Overview

Our Geology course offers a broad education in the geosciences from the processes that govern the Earth’s surface and interior, to the interactions between society and the Earth.

You’ll study all the essential geoscience disciplines: the sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic origins of rocks and minerals; the evolution of life on Earth; plate tectonics and the structural deformation of rocks; natural hazards and climate change; geotechnics; geological mapping and fieldwork; the sustainable management of natural resources and the development of clean geoenergy.

There’s a strong emphasis on applying your knowledge in the real world through practical hands-on learning and field trips, and you’ll be equipped with all the geological skills necessary to understand and work in the modern world.

Our degrees are professionally accredited by The Geological Society.

Learning and teaching

Most modules combine lectures with practicals, workshops or seminars, depending on the subject. These are enhanced with skills classes, fieldtrips and small group academic tutorials. You can expect to study in a variety of settings, from large lecture theatres to computer clusters, seminar rooms, tutorials, laboratories, visualisation suites and out in the field.

Our state-of-the-art building, hosting specifically equipped facilities such as the Earth Visualisation Laboratory, is in the centre of the campus and provides an ideal working environment, and offers quiet study and coffee areas when you are not in class.

We offer research-led teaching across the breadth of our disciplines, from specialists in their field. As Leeds is a research-intensive Russell Group University, you’ll be studying amongst staff who are at the cutting edge of research world-wide, and who will incorporate this expertise into their teaching.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

You'll be assessed through a variety of methods, specifically designed to help students learn, whatever their preferred learning style. We use both coursework and exams, but with a general progression from an emphasis on exams in year 1 towards an emphasis on coursework in your final year.

Career opportunities

Geology graduates are highly regarded by employers for their skills in detailed observations, teamwork, problem solving, IT and data handling and manipulation.

Studying Geology at Leeds opens the door to a wide range of careers. The solid scientific basis of your course and the fieldwork involved gives your degree a high value in a number of employment sectors.

Oil and mineral industries are the traditional employers for geologists, but you’ll also find career opportunities in new and expanding areas of engineering and environmental protection such as renewable energies.