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University of Southampton

UCAS Code: F602 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)

Entry requirements

A level

A,B,B

ABB at A-level to include no more than one science subject relevant to your application.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

60 credits overall with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 at Merit.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D3,M2,M2

D3, M2, M2 to include no more than one science subject from Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Psychology and Geography. Cambridge Pre-U's can be used in combination with other qualifications such as A Levels to achieve the equivalent of the typical offer, where D3 can be used in lieu of A Level grade A or grade M2 can be used in lieu of grade B.

Extended Project

A

If you are taking an EPQ in addition to 3 A levels, you will receive the following offer in addition to the standard A level offer: BBB to include no more than one relevant science subject and grade A in the EPQ

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

Pass with 32 points overall with a minimum of 16 points at Higher Level, to include no more than one relevant science subject. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP): The University of Southampton accepts the IBCP for entry to their degree programmes, recognising the value of combining academic skills with practical skills, providing a solid preparation for university level work. Offers will be made on the individual components of the IBCP. Applicants not taking the full IBCP but presenting with a combination of a Level 3 vocational qualification and IB Certificates may still be considered. Offers will be made on the individual Diploma Course subject(s) and the career-related study qualification. The CP core will not form part of the offer. Where there is a subject pre-requisite(s), applicants will be required to study the subject(s) at Higher Level in the Diploma course subject and/or take a specified unit in the career-related study qualification. Applicants may also be asked to achieve a specific grade in those elements. Please see the University of Southampton International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H1,H2,H2,H2,H3,H3

H1, H2, H2, H2, H3, H3 to include no more than one science subject from Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Psychology, Environmental Studies, Geography and Geology.

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma

DD

DD + B at A-Level (or equivalent), to include no more than one relevant science subject.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

D

D + AB at A-Level (or equivalent), to include no more than one relevant science subject.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

DDM

to include Distinctions in the majority of modules

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DDM

to include Distinctions in the majority of modules

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD

DD + B at A-level (or equivalent) to include no more than one relevant science subject

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

to include Distinctions in the majority of modules

Offers will be based on exams being taken at the end of S6. Subjects taken and qualifications achieved in S5 will be reviewed. Careful consideration will be given to an individual’s academic achievement, taking in to account the context and circumstances of their pre-university education. Please see the University of Southampton’s Curriculum for Excellence Scotland Statement for further information. Applicants are advised to contact their Faculty Admissions Office for more information. Applicants are also required to have achieved a pass in Maths and English at Standard Grade Grade 3 or National 5 Grade C, the equivalent of GCSE Grade C/Grade 4.

We normally consider applicants who offer at least 1 Advanced Higher. Applicants presenting with only Highers will be considered on a case by case basis. Where Highers are taken over two years it might be expected that higher grades are achieved, particularly in any specific subjects required. For example, S5 – S6 (2 years): AABBB (A in specific subject) or S6 (1 year): ABBBB (A in specific subject).

T Level

D

An overall distinction with grade A in the core element

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

B

ABB from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate and two A-Levels, to include no more than one relevant science subject.

UCAS Tariff

128

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course

Course option

4years

Full-time | 2025

Subject

Geology

The Science Foundation Year can be your route onto a science degree at Southampton if you haven’t studied the necessary subjects to meet our direct entry requirements. If you can achieve ABB at A Level, or are a mature student with relevant skills and experience, then this course can be your way into the sciences.

Our foundation year offers you a rapid introduction to biology, chemistry and mathematics, equipping you with the knowledge, skills and attributes that are needed to meet the challenges of your chosen undergraduate degree. You will undertake laboratory work and a variety of assignments to develop your critical thinking and problem solving.

This programme may suit you if you are studying for A Levels in subjects different from those normally required for our science degrees. It may also interest you if you are a mature applicant, with skills and experience from employment and can show recent study, or if you come from a part of the world where the education system is different from the British A level system.

Please see our website for entry requirements and the full list of degree programmes you can automatically progress on to after successful completion of the Science Foundation Year.

Modules

Whatever degree course you are aiming for, you will take all the modules listed below. All modules are studied for the whole year. The coursework module integrates elements from the different disciplinary modules and is assessed by a range of approaches.
Modules:
GSCI0008 Fundamentals of Biology,
GSCI0009 Fundamentals of Chemistry,
GSCI0011 Laboratories and Coursework,
GSCI0010 Mathematics for Scientists,
GENG0014 Routes to Success,

For more information, visit the course page.

Please note: information included was correct at time of publication, March 2024.

Assessment methods

You will be assessed through unseen written exams, short tests, assessed coursework in the form of laboratory log books and reports, problems and other set assignments.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£24,800
per year
International
£24,800
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni

Course location:

Main Site - Highfield Campus

Department:

FELS Central

Read full university profile

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.

76%
Geology

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

86%
Staff make the subject interesting
94%
Staff are good at explaining things
81%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
75%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

90%
Library resources
91%
IT resources
86%
Course specific equipment and facilities
51%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

94%
UK students
6%
International students
64%
Male students
36%
Female students
93%
2:1 or above
7%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
A

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.

£22,000
high
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
73%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

20%
Natural and social science professionals
11%
Business, research and administrative professionals
8%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals

The market for geologists is has been quite linked to the oil industry for some time now, and the drop in the price of oil has meant the industry has stopped recruiting as many people for the time being. Geologists are still in demand, though, so the main effect has been to reduce the opportunities - and salaries - for geologists working abroad. At home, the oil industry remains a big employer, and so are the mining, civil engineering, construction and consultancy industries, with geology graduates working as geologists, geophysicists, civil engineers and environmental professionals.

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.

£22k

£22k

£28k

£28k

£31k

£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.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
place
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Lower entry requirements
place
University of Southampton | Southampton
Geology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2025
UCAS Points: 120-128

This 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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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the 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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here