Earth Sciences
Durham University
UCAS Code: F644 | Master of Science (with Honours) - Msci (Hon)
Entry requirements
A level
Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Two science subjects. For the Geophysics route, Mathematics or Further Mathematics at A-level at grade B or above, or a comparable qualification in Mathematics is required. Specific subjects excluded for entry: Critical Thinking and General Studies. Information: Applicants taking Science A-levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This refers only to English A Levels.
Access to HE Diploma
We require 60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 (or equivalent). Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Eighteen points (6, 6, 6) at Higher Level including two Science subjects required.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Scottish Advanced Higher
General information on subjects/grades required for entry: Two Science subjects required.
Scottish Higher
We will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. If an applicant has not been able to take 3 Advanced Highers, offers may be made with a combination of Advanced Highers and Highers, or on a number of Highers.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Earth Sciences is a four-year Masters degree course that has been designed to provide a comprehensive and rigorous education in all aspects of Earth Sciences with the opportunity to interact with staff at the cutting-edge of scientific research. It provides you with the opportunity to follow the Geology (F600) or Environmental Geosciences (F630) or Geophysics with Geology (F662) Geoscience (F643) for the first three years and undertake a detailed independent research project in the area of your choice in the fourth year. The MSci Earth Sciences course incorporates a substantial amount of independent (and group) project work which will involve you in high-level quantitative investigations, in addition to advanced key skills training.
If you have been accepted on the BSc degree course you can choose to transfer to the four-year MSci degree in Earth Sciences (F644) at the end of your second year. This will depend on your progress in the first two years.
It is suitable if you have a strong interest in research in the Earth Sciences, graduates from this course have secured PhD research positions at prestigious universities worldwide.
**Years 1 to 3**
(Compulsory and optional modules) You are required to choose modules from one of the routes Geology (F600), Environmental Geosciences (F630), Geophysics with Geology (F662)or Geoscience (F643).
**Year 4**
Compulsory module: Research Project
Optional modules: Communicating Science / Earth Science Field Seminar / Earth Sciences into Industry / Geological Evolution and Petroleum Systems of the British Isles IV / Environmental Geochemistry IV / Deformation Processes in the Lithosphere IV / Advanced Geophysics IV / Earth System and Climate IV
Earth Structure and Dynamics
We review course structures and core content (in light of e.g. external and student feedback) every year, and will publish finalised core requirements for 2021 entry from September 2020.
For more information on this course, please see our website.
Modules
ears 1 to 3
Compulsory and optional modules
You are required to choose modules from one of the routes Geology, Environmental Geosciences , Geophysics with Geology or Geoscience .
Year 4
Compulsory module:
Research Project.
Optional modules:
Communicating Science
Earth Science Field Seminar
Earth Sciences into Industry
Geological Evolution and Petroleum Systems of the British Isles IV
Environmental Geochemistry IV
Deformation Processes in the Lithosphere IV
Advanced Geophysics IV
Earth System and Climate IV
Earth Structure and Dynamics.
We review course structures and core content (in light of e.g. external and student feedback) every year, and will publish finalised core requirements for 2021 entry from September 2020.
Please note that the list of optional modules available in any year will vary depending on available teaching staff. The lists above provide an example of the type of modules which may be offered.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Stephenson College
South College
St Cuthbert's Society
College of St Hild and St Bede
St Aidan's College
St Mary's College
University College
St Chad's College
Trevelyan College
Van Mildert College
Hatfield College
Grey College
No college preference
Josephine Butler College
Collingwood College
John Snow College
St John's College
Earth Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Earth sciences
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Earth sciences
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Geography, earth and environmental studies
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£25k
£31k
£39k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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Higher entry requirementsThis is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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