Geology and Physical Geography MSci (Hons)

Master

In Birmingham

Price on request

Description

  • Type

    Master

  • Location

    Birmingham

Our Geology and Physical Geography MSci course is a flexible degree, supported by an extensive fieldwork programme, that will give you a broad-based knowledge of the Earth sciences.

Facilities

Location

Start date

Birmingham (West Midlands)
See map
Birmingham B15 2TT

Start date

On request

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Reviews

This centre's achievements

2020

All courses are up to date

The average rating is higher than 3.7

More than 50 reviews in the last 12 months

This centre has featured on Emagister for 4 years

Subjects

  • Physical Geography
  • Climate
  • Project
  • Geology

Course programme

Year 1

Compulsory modules

The first year provides you with a broad training in topics across the subject, through several compulsory modules. We don’t assume any prior knowledge; the chemistry, physics and maths that you require is taught in the context of individual modules, and applied to the problems that you’re investigating. Residential trips to Northern Ireland and South West Wales will train you in key skills in geological observation, data recording and interpretation.

  • Earth History and Life
  • Earth Systems
  • Global Environmental Issues A
  • Global Environmental Issues B
  • Atoms to Volcanoes
  • Earth Structures & Tectonics
  • Geoscience Project
  • Introductory Field and Research Skills
  • SW Wales Field Course
Year 2

Compulsory modules

The Year 2 content builds on the first year, covering a range of specialised topics. Compulsory modules cover sedimentology, past environments, and a resources module, and you can also choose two or three options from diverse selection. The Year 2 field courses take you to North West Scotland, where you will focus on quaternary processes and geomorphology, and to Dorset and Cornwall, where you will cover a wide range of exercises, from palaeontology to structural geology.

  • Sedimentology
  • Field Skills and Project Planning for Independent Projects
  • NW Scotland Field Skills
  • Resource Geology OR Resources & Exploration

Optional modules

  • Micropalaeontology and Palaeoenvironments
  • Hydroclimatology: Climate and Water
  • Ecological Systems
  • Environmental Pollution
  • Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
  • Continental Deformation
  • Geological Natural Hazards
  • Geomorphology and Palaeoenvironments
  • Oceans Through Time
  • Catchment Water and Soil Management
Year 3

Compulsory modules

Compulsory modules in Year 3 include your dissertation – a mapping project in an area of your choice, where you will undertake fieldwork the previous summer - and a field based module introducing a variety of new geological environments, processes and rock types.

  • Earth Sciences Research

Select one of the following field based modules:

  • Volcanology
  • Sedimentary Basin Analysis
  • Sustainable Resource Geology

Optional modules

You can specialise further by choosing modules from a wide variety of options, ranging from more applied and resource-based topics through to environmental and ecological modules. Example optional modules may include:

  • Palaeoclimates
  • Climate Change in the Earth System
  • Remote Sensing of the Cryosphere
  • Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology
  • Evolution of Vertebrates
  • Petroleum Geoscience
  • Environment and Landscape Change
  • Weather Climate and Society
  • Landscape and Urban Ecology
  • Environmental Protection
  • River Processes, Deposits and Environments
  • Evolutionary Palaeobiology
  • Tectonic and Magmatic Processes
  • Environmental Protection
  • Evolutionary Palaeobiology
  • Climate change in the Earth System
  • Small-scale and Air Pollution Meteorology
Year 4

The compulsory Year 4 modules include your major research project – in a topic that you will have devised with an academic – and a skills-based field module - training you in research and science communication.

Compulsory modules:

  • Advanced Project

Select one of the following field based modules:

  • Sustainable Resource Geology
  • Sedimentary Basin Analysis
  • Volcanology

Optional modules:

You also take two optional modules (except those taken in Year 3):

  • Palaeoclimates
  • Evolution of Vertebrates
  • Petroleum Geoscience
  • Evolutionary Palaeobiology
  • Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology
  • Inorganic Chemistry and Groundwater and Borehole Design, Construction and Maintenance
  • Environmental Geophysics
  • Groundwater Organic Contaminant Pollution and Remediation
  • Tectonic and Magmatic Processes
  • Professional Placements for Earth Scientists

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2020. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules after that date; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Geology and Physical Geography MSci (Hons)

Price on request