Geology with a Year of Study Abroad

Geology is the science of the solid Earth, concerned with the rocks, minerals, structures and processes that have shaped our planet over billions of years. It is a discipline of enormous practical importance: geologists locate and evaluate the mineral, energy and water resources on which human civilisation depends, assess the hazards posed by earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides, and understand the deep history of the Earth that provides the context for everything that lives on its surface. It is also a discipline of great intellectual richness, requiring the integration of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics to reconstruct processes that occurred long before any human observer was present.

At Cardiff University, this degree includes a year of study abroad, giving you the opportunity to engage with geology in a different geological environment and academic culture, broadening both your scientific understanding and your professional perspective. You will study the core areas of geology, including mineralogy, petrology, stratigraphy, palaeontology, structural geology, geochemistry and geophysics, alongside the field skills that are central to the discipline. Fieldwork is an essential part of geological training, and you will develop practical skills in rock description, mapping, sampling and data collection in real geological settings.

Geology graduates are in demand across the energy sector, mineral resources, environmental consultancy, engineering geology, hydrogeology and hazard assessment, as well as in academia and public geological survey organisations. The energy transition is creating new demand for geologists with expertise in critical mineral resources, geothermal energy and carbon capture and storage, and the field is expanding in scope as the urgency of these issues grows. The year of study abroad adds international experience that is valuable in a profession that operates globally.

Postgraduate study in geology, geophysics, environmental geoscience or resource management is also a common route for those wanting to specialise.