BSc (Hons) Applied Geology - Career, further study and research opportunities
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    KEY FACTS

    • Title
      BSc (Hons) Applied Geology
    • Course type
      Full-time
    • Duration
      3 years (no placement)
    • Award
      Bachelor of Science - BSc (Hons)
    • Faculty
      Faculty of Science and Technology
    • School
      School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
    • UCAS codes
      Institution P60
      Course F610
    • Location
      Plymouth
Skip Navigation LinksPlymouth University > courses > undergraduate > BSc (Hons) Applied Geology > Career, further study and research opportunities
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The course provides a route to employment in a wide range of geologically related industries around the world. Graduates are employed in the geotechnical industry and in resource exploration and production. The transferable skills developed on this course will make you very attractive to a wide range of non-geological employers.

Our applied geology degree course provides not only a strong foundation for a career in geology, but also a science education relevant to a broad range of professional opportunities. The staff at Plymouth have wide experience in professional geology, so this course has a natural bias towards a hands-on applied approach. Our graduates have been successful in a range of careers, including positions with geotechnical companies, the oil industry, in the provision of water supplies in the developing world and even exploring Antarctica. The skills taught are directly transferable to other careers including management; administration; information technology; teaching; and research.

GEOLOGY: CAREER OPTIONS

Information provided by our Careers & Employability Service

Kate, our Careers Adviser for geology, says:Students in the Fitzroy laboratory undertaking map work
"A full range of job opportunities exist within the geosciences; seeking to preserve the earth's natural resources and environment. Geoscientists can work within various sectors and industries including geological surveying, engineering, mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and production, environmental consultancy, conservation, geosciences research and education.

Many provide opportunities to travel and conduct work within the field environment. Currently the oil and gas sector employ the most geosciences graduates and, in the UK, the Geological Survey and the Environment Agency are the largest employers of graduates with a geosciences subject.

On average, 25% of geosciences graduates go onto a postgraduate study before entering a career in geosciences. In addition, many geosciences graduates enter non-geosciences professions including teaching, accountancy and business"

Visit the Plymouth University Careers website for more information on any of these areas or visit the Careers & Employability Team in Gateway in the Roland Levinsky Building.

Skills you can develop during this course include:

  • Producing and analysing
  • Communication
  • Interpreting and presenting data
  • Problem solving
  • Risk assessment

​Relevant Work Experience

Large organisations such as BP, Shell and Exon Mobil co-ordinate summer placements for undergraduate students just before their final year of study. These are competitive; however they are worth considering as they provide such a useful insight into a large organisation, related to a degree course in geosciences.
 
Meeting local employers at events such as careers fairs, employer presentations and talks organised by professional groups, such as the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, can provide useful networks and enable conversations about opportunities for work experience to occur. Speculatively sending CVs to local environmental consultancies and engineering companies is a good starting point as opportunities for summer work on specific projects may exist.
Previous Plymouth University graduates from this course are now employed in a wide variety of roles, some of which include: mud-logging geologist, teaching assistant, exploration geologist, assistant boat builder and an assistant thatcher.

(Source: DLHE Survey 2010)

​A degree in an earth sciences subject will also give you the opportunity to study to postgraduate level. We offer earth sciences related programmes in the following subjects:

MSc Environmental Consultancy
MSc Hydrography
MSc Marine Policy and Planning
MSc Planning

MRes/MSc Marine Renewable Energy
MRes/MSc Sustainable Environmental Management
Fossil