Geophysics
Entry requirements
A level
Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Two Science subjects. To include Mathematics or Further Mathematics. 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.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
General information on subjects/grades required for entry: Seventeen points (6, 6, 5) at Higher Level including two Science subjects. Including one of HL Maths Analysis and Approaches or HL Maths Applications and Interpretation.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Two science subjects required including Mathematics.
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham. This course requires science and mathematics content.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Applicants may be required to meet additional subject-specific requirements for particular courses at Durham. This course requires science and mathematics content.
Scottish Advanced Higher
Two science subjects required including Mathematics.
Scottish Higher
Departments will normally make offers based on Advanced Highers. In the absence of 3 Advanced Highers, where these are not offered by the applicant’s school, offers comprising of Advanced Highers and Highers or a number of Highers may be made on a case by case basis. Two science subjects required including Mathematics.
UCAS Tariff
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About this course
Geophysics is the application of physical principles to study the structure of the Earth and other planets, and the physical processes that shape their surfaces and environments. Geophysicists are involved with assessing and mitigating natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. Geophysics is also essential to the discovery and recovery of natural resources, including critical minerals and hydrocarbons, and the evaluation of groundwater and carbon storage reservoirs.
The first year of the Geophysics degree introduces core concepts that underpin an understanding of the Earth as a physical system, including its composition and geological history, through compulsory modules shared with our other degree courses. Compulsory first-year modules also develop the quantitative mathematics, physics and computing skills that underpin modules later in the Geophysics degree.
In the second and third years, you will deal with material that is specialist, numerically based and at the cutting edge of geophysical research. Modules cover topics including the use of research equipment to collect geophysical data in the field; the analysis and visualization of data to understand processes at and beneath Earth’s surface; and the behaviour of hazardous geological flows. You will also be free to choose one module each year offered by any department in the University, subject to timetable constraints.
Graduates from our courses have secured employment across the geoscience sector, within the environmental and hydro-geological industries, in petroleum exploration, and in mineral exploration and extraction companies. The advanced quantitative skills developed during this course can provide a strong base for securing employment outside geoscience, for example, in finance, insurance and data science.
For more information on this course, including a list of all optional modules, please see our website.
Modules
Year 1 Compulsory modules: Earth Materials, Understanding Earth Sciences, Field Studies, Further Mathematics for Geoscientists, Geoinformatics.
Year 2 Compulsory modules: Fieldwork (Geophysical), Geophysical Methods for Geoscientists, Geophysical Data Applications.
Year 3 Compulsory modules: Dissertation, Earth Structure and Dynamics, Hazardous Geophysical Flows.
For information about our optional modules please visit our courses database.
Tuition fees
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What students say
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Earth sciences
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After graduation
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Earth sciences
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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.
Earth sciences
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
£41k
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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Post-six month graduation stats:
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Graduate field commentary:
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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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