Environmental Geoscience with professional placement year (BSc)

The environmental geologist is at the forefront of the scientific community's efforts to understand our complex and changing surroundings. Furthermore, the challenging and growing market of contaminated and derelict land remediation is a growing source of employment for geoscientists.

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 creditsIntroduction to Earth Science FieldworkEA112320 creditsIntroduction to Earth Science SkillsEA112210 creditsLife Through TimeEA110810 creditsEarth MaterialsEA111210 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 a wide variety of modules. The modules studied in the second year range from: more 'applied' modules that will facilitate your understanding of site-specific geoenvironmental issues, such as contaminated land, rock engineering and geotechnics: to modules that address more 'global' geoenvironmental issues, providing a base for studies on subjects like climate change and sea level rise: to those specialising in biological interaction with past and present environments.

The School provides a wide range of different potential projects from which you can choose a subject that interests you. Students often choose or devise projects that relate to geoenvironmental issues close to their homes or that have impacted on their lives in the past. Often the projects are undertaken with help and advice provided by bodies such as the Local Authorities or Environmental Agency.

Dedicated environmental training takes place around Easter, and this addresses issues that have not been covered in previous modules. This is also an opportunity for you to start acquiring more specific skills that will be required for your own project work. For example, if you undertake a project that requires you to do geochemical analyses, you will be taught the protocols required to work in a modern state-of-the-art geochemical facility.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsApplied GISEA213010 creditsData Acquisition and AnalysisEA210110 creditsField Skills in Environmental GeoscienceEA210420 creditsStructural GeologyEA210810 creditsGeoecologyEA211310 creditsPalaeoecologyEA210610 creditsCatchment GeomorphologyEA214010 creditsGeophysical ExplorationEA210710 creditsEnvironmental PollutionEA211610 creditsSedimentary Processes, Petrology and StratigraphyEA213520 creditsYear three: Sandwich year

Your third year will be spent as a placement year working in industry. Some of the work you undertake during this year can be used as a basis for your project which you will complete in year four. Although we will do our best to secure you a placement, we must stress that in the current economic climate many companies are unwilling, or unable to commit to year-long placements we therefore cannot guarantee that you will obtain a placement. If you do not get a placement you will progress directly to the third and final year of the Environmental Geoscience degree.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsEarth Science Sandwich PlacementEA3122120 creditsYear four

In the fourth year you will complete your project work, presenting it in the form of a professional report.

There are a few 'core' modules, but the majority are optional, allowing you to target your own geoenvironmental interests and aspirations. As with the previous years, the third year consists of a mixture of taught knowledge and skills. However, in this final part of your degree, the emphasis is much more on synthesis, tying together the separate strands to give a more complete and holistic understanding of the subject.

The evolution of our present environment into the future is a key subject for global enquiry and includes the problems of climate change and the effect of human activities on the environment.

Core modulesModule titleModule codeCreditsEnvironmental Case StudiesEA310810 creditsEnvironmental Geoscience FieldcourseEA310910 creditsEngineering GeologyEA312310 creditsOptional modules

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