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2021/22 Undergraduate Programme Catalogue

MGeol, BSc Geology (International)

Programme code:MGLS-GEOL9UCAS code:F601
Duration:4 Years Method of Attendance: Full Time
Programme manager:Dr Dan Morgan Contact address:d.j.morgan@leeds.ac.uk

Total credits: 480

Entry requirements:

Normally three A-Levels, or 2 A-levels and 2 AS-levels, at grades AAA, including two of: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Geography, Mathematics, Physics. If Geography and Geology taken together, another science is preferred as third subject. Excludes General Studies.

- International Baccalaureate: 35 points overall, with 17 points at higher level to include 5 points in two relevant subjects.

- Scottish Highers: AAABB overall with AA in 2 Advanced Highers (AH). For non-AH applicants AAAAAA. To include 2 relevant subjects.

School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme:

School of Earth and Environment

Examination board through which the programme will be considered:

School of Earth and Environment

Relevant QAA Subject Benchmark Groups:

Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Environmental Studies (ES3).

Programme specification:

Students on this four year Integrated Masters programme spend their first two years in Leeds, spend their third year studying abroad at one of our many partner Universities, and complete their final year in Leeds. The programme offers students the opportunity:

- to be educated across the full range of geological sciences, encouraging and enabling students to acquire a good background of geological knowledge;
- to be trained in field and relevant laboratory techniques;
- the opportunity to deepen and broaden their geological studies within an International academic culture, and carry out fieldwork at world-class geological sites abroad;
- the opportunity to experience a year abroad in an alternative social and cultural environment;
- to develop investigative and communication skills;
- to gain a strong foundation for those who will embark on postgraduate study and/or careers as professional geologists, with an emphasis upon Masters level independent research plus Masters level taught modules in applied subjects during year 4;
- to access a course of sufficient breadth and intellectual training to suit the needs of those who will eventually work outside the subject area.

The MGeol. Geology degree programme will be put forward for accreditation by the Geological Society. The syllabus has been designed with accreditation goals and criteria in mind and the School has long experience of delivering accredited programmes. Graduates from an accredited course gain fast-track progression towards obtaining Chartered Geologist status, which is the key professional qualification for a career in some commercial spheres of employment.

The programme fulfils national subject benchmark criteria in terms of:

- developing a multi-disciplinary and an interdisciplinary approach to Earth systems, an holistic view of the materials, structure, processes and interactions of the Earth's core, mantle, crust, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere;
- developing an understanding of major geoscience paradigms including uniformitarianism, geological time, plate tectonics, and evolution of life on Earth and an appreciation of relevant temporal and spatial scales;
- allowing students to become equipped with Earth science terminology and nomenclature, and the skills to identify and for the classification of Earth materials;
- providing methods of acquiring, interpreting and analysing field and laboratory data with a critical understanding of the appropriate contexts for their use, including the collection and documentation of geological field data, for production and interpretation of geological maps;
- enabling students to develop an awareness of issues concerning the exploration, development, exploitation, sustainability and different value sets relating to Earth resources, to contribute to informed debate on aspects of Earth science including human impacts on the environment and the impacts of geohazards on human societies, and to appreciate the contribution of the discipline of geology to the development of knowledge and its applicability to the world of work.

The strengths of the degree programme here in Leeds include:

- a learning experience within an environment of active research
- strong theoretical and applied themes developed and interlinked;
- emphasis on field skills and independent mapping or laboratory projects;
- extensive communication, employment-related and team skills development;
- excellent preparation for postgraduate research or further taught Masters programmes;

Students are allocated to partner universities by the Study Abroad Office during the first semester of their second year. In selecting their modules, students are encouraged to take advantage of fieldwork opportunities, and to take '400' - honours- level- courses where possible, but should consult with tutors regarding pre-requisites and bearing in mind variations in year, level and programme structures across destination universities. The details of wh at is studied during a year abroad vary depending on the destination and will be agreed prior to departure in discussion with your programme leader and SEE's study abroad coordinator.

Progression criteria: Unless extenuating circumstances determine otherwise, the following conditions shall apply. Students are normally expected to maintain an average mark of normally expected to maintain an average mark of normally expected to maintain an average mark of at least 65 in their 1st year in order to remain on the programme. In addition students will also be expected to maintain an average mark of at least 60 in their 2nd year in order to remain on the programme. If a student fails to maintain these requirements they will be transferred to the BSc equivalent programme.

Transfer arrangements: Students transferring to the MGeol Geology programme from the BSc Geology programme are expected to attain a minimum 60% average in year 1 and year 2, and transfer is conditional upon securing a study abroad place at one of the approved partner Universities. Dropping below 60% in second year will automatically lead to transfer onto a BSc (International) programme.

Students who fail the year abroad will automatically revert to the relevant BSc programme and will take the 3rd (final) year of the BSc programme in Leeds.

Rules for Award: At the end of the year abroad, the School receives a transcript from the exchange university showing the grades received for each module. These grades are then converted to Leeds marks using a formula specific to each partner institution and specified in the learning contract. The mark achieved during the year abroad is represented by the module SOEE9001 (120 credits).

The marks for 2nd, 3rd and 4th years are combined in the ratio 1:1:1 or 1:1:2 to achieve the highest average as specified in the University's rules for award).


Year1 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

Students will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

SOEE1620The Rock Cycle20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE1630Field, GIS and Research Skills20 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE1640Earth Through Time20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE1670Geology and Society20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE16803D Earth20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional modules:

Students should select up to 20 credits from the following optional modules:

Students should select up to 20 credits from the following optional modules, using the guidance below.

SOEE1481 and SOEE1135 are foundational modules that bring skills in maths and chemistry up to a common standard. Students who do not have A level and/or AS level Maths (grade A-C) or equivalent MUST register for SOEE1481. Students who do not have A Level Chemistry at grade C or above MUST register for SOEE1135. If required to be taken, then these modules are Pass for Progression. If in doubt, please consult your academic personal tutor or the programme leader.

Students who already have A Level/AS Level Maths and/or A Level Chemistry that meet the above conditions are prohibited from registering for these modules (SOEE1481 and SOEE1135).

Students with A Level Pure or Further Maths may be excluded from studying SOEE1302 depending on the units taken and grade and should seek advice from the Module and/or Programme Leader before enrolling for this module.

SOEE1034Natural Hazards10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE1053Our Habitable Planet10 creditsNot running until 202324
SOEE1120Vertebrate Evolution10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE1135Foundation Chemistry10 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE1281Atmosphere10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE1302Advanced Mathematics 110 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE1312Advanced Mathematics 210 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE1481Foundation Mathematics 110 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Discovery modules:

Students who are not studying both SOEE1481 and SOEE1135 may elect to substitute 10 credits of optional study for a discovery module choice, subject to timetabling constraints and matters of credit balance across semesters.


Year2 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules

SOEE2900Petrology and Geochemistry20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE2910Palaeoenvironmental Analysis20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE2931Advanced Skills for Geoscientists20 creditsNot running until 202324
SOEE2940Applied Geosciences20 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE2950Sedimentary Basins and their Resources10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE2960Resources from Rocks and Minerals10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE2980Global Tectonics20 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

NB
- Failure to attend any part of a compulsory field class is likely to impact critically on subsequent understanding and performance.
- Failure to attend a significant part or all of a field class in the absence of a valid extenuating circumstance will inevitably require that the student attends the class in the following year. This may prevent progression to the next level of study until the field class has been attended.

Optional modules:


Year3 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Exchange Universities for Geological Sciences currently include:

- Purdue University, USA
- University of California, USA (Campuses: Davis, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Diego)
- Colorado School of Mines, USA
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA
- Queens University, Canada
- University of Alberta, Canada
- University of Calgary, Canada
- University of Western Australia, Australia
- University of Queensland, Australia
- ANU, Australia
- University of Adelaide, Australia
- Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
- Western University, Canada
- Penn State University, USA
- Dalhousie University, Canada
- University of Toronto, Canada
- University of Victoria, Canada
- University of Auckland, New Zealand

In addition, an MGeol degree can be allowed with a year at the following foreign language partner(s), IF the language capability of the student is at a comparable level to a native speaker:

ETH Zurich

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be obliged to study the following compulsory module. A mark for this module is calculated according to a translation scheme specific to each destination:

SOEE9001Study Year Abroad120 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)


Year4 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

The level 4 syllabus of the programme is still under development. It will likely comprise an array of core modules that cover similar learning outcomes to those of the fourth year of the predecessor programme, visible at:

http://webprod3.leeds.ac.uk/catalogue/dynprogrammes.asp?Y=202021&P=MGLS-GEOLSC9

Compulsory modules:

SOEE5305MGeological Sciences Field Project (MGeol)30 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE5309MMGeol Research Project50 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE5606MEaster Field Class - Geological Science (MGeol)10 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study 30 credits from the following optional modules:

SOEE5195MEngineering Geology15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5232MBiogeochemical Cycles of the Earth System15 creditsSemesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
SOEE5234MIsotope Geochemistry15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5620MAdvanced Sedimentology and its Applications15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE5630MVolcanic Processes15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5651MPetroleum Geoscience Case Studies15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SOEE5660MOre Deposits and their Exploitation15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Last updated: 11/08/2021 14:08:38

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