Geosciences & Sustainable Energy
Royal Holloway, University of London
UCAS Code: FH62 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
including a Science subject Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. Socio-economics factors which may have impacted an applicant's education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants. Acceptable Science subjects: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Geology, Chemistry, Geography, Biology.
Access to HE Diploma
In a relevant subject with at least 24 level 3 credits in Science units at Distinction. Please note that the Access to Higher Education Diploma will only be acceptable if the applicant has had a considerable break from education.
Applicants with the Cambridge Pre-U are strongly encouraged to apply to Royal Holloway. Offers will be made on the basis of equivalent A-Level grades as can be found on the Royal Holloway website.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
We require at least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9 - 4 including English and Mathematics.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
5,5,5 at Higher Level, including an acceptable Science subject, with a minimum of 32 points overall.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Including H3 in one acceptable Science subject.
Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
In a Science subject. Substantial Maths content is required.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In a relevant subject, plus one A-level grade B in an acceptable Science subject.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
Plus two A-levels grades BB including one A-level in an acceptable Science subject.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
In a Science subject. Substantial Maths content is required.
Scottish Advanced Higher
Including an acceptable Science subject.
Scottish Higher
Including an acceptable Science subject.
Requirements are as for A-levels where one non-subject-specified A-level can be replaced by the same grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
We recognise the importance of sustainable Geosciences and the growing demand for graduates who are leaders of the movement to understand climate change and can support the energy transition. BSc Geosciences and Sustainable Energy is a new degree designed to provide a clear and distinct pathway leading to a career in shaping society’s response to sustainable energy and the booming sustainable energy business.
On this innovative new degree you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed to take an active part in the energy transition and the movement towards building a cleaner and more sustainable society.
You’ll develop a deep understanding of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, ocean energy, and the emerging technologies to harness the power of natural resources, as well as efficient resource management, and how to minimise waste and reduce pollution. You’ll explore energy storage technologies and acquire experience in subsurface evaluation for sustainable resources and critical elements minerals, developing analytical geoscience skills such as geophysics and geospatial data analysis (GIS).
You’ll study in a department consistently ranked among the top 10 in the country (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020), and home to an inspiring research culture that informs our teaching. You’ll enjoy field work opportunities in the UK and overseas, and become a part of an inclusive, community-focused department with a strong staff-to-student ratio.
Throughout your degree you'll acquire practical skills and analysis abilities and be competent to prepare presentations and reports suitable for professionals of the energy sector as well as being accessible for wider interests.
You’ll graduate with a comprehensive understanding of geoscience processes, their role in shaping the Earth and their relevance for the development of a sustainable society.
- Taught by academics involved in cutting edge research with extensive industry connections
- Develop an in-depth understanding of the complex issues around climate change and energy transition
- Gain practical skills geared towards a career in the energy sector and other related fields
- Graduate with excellent employability prospects in the booming sustainable energy business.
Modules
Please refer to our website for information: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/undergraduate/earth-sciences/geosciences-sustainable-energy/
Assessment methods
Teaching and learning is conducted primarily by means of practical classes. Lectures are used to introduce material and provide a context for private study, while tutorials supplement and reinforce knowledge and understanding. Field and laboratory project work carried out as individuals or in teams represent valuable opportunities for students to develop in-depth knowledge of specialist areas and help bring the syllabus to life.
Assessment is through a mix of coursework and end-of-year examination in varying proportions, depending on the chosen course units. Coursework can include literature research reports, fieldwork and laboratory exercises and reports, computer-based research projects, oral presentations and independent dissertations.
The first year is foundational, and marks do not count towards your final degree. The second and final-year marks do count, with the final year marks being more heavily weighted in order to reward progress and achievement. In the final year you will carry out an independent research project and write a research report with individual guidance from your tutor.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Royal Holloway, University of London
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?
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Earth sciences
Teaching and learning
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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.
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.
£20k
£26k
£31k
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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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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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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