First year field trip to Monte Nerone, Italy

Vicky writes:

London is an exciting place to study and UCL offers an intimate learning environment central to the city. It combines excellent resources with a high standard of teaching, within an informal and interactive framework. The Department of Earth Sciences is friendly and welcoming, encouraging students to follow their own ambitions through a diverse network of course options and specialisations. You will be taught by leading researchers who are happy to lend their expertise and their support to any project large or small. Some fantastic field trip opportunities are offered both abroad and in the UK, providing the opportunity to learn and apply new skills. UCL understands the importance of active learning and provides free travel and accommodation to all students on field trips.

The unique atmosphere in Earth Sciences allowed me to explore a wide range of disciplines within the subject with the freedom to decide which direction my career was headed. I chose to follow my interests into the growing field of natural hazards by taking the MSc in Geophysical Hazards. The course covers a wide range of disciplines providing a good level of knowledge for moving into the insurance industry or for working with an NGO. A geological background has been invaluable for further study; the steep learning curve and transferable skills gained during the course provide a good base for working within any career. My time in the department has been thoroughly enjoyable. I benefited from the support that a smaller department can give; where independent thought and individuality are encouraged and valued.

While the learning curve in this discipline is steep and the workload heavy, my time in the department was both enjoyable and rewarding. To me it was the appeal of learning cutting edge issues such as space exploration and climate change through to the last 4.5 billion years of Earth history and to put the skills and knowledge learnt into practice on field trips. I found the tuition excellent and supportive and appreciated the ability for a small department to work together on the extremely enjoyable field trips. The fourth year (if chosen) is an excellent experience to research real projects that produce real results while having the opportunity to be introduced to new research techniques and equipment. If you also choose (like me) there is the chance to travel abroad for your research which is also a bonus!

She writes:

London is easily one of the most beautiful, exciting and cultural cities in the world. However, as a London native, I was naturally curious to move somewhere new when I began university. That was until I attended a "Women in Earth Sciences day" at UCL back in 1997 when I was just beginning to look into my undergraduate options. I was immediately impressed by the UCL Department of Earth Sciences, which had a very welcoming atmosphere as well as a serious attitude to teaching science. I was also pleased to see the effort being made to attract female earth scientists, still a commodity lacking in the global earth science community, from undergraduate up to professorial level. From this starting point I investigated what else the department and the university had to offer. I knew that the course included a number of field trips, but wasn't sure how these were to be paid for. I found out that the department covered all costs. Wasn't London a rather expensive place to live as an undergraduate? Yes it is, but certainly manageable and this is not something that should put you off.

I spent four years at UCL, attaining an MSci in Geology. During these four years I took virtually every course available, from classic geology subjects like mineralogy, igneous petrology, and sedimentology to more specialised ones like planetary geology and hydrogeology. The faculty at UCL encompass a wide variety of fields making it possible to explore all aspects of the subject. I found the programme of study scientifically rigorous, but thoroughly enjoyable at the same time. When it comes to socialising, UCL geology students know no bounds! For my MSci project I worked on a structural problem in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. This was a fantastic opportunity to work abroad and independently. This final year can seem a little daunting as you are conducting your own piece of research, but I received a great deal of support, and was inspired to continue on to a PhD in structural geology.

She writes:

During my four years at UCL, I gained a great insight into geoscience as a whole and was given the opportunity to study a vast array of subjects. Courses on offer included subjects such as geology, hydrogeology, climate systems, mineralogy and geohazards, to name but a few. All these made my degree as well rounded as possible and opened many doors to my future career. The courses were not just theory; 50% were lab based and included many field trips around the UK and abroad. I surveyed an ice sheet (Lonjökull) in Iceland with ground penetrating radar as well as mapping large parts of northern and southern Spain. All of which provided great in-the-field experience as well as increasing my confidence working in other countries.

GPR survey, Lonjökull, Iceland

After graduating, I joined a geophysical consultancy company based in southwest London. I started in the production group and worked on processing seismic survey lines for oil companies and research centres. I then worked with the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) team producing databases to link oil reservoir field and well survey data to reservoir modelling, analysis and map displays. After 3 years of working in a geophysical industry I wanted to experience other areas of scientific research and development. I now work for a pharmaceutical company in clinical trials. I found that a lot of the skills gained in my degree and in the petroleum industry were transferable and applicable to many aspects of my current role. I believe that my degree at UCL provided me a strong foundation to build upon and has given me the choice of any industry to focus my career on.