Birkbeck, University of London, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences Masters Degrees

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences has been teaching part-time evening geology degrees from a central London location since 1840. We currently have over 250 students, based in London and around the world, studying on our courses. These students are all ages and from all backgrounds. They may be looking to change or improve their careers, realising a long-held dream to study in this field or developing a personal interest in geology or planetary sciences.

Some of our postgraduate courses are offered via distance learning, complete with videos of face-to-face lectures and full lecture notes. Students can therefore study from overseas, or if they can travel to London, they can also take part in lectures and practicals. It is common for students based in the UK to study through a mix of face-to-face and distance learning.

Research in our department ranges from earthquake hazards, volcanic activity and the study of paleoenvironments to astrobiology and planetary geology on the Moon and Mars. Our researchers benefit from working with the facilities and expertise of UCL in the joint Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (IEPS). In our joint submission with UCL, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences at Birkbeck were rated sixth in the UK in 2014 Research Excellence Framework.

The Department is a member of University Geoscience UK, the subject association for geoscience departments, linked with the Geological Society.