Geology
By Emma Prest
Published: 15 August 2004
What do you come out with? BA, BSc or MSc.
Why do it? Because you're interested in the environment, the evolution of the planet, the history of the solar system, fossils, meteorite impacts, volcanoes, earthquakes, as well as in questions such as whether Mars has life. You want to travel to exotic places, spend time outdoors and do something interesting with your life.
What's it about? The application of basic science to the study of the earth - the physics, chemistry and biology of the earth. It's an interdisciplinary subject containing much investigation and observation. Cambridge's geological sciences degree is more numerate than most. You are taught about the evolution of life, rocks, minerals, tectonic plates. Some universities run an undergraduate Masters lasting four years: Oxford's is called a Masters of Earth Science (MESc), Cambridge's is a MSci. Leeds has five degrees in geophysics, environmental geology, geological sciences, earth surface processes and geography-geology. Plymouth runs a degree in applied geology and geological sciences plus a four-year MGeol. Leicester runs BSc's and Mgeol's in Geology, Geology Applied and Environmental and Geology with Paleobiology. It is possible to transfer between the BSc's and Mgeol's. There are no options in the first year, with the chance to begin specialising in the second year and a vast array of option in the third year. You can do courses in topics such as petrophysics, industrial rocks and minerals, volcanology and paleobiology. One course you can choose is entitled ?Hot Topics' where students read around a relevant topic, get together and discuss it. Manchester offer a BSc or MEarthSci in geology with planetary science and a BSc geology with geography.
How long is a degree? Three years for a Bachelors, four years for a MSc or for a degree in Scotland.
What are the students like? They are scientists or arts students who want to switch to science. Oxford and Cambridge students tend to be exclusively scientists. At Edinburgh students can combine the subject with a foreign language, business and IT. Students also need to be outdoorsy, able to withstand the British rain and climb the odd hill. According to one university professor, "they wear sturdy boots, fleeces and have rosy cheeks". The UNIQOLL survey at Leeds shows that students on degrees with fieldtrips are more likely to have a more active social life.
How is it packaged? Be prepared to do a lot of practicals and labwork. Fifty per cent examinations to 50 per cent course assessment at Edinburgh, Leeds and Plymouth; Oxford and Cambridge rely on big bang finals only for the three-year degrees. At Manchester the emphasis is on continual assessments and practicals.
How cool is it? Getting cooler. Applications are perhaps rising because of interest in the environment. Or maybe because there's greater awareness that tomorrow we could be wiped out by an asteroid.
What A-levels do you need? Edinburgh likes two science A-levels and three science Highers; Leeds likes maths, physics and chemistry but will take you with other A-levels; Oxford favours A-levels in physics, chemistry, biology or maths; Cambridge will take with two science A-levels. Manchester and Leicester like one science.
What grades? AAA at Cambridge; AAA-AAB at Oxford; BCC Leicester (BBC for geography with geology); BBB at Edinburgh or BBBBB at Highers. BBC at Manchester. Leeds want BBC-BCC for most of their geology related degrees, BBB for BSc Geography-Geology and AAA for the Mgeol with a year in the States.
Will you be interviewed? Yes at Oxford, Cambridge; not at Edinburgh, Leicester and Plymouth; Leeds interviews on the Open Day.
Will it keep you off the dole? Yes. Jobs are available in oil, water, consulting, geological services, and environmental companies. Some graduates go into the City and accounting. It's a good training for management because you have to learn to draw conclusions from inadequate evidence.
What do students say? Graham Andrews, 26, who studied an Mgeol Geology at Leicester. "I really enjoyed it, especially all the field trips. It was fun to go and live and work somewhere completely different. We went to Tenerife to study volcanology and I am now going to Mexico as part of my PHd."
Where's best for teaching? Excellent scores were awarded to Imperial, Kingston, Open University, Royal Holloway, Queen's Belfast, University College London, Birmingham, Cambridge, Derby, Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Plymouth, Reading and Southampton.
Where's best for research? Cambridge and Oxford got a tip-top 5*; Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Open University and Edinburgh got a 5; Birkbeck, Durham, Imperial, Leicester, Reading, Royal Holloway, UCL and Cardiff got a 4.
Where's the cutting edge? At Leeds it's the origin of the earth's magnetic field, the fossil forests of Antarctica, volcanoes, sedimentary processes, geodynamics and research into oil petroleum reservoirs. At Edinburgh it's chemical oceanography, petroleum geoscience, the earth's magnetic field, palaeontology, petrology and mineralogy. At Oxford it's tectonic research on the evolution of mountain belts and the formation of the Himalayas, early history of the biosphere, early solar system and the formation of hydrocarbon source rocks. At Cambridge it's early life, the chemistry of the oceans, what happens when the earth's crust becomes deformed by earthquakes. At Plymouth it's palaeomagnetism and micropalaeontology. Leicester is hot on mass extinctions, gas hydrates and the breaking up of continents. Manchester is big in the environmental science and planetary areas.
Who are the stars? At Edinburgh, Professor Geoffrey Boulton, quaternary geologist and glaciologist, Professor Anton Ziolkowski, exploration seismology, Professor Dick Kroon, expert in palaeo-oceanography and Professor Colin Graham. At Oxford, John Dewey who helped to establish the plate-tectonic theory and Dr Philip England, FRS, on how the Himalayas formed. At Cambridge, Professor Dan McKenzie, plate-tectonic theory, Professor Harry Elderfield, chemistry of the oceans, Professor Sir Nick Shackleton, expert on why Ice Ages occur, Professor Simon Conway Morris, on early life. At Leeds, Professor David Gubbins, FRS, expert on the origin of the earth's magnetic field, and Professors Jim Best and Rob Knipe. At Plymouth Professor Malcolm Hart, micropalaeontologist, and Professor Don Tarling, palaeomagnetist. At Leicester, Professors David Siveter, Andrew Saunders and Peter Maguire. At Manchester, Professors David Vaughan, Grenville Turner and Ernie Rutter.
Added value: They offer the chance to spend one year in North America e.g. at Penn State or the University of California at Santa Barbara. Heaven! Alternatively you can go to Europe for a year and this will soon extend to Australia and New Zealand. This four-year degree leads to an Mgeol/Mgeophys qualification. You may also be able to spend a year in industry. Field trips are an integral part of any geology degree. Study volcanology in Tenerife at Leicester. Manchester organise field trips to Spain, France and possibly Sardinia. Go to Ireland and Cyprus with Leeds. Or to Spain and the Alps if you are on their geography-geology programme.
More details? Visit the Geological Society website www.geolsoc.org.uk
