Earth Sciences
Earth Sciences is the discipline that studies the entire physical Earth system, from the deep interior of the planet to its surface, oceans, and atmosphere, and the processes that have shaped and continue to shape it over billions of years. It is an inherently interdisciplinary field, drawing on geology, geochemistry, geophysics, palaeontology, and atmospheric science to understand the planet as a dynamic and interconnected system. The questions it addresses range from the formation of continents and the evolution of life to the behaviour of volcanic systems and the deep mechanisms of climate change.
Earth scientists work at the frontier between basic science and some of the most pressing practical challenges of our time.
At the University of Oxford, this four-year full-time programme provides a thorough and rigorous training in Earth sciences across all its major sub-disciplines. The four-year structure gives more time to develop depth and to engage with advanced and specialist topics than a three-year programme allows, and it leads to the integrated Master of Earth Sciences qualification. You will study mineralogy and petrology, structural geology, palaeontology, stratigraphy, geophysics, geochemistry, and the processes of the Earth surface and atmosphere, integrating these through a deep understanding of Earth history.
Fieldwork is central to Earth sciences education, and the programme includes field courses in locations chosen for their geological significance and variety.
Oxford's Earth Sciences department has exceptional research depth, and the undergraduate programme benefits directly from the work of an internationally distinguished faculty.
Graduates pursue careers in the oil and gas and minerals industries, environmental consultancy, hydrogeology, engineering geology, academic research, and government geological surveys. Many go on to postgraduate research in specialist areas. The four-year Oxford degree is one of the most prestigious qualifications available in the Earth sciences.