Environmental Geoscience (MESci)

The evolution of our present environment and its future development is a key subject for present global enquiry. It includes the problems of climate change and the effect of human activities on the environment. The MESci in Environmental Geoscience provides a basis for investigation of these key areas of current international interest. By its nature Environmental Geoscience neatly divides into two streams: an applied and a global stream. The applied stream tends to focus on pollution and contamination and provides suites of modules geared to providing you with the skills needed to identify and resolve these environmental problems. The second area focuses on global problems such as climatic change and anthropogenic effects on the planetary environment. This suite of modules provides you with the knowledge and understanding which enables you to investigate these problems.

I found the course in Cardiff great fun and learned absolutely loads. It was brilliant value for money when you think about how much teaching and lab work we did. Perhaps most importantly the field trips were unbelievable!

Paddy Staunton, Mesci Environmental Geoscience 2011 Year one

The course structure is very flexible. All Cardiff's School of Earth and Ocean Science degree programmes share a common first Semester. This is designed to give you a sound foundation in Earth Sciences upon which to build. At the end of your first Semester you will decide whether to continue with your original degree choice or choose another of Cardiff's Earth Science degrees.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsThe Sedimentary SystemEA110210 creditsLife Through TimeEA110810 creditsMESci Earth Science FieldworkEA112520 creditsEarth MaterialsEA111210 creditsResearch Tutorial with Earth Science SkillsEA112410 creditsEarth and Planetary System ScienceEA110120 creditsFormation of the British IslesEA110710 creditsNatural Resources and EnergyEA110610 creditsGeological Maps, Sections and StructuresEA111010 creditsDangerous EarthEA110310 creditsYear two

In year two you will study the following modules:

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsData Acquisition and AnalysisEA210110 creditsApplied GISEA213010 creditsStructural GeologyEA210810 creditsGeoecologyEA211310 creditsPalaeoecologyEA210610 creditsCatchment GeomorphologyEA214010 creditsGeophysical ExplorationEA210710 creditsEnvironmental Geoscience Field Skills and Research TutorialEA212020 creditsSedimentary Processes, Petrology and StratigraphyEA213520 creditsEnvironmental PollutionEA211610 creditsYear three

You will complete an environmental project based on the practical field or laboratory work you have done in the Summer vacation between years two and three. In some cases, you will have taken an industrial placement during this vacation and you will complete your project on this industrial placement. You will research into any area of environmental geoscience you choose and learn how to prepare a research paper for publication. You will present the results of this research at the annual MESci Research Conference.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsEnvironmental Case StudiesEA310810 creditsGlobal GeomorphologyEA310310 creditsEnvironmental Geoscience FieldcourseEA310910 creditsResearch SkillsEA314010 creditsEngineering GeologyEA312310 creditsOptional modules

Module titleModule codeCreditsEnvironmental Geoscience ProjectEA313030 creditsEnvironmental Geoscience Placement ProjectEA313330 creditsEnvironmental Management, Science and PolicyEA311010 creditsIntegrated Coastal ManagementEA311410 creditsWater ResourcesEA311710 creditsPalaeobiologyEA312710 creditsGeomicrobiologyEA313210 creditsEnvironmental LawEA313410 creditsHazards and RiskEA313910 creditsMarine MicrofossilsEA310210 creditsGlaciologyEA314610 creditsPaleoclimateEA314710 creditsAdvanced Sedimentology and StratigraphyEA311810 creditsGlobal GeomorphologyEA310310 creditsYear four

You will complete a Masters research dissertation in any Environmental Geoscience topic that can be supervised in the School. You will work one-to-one with a research supervisor and probably interact with a research group. Since the School is very large and of international research standard, this means that you have a wide choice of dissertation topic. Many students develop their own topics and contact a researcher to see if they can supervise it. Alternatively a list of projects is published each year for you to choose from. The research dissertation is complemented by a Research Frontiers module, in which the latest ideas in Earth Sciences research are discussed. In addition to a year four fieldcourse you have a choice of optional modules.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsMESci FieldcourseEA410510 creditsMESci Research ProjectEA412070 creditsOptional modules

Module titleModule codeCreditsContaminated LandEA410310 creditsEvolution of AntarcticaEA410710 creditsProcess Geomorphology - from Source to SinkEA411010 creditsExtremophilesEA411610 creditsIPCC: The Physical Science BasisEA412310 creditsMESci Professional Engineering GeologyEA412610 creditsCoastal Science and PolicyEA411710 credits The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.