Information for Prospective Students
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Fees and Funding
UK & EU Fee
£9,000 (2013/14)
Overseas Fee
£19,500 (2013/14)
General Funding Notes
Details about financial support are available at: www.ucl.ac.uk/study/ug-finance
Contacts
Key Facts
Research Assessment Exercise
80% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
(What is the RAE?)
Departmental website
More Information
Geology MSci
UCAS Code: F601
This four-year programme provides an additional year on top of the Geology BSc, in which students extend their knowledge and understanding by taking advanced courses and undertaking an independent research project. The programme is fully accredited by the Geological Society of London.
Entry Requirements
A Levels
| Grades | AAA-ABB |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Two sciences preferred. |
| AS Levels | A pass in a further subject at AS level or equivalent is required. |
| GCSEs | English Language and Mathematics at grade C. For UK-based students, a grade C or equivalent in a foreign language (other than Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the foreign language requirement following enrolment, further details at: www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs |
IB Diploma
| Points | 34-38 |
|---|---|
| Subjects | A score of 16-18 points in three higher level subjects, preferably to include two sciences, with no score lower than 5. |
Other Qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Selected entry requirements will appear here
International Qualifications
International Qualifications
In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.
University Preparatory Certificates
UCL offers intensive one-year foundation courses to prepare international students for a variety of degree programmes at UCL.
The University Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are for international students of high academic potential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.
For more information see our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc
English Language Requirements
If English is not your first language you will also need to satisfy UCL's English Language Requirements. A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Degree Summary
Degree Benefits
- At least 105 days of field classes in Cornwall, Dorset, Scotland, Spain and Cyprus and independent field mapping projects in Scotland, Southern France and Spain, with financial support from the Department.
- The programme is fully accredited by the Geological Society of London, and the department will pay one year's subscription for you to become a student fellow of the society.
- World-leading research in mineral, ice and rock physics, and in geophysical hazards, is undertaken in the department and is used in the development of our courses.
- World-class facilities include hosting the UK's only NASA Regional Planetary Image Facility, use of the UCL University of London Observatory, and collaboration with the Natural History Museum.
Together with subject-specific skills, the Geology MSci also provides a strong intellectual and practical platform for those who wish to pursue non-geological careers as it integrates a wide range of ideas from many different scientific disciplines, including chemistry, physics and biology, and provides training in the application of scientific methods and knowledge to complex problems.
The programme includes studies of the nature of rocks and minerals, their mode of origin and environment of formation; the study of past life and palaeoenvironments; the physics and chemistry of the Earth and major Earth processes such as plate tectonics and mountain building (tectonics).
The first and second years provide core skills and knowledge in the subject. The third year provides opportunities for specialisation and diversification, with an emphasis on individual initiative and problem-based learning. Fieldwork provides a unique opportunity to develop independent and team skills and problem-solving abilities. During fieldwork students learn to apply and develop skills which complement and build upon lectures and laboratory-based coursework whilst being exposed to the true complexity of natural geological problems.
The first three years of the MSci programmes are identical to the BSc programmes. However, the additional fourth year of the MSci allows for an individual research project and advanced options, providing extra depth and breadth of knowledge.
Your Learning
We use a mixture of lectures, practical classes, field courses, directed reading, problem-orientated learning, private study and tutorials to enable you to gain the theoretical knowledge and practical skills demanded by the programme, as well as to develop key transferable skills such as critical analysis, report writing, team working and organisational skills.
Assessment
You will be assessed by a combination of written examinations, practical examinations, coursework, independent project reports and an oral examination.
Degree Structure
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual courses, normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for the year. Courses are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional courses varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Final Year
Further details available on degree page of subject website:
Your Career
The programme provides a broad education in Geology, integrating field and laboratory skills with theoretical studies. The strong emphasis on fieldwork provides a unique opportunity to develop independent and team skills, problem-solving abilities and specific skills such as rock identification, fabric recognition, map-making and the geometrical solving of complex three-dimensional structures.
All our students are encouraged and helped towards making informed career choices. We have excellent relationships with many employers in diverse aspects of the Earth and planetary sciences, and students are actively guided towards achieving their potential at UCL in preparation for their future careers.
In addition to further study, main employment destinations include exploration and production for mining, oil and engineering companies, groundwater resources management; investigating groundwater conditions associated with land use, such as planning, construction and waste disposal; and geological surveying, collecting geological information for maps and databases.
Destinations
First destinations of recent graduates (2009-2011) of UCL Geology programmes include:
- Exploration Geologist, Aston Metals (2011)
- Full-time student, MSc in Geology at the University of Aberdeen (2010)
- Full-time student, MSc in Petroleum Geoscience at Imperial College London (2009)
- Full-time student, MSc in Engineering Geology for Ground Models at Imperial College London (2009)
Find out more about London graduates' careers by visiting the Careers Group (University of London) website:
Application
Your Application
We will assess your application on the basis of your performance, or predicted performance academically, but we will also be looking for an indication of how your interest in natural and Earth sciences has developed, what aspects particularly appeal to you, and whether you have undertaken any research or reading to find out about the subject matter you wish to study.
How to Apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
If you are resident in the UK and your application demonstrates potential you will be invited to an applicant open day. This visit will include introductory talks on Earth sciences and our degree programmes, a tour of the department and UCL, and a question and answer session.
You may also have a one-to-one discussion with a member of academic staff in which we aim to find out more about your personal interests and motivation.
Applicants from regions distant from London and from outside the UK are not normally required to attend for an interview, and we reach a decision on making an offer on the basis of the application alone.
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