UCL Department of Earth Sciences is ranked second in the "Earth and Marine Sciences" subject ratings by
The Guardian.
UCL is now ranked 4th best university in the UK (up from place 6 last year) by the Sunday Times
Full accreditation for Geology, Environmental Geoscience and Geophysics degree programmes
RAE 2008 Outcome:
3.050 Average ranking - 3rd best after Cambridge and Oxford Universities December 2008
The Earth is a dynamic and active planet, as revealed by dramatic and sometimes catastrophic volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. To understand how our planet works, how it has evolved and what is its future, the ideas and principles of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics are integrated in the exciting and stimulating studies which make up the Earth Sciences. Earth Scientists are now able to trace the movements of the continents over the past 150 million years, and they continue to explore the fundamental mechanisms that control crustal movements. Major uncertainties remain concerning Earth history and the complex interactions that link the Earth’s climate to Earth surface processes and environments. These uncertainties represent exciting challenges for geological research today and in the future.
Employment in the Earth Sciences can take you far and wide on fieldwork, to a variety of climates, to drilling rigs in the cold of Alaska or the heat of central Africa, to geophysical surveys on Antarctica, to the Himalayas, and to sea, drilling the ocean floor. Geological mapping can take you anywhere on Earth. Many geoscientists also work in the laboratory; they gather data, analyse samples, and interpret results often using computer modelling. Opportunities for employment draw directly on the knowledge and skills provided by an Earth Sciences degree. The practice of sample collection, analysis and the review of scientific data, the development and objective testing of hypotheses, and the presentation of a scientific argument, are skills that are widely appreciated by employers in general. The Earth Sciences are fascinating, and fun. Earth Scientists make fundamental contributions to the world economy, and provide invaluable guidance on policy for resources and the environment.
Earth Sciences can also be studied as a major or minor stream within Natural Sciences, along with another
stream chosen from Chemistry, Life Sciences, Physics, Mathematics or
Science and Technology Studies as appropriate. Within Earth Sciences
you can choose one of two streams: Geophysical Sciences and Earth and Environment.
Fieldwork at UCL
Fieldwork provides a unique opportunity to develop independent and team skills
and problem-solving abilities. UCL Earth Sciences degree programmes include:
• up to 3 months of fieldcourses, with financial support from the Department
• fieldcourses in the UK and continental Europe, including Spain and Italy
Teaching at UCL is research-led.
Amongst our staff are leaders in the fields of:
• predicting the progress of contaminants in groundwater
• monitoring volcanoes and predicting eruptions
• applying knowledge of microfossils to analyze past environments, so as to understand global climate changes in the geological past
• predicting earthquakes and examining the fundamental physics of rock deformation
• unravelling the structure and mineralogy of the deep Earth
• establishing the details of vertebrate evolution, a vital part of the evolution of life on Earth
• measurements and modelling of environmental conditions in the polar regions, and the implications of, and for, climate change
• understanding the forces that drive plate tectonics, surface deformation and topography
Hear what our
students say … "While the learning curve in this discipline is steep ... my time in the department was both enjoyable and rewarding ..." - More ...
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