Earth Sciences

Earth Sciences is the integrated study of our planet as an interconnected system: the geosphere, oceans, atmosphere, and biosphere, all of which interact across timescales ranging from seconds to billions of years to produce the world we inhabit today. It is a discipline that draws together geology, geophysics, geochemistry, oceanography, and atmospheric science to understand both the deep-time history of the Earth and the processes that are driving environmental change in the present. Earth scientists investigate everything from the formation of mineral deposits and the dynamics of tectonic plates to the ocean circulation patterns that regulate climate.

At the University of St Andrews, this five-year, full-time MGeol integrates undergraduate and postgraduate study into a single programme, allowing you to graduate with a Masters-level qualification that is increasingly sought by employers and PhD programmes. The degree equips you with the skills and knowledge to investigate Earth as an interconnected system, studying its 4.6 billion year history and projecting potential paths for its near future. The programme includes a year abroad, extending your academic and geological experience internationally, and provides advanced training in research methods that prepares you for either doctoral study or professional practice at the highest level.

Graduates with a Masters-level Earth Sciences qualification are strongly placed for careers in the energy sector, mining and resource extraction, environmental consultancy, climate research, government environmental agencies, academic research, and the growing field of geohazard assessment. The MGeol is the standard academic route for those seeking Chartered Geologist status and for progression to doctoral research. The degree's integrated masters format represents the most direct route to the level of qualification that the geoscience sector increasingly expects of its most capable professionals.