UCL Earth Sciences - Admissions

Geophysics in brief:
The dynamics of the solid Earth, the atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets and climate, the Earth’s gravity, magnetic and electrical fields, and its deep interior, including:
• the physics of the Earth and its constituent materials
• mechanics of earthquakes and plate tectonics
• rock physics and fluids in the crust.

The Geophysics degree takes a modern approach to teaching with courses based around strong laboratory practicals utilising sophisticated research-level equipment, and around theory workshops. Fieldwork training is provided in both first and second years and in the third year a major independent research project is undertaken.

What is Geophysics?

Geophysicists study the dynamics of the solid earth, the atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets and climate. They study the earth’s gravity, magnetic and electric fields, and the structure of the earth’s deep interior. With the discovery of continental drift and sea-floor spreading, driven by convection in the earth interior, geophysics became the focal point of the new earth sciences with its own global theory of plate tectonics. Today geophysics is at the intellectual forefront of science with the application of the new concepts in physics to the earth, such as the fractal geometry of nature and the exciting ideas of chaos and complexity.

Geophysics also has a very practical side. As only a tiny fraction of rocks that make up the Earth can be studied directly, geophysical exploration techniques are essential for the economic exploitation of mineral, water and hydrocarbon resources. The same techniques play key roles in modern archaeology and civil engineering. Whilst monitoring and modelling the storage and movement of fluids in the crust and sub-surface reservoirs is as important for waste disposal and maintenance of aquifer quality as for oil extraction and carbon sequestration.

Geophysics at UCL

At UCL we view geophysics in the broadest sense and the degree programmes aim to provide a complete study of the physics of the solid earth and its constituent materials, the atmosphere, oceans and ice sheets. The geophysics degrees offer a firm foundation in physics, maths, computing and geology. Students study the fundamentals of global geophysics, geophysical instruments and fieldwork, laboratory rock and ice physics, seismology, physics of the earth’s deep interior, weather, ice sheets and climate. The modular nature of UCL degrees means that geophysics students can take options in planetary science, such as Astrobiology, and space science, such as Solar and Magnetospheric Physics.

What distinguishes Geophysics at UCL from other universities are the strong links through research-led teaching with UCL’s Mineral, Ice and Rock Physics Laboratory, with is multi-million pounds experimental laboratories, the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling, with its world-leading position in satellite-remote sensing and modelling of the cryosphere, and the Benfield Hazard Research Centre, with its breadth of interest in geohazards ranging from landslides and volcanoes to hurricanes. Students benefit through lab-based experimental teaching and projects, access to original satellite data and contact with practioners in these fields.

Geophysics teaching themes at UCL:
• Mechanics of earthquakes and plate tectonics
• Structure and dynamics of the Earth’s deep interior
• Laboratory rock physics and study of fluids in the crust
• The atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets and climate physics
• Geohazards: earthquakes and volcanic hazards
• Independent research project in laboratory geophysics
• Independent field-based geophysics project work

Geophysics Fieldwork

Geophysics students are trained in geophysical field techniques. UCL has state-of-the-art geophysical instruments including the new must-do technique of ground penetrating radar (GPR), a new magnetometer/gradiometer (for archaeological and environmental surveys) and new, modern seismics. In the first year geophysics students take the introductory geological field courses in England. Second year geophysics students take the geological field techniques course in the Apennines, Italy, which include geological mapping and studying the geological record of climate change.

They also take an introductory course in geophysical field techniques, instrumentation and analysis. In the third year geophysics students take the new Active Tectonics field course, carrying out geophysical surveys across Vesuvius and earthquake faults in the Abruzzo mountains in Italy. This course links geophysical surveys to our major research interest of geohazards. Recent student geophysics third-year field projects have included fieldwork in Iceland and determining the structure of sand dunes in Namibia with GPR.

MSci Geophysics

Students may take the four-year MSci Geophysics degree. The MSci offers students comprehensive research training. In the fourth year students undertake a substantial independent research project individually supervised by a member of staff, leading to an MSci dissertation. Students plan and conduct their own research, which is linked directly to the leading research groups in the Department. Research may involve laboratory experiments, fieldwork or computer modelling.

Careers in Geophysics

Our geophysics graduates are in very great demand from industry and employment prospects
are high. Traditionally geophysics graduates have tended to the petroleum and mining industries, which with our London location we are able to maintain close contact. In recent years there has been increasing demand for geophysics graduates to work in environmental areas, which are more closely aligned to our own Department’s research interests.

We have close contact with the geohazards insurance industry and
organizations such as the Environment Agency. Geophysics graduates are well-rounded and have a wide range of transferable skills, developed through fieldwork, computer modelling and independent research, which are highly valued by employers in general, offering opportunities for careers in the City, commerce and government. Geophysics is also a firm foundation for entry to higher degrees. Recent geophysics graduates have gone onto to study for PhDs at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Cornell University and the University of Southern California (USC), as well as leading UK universities. Many students take MSc courses in geophysics, hydrogeology, etc. at UK universities or follow our own MSc in Geophysical Hazards. Geophysics offers graduates the opportunity of well-paid, exciting careers, involving worldwide travel and a broad range of problems to address.

Vicki Parry, Graduated BSc Geophysics, 2004.
Now starting a PhD in glaciology at the University of Edinburgh.

“Geophysics appealed to me as a way of learning about the Earth’s surface and subsurface. I have a
passion for the outdoors, and to look at the landscape around me and understand why it is why it is, and know how the subsurface can be investigated was what drew me into this subject. UCL stood out to me as to the variety of the subjects covered. Learning not just about the earth, but the atmosphere, weather, climate change and the solar system has provided a fascinating opportunity to broaden the scope of my degree. The laboratory facilities allowed my dissertation project to incorporate experiments using a variety of equipment to obtain some interesting results. The fieldwork provides an opportunity to put into practice the theory you have learnt in the lectures. Using the geophysical equipment and analyzing the results made all the homework’s beforehand suddenly make sense! All this combined has meant that now, when I come to leave I have many options open to me in terms of jobs or further education either going into more detailed geophysics courses, or as I have chosen to use this as a basis for PhD in changes in the Greenland ice sheet densities.”

Degree programmes in Planetary Science, Geophysics and Earth & Space Science share a common core but with a different emphasis for each programme; students may transfer between them in the first two years

More detailed info on the Geophysics Degree Programmes