelling of sedimentation and tectonics;

● Applied structural geology;

● Geological Fieldwork.

● Transferable skills learned during the course include

project planning, presentation techniques, report writing and compilation, team working skills, spreadsheet and statistical analyses, GIS methods as well as graphics and visualization techniques.

● The full time MSc course runs for 50 weeks. The first half comprises one and two week course modules as well as group projects and fieldwork. The second half of the MSc course consists of an individual research project usually carried out in conjunction with the petroleum industry or related institutions such as international geological surveys.

● Part time study over 24 months is also available

● Each year independent projects are arranged with new data sets from industry – some students work in the offices of the company whereas other may use our excellent in-house facilities. All independent projects are supervised by faculty members with additional industry supervision where appropriate.

Facilities include –

● Dedicated Modern Teaching Laboratories

● 14 Dual Screen Unix Seismic Workstations

● PC and Macintosh Workstations

● Internationally Recognised Structural Modelling Laboratories

● Advanced Sedimentological Laboratories

The MSc course also greatly benefits from dynamic interaction with internationally recognised research groups within the Geology Department including –

● Project EAGLE – Evolution of the African and Arabian rift system – Professor Cindy Ebinger

● Southeast Asia Research Group – Tectonic Evolution and Basin Development in SE Asia – Professor Robert Hall

● Numerical Modelling Research Group – Numerical Modelling of Tectonics and Sedimentation – Dr Dave Waltham

● Fault Dynamics Research Group – Dynamics of Fault Systems in Sedimentary Basins – Professor Ken McClay

The 2005 MSc graduates went on to employment with Shell, BP, Amerada Hess, Gaz de France, OMV (Austria), Star Energy, First Africa Oil, Badley Ashton, ECL, PGS, Robertsons, PGL, Aceca, and to PhD research at Royal Holloway and Barcelona.

Since 2001, 85% of our graduates have gone in to work in the oil industry, 10% into geological research and 5% into environmental/engineering jobs.

Accommodation is available on campus in en-suite study bedrooms grouped in flats of eight, each with a communal kitchen and dining space.

Subsistence Costs ~£9,000 pa (including Hall of Residence fees of c. £4,500 for a full year)

APPLICATIONS can be made on line at http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Registry/Admissions/applyonline.html

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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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EXPLORE PROCESSES AFFECTING THE EARTH'S LIFE AND ITS ENVIRONMENT

In our Master's programme in Earth, Life, and Climate, you will explore the fundamental processes which regulate the past, present, and future dynamics of sedimentary systems, biodiversity, and climate, as well as their evolution. This two-year programme will provide you with the knowledge you need to understand climate change and its impact on natural environments such as soils, sediments, lakes, groundwater, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans.

The main topics you will study include the evolution of life, the development of sedimentary basins, carbon sources and sinks, biogeochemical and geochemical fingerprinting of sedimentary processes/environments, and climate reconstruction.

Tracks

You can choose one of four tracks based on your specific interests:
-Integrated Stratigraphy & Sedimentary Systems: Dynamics of marine and continental sedimentary systems

-Climate Reconstruction: The reconstruction of climate change through Earth's history

-Biogeosciences & Evolution: The evolution and response of biota to perturbations in the environments

-Biogeochemistry: Processes that control the elemental cycles at the Earth’s surface.

On this programme, you will learn state-of-the-art reconstruction methods, modelling techniques, and laboratory experiments used in a wide range of earth and beta science disciplines. These disciplines include biogeology, palaeontology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, environmental geochemistry, organic geochemistry, hydrology, physical geography, geology, biology, climate dynamics, and palaeoceanography. You will utilize these skills in your own research project or on the traineeships you can take in preparation for an international career in applied or fundamental research.

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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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Programme description

This programme will give you a fundamental understanding of the issues affecting the Earth enabling you to play a vital role in devising and enacting strategies to protect and conserve the environment, both in Europe and beyond.

Human activities are recognised as having an increasingly significant effect on the Earth’s biosphere. Our use of natural resources, deforestation, soil erosion, the release of potentially toxic compounds and pathogens, and the increase in greenhouse gases are all examples of pressures that have potentially serious consequences for humanity and other life on Earth.

On this programme you will learn about the issues that face the Earth and gain an in-depth understanding of natural resource management and the processes that give rise to environmental degradation and pollution problems.

It will allow you to play a vital role in planning and putting into action strategies to protect and conserve the environment.

This programme is run in collaboration with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Environment & Society Academy.

• Global Environment & Society Academy

Programme structure

This programme involves two semesters of taught courses, which are a balance of lectures, seminars, workshops and visits, plus a research dissertation project of about 16,000 words.

Compulsory courses typically will be:

• Atmospheric Quality and Global Change
• Analysing the Environment
• Land Use/Environmental Interactions
• Analysing the Environment Study Tour
• Dissertation

Option courses:

You will also choose four optional courses^. We particularly recommend the following:

• Soil Protection and Management
• Integrated Resource Management
• Ecosystem Dynamics and Functions
• Marine Systems and Policies
• Archives: History, Geography, Politics
• Carbon Capture and Transport
• Culture, Ethics & Environment
• Encountering Cities
• Environmental Geochemistry
• Foundations in Ecological Economics
• Human Dimensions of Environmental Change and Sustainability
• Principles of Environmental Sustainability
• Principles of GIS
• Project Appraisal
• Understanding Environment and Development
• Values and the Environment
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Waste Reduction and Recycling
• Sustainability of Food Production
• Participation in Policy and Planning
• Forests and Environment
• Carbonate Sequence Stratigraphy
• Climate Change and Corporate Strategy
• Hyperspectral Remote Sensing
• Integrated Resource Planning
• Introduction to Environmental Modelling
• Political Ecology
• Ecosystem Values and Management
• Soil Science Concepts and Application
• Water Resource Management

Courses are offered subject to timetabling and availability and are subject to change.

Field trip

Part of this programme is a week-long study tour in spring. Past study tours have been held in France, Greece, Portugal, Israel and Morocco.

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• develop a scientific understanding of some of the major processes which influence the quality of land, air and water resources
• acquire knowledge of the most effective methods of environmental protection
• develop expertise in the design and implementation of programmes of environmental protection
• have the opportunity to study the integrated protection and management of particular ecosystems or resources

Career opportunities

Our graduates have a solid record in finding employment in the environmental sector while some choose to further their studies through a PhD.

There are also opportunities in consultancy positions and with environmental regulators, government and NGOs.

Student experience

Would you like to know what it’s really like to study at the School of GeoSciences?

Visit our student experience blog where you can find articles, advice, videos and ask current students your questions.

• Student experience blog

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This course offers comprehensive and flexible postgraduate training in the established yet dynamic field of Quaternary science, with the academic emphasis being on the time-dependent processes affecting environmental change.

By the end of the course you will have acquired and demonstrated specialist disciplinary knowledge and understanding of key issues pertaining to Quaternary science, in particular the core linking themes of high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records, high-precision dating, and multi-proxy approaches to the investigation of past environmental changes.

You will also be provided with advanced training in techniques used to assess the causes, scale and rapidity of past climate and environmental fluctuations; encompassing field, laboratory, statistical and computing methods used in the acquisition, interpretation and modelling of proxy climatic and environmental data.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/geography/coursefinder/mscquaternaryscience.aspx

Why choose this course?

- The staff and facilities of the Centre for Quaternary Research (CQR) at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) provide a wide range of opportunities for postgraduate training and research including participation in internationally significant research programmes in Quaternary science and links with potential employers.

- This consortium of staff constitutes the strongest teaching team in the UK for the provision of Masters' teaching in the field of non-marine Quaternary earth science and environmental change.

- The Department is one of the leading centres for international geographical research in the UK. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework our research environment was recognized as overwhelmingly world class. The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) recognizes this course as "Excellent".

- You will be provided with the temporal perspective necessary for the understanding of many contemporary environmental issues, such as climate change, biological responses to environmental change and soil erosion.

- The distinctive aspects of the research at the CQR are the emphases on high-precision dating, multiproxy palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, quantitative palaeoclimate estimates, high resolution stratigraphy/sedimentology and the influence of Quaternary climate change on early human evolution and dispersal.

Department research and industry highlights

The CQR was established in 1990 and has grown to become one of the leading international research centres in Quaternary science.

Since its inception the CQR has attracted funding from an increasingly diverse range of sources (NERC, AHRC, ESRC, Leverhulme Trust, EC Framework Programs, British Academy). Major research partnerships and initiatives have been forged (e.g. with the Natural History Museum, Museum of London, British Geological Society, English Heritage and Oxford University), which are fostering important advances in understanding Quaternary landscape evolution, quantitative palaeoclimate reconstruction, geochronology, biostratigraphy and Palaeolithic and environmental archaeology. The CQR has also benefited from recent £1.5M SRIF investment in laboratory refurbishment that has enhanced the centre’s research capabilities in OSL dating, tephrochronology, analytical chemistry and soil micromorphology.

On completion of the course graduates will have:

acquired and demonstrated specialist disciplinary knowledge and understanding of key issues pertaining to Quaternary Science, in particular the core linking themes of:
- high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records
- high-precision dating
- multi-proxy approaches to the investigation of past environmental changes.

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, practical exercises, field reports and a dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Destinations of our graduates include the British Geological Survey, Natural England, the Environment Agency, journal publishing houses, Research Councils, environmental archaeology and museums, as well as academic positions within universities. This course also equips you with a solid foundation for continued PhD studies; around 70% of Quaternary Science graduates over the last decade have gone on to a PhD.

How to apply

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

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This course will provide you with the opportunity to carry out an independent research project under the supervision of our leading academics.

You will receive training in research methods and take a taught course unit in a relevant subject area. The research topic for your project is agreed with a supervisor in advance and can be in any area of the expertise in the department research groups. The project outline will be developed in consultation with your supervisor and project work is carried out in parallel with the taught courses, becoming full-time during the third term.

This Master’s by Research will provide you with a suitable background to work as a research assistant or as the grounding for further study towards a PhD.

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

Why choose this course?

- This course is ideal for graduates in geology and related sciences who wish to carry out independent research over a shorter time period than is possible in a doctorate (PhD) programme. It allows you study at Master's level an aspect of the geological sciences which may not be catered for by specialist MSc programmes.

- You will be involved at every step of the research project - from planning and sample collection, laboratory work, result analysis, to writing your dissertation.

- It is ideal preparation if you are interested in studying for a PhD, but would like to have further preparation and training.

- In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the Department of Earth Science’s research was ranked equal 6th in the UK with 70% rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour.

- The Department has up-to-date computer interpretation facilities, a full range of modern geochemical laboratories including XRF, quadrupole and multicollector ICP Mass Spectrometry, atmospheric chemistry and a new excimer laser ablation facility, excellent structural modelling laboratories, palaeontology and sedimentology laboratories.

Course content and structure

The course consists of the following three components:

A Research Study Skills Course Unit
- Personal research skills (e.g. safety, time and project management, teamwork)
- IT skills (e.g. literature retrieval, web authoring, databases, modelling)
- Data analysis skills (e.g. statistical methods, GIS systems, sampling techniques)
- Communication skills (e.g. posters, oral presentation, writing papers, web pages)
- Subject-specific skills and techniques. These amount to 55% of the research skills assessment, and for example may include parts of specialist taught courses (see below), a training course on the theory and practice of chemical and isotopic analysis, or other training arranged by the project supervisor. This will include training for research in the general field of the research project, not solely what is needed to carry out the project.

A Specialist Taught Course Unit
You will choose an advanced taught course unit relevant to the subject area of your research project. The following taught units are currently offered:
- Applied Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
- Pollution Sources and Pathways
- Oceans and Atmospheres
- Risk and Environmental Management
- Geographical Information Systems
- Environmental Inorganic Analysis
- Contaminants in the Environment
- Advanced Igneous Petrogenesis
- Seismic Processing and Interpretation
- Geodynamics and Plate Tectonics
- Interpretation of Structural Settings
- Coal Geology
- Petroleum Geology and Evaluation
- Terrestrial Palaeoecology
- Palaeoclimates

Research Project
The project may be on any topic which is within the broad research themes of the Department. You will be linked to a potential supervisor at the application stage and, in consultation with the supervisor, you will develop a detailed project outline during the first half of the first term. Project work is then carried out in parallel with taught courses during terms one and two, becoming the full-time activity after Easter. A bound dissertation is submitted for examination in early September.

On completion of the course graduates will have:

- an advanced knowledge and understanding of a variety of analytical, technical, numerical, modelling and interpretive techniques applicable to the specific field of earth sciences

- the articulation of knowledge and the understanding of published work, concepts and theories in the chosen field of earth sciences at an advanced level

- the acquisition of knowledge from published work in the chosen area of earth sciences to a level appropriate for a MSc degree.

Assessment

Research Study Skills: this is assessed by coursework and theory examination and will include short written assignments, a seminar, worksheets and practical tests. These assessments contribute 12.5% of the course marks.

Specialist Taught Course Units: these are mostly assessed by a written, theory examination and coursework. The unit assessment contributes 12.5% of the course marks.

Research Project: the project dissertation must be submitted in early September. It will be marked by both an internal and an external examiner, and will be defended at an oral examination with both examiners. The project assessment contributes 75% of the course marks.

Employability & career opportunities

Subject to agreement and suitable funding, MSc by Research students can transfer to the MPhil/PhD programme at Royal Holloway. They may use the research carried out for the MSc towards the PhD, and count the time spent towards MPhil/PhD registration requirements, provided that the MSc research forms a coherent part of the PhD, and that the transfer is approved prior to submission of the MSc research dissertation.

How to apply

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

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The MA Landscape Management and Environmental Archaeology programme is targeted on skills areas that are linked to the needs of the regional labour market and relate to one of the six ministerial priority areas identified by Welsh Government, that of 'Environmental Management and Energy'.

Course Overview

The MA programme is taught within the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, and seeks to embed the student experience into a range of landscapes, both wild and managed, and environments within Wales where unique and particular landscapes are encountered. Many, but by no means all, employment opportunities are focused on the conservation, preservation, exploitation or manipulation of the natural resources.

Industries based on tourism, cultural heritage and sustainability, to name a few, are prime destinations within Wales (and beyond) for graduates from this programme of study. Integral to this is an understanding of what archaeological evidence survives, and what methods and techniques can be used to explore and explain both past and present human relationships to these landscapes and environments. As part of this scheme students undertake a minimum of four weeks voluntary experience with a host organisation as a work placement. This gives students direct experience of a relevant working environment and has proved beneficial to students, the host organisations and the School of Archaeology History and Anthropology. When in a work placement students make a contribution to the objectives of the host organisation.

Along with the emphasis on ‘employability’, students engage in a rigorous academic training grounded in the discipline that is Archaeology. Students are schooled in the concepts and practices required to undertake good academic research. Field and laboratory experiences underpinned with both legal and theoretical frameworks are core attributes of this scheme. Core staff teaching the scheme are actively engaged with a wide range of professional bodies, undertaking contract research, acting as advisors, or are recognised specialists in their field.

Such staff operate at the crossing point of archaeology as an academic discipline and industry and community. The programme benefits considerably from the experience and expertise of UWLAS (University of Wales, Lampeter Archaeological Services) which provides a professional consultancy service across a range of areas including dendrochronology, pollen analysis, archaeozoology, quaternary stratigraphy, soils and sediments analysis.

Modules

-British Landscape and Environmental Field Class
-Research Methodologies
-Heritage Project Management in the Modern World
-Advanced Palaeoenvironmental Methods
-Work Placement
-Dissertation

Key Features

Draws upon a range of expertise in the School. Our lecturers are active within the consultancy world of environmental archaeology which gives the programme a strongly vocational tilt. Extremely good record of finding students who have completed the course employment opportunities many within the sector.

Assessment

A range of assessment methods are used from essays and short written evaluation, to the creation of publicity flyers, feasibility reports, oral presentations and reflective pieces.

Career Opportunities

The programme has a good record of matching students to the needs and requirement of the labour market.

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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:
=============
• 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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Birkbeck’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences shares resources, facilities and expertise with UCL’s Department of Earth Sciences, thus offering you access to a unique, world-class research environment. This programme provides an excellent opportunity for you to develop and enhance your general, transferable and specialist research skills. You will gain insight into different research methods and acquire valuable experience of conducting large-scale research projects.

Our key research interests include: igneous petrology and geochemistry; sedimentology; environmental geochemistry and mineralogy; stratigraphy and palaeontology; structural geology; geophysics; palaeoclimatology; planetary geology; and earthquake studies.

Our research

Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.

Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

In our joint submission with UCL, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences at Birkbeck were rated 6th the UK in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), while we achieved 100% for an environment conducive to research of the highest quality.

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The MRes Landscape and Environmental Archaeology is a programme that is divided into a 60 credit taught part and a Dissertation of 120 credits amounting to up to 30,000 words in total. The programme is targeted on skills areas that are linked to the needs of the regional labour market and relate to one of the six ministerial priority areas identified by Welsh Government, that of 'Environmental Management and Energy'.

Course Overview

The MRes programme is taught within the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, and seeks to embed the student experience into a range of landscapes, both wild and managed, and environments within Wales where unique and particular landscapes are encountered. Many, but by no means all, employment opportunities are focused on the conservation, preservation, exploitation or manipulation of the natural resources.

Industries based on tourism, cultural heritage and sustainability, to name a few, are prime destinations within Wales (and beyond) for graduates from this programme of study. Integral to this is an understanding of what archaeological evidence survives, and what methods and techniques can be used to explore and explain both past and present human relationships to these landscapes and environments.

Along with the emphasis on ‘employability’, students engage in a rigorous academic training grounded in the discipline that is Archaeology which comes to a head in the Dissertation of between 25,000 and 30,000 words. Students are schooled in the concepts and practices required to undertake good academic research. Field and laboratory experiences underpinned with both legal and theoretical frameworks are core attributes of this scheme.

Core staff teaching the scheme are actively engaged with a wide range of professional bodies, undertaking contract research, acting as advisors, or are recognised specialists in their field. Such staff operate at the crossing point of archaeology as an academic discipline and industry and community. The programme benefits considerably from the experience and expertise of UWLAS (University of Wales, Lampeter Archaeological Services) which provides a professional consultancy service across a range of areas including dendrochronology, pollen analysis, archaeozoology, quaternary stratigraphy, soils and sediments analysis.

Modules

Students will choose three modules. Below is an illustrative list of modules available:
-British Landscape and Environmental Field Class (40 credits)
-Research Methodologies (compulsory)
-Heritage Project Management in the Modern World
-Advanced Palaeoenvironmental Methods
-Work Placement
-Dissertation

Key Features

Draws upon a range of expertise in the School. Our lecturers are active within the consultancy world of environmental archaeology which gives the programme a strongly vocational tilt. Extremely good record of finding students who have completed the course employment opportunities many within the sector.

Assessment

A range of assessment methods are used from essays and short written evaluation, to the creation of publicity flyers, feasibility reports, oral presentations and reflective pieces.

Career Opportunities

The programme has a good record of matching students to the needs and requirement of the labour market.

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