Earth And Ocean Sciences Brochure 2008

Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Undergraduate Degree Programmes www.cardiff.ac.uk/earth

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Why Study

Earth Sciences? You have opened the first page of our brochure so you’re obviously curious about the possibility of studying Earth Sciences at University. You’ve probably not studied Earth Sciences much in school although you may have touched on some aspects in Geography. Earth Sciences is, like medicine, very broad-based and includes some of the most exciting topics and relevant issues in science and society today.

What has interested you about Earth Sciences? Is it the destructive forces of volcanoes, earthquakes or tsunamis? Or questions like why were the dinosaurs wiped out? Was it really due to a meteorite impact, or were massive volcanic eruptions the cause? You may wonder why our climate is changing and sea level rising. Will global warming result in a situation where the UK could become like the Mediterranean? Or perhaps this is merely a climatic blip, and we are going to undergo another Ice

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Age, where much of the UK will be buried beneath a kilometre of ice. You may be interested in how gold and diamonds form, or how we use modern technology to explore for the natural resources like oil and gas deep in the Earth’s crust. Perhaps you are interested in environmental issues like the pollution of drinking water, waste management or ecology and conservation. You may like the idea of preserving our green field areas by cleaning up old industrially contaminated sites for re-use for housing or recreation. You may be interested in the marine environment. The name of the planet is actually a misnomer, it shouldn’t be called Earth as it’s two thirds covered by water. The deep oceans are less well mapped than Venus and still constitute a major exploration frontier. A thorough understanding of Marine Science is vitally important, as the oceans play a crucial role in controlling our climate. Marine scientists look back into the past history of our planet by investigating ancient

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ocean sediments: this is how we get most of our information about how the Earth system has behaved in the past. Why is the Earth like it is? The planet could have evolved like Venus – with an inferno-like surface – or Mars, as an arid, cold, virtual vacuum for its surface environment. Can we understand more about the Earth by studying what went wrong on other planets in the solar system? How did life start? Did life actually start on Earth, or did life arrive here from other planets? All this, and more, constitutes Earth Science. At Cardiff, we are currently offering 19 different undergraduate degree programmes in the Earth Sciences, including our new four-year MESci degree with a year of international study. We can cover more of the subject than most universities because we are one of the largest Earth Science Schools’ in the UK and we have world experts in many disciplines. This means as a student you have a great opportunity to be taught by internationally renowned experts while following your own particular interests and ambitions.

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We believe you should study what interests and excites you. If you do this you’ll get a better degree and a good job. As you read this brochure you may well not know enough about Earth Sciences to make a decision about which degree subject to choose. At Cardiff we realise this. Our largely common first year is geared to teaching you as much as possible about the various aspects of Earth Science. Only later in Year 1 do you choose which actual degree course to follow for the next two or three years. There are many Earth Science courses to choose from in the UK. Some Universities provide programmes that are a bit different, such as our Marine Geography and Exploration and Resource Geology degrees. Your choice of University in the UK will mainly depend on how much you feel that the local environment suits you. Come and visit us on an open day and see for yourself what Cardiff can offer you as a place to live and study in. You’ll find that the more you learn about Earth Sciences at Cardiff, the more exciting it becomes.

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Students from the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences celebrating their graduation

Contents The City

4

Geology

19

The University

6

Exploration and Resource Geology

21

Accommodation

8

Environmental Geoscience

23

Student Life

9

Marine Geography

25

Degree Courses

10

Earth Sciences with a Preliminary Year 28

The First Year

12

Career Prospects

28

Master in Earth Science

13

Postgraduate Masters Courses

29

MESci (International)

16

Research in Cardiff

30

Marine Geoscience

17

Admissions

32

Important information. Please read carefully.

The University offers the information contained in this brochure as a guide only. It does not constitute a contract and is not binding on prospective students, students or the University. While the University makes every effort to check the accuracy of the factual content at the time of publication, some changes will inevitably occur in the interval between publication and the academic year to which the brochure relates (Entry 2009). For example, courses, entry requirements and typical offers may have changed in line with market and student demand, and research development. Applicants should not therefore rely solely on this brochure and should visit the University website (www.cardiff.ac.uk) for up-to-date information concerning course content, accreditation, and entry requirements for the relevant academic year when considering applying to the University.

Tuition Fees

The tuition fee arrangements in Wales are different to those in England and elsewhere in the UK. If you are thinking of applying to Cardiff University you should carefully read the fee information which relates to your situation. More detailed information is available on our website at www.cardiff.ac.uk/fees

I currently live in Wales

You will be charged an annual fee of approximately £3,225pa. However, you will be eligible for an annual £1,940 fee grant from the Welsh Assembly. This means that you will pay an annual fee of

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approximately £1,285 although this will not be charged “up front.” Instead payment will be deferred until after you have graduated and are earning more than £15,000pa.

I currently live in England (or elsewhere in the UK)

You will be charged an annual fee of approximately £3,225pa. However, this fee will be deferred until after you have graduated and are earning more than £15,000pa.

I am living outside the UK but inside the EU

You will be charged an annual fee of approximately £3,225pa. However, you will be eligible for an annual £1,940 fee grant from the Welsh Assembly. This means that you will pay an annual fee of approximately £1,285 although this will not be charged “up front.” Instead payment will be deferred until after you have graduated and are earning more than £15,000pa.

I am living outside the EU

Details are available on the following website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/international

Scholarships and Bursaries

For more information please visit the following website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/scholarships 6000EARTH0808

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The University is located in and around the magnificent civic centre

Welcome Studying for an initial degree is a major investment for your future and choosing your university and degree programme is one of life’s all-important decisions. I hope that you will find this brochure helpful and informative as you consider the options open to you as a potential university student. It contains information about the city of Cardiff and the University, the musical and cultural life of the area, the practical and study facilities in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, the range of its degree programmes and component modules. The School has an international reputation for all its activities and our staff have a wide range of expertise that is reflected in our broad curriculum. It offers a rich and rewarding student experience and provides a friendly and stimulating environment in which you should be able to fulfil your full potential in your studies. Teaching at all levels is informed by research that has been shown to lie at the very cutting edge of the discipline.

As you will see as you delve further into this brochure, Earth Sciences is very relevant to many current global issues facing humankind, ranging from climate change to exploration for natural resources. If you would like to receive further information about the School, or would like to arrange a visit, please do not hesitate to get in contact. Our telephone and fax numbers and our email addresses are given inside the back page.

Professor Dianne Edwards CBE FRS Head of Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences

Outdoor teaching at Lulworth Cove, Dorset

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main photo Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium below left The New Theatre below middle Cardiff Bay below right Cardiff Civic Centre

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Cardiff is one of Europe’s youngest capital cities. Compact, green, friendly and full of life, it provides a first-class environment in which to live and study. As the capital city of Wales, Cardiff has an impressive range of leisure, sporting and cultural amenities. Many of the facilities are of international standard. The city boasts world-class concert venues in the International Arena and St David’s Hall, and is the focus of national and international sports events at the Millennium Stadium. Culturally, Cardiff is well catered for, with the National Museum and Gallery of Wales, several theatres and the historic Cardiff Castle. The city also boasts a vibrant shopping centre, numerous cinemas and restaurants, great pubs and music venues. The development of Cardiff Bay is a major attraction and is home to the Welsh Assembly and the Wales Millennium Centre.

Cardiff is a compact city with large areas of parkland and good local transport. Furthermore, unlike many other cities, it offers easy access to the countryside, coast and mountains. The Brecon Beacons National Park is only a 30-minute drive from Cardiff and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast is within easy reach. The city is also easily reached by road or rail from other parts of Britain. Cardiff International Airport, just outside the city, has frequent connections to Europe and destinations outside the EU. Cardiff combines the practical advantages of a small, friendly, city with the cultural and recreational amenities of a successful and modern capital. Such is the quality of the ‘Cardiff experience’ that in a recent survey a large majority of the students said they would like to stay and live in the city after graduation.

Cardiff - the City Don’t just take our word for it . . . “Cardiff is the epitome of cool, pulsing with a creative energy and relaxed atmosphere that complements its youthful heritage.”

“Cardiff is popular with students offering all the attractions of a large conurbation without such high prices as students experience elsewhere.”

The Lonely Planet

The Times Good University Guide

“Cardiff is the up-and-coming cosmopolitan British city, a place jampacked per square yard with some of the best drinking, dancing and shopping outside London.” Virgin Alternative Guide to British Universities

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More online at: www.visitcardiff.com www.cardiff.ac.uk www.cardiff.co.uk

Come and see for yourself . . . Cardiff benefits from excellent road and rail links with Britain’s other major towns and cities. London, for example, is two hours by train, and the M4 links both the west and south of England, as well as west Wales. Travel to the Midlands and the North is equally convenient. The journey by road from Birmingham, for example, takes only two hours. The main coach and railway stations are both centrally placed and Cardiff also benefits from an international airport.

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Cardiff - the University Cardiff University is recognised in independent government assessments as one of Britain’s leading teaching and research universities. Founded by Royal Charter in 1883, the University today combines impressive modern facilities and a dynamic approach to teaching and research with its proud heritage of service and achievement. The University’s breadth of expertise encompasses: the humanities; the natural, physical, health, life and social sciences; engineering and technology. Students have access to the latest information technology

Main picture: The University’s Main Building, home to Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences

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The University has an outstanding location amidst the parks, Portland stone buildings and tree-lined avenues that form the city’s elegant civic centre. Unusually for a civic university, most of the University’s student residential accommodation is within easy walking distance of lecture theatres, libraries and the Students’ Union, saving you time and money. More than

£200million has been invested in the University estate in recent years to provide new and refurbished facilities of the highest quality. Cardiff is a member of the Russell Group of Britain’s leading research universities and was ranked 7th out of more than 100 UK universities in the latest independent assessment of research. This creates a stimulating environment for teaching, ensuring that students are exposed to the very latest thinking and that the most modern technology and equipment is available. Teaching at Cardiff has been independently assessed as being of excellent standard. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, which undertakes assessments with all UK universities, confirmed that prospective students, parents, teachers and graduate employers can have every confidence in the quality and standards of Cardiff’s awards.

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Feedback in the recent National Student Surveys has also been very positive. The student population is drawn from a variety of backgrounds, with students attracted from throughout Wales, the rest of the UK and world-wide. The University currently has around 25,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and there is an almost equal balance between male and female students. International students comprise some 17% of the total student population. Government performance indicators show that students at Cardiff are more likely to succeed in their studies than students at most other UK universities. Currently, 95% of students successfully complete or transfer, better than many similar universities and better than the UK national average.

“With a strong academic reputation and excellent facilities, Cardiff continues to go from strength to strength.” The Guardian University Guide

“Cardiff is surely one of the best deals going: tip-top academically, still not the hardest to get into and a fantastic extracurricular scene. There’s no excuse to leave with just a degree listed on your CV.” The Virgin 2007 Alternative Guide to British Universities

“Cardiff has established itself as the front runner in Welsh higher education… it is a match for most rivals in teaching and research and the overall performance is amongst the best in Britain.” The Times Good University Guide

More online at: www.cardiff.ac.uk

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Accommodation Map key Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences University Buildings Accommodation Students Union

Above University residences close to the School

Cardiff has always attached great importance to the provision of student accommodation and has invested heavily in recent years to provide some of the highest quality residences in the UK university sector. Most of the accommodation is located close to the academic buildings. All first year undergraduates (who apply during the normal admissions cycle) are guaranteed a place in university accommodation. There is a choice of catered or self-catered residences. New residences have been built in recent years and many of the older ones have been refurbished to a high standard. The majority of the 5,100 study/bedrooms have individual shower and toilet facilities and all halls of residence have computer network connection points.

As well as managing University property, the Residences Office maintains close links with the private sector and helps students who are looking to rent or share houses or flats.

More online at: www.cardiff.ac.uk/resid “Guaranteed accommodation in halls and houses for first years. Very high quality and relatively cheap.” Equitable Student Book

Accepting an offer of a place at Cardiff University on a firm basis and completing your online Accommodation Request Form promptly increases the chances of your accommodation preferences being met. Full details of all University-owned accommodation are provided in the University Residences Guide.

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The Students’ Union has excellent facilities

Student life As a fast developing capital city, Cardiff is a great place to be a student. It’s large enough to offer you an exciting variety of activities and entertainment, but small enough for you to feel comfortable in.

The Students’ Union Cardiff Students’ Union is one of the biggest, best and most active in Britain. Solus, the Great Hall and the Taf are among the Union’s major attractions. Solus is the students’ own high quality nightclub and the second largest in South Wales. The Great Hall is a 1500-capacity venue for major concerts and the Taf Bar is the Union’s very own ‘local’. Other facilities include CF10 café, a general shop and off licence, University bookshop, computer shop, a games room and video arcade, five full size snooker tables and twelve pool tables, satellite TV, banking and insurance services. The Union also has its own letting agency and Student Advice centre and is home to Xpress Radio (the students’ own radio station), an award winning student newspaper, and more than 150 cultural, political, religious, social and sporting societies.

Jobshop The Unistaff Jobshop is a student employment service that provides casual, clerical and catering jobs around the University to hundreds of students for up to 15 hours a week.

“Cardiff Students’ Union is the biggest and best equipped in Britain.” The Independent

“Cardiff Students’ Union is the biggest and best equipped in Britain.” The Independent

“Cardiff Students’ Union is independently recognised as the biggest and best in Britain.”

Solus, disco six nights a week Exercising in the Fitness & Racquets Centre – Park Place

Equitable Student Book

“The Students Union provides an excellent range of facilities, clubs and societies.” The Times Good University Guide

More online at: www.cardiffstudents.com

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10

Degree Courses in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences

Studying gold exploration drill cores as part of an Exploration and Resource Geology summer placement in Tanzania

F640 MESci Earth Sciences

Earth Science education at Cardiff provides a research-led, holistic view of the Earth in which the oceans, atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere are studied in depth as constituent components of the Earth system. All the degree courses begin with a largely common first year which provides a strong foundation in Earth Sciences. Although students will be registered for a particular degree in Year 1, our first year allows you to sample the broad aspects of Earth Science before making your final choice. Students

who wish to study the four year MESci degrees can transfer at the end of Year 2, although it is best to register for four year degrees in Year 1 as there are specialist modules in research training during Year 1 and 2. Students who graduate on any three year BSc course can apply to stay on in Year 4 to study a one year vocational MSc in either Applied Environmental Geology or Environmental Hydrogeology. In total, the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences offers 19 undergraduate degree programmes:

F646 MESci Earth Sciences (International)

A four year degree for students who wish to pursue a professional research career in Earth Sciences. In Year 4 you will undertake an independent research project that allows you to focus on your subject of interest in Earth Sciences. There is also an option to spend Year 3 of your degree at a university in North America, Australia or New Zealand. Module credits obtained during this year count towards your degree.

F841 BSc Marine Geography

A three year degree for students interested in study of the physical, hydrographical and managerial issues relating to the ocean and its coastlines.

F842 BSc Marine Geography (placement year)

A four year degree for students interested in the study of the physical, hydrographical and managerial issues relating to the ocean and its coastline, with a year out working in a marine related industry.

F645 MESci Environmental Geoscience F647 MESci Environmental Geoscience (International)

A four year degree for students who wish to pursue a professional career in applied or ‘global’ geoenvironmental issues such as climate change, water resources and pollution. In Year 4 you will undertake an independent research project that focuses on your subject of interest. There is also an option to spend Year 3 of your degree at a university in North America, Australia or New Zealand. Module credits obtained during this year count towards your degree.

F642 BSc Environmental Geoscience

A three year degree for students interested in applied geo-environmental or ‘global’ geoenvironmental issues with subjects like geo-hazards, pollution and engineering geology, ecology, climate change and sea level rise.

F644 BSc Environmental Geoscience (placement year)

A four year degree for students interested in applied geo-environmental or ‘global’ geoenvironmental issues with subjects like geo-hazards, pollution and engineering geology, ecology, climate change and sea level rise, with a year out working in the geo-environmental industry.

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Fieldwork plays an important role in all our degree programmes

F601 MESci Geology F602 MESci Geology (International)

A four year degree for students who wish to pursue a research career in Geology. In Year 4 you will undertake an independent research project that allows you to focus on your specialist geological subject of interest. There is also an option to spend the third year of your degree at a university in North America, Australia or New Zealand. Module credits obtained during this year count towards your degree.

F600 BSc Geology

A three year degree for students interested in all aspects of Geology and Earth Evolution. This degree is suited to students interested in all aspects of practical field related observations and map making. In Year 3, students can specialize in areas of sedimentology, paleontology, structural or igneous geology.

F623 MESci Exploration and Resource Geology

A four year degree for students who wish to pursue a research career in hydrocarbons, ore and industrial minerals and energy. In Year 4, you will undertake an independent research project that focuses on your specialist subject of interest. There is also an option to spend Year 3 of your degree at a university in North America or Australasia. Module credits obtained during this year count towards your degree.

F624 MESci Exploration & Resource Geology (International)

F621 BSc Exploration & Resource Geology

A three year degree for students interested in all aspects of natural resources (hydrocarbons, ore and industrial minerals and energy) and their exploration, extraction and management. This degree is also suited to students interested in aspects of applied geology and information technology.

F622 BSc Exploration & Resource Geology (placement year)

A four year degree for students interested in natural resources (hydrocarbons, ore and industrial minerals and energy) and their exploration with a year out in industry working with an exploration company. This degree is also suited to students interested in aspects of applied geology and information technology.

F631 A four year degree for students who wish to pursue a research career in aspects of shallow, MESci Marine Geoscience near-shore coastal processes or deep marine environments. In Year 4 students complete a major research project on a marine topic of interest. There is also an option to spend Year 3 of

F632 your degree at a university in North America, Australia or New Zealand. Module credits obtained MESci Marine Geoscience during this year count towards your degree. (International)

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The First Year The first year is designed to give you a sound foundation in Earth Sciences upon which the specialised studies build in subsequent years. The first year provides an introduction to the study of Earth as a total system - background scientific skills taught through the study of

Field teaching on the year 1 residential trip to west Wales

First year students undertaking an environmental survey in Cardiff Bay on the School research vessel, Guiding Light

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Earth - plus general skills of observation, numeracy, presentation and communication, which will be of value throughout your studies and future careers. For example, our module Geoinformatics provides an introduction to the use of the Cardiff University computing network and its associated software, including the basic concepts of a computing network, files and directories, and the use of spreadsheet, database, drawing, GIS and e-mail packages. Fieldwork in the first year involves an introductory set of field trips during your first week designed to give you a flavour of the first year course content and to act as an icebreaker. Several day or half-day trips are associated with individual modules and provide essential initial field training. You will also have the opportunity to undertake shipborne studies, as well as taking part in a residential field excursion in the week prior to the Easter Vacation. All the first year modules include lectures and a variety of laboratory work. Several include individual study projects. Most of the modules extend over the two semesters and are examined at the end of the second semester. Most modules are assessed by a combination of examination and marking of other work. The nature and weighting of other assessed work varies with the requirements of different modules. You will need to achieve a satisfactory standard in at least 100 from the 120 credits studied before progressing to the second year. We believe it is important to take account of the varying skills and qualifications of the students arriving in the School, so the broad-based first year complements your own talents and interests. Your personal tutor, allocated to you in the first week of your course, will advise you of the best way to organise your studies to utilise your background achievements. Because most of the first year is common to our undergraduate degree programmes, you are able to transfer between degree courses following satisfactory completion of Year 1. However, since the School needs to maintain a balance between programmes, transfers may in some cases have to be determined by results at the end of Year 1.

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Master in Earth Science (MESci)

Research-informed degrees in: Earth Sciences (UCAS Code: F640) Geology (UCAS Code: F601) Exploration and Resource Geology (UCAS Code: F623) Environmental Geoscience (UCAS Code: F645) Marine Geoscience (UCAS Code: F631) The Cardiff MESci programme is a four year undergraduate degree aimed at training students for a research career. Students with a Cardiff MESci are qualified to enter directly into PhD programmes, and the advanced fourth year courses and research skills also provide an enhanced basis for entering into professional careers in Earth Sciences. The Cardiff MESci programme provides you with considerable flexibility in your choice of modules and programmes. In each of your four years you will undertake research training in which you choose topics that match your interests. In the final year you will complete a research dissertation and attend a series of modules, providing the skills and knowledge necessary to underpin your dissertation work. The nature of research means that you will be involved in small group teaching and will have the opportunity to work within the School’s internationally-recognised research groups. The MESci degrees at Cardiff are comparable to similar courses in Europe and North America. There is demand in industry, government and academia for a higher level of research training than a three year undergraduate BSc course. For the individual student, undergraduate Masters programmes provide:

Discovering Earth History - De La Beche unconformity Somerset

•a  wider range of options for future career paths •o  pportunities to undertake research into topics which interest you •a  greater degree of choice in learning outcomes •m  ore extensive opportunities for small group and individual tuition •a  higher level of university education comparable with international first degree qualifications.

First year MESci students on a residential trip to the Isle of Arran, Scotland

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MESci Course Structure The first year programme is common for all MESci students, with small group teaching provided in research tutorial groups of up to six students, and with a dedicated MESci residential field course at Easter. The common first year programme is designed to give you a broad view of earth and ocean sciences, with the MESci research tutorial enabling you to begin exploring your long-term research interests.

In Year 2, you will take a suite of modules appropriate to your MESci degree programme which will enhance the basic building blocks of knowledge necessary to undertake research. In addition, you will take the MESci Field Methods and Research Tutorial module and will produce a research poster on a field-related subject of your choice. Year 2 contributes 15% to your total degree assessment. In your third year, you will again select from a suite of modules appropriate to your degree programme. If you are following the MESci in Earth Sciences you can choose any Year 3 module with in the School as long as it is possible on the timetable. You will take a research module during which you will conduct research on a topic of your choice and write it up as a scientific research paper. Year 3 contributes 35% to your total degree assessment. The final year is centred on a research dissertation in a subject of your choice, depending on your degree programme. You will work with a research supervisor and interact with a research group in the School. Since the School is large you have a wide choice of dissertation topic. Year 4 assessment contributes 50% to your final degree and your research dissertation is 25% of your total degree result. You will also chose options from Year 4 modules which focus on topics at the cutting edge of research.

Inter-programme Transfer Transfer into and out of the MESci programmes is possible but it is best to enrol on the MESci in Year 1 as there are dedicated research training modules in Year 1 and 2. Transfer from a BSc to an MESci is possible at the end of Years 1 or 2 (transfer at the end of Year 2 requires an average mark of 60%). Transfer from MESci to the equivalent BSc can also take place at the end of Years 1 or 2. MESci Research project analysing water quality

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MESci Programmes Research has no subject boundaries, and so in Cardiff we provide you with the broadest opportunity to follow and develop your own interests. Problems of climate change and the effect of human activities on the environment are increasingly important topics in international research. The MESci in Environmental Geoscience provides a solid base for investigation of climatic change and anthropogenic effects on the planetary environment, including pollution and land contamination. The interdisciplinary MESci in Marine Geoscience focuses on near shore, coastal processes and deep sea research into the origin of the oceanic crust and its sediments and how a detailed record of climate change can be elucidated from the marine geological record. The evolution of the Earth and the life that it supports underpins our understanding of our own planet and other planets in the solar system. The MESci in Geology provides the basis for researching into the evolution of our planet. Sustainability of natural resources requires that richer, more easily extractable resources need to be discovered and methods of extraction need to be both energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The MESci in Exploration and Resource Geology addresses both of these aspects on a global scale.

Research training fieldcourse, Cyprus

Each of these MESci degrees also offers the possibly to spend Year 3 studying at a university in North America. The marks from this year of study will count towards your degree. More details of this exciting opportunity can be found in the MESci (International) section of this brochure (overleaf). Research projects using our modern analytical facilities

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MESci (International)

Research-informed degrees in: Earth Sciences (UCAS Code: F646) Geology (UCAS Code: F602) Exploration and Resource Geology (UCAS Code: F624) Environmental Geoscience (UCAS Code: F647) Marine Geoscience (UCAS Code: F632) with a year spent studying at an overseas university The University of Miami, Florida is a partner institution in the MESci (International) programme and is rated as one of the top Earth and Ocean Science institutions in the USA. Cardiff students will have the opportunity to study sub-tropical environments on their doorstep and take part in field trips to volcanoes in Ecuador (right) and carbonates and hydrocarbons in Belize.

The Cardiff MESci (International) programmes are aimed at providing the opportunity for exceptional students to study at a prestigious overseas university for part of their Cardiff degree. The MESci (International) programme has the same structure and aims as the well-established Cardiff 4 year undergraduate MESci degree programmes. It is researchled and provides top students with enhanced opportunities for specialisation, subject choice and advanced study. The difference is that the credits and grades for Year 3 of your degree assessment are acquired at an overseas institution. The year abroad allows you to broaden your horizons, both academically and culturally. You will research for a Senior Thesis during your year overseas, usually on a one-to-one basis with an international research expert in the host institution. In addition, you will be able to enroll in courses overseas that are not available at Cardiff, or take other courses that are not possible to timetable here. You will acquire a wide range of transferable skills and the additional experience to improve your employability and prospects of postgraduate studies. Financially, these programmes are very attractive since you pay no fees at the international university but merely continue to pay fees to Cardiff University. This means that successful applicants have the opportunity, for example, to attend world-class, private

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universities in the USA at Cardiff fee levels. These institutions routinely provide intensive, small group teaching by international leaders in an environment where individual student welfare is paramount. Presently there is an agreement with the University of Miami and its prestigious Rosensteil School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Further opportunities are planned with other leading institutions in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The International programmes include all MESci subject areas including Earth Sciences, Geology, Environmental Geoscience, Exploration & Resource Geology, and Marine Geoscience. The intake grades for these international programmes are one A2 level (or equivalent) grade higher than the conventional Cardiff MESci, primarily because there is strong competition for the limited places. Is the MESci (International) programme the right one for you? You need to: •H  ave a sense of adventure and want to experience new places and different cultures. •B  e independent, both socially and academically. •H  ave demonstrated the proven ability to study at the very highest level so that you can maintain this in a different way of student life. •W  ant to widen your options for future career paths.

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MESci Marine Geoscience (UCAS Code: F631 ) Marine Geosciences is a truly interdisciplinary aspect of the wider Earth Sciences, embracing both near shore, coastal processes and deep sea studies of the oceanic crust and how climate change can be unravelled from the reading of the marine sedimentary record. Both these areas, coastal and deep sea, are available for study in the Cardiff programme which brings together expertise from staff researching into the geology and tectonics of ocean basins, ocean–atmosphere interactions, the marine sedimentary record, continental margin processes, chemistry and microbiology of deep sea sediments, coastal hydrography and mapping of the seabed.

staff as a supervisor. This will link you to an active research group and enable you to concentrate on one aspect of marine geoscience. More than a dozen staff members have undertaken extensive deep sea research cruises and other staff are actively involved in offshore or coastal research programmes.

The MESci in Marine Geoscience follows the other MESci programmes in having a broadbased first year where all aspects of Earth Sciences are introduced as well as starting to learn how to carry out research. In Year 2 students opt for either the nearshore or deep sea specialisation with optional modules to broaden their knowledge base. In Year 3 further specialisation is possible taking your chosen subject area to research level, and as with the other MESci programmes it is possible to spend your third year at an overseas university.

Graduates will acquire a wide range of transferable skills since working and undertaking science at sea involves a significant amount of team work and project planning. Graduates from this degree programme will be highly attractive to potential employers or research establishments.

In Year 4 you also undertake a dissertation with one of the many marine specialists on the

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A Thornback Ray caught as part of a second year trawling field work survey in the Severn Estuary

Year 3 students on the Marine Geoscience field trip to Cyprus

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Learning to use marine sonar systems in Cardiff Bay

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BSc Geology (UCAS Code: F600) MESci Geology (UCAS Code: F601) Our BSc in Geology provides you with a broad view of the physical, geochemical and biological processes that formed planet Earth, its oceans, atmosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. You will learn how to read the rocks, assess the processes involved in their formation, be able to reconstruct past environments and interpret how life evolved. A key component of this course is fieldwork. You will travel to a number of classic localities: current field excursions run to areas both in the UK and abroad (Spain and Cyprus). On these excursions you will learn how to record observations, to analyse and interpret a wide range of rocks and structures in the field, and be trained in making a geological map. Our field courses are specifically designed to focus on key themes, such as the origins of oceanic crust, the development of sedimentary basins and their oil and gas potential, and the growth and collapse of mountain belts. Ammonite hunting in Lyme Regis

In the summer of your second year, you will face the exciting challenge of spending five weeks working independently on a geological mapping project in an area of your own choice. The most popular mapping areas are typically in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, southern France, Spain and Portugal, but opportunities exist for travel further afield. In your third year, you will analyse and interpret your field map data and write a detailed report on your summer mapping project. Structural geology field teaching in Spain

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In your third year there are several core synoptic modules, but you will also have a choice of optional modules in specialist and more applied subjects. Some of those specialist modules involve field excursions. You will also have the option to complete a research level project in a topic of your choice. The lecturers on the geology course are all specialists who publish research papers in international journals and books, so you

will benefit from teaching at the forefront of geological research. One of the highlights of the third year is a residential field excursion to Cyprus to study an uplifted section of oceanic crust and its associated sediments. The four year MESci Geology degree is for students interested in professional research careers. It provides research training in specialist aspects of Geology (see MESci section for more details).

Year 2 geological mapping training in Spain

Sedimentology fieldcourse, Dorset coast

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BSc Exploration and Resource Geology (UCAS Code: F621)

BSc Exploration and Resource Geology (placement year) (UCAS Code: F622)

MESci Exploration and Resource Geology (UCAS Code: F623)

This is a very opportune time to study for a degree in exploration geology as young skilled people are in great demand to assist in the exploration for natural resources to feed the growing world demand for minerals, oil, gas and industrial minerals. An exploration geologist requires a broad range of skills including: an aptitude for fieldwork, good ICT skills and the ability to make key decisions from limited information. Our vocationally orientated courses will prepare you for a potentially exciting professional career as a geologist working in the global hydrocarbon, metaliferous or bulk mineral industries. The three year BSc degree focuses on applied geology, with the exploration, evaluation and extraction of the Earth’s natural resources. The aim is to provide an understanding of the geological, physical and chemical processes active within the Earth that lead to the formation of a natural resource. The course provides training in the specialist fieldwork and IT skills required by the modern professional exploration geologist using whenever possible field-based project work. You will attend field training courses that include practical

Year 3 Exploration and Resource Geology students studying copper deposits on their Cyprus fieldtrip

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exercises in surveying, geological, geochemical, geophysical mapping techniques and safety. This training programme leads on to residential field courses in the UK and abroad, for example to Spain, and includes a teambuilding ice-breaker visit to the Dolaucothi gold mine in mid-Wales. During field work you learn to draw detailed geological maps using geological and geophysical techniques. During the summer vacation before the third year, you undertake a six-week industrial placement or research-based practical field mapping project module under School supervision, usually in areas of active resource exploration. Alternatively you may pursue a full year out on an industrial placement. Our extensive network of contacts in the industry allows us to offer placements that take you all over the world working in multinational exploration or junior companies, providing a real world experience of the industry. In the autumn of your third year you will write an assessed professional report on your placement.

Gold separation from crushed ore – Gwynfynydd Mine, North Wales

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In your third year, you will study further core exploration modules on metals and oil together with a range of optional modules involving both applied aspects and specialist geological topics. You will also have the opportunity to visit an area of outstanding European geology on residential fieldwork such as Cyprus. Our graduates in exploration and resource geology are commonly employed in field-based exploration all over the World, or are found analysing geological or geophysical data using modern computer processing techniques in global exploration companies. If you choose to study the four-year MESci Exploration and Resource Geology degree you will be exposed to cutting edge research in exploration geology with access to our in house state-of-the-art mineral analytical equipment, 3D-seismic processing and data visualization facilities. In the fourth year you will undertake a research project in your subject of interest in exploration or resource geology (see MESci section for more details).

Exploration Geology mapping training in west Wales

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BSc Environmental Geoscience (UCAS Code: F642) BSc Environmental Geoscience (placement year) (UCAS Code: F644) MESci Environmental Geoscience (UCAS Code: F645) South Wales is one of the best locations in the UK to study environmental geoscience, as there is a wealth of local natural and man-made geoenvironmental subjects to study. These natural locations range from the beautiful Welsh coastline up to the scenic mountains of the Brecon Beacons, including eroding sea cliffs, sand dunes, wetlands, valley slopes and past glacial erosion. With a long and heavily polluting industrial history, South Wales offers study sites that include landfills, heavy metal contamination, acid mine drainage, derelict land and mining subsidence. The environmental geologist is at the forefront of the scientific community’s efforts to understand our complex and changing surroundings. Furthermore, the challenging and growing market of contaminated and derelict land remediation is a growing source of employment for geoscientists. At the start of the course you will be taught how our planet works, and how natural and man-made events interact with, and change, the environment. You will learn about global systems like climate, how they work today, how they have operated in the past, and are expected to change in the future.

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You will also learn about man-made issues like pollution; its causes, assessment, monitoring and clean up. During this year you will be taught how our dynamic planet is constantly changing, and how we need to evolve from activities that are depleting finite resources towards policies of sustainable development.

Pollution studies - acid mine water from abandoned South Wales coalmines

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In the second year you have a choice of modules depending upon your own geoenvironmental interests, aspirations, and the subjects that most interested you in the first year. You can choose a more ‘applied’ degree character that includes modules that will facilitate your understanding of site-specific geoenvironmental issues, such as contaminated land, rock engineering and geotechnics. Alternatively you may choose modules addressing ‘global’ geoenvironmental issues, providing a base for studies on subjects like climate change and sea level rise, or you may choose to specialise in biological interaction with past and present environments. Regardless of your choices, you will be taught the skills required for planning, executing and reporting on project work. This will include both fieldbased and desk-based studies, and working independently and as part of a team. At this stage of your studies, project work is a vital component of the course. The School provides a wide range of different potential projects from which you can choose a subject that interests you. However, students are actively encouraged to devise and design their own projects. Students often choose or devise projects that relate to geoenvironmental issues close to their homes or that have impacted on their lives in the past. Often the projects are undertaken with help and advice provided by bodies such as the Local Authorities or Environmental Agency. Dedicated environmental training takes place around Environmental Geoscience students on a field visit to Fforest Fawr European Geopark, South Wales

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Environmental GPS mapping

Easter, and this addresses issues that have not been covered in previous modules. This is also an opportunity for you to start acquiring more specific skills that will be required for your own project work. For example, if you undertake a project that requires you to do geochemical analyses, you will be taught the protocols required to work in a modern state-of-the-art geochemical facility. In the third year you will complete your project work, presenting it in the form of a professional report. There are a few compulsory ‘core’ modules, but the majority are optional, allowing you to target those subjects in which you are most interested. As with the previous years, the third year consists of a mixture of taught knowledge and skills. However, in this final part of your degree, the emphasis is much more on synthesis, tying together the separate strands to give a more complete and holistic understanding of the subject. The evolution of our present environment into the future is a key subject for global enquiry and includes the problems of climate change and the effect of human activities on the environment. For students interested in professional research careers in Environmental Geoscience, the four year MESci in Environmental Geoscience provides a basis for investigation of these key areas (see MESci section for more details).

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BSc Marine Geography (UCAS Code: F841) BSc Marine Geography (placement year) (UCAS Code: F842) Marine Geography is the study of the ocean and its coastlines – the geography of the sea. Marine geographers augment traditional land based geographic skills with new techniques and approaches in order to understand the intriguing geography that lies offshore and beneath the ocean surface. Marine geography offers an offshore perspective and the opportunity to pursue studies beyond the low water line. The World Ocean, which covers 71% of the planet, may be considered the last frontier on Earth for the exploration and development of resources to sustain humanity in the future. Owing to its size, dynamic nature and diversity, the geography of the ocean environment is fundamental to our understanding of the natural systems of the living Planet. Marine geographers study the socio - economic relationships between people and the physical characteristics of the sea and coast at global and local scales. This new approach to global marine issues is characteristic of the Cardiff philosophy that seeks to integrate and synthesise knowledge about the world ocean and its coastlines to help decision-making about the future. Issues concerning fisheries, offshore oil and gas, ports and shipping, conservation, minerals and energy, strategic use and management, are all critical in terms of sustainable development and environmental protection. Cardiff is the birthplace of the discipline of Marine Geography in UK. A major component of the course in Cardiff is that of mapping the marine environment in order to understand its physical and biological characteristics. This involves using some of the most advanced and exciting technology available. You will learn not only about traditional navigation and hydrographic surveying techniques, but you will also gain experience of modern remote sensing systems including satellite imagery, side-scan and multi-beam SONARS for seabed mapping, and 3D-seismic methods for probing the ocean floor. You will also get the opportunity

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to ‘ground-truth’ the images of the seabed and marine ecosystem by deploying underwater TV and various seabed-sampling devices including grabs, corers and trawls.

Marine geography students carrying out hydrographic survey work mapping sediment in the Severn Estuary

The course involves a multidisciplinary approach to the wide range of data relating to society and the sea. Information acquired from a range of equipment and techniques is compiled using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In this, advanced computer technology is used to superimpose layers of spatial data to reveal the geography of the system. The results of the GIS analyses are used not only to investigate the geography of the coasts and oceans, but also to help decision-makers involved in Integrated Coastal Zone Management.

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Cardiff Marine Geographers and students at Piraeus University, Greece working together to survey Piraeus harbour, Athens

For example, the School hosts the Severn Estuary Partnership, which uses the results of such techniques to coordinate and monitor implementation of socio-economic and environmental policies within the Estuary. It is also the UK centre for the EU EcoPorts Project, an international network for the exchange of experience and methodologies aimed specifically at sustainable development and environmental protection of Europe’s seaports. Studies involving the techniques of hydrographic surveying, GIS, and environmental management systems provide the opportunity to develop transferable skills recognized by the applied marine industries and a range of Governmental and other organisations. Cardiff has a long history of world-class research and teaching in marine geography. Staff at Cardiff produced the famous, groundbreaking, Times Atlas of the Oceans and the current Lloyds Atlas of the World Ports. Cardiff was the first place outside North America to host the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP), the largest global marine research programme. This programme deploys the deep ocean drill ship JOIDES Resolution that samples the sub-surface of the ocean floor. The results of the ODP programme have resulted in some of the most exciting scientific discoveries of recent years. The School has 15 marine scientists on its teaching staff, many with sea-going experience, an international reputation for academic research and well-established links with industry. They specialise in a range of interests including

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marine physical processes and ecosystems, coastal and ocean management, hydrographic surveying and seafloor mapping, global climate change, law and political geography of the sea, and environmental management of marine operations. Scientists who study offshore will teach you about current marine research expeditions and the latest research results, including information on climate change, marine conservation and the use of ocean space. A significant amount of practical and applied experience is built into the degree programme to assist you in developing transferable, professional skills. Situated in an estuary with a large tidal range and with access to a wide variety of coastal environments, Cardiff is an excellent base for both traditional fieldwork and innovative seatime training. Following the UKbased fieldcourse programme in the first year, in the second and third year you will acquire field skills at a range of European coastal and island locations. Current options include Greece, Malta and Jersey in the Channel Islands. The School operates its own Research Vessel GUIDING LIGHT, a 12m catamaran used by all undergraduates as part of its researchled teaching programme. In addition, Cardiff students have taken part in UNESCO research cruises and carried out third year project work in marine research centres overseas. This gives you an invaluable background in practical aspects of coastal and marine research techniques, which provides you with an edge in the careers market.

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The BSc degree in Marine Geography is currently undergoing the process of accreditation by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology. You may also read for a 4year degree in Marine Geography, where the third year is spent on an industrial placement. This sandwich course is extremely popular and the placements are much sought after, as they further enhance future employment opportunities. The majority of placements are based in the UK, but some involve extensive time at sea around the world, while from time to time opportunities arise for placements based overseas.

Ecological survey of the sea floor in Malta

Recent examples of placements include:

PORT OF DOVER

Environmental survey assistant

PORT OF MILFORD HAVEN

Hydrographic survey assistant

PORT OF PORTLAND

Survey assistants

A&P PLYMOUTH

Port Surveyor

ANDREWS HYDROGRAPHIC

Hydrographic Surveyor

FUGRO UDI

Survey assistant

GARDLINE SURVEYS

Offshore survey assistant

H R WALLINGFORD

Environmental Modelling

METEROLOGICAL OFFICE

Data processing assistant

PEMBROKESHIRE NATIONAL PARK

Control Zone management assistant

TITAN ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYS

Survey assistant

WORLD CONSERVATION MONITORING CENTRE

GIS programmer

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Coastal habitat project work in the Mediterranean

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BSc Earth Sciences with a Preliminary Year (UCAS Code: F641) (4 years)

BSc Earth Sciences with a Preliminary Year (UCAS Code: F643) (5 years, with a placement year) The Preliminary Year forms the first year of a four-year BSc course (five years in the case of one of our BSc degrees with an industrial placement year). Following the successful completion of the Preliminary Year, students can choose to study any of the BSc degree programmes available in the School. These degree programmes with a Preliminary Year are academically demanding and are principally designed for students who have good A-level grades but have no science background. Please note: the Preliminary Year is not designed for students who have taken appropriate A-levels but not achieved the grades required for First Year entry. Consequently, admission to these two degree programmes requires the same number of Tariff Points as our other BSc degrees.

Environmental geoscientists soil sampling in Tenerife

Career Prospects All of the degrees offered by Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences will equip you to pursue a career based on the knowledge and skills acquired during your studies. Like most earth science or geography degrees, with all our courses you will develop a wide range of transferable skills which are highly sought after by employers. These skills include numeracy, ICT, practical skills, effective written and oral communication and an ability to conduct independent research. Our graduates work in

a wide variety of areas, such as: the oil and gas industry, mineral exploration, environment agencies and consultancies, water authorities, construction, port authorities, finance, manufacturing and construction. Many of our graduates go on to further study after their BSc or MESci degree, and the researchinformed content of the courses in the School means that our graduates are well equipped to undertake specialist taught Masters courses or high-level research leading to Doctoral degrees.

Destinations of Recent Graduates

Exploration and Resource Geology summer placement in China

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Postgraduate Masters Courses After your first degree you may wish to specialise in a particular area of Earth Sciences, by taking a taught Postgraduate Masters course. The School offers several vocationally-orientated MSc courses.

MSc Applied Environmental Geology This one-year MSc course provides an understanding of geoenvironmental and geotechnical theory and practice. The MSc course is available to graduates with a BSc in earth science, geology or related environmental subjects. The focus of the degree course is vocational, and close industrial links ensure that students are well prepared for working in the engineering and environmental industries or for their regulatory agencies. The course provides knowledge of scientific research methods and a range of transferable skills, including project planning, management and reporting. Students develop an appreciation of the significance of geological data in a range of environmental contexts including risk-based assessment and remediation of contaminated land and environmental protection. In addition, the legal framework that governs geoenvironmental and geotechnical practice in the UK and Europe is introduced.

MSc Environmental Hydrogeology The one-year MSc in environmental hydrogeology provides students with advanced training in hydrogeology and its application to environmental protection. The taught course includes modules in hydrogeology, hydrogeological field techniques and hydrogeological modelling, together with geoenvironmental modules shared with the MSc Applied Environmental Geology course such as geochemistry, risk-based assessment and remediation of contaminated land, pollution control and environmental protection. The course therefore provides students with a range of hydrological and hydrogeochemical skills suitable for a career with geoenvironmental consultancies and regulatory authorities. The taught course includes contributions from industrial collaborators, and staff from the Environment Agency and the British Geological Survey.

Environmental Geology Projects a) Landslide movement measurements b) Environmental mapping in South Wales c) Environmental water sampling

b)

c)

MSc Course structure

geological and hydrogeological knowledge of students, providing critical scientific understanding of environmental processes. Technical skills necessary to investigate a wide range of geoenvironmental and hydrogeological problems are introduced. The project allows students the opportunity to specialise in a particular aspect of the course.

The taught course (Stage 1) runs from September to April and is assessed through examinations and course work. All candidates must pass Stage 1 before proceeding to Stage 2 of the course, when they undertake project work leading to submission of a 20,000-word dissertation. All project work is undertaken in association with industrial partners, with the majority of industrial placements including payment. In addition to the UK, Cardiff students have also undertaken project work in Bangladesh, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Azerbaijan, Greece and Peru.

Training A broad training is provided, appropriate to the needs of industry and environmental regulators. Training builds on the scientific,

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a)

Employment Prospects Graduates offer prospective employers a range of skills, allowing flexibility in employment outcome. The majority join engineering consultants. Graduates have also secured employment with the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, landfill operators, conservation bodies, the British Geological Survey, and the environmental offices of large companies. Some have progressed to PhDs.

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Research in Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences

Palaeoclimate research into Antarctic microfossils using the School’s Scanning Electron Microscope

Cardiff Earth Sciences is a large international research School, with over 40 leading international research scientists. The postgraduate research school currently numbers about 40 students studying a diverse range of research problems. These researchers are addressing some of the most significant research themes in world science at the moment, including global change, the origin and evolution of life, environmental science, natural resource exploration, and the evolution of the Earth and planets. The School has been transformed in the past few years by a series of major staffing, funding and infrastructure initiatives that have enhanced its national and international reputation.

Drilling sediments in Tanzania to provide new insights into the history of tropical climates

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One of the great attractions of studying in a school that regards research so highly is the opportunity to work alongside active researchers. You will be able to undertake research projects as part of your undergraduate degree using our in-house research facilities. The School houses advanced analytical facilities including ICP-MS, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope, 3D Visualisation Suite, Geophysics Laboratory and Parallel Computing facility, together with a research vessel equipped with a large range of marine geophysical acquisition and processing equipment. The main achievements and spheres of interest of our research groups are described below and on the following page.

Geoenvironmental Research Group (including Marine and Coastal Environments) The Geoenvironmental Research Group carries out research into aspects of environmental problems. Research in the terrestrial environment ranges from the effects of climate change on frozen ground and the likely environmental consequences of a rise in global temperature, to the toxicity of volcanic ash and other pollutants on human lungs or other receptors and to sub-surface water/ methane monitoring in urban areas. In the marine and coastal environments research involves: applications of marine information, including mapping, charting and sea surveying; environmental management of marine resources; and integrated coastal and sea management. The group has an extensive suite of field equipment, including a marine research vessel, ‘Guiding Light’.

Palaeoclimate The Palaeoclimate Research Group studies the response of the ocean-climate system to various types of forcing, such as changing greenhouse gas concentrations or ocean circulation patterns. Current research projects range across a wide variety of timescales. For example, at one end of the scale the group is analysing the causes and consequences of rapid climate change during the last ice age; at the other extreme researchers are investigating the reasons for the long-term global cooling since the age of the dinosaurs. Major research themes include Cenozoic global climate change, thermohaline circulation of the ocean, and Antarctic sea ice.

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Geodynamics The Geodynamics Research Group studies processes of basin formation, basin-filling and basin deformation through the application of field geological techniques, laboratory studies, and computational techniques in imaging and modelling of continental and oceanic basins. The research interests of the group extend from surface processes such as structural controls on sediment transport and sediment budgets to passive continental margin basins, to deep earth processes (mantle convection and its control on long term plate motions). The group has a strong relationship with the hydrocarbon industry including ConocoPhillips, Statoil, BP, Shell, British Gas Exploration, Total, Amerada Hess, ChevronTexaco and Schlumberger.

Magmatic and Hydrothermal Processes This group has primarily focused on the formation, dating and recycling of oceanic lithosphere. The petrology and geochemistry of oceanic peridotites and their constituent minerals has been used to provide new perspectives on mantle melting and melt/ mantle interaction and their relation to tectonomagmatic setting and mineralization in many locations worldwide. Members of this group have also worked extensively on the causes and consequences of large igneous province formation. Research in this area has focused on mantle source regions and the link between volcanism and mass extinction events.

Geoscience data visualisation in our 3D theatre

Geobiology This group studies the effects of biological processes on the Earth System and geological records of the evolution of life. Cardiff is a leading international centre for research on the early evolution of land plants. Descriptive work is complemented by analyses of functional morphology, mechanics and comparative developmental studies on modern plants. Recent novel and multidisciplinary research has focused on processes of fossilisation and the interrelationship between organisms and environment. Principal themes are: 1) the taxonomy and palaeobiology of invertebrates, plants, and algae, 2) the global environmental effects of the colonization of the land in the Palaeozoic, 3) bacterial processes, biodiversity and function in the environment, particularly near-surface and deep biosphere sedimentary systems, their geochemical impacts, and biosphere-geosphere interactions.

Geophysical mapping of active pingos in Svalbard (Arctic Circle)

Geochemical research laboratories

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Admissions/Further Information Applications To be considered for entry onto the course you should apply online via the UCAS website using the ‘UCAS Apply’ facility. To use this facility you need to log onto www.ucas.ac.uk/apply The website will provide you with information on how to apply and explain the procedure. Applications should be made by 15th January. UCAS will send your application to the University. After we have received and considered it, we may invite you to visit the School sometime during the period November to early March. For addresses outside of the UK there is a £5 charge for postage and packaging. The Cardiff University UCAS code is CARDF C15 and the codes for the various degree programmes are given on the relevant pages of this brochure.

Equal Opportunities Cardiff University is committed to promoting equality and diversity in all of its practices and activities, including those relating to student recruitment, selection and admission. The University aims to establish an inclusive culture which welcomes and ensures equality of opportunity for applicants of all ages, ethnicities, disabilities, family structures, genders, nationalities, sexual orientations, races, religious or other beliefs, and socioeconomic backgrounds. This commitment forms part of the Equality and Diversity Policy which is available at: www.cardiff.ac.uk/cocom/equalityanddiversity/ index.html

Entry Requirements When making offers to applicants the School regards the following subjects as sciences: chemistry, physics, biology, geography, geology, maths, environmental science, physical education, archaeology, computing, ICT, sports science and psychology.

MESci A-level: 320 TP from three A-levels - at least one of which must be a science. IB: 33 International Baccalaureate points, including at least one science at Higher level. WBQ: Pass in the Core plus 260 points from A-levels. BSc A-level: 280-300 TP from three A-levels - at least one of which must be a science. IB: 31-32 International Baccalaureate points, including at least one science at Higher level. WBQ: Pass in the Core plus 240 points from A-levels. The School will consider combinations of qualifications which include both vocational and academic A-levels.

Applicants with Other Qualifications We also consider applicants with excellent records in other qualifications such as BTEC and NVQ, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers and the Irish leaving Certificate. Please see our website for entry requirements with these qualifications. Many overseas qualifications and Open University credits are also acceptable for entry. Applicants should be able to demonstrate an intellectual ability to effectively engage with their chosen programme of study at degree level. This intellectual ability will normally be solely assessed by predicted or actual qualifications and/or exam results. However, where applicants are unable to demonstrate the requisite potential through actual or predicted grades, assessment of suitability for entry to one of our courses will be based on the information in their UCAS form - mainly their personal statement and references. Such applicants are usually invited for interview, where their interest in, and aptitude for, their chosen course will be assessed

Our typical offers are: MESci (International) A-level: 340 TP from three A-levels - at least two of which must be sciences. IB: 34 International Baccalaureate points, including at least two sciences at Higher level WBQ: Pass in the Core plus 280 points from A-levels.

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Notes for Welsh Language Applicants We recognise that if you are a Welsh speaker you may feel more comfortable speaking to a Welsh speaking personal tutor. Provided there are Welsh speaking members of staff in your subject area, every effort will be made to allocate a Welsh speaker to you. If you wish, you can also submit your assessed work and take your examinations through the medium of Welsh, regardless of the language of tuition of the course you are following. Some of the accommodation at Senghennydd Court and Talybont student residences has been allocated for Welsh speakers and learners who would like to be grouped together. If you would like to take advantage of this please make a note of this on your accommodation form.

Applicants with Disabilities/ Specific Needs All offers to study at Cardiff University are made solely on the basis of academic merit. Where applicants have specific requirements that relate to a disability or medical condition, they are encouraged to discuss these with relevant staff in order that appropriate arrangements can be made to ensure the University provides an accessible environment. Specifically, applicants are invited to contact the Disability Adviser who can provide information about the applications procedure, course delivery and access to the physical environment. Where appropriate, informal visits can be arranged in which applicants can view

accommodation and meet academic staff. The Disability Adviser can be contacted at: Student Support Centre 50 Park Place Cardiff Cf10 3AT Tel/Minicom: (029) 2087 4844 Email: [email protected]

Open Day A university-wide Open Day is held in the spring of each year, and provides the opportunity for anyone to visit the academic schools, residences, the Students’ Union and sports facilities.

Further Information For further information, please email us at [email protected] or visit us at the Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences website: www.earth.cardiff.ac.uk Admissions Office Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Main Building Park Place Cardiff CF10 3YE Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 4830 Fax: +44 (0)29 2087 4326

This document can also be made available in large print (text), braille and on audio tape/CD. To request an alternative format, please contact Laura Roberts, Tel: 029 2087 4839 Email: Robertsl9@ cardiff.ac.uk

A University Open Day is held in the spring each year

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Cardiff School of Earth and Ocean Sciences Admissions Tutor Main Building, Park Place Cardiff CF10 3YE Tel: +44 (0) 29 2087 4830 Fax: +44 (0) 29 2087 4326 Email: [email protected]

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