Applied and Environmental Geology MGeol
4-5 years
This degree gives you masters-level expertise in geological resources, and you will undertake an independent research project on a topic that interests you. It has never been more important to find geoscience solutions to resource challenges, and you can be part of it.
Course information
Typical offer AAB
UK fee £9,250
UCAS code F611
International fee £22,600
Institute code L34
95% of students in work or further study six months after graduating (The Uni Guide 2021)
Accredited by the Geological Society of London
Course description
Course description
Whether you study for the BSc or the MGeol, your Applied and Environmental Geology degree will prepare you to meet the fundamental challenges of locating and managing Earth resources, whilst minimising the environmental impact of extraction. You will study how geoscience affects human activities within the ever-changing needs and challenges of a growing world population, and will learn how to apply your geological knowledge and skills to industrial and environmental systems, making you a highly employable geoscience graduate.
The first-year modules will lay the foundations, with topics spanning the breadth of the geosciences, and a field-trip to the beautiful Isle of Arran in Scotland. Also, by choosing the Applied and Environmental Geology degree when you apply, you will be assigned to a personal tutor who is a specialist in the field. In the second year, you will develop your skills and understanding across the geosciences, and start to specialise through a module on mineral deposits. In the third year, you will develop specialist expertise through a dissertation on a relevant topic of interest to you, alongside an environmental geoscience module and a bespoke field trip to Cornwall. You can also opt to take modules in applied subjects including mineral deposits and water quality and management, and therefore tailor the degree to your interests and career aspirations. We embed industry-standard skills and practices in our modules to help you build your confidence for the workplace and fully realise your potential.
Each year of the degree includes different field work opportunities including trips to Scotland, Spain and Wales where you will be able to apply all that you have learned here on campus.
BSc or MGeol: what's the difference?
Apply for a BSc degree if you want an ideal three-year route to becoming a professional geologist or you’re looking to pursue further geological studies through a specialist MSc course.
Apply for a four-year MGeol degree if you are looking to fast-track your professional geological employment or to continue on to PhD research after graduation. MGeol courses include a major cutting-edge independent research project on a topic chosen by you, giving you the opportunity to work with specialist analytical facilities, learn the skills required to succeed in a research environment and potentially see your work published in a peer-reviewed journal.
It is possible to transfer between the BSc and the MGeol up to the end of Year 2.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
- A-levels: AAB preferably including at least two from: Geology, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Use of Maths, Computer Science, Environmental Science, or Geography. We also consider one-science profiles with Geology, Maths, Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
- EPQ with A-levels: AAB + EPQ at grade B. A-level subjects preferably including at least two from: Geology, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Use of Maths, Computer Science, Environmental Science, or Geography. We also consider one-science profiles with Geology, Maths, Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English Language and Maths.
- Access to HE Diploma: Pass science diploma with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which must be at Distinction. To include Physics, Chemistry and Maths Level 3 credits.
- International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma with 30 points, including grade 5 in two science subjects at HL. Minimum of 3 in HL Maths or 4 in SL Maths required if grade C/4 not held at GCSE. Minimum of 4 in English Language required if grade C/4 not held at GCSE.
- BTEC Nationals: Pass Diploma with DDD (Science Related). Please contact department regarding eligibility.
- T Levels: Distinction in Science (with an Occupational Specialism in Laboratory technician)
Other national and international qualifications considered.
If you do not meet the entry requirements for this course, you can apply for:
- International Foundation Year – Engineering and Technology run by the Global Study Centre. This course is for international students whose academic and/or English results fall just below those required for direct entry to year one of the degree.
- Geology with Foundation Year BSc run by the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment. This course is for all students whose academic and/or English results fall just below those required for direct entry to year one of the degree.
Selection Process
When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.
If you receive an offer you will be invited to visit the department.
English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.0 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.
International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.
Countries listFees and funding
Fees and funding
UK Students
Starting in 2023
- £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
- Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,250 for that year
- Year in Industry: your fee will be 15% of the full-time tuition fee that applies in that year
Scholarships
You can apply for dedicated bursary schemes run by Aggregate Industries and Carl Zeiss Microscopy. These typically have a total value of £13,500 and include work experience with the sponsor. We also offer £1,700 of bursaries funded by the Holloway Trust for students to develop outreach projects. There are competitive prizes and awards in each year for academic achievement and overall performance.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
International Students
Starting in 2023
- £22,600 per year
- Year Abroad: £5,650, which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee
- Year in Industry: £3,390, which is 15% of the full-time tuition fee
If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.
From 2022 onwards, EU nationals will pay the International fee. If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).
Scholarships
You can apply for dedicated bursary schemes run by Aggregate Industries and Carl Zeiss Microscopy. These typically have a total value of £13,500 and include work experience with the sponsor. We also offer £1,700 of bursaries funded by the Holloway Trust for students to develop outreach projects. There are competitive prizes and awards in each year for academic achievement and overall performance.
Find out more about scholarships and funding.
Accreditation
Accreditation
All our degrees are accredited by the Geological Society of London, the professional body for geologists in the UK. Their accreditation panel said that our courses are “excellent” and they were “particularly impressed by the amount of fieldwork undertaken.”
Careers and employability
Careers and employability
All of our Geology degrees will provide you with the knowledge, technical and transferable skills required to achieve your professional goals. You’ll also benefit from a dedicated Careers Tutor with many years’ experience as an industry geologist.
Our annual Geology Careers Day is attended by a wide range of companies from across the geoscience sector. More than 50 companies are actively involved with Geology at Leicester, from funding major research projects to work experience opportunities.
Graduate destinations
Many of our graduates work as geoscientists involved in discovering, extracting and developing energy, mineral and water resources. Leicester graduates are also employed in the environmental sector, addressing issues of climate change, sustainability, waste management, environmental monitoring and remediation.
Some graduates have moved directly into other professions (e.g. teaching, banking, the media, management and the police). And around a quarter of our graduates go on to do further study for a Masters or a PhD.
Career Development Service
Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Career Development Service. We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.
Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals
We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 3: Health and well-being
- Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
- Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
- Goal 13: Climate action
- Goal 15: Life on land
Course structure
Year 1
Year 1
You will have a broad introduction to geoscience and discover the role of geology and geoscientists in today's society.
Modules
- First Year Tutorials
- The Rock Cycle – Our Dynamic Earth (double module)
- Micro to Macro: From Rock Properties to Plate Tectonics
- Palaeobiology and the Stratigraphic Record
- Natural Resources and Energy for the 21st Century
- Geological Maps and Structures
- Introductory Field Course (Arran)
All four of our geoscience subjects have the same first year so you can transfer between subjects before Year 2 if you wish to. This is the same as Year 1 of the BSc.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Year 2
Year 2
You will develop your understanding of the fundamental aspects of geoscience. A module in mineral deposits will begin your route into specialisation.
Modules
- Geological Field Skills (Spain, Anglesey and Lake District field courses)
- Magmatic and Metamorphic Processes
- Mineral Resources for Net-Zero Carbon 1
- Climate Change: Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation
- Introduction to Geochemistry
- Structure and Tectonics
- Depositional Processes and Environments
This is the same as Year 2 of the BSc. At the end of Year 2 your performance must meet a set level to continue on the MGeol. If this is not the case, you will transfer to the BSc and complete your degree in three years.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Optional Year in Industry
Optional Year in Industry
If you want to, you can take a year out between your second and third years and spend that time working in industry.
If you choose to do this, you’ll take a module in your second year that will help you to find a work placement and prepare you for the workplace. Throughout your placement, there will be structured support available to you from specialist staff at the University.
You’ll benefit from real-world experience in a commercial setting, enabling you to make an easier transition from studying to working after you finish your degree. It will also strengthen your CV significantly in preparation for entering the graduate labour market. On top of all this, you’ll be paid a salary for your placement.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Year 3
Year 3
Core modules
- Independent Field-Based Project (double module)
- Environmental Geoscience
- Mineral Exploration, Economics and Sustainability
Plus your Dissertation
Option modules
Choose one option module from:
Choose two option modules from:
- Earth Science in Education
- Planetary Science
- The Forensic, Archaeological and Geological Application of Microfossils
- The Mining Lifecycle Field Course – Cornwall
- Key Events in the Evolution of Planet Earth Viewed Through the Geological Lens of Wales - a field course
- Physical Volcanology
- Mineral Resources for Net-Zero Carbon 2 (if you have previously taken Mineral Resources for Net-Zero Carbon 1)
- Stable Isotopes in the Environment
- River Dynamics
This is the same as the final year of the BSc.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Final Year
Final Year
In your final year, you will carry out your own research project, often in collaboration with a company. It may involve fieldwork around the globe and will apply the scientific approach to solving problems of practical importance to industry. Specialist taught modules will equip you for a high-level career in industry or research.
Core modules
Option modules
Choose one or two option modules (depending on how many field courses you have chosen) from:
- Advanced Field Course
- Anthropogenic Impact on the Urban Environment
- Igneous Petrogenesis
- Fundamentals of GIS
- R for Data Science
- Living the Anthropocene
- Climate of the Future, the View from the Past
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork
Fieldwork can be one of the most stimulating and enjoyable experiences of your time on a Geology degree. Your field begins in the very first week of your studies with a day spent investigating the fascinating local geology of Leicestershire.
In Year 1, the Introductory Field Course takes place on Arran, a Scottish island with more geological variety per square kilometre than virtually anywhere else in the world. You’ll rapidly develop observation and recording skills through active participation in scientific discovery.
In your second year you will focus on developing the skills that will enable you to carry out your own geological fieldwork in a variety of terrains. We’ll guide you through this with field trips to Spain, Anglesey and the Lake District.
In your third year, you will carry out an Independent Field-based Project. You get to choose your own field area, allowing you to develop your geological interests (and showcase an impressive range of transferable skills!). Depending on the specialist modules you choose, there are also trips available to Tenerife, Cornwall and Pembrokeshire.
If you study for (or transfer onto) a four-year MGeol course, your final year will include an overseas trip as well as something more local. Some research projects can involve fieldwork, too.
And you’ll be pleased to know our staff are involved in field-based research worldwide, ensuring that our teaching draws on active field experience.
Fieldwork locations may vary and are subject to availability.
Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.
Why Leicester?
Job prospects are excellent: 95% of our Geology students are employed (or studying for a Masters degree) six months after graduating. (DLHE)
All our degrees are accredited by the Geological Society of London. They said that our courses are “excellent” and they were “particularly impressed by the amount of fieldwork undertaken”.
Your degree will take you to geologically fascinating locations across the UK and further afield, starting with a Year 1 trip to the Isle of Arran.
Our School operates an Open Door policy, meaning you can access support when you need it.
Reading list
See the types of texts you might read, over the summer, to get a feel for the course and arrive prepared and ready to go.
Teaching and learning
Our courses have a practical emphasis and are based on sound theoretical understanding.
You will be assessed through a combination of coursework, fieldwork, independent reports and projects, seminars, oral and poster presentations and computer-based tests, as well as formal exams.
We place a strong emphasis on safety training, time management, and student initiative.
Your personal tutor will provide you with individually tailored academic support throughout your degree. You will receive non-assessed feedback on every module to help you improve and prepare for your assessed work.
Through the Student-Staff Committee you can raise any issues relating to your studies and suggest course developments.
Apply now
| Course | Qualification | Duration | UCAS Code | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course Applied and Environmental Geology | Qualification MGeol | Duration 4 years full-time | UCAS Code F611 | Availability How to apply |
| Course Applied and Environmental Geology with a Year in Industry | Qualification MGeol | Duration 5 years full-time | UCAS Code F611 | Availability How to apply |
Data about this course
There is a real sense of community within Geology. The lecturers are incredibly approachable.