Study location	United Kingdom, Birmingham
Type	Bachelor courses, full-time
Nominal duration	3 years
Study language	English
Awards	BSc
Course code	FF68

Tuition fee	To be confirmed

Entry qualification

High school / secondary education (or higher) At least one science° A level subject °Subjects considered to be sciences: Geology, Geography, Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Electronics, Environmental Studies, Computing and Psychology The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English. Often you can get a suitable transcript from your school. If this is not the case, you will need official translations along with verified copies of the original.

Language requirements	English IELTS: 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) CAE: 169 (with a minimum of 162 in each component)

Other requirements	At least 1 reference(s) must be provided. A motivation letter must be added to your application.

More information	Expenses, accommodation, working etc. birmingham.ac.uk/../geology-geography.aspx

Overview

What drives the occurrence of natural hazards, and how can we forecast and respond to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes? What can past climate records teach us about future climate change? How is the movement of tectonic plates reflected in the landscape around us? If these are questions that you might ask, then this is the course for you.

Programme structure

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. The Field Skills module includes one-day regional field trips and a residential trip to South West Wales, training you in key skills in geological observation, data recording and interpretation.

Geological Field Skills
Global Environmental Issues
Earth History and Life
Earth and Environmental Systems
Dynamic Solid Earth
Research Skills in Earth Sciences
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 a 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 Major Independent Projects
Environments of the Past
Optional modules

Either

Resources and the Environment
Or

Resources and Hydrogeology
Plus 30 credits (up to a total of 120 credits) from the following. Example optional modules may include:

Micropalaeontology and Palaeoenvironments
Applied Geophysics
Hydroclimatology: Climate and Water
Geomorphological Processes
Ecological Systems
Environmental Pollution
Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
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 the Basin Analysis module, which is a field-based module in South East Spain. This course introduces a variety of new geological environments and rock types.

Earth Sciences Research
Basin Analysis and Neotectonics
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
Geological Natural Hazards
Evolution of Vertebrates
Petroleum Geoscience
Environment and Landscape Change
Weather Climate and Society
Landscape and Urban Ecology
Applied Micrometeorology
Environmental Protection
River Processes, Deposits and Environments
Ore Deposits and Gemmology
Evolutionary Palaeobiology
Tectonic and Magmatic Processes

Career opportunities

Geology careers are extremely diverse, with students going into a wide range of professions. Increasing numbers of our graduates are employed in environmental planning, land remediation hydrogeology and pollution control. Opportunities in some fields, notably the oil and minerals industries, vary from year to year. Other employers include the British Geological Survey (BGS), local authorities, museums, government organisations and engineering and construction companies. Other graduates decide on a career in teaching either from primary or right through to further education. Many students also go on to careers around the world in locations including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.