Earth, Climate and Environmental Change

Core Modules

Year 1

• Evolving Earth

  This module introduces the 4.6 billion-year history of our Evolving Earth and provides you with the skills to interpret that history. The module is subdivided into two complimentary streams that closely integrate. One stream (palaeontology) considers the story of life from its origin to the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, concluding with our own recent human evolution. It focuses on major events in evolution, and introduces you to the key concepts including systematic palaeontology, palaeoecology, palaeobiology, evolution, and taphonomy. The other stream (sedimentology) considers earth surface processes and palaeoenvironments and teaches you how to recognise the changing environments through time using techniques including rock classification, textural analysis, facies analysis and graphic logging, palaeoflow analysis, and stratigraphy. Because life and environments have co-evolved and are co-dependent, palaeontology and sedimentology need to be taught in close parallel, providing you with a powerful synthetic understanding of how our Earth has evolved in the past and continues to change in the future.

• Human Interaction with the Earth

  With the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the recent COP26, a seismic societal shift towards issues related to sustainability and climate change is taking place globally. The next generation of geoscientists are now required to understand the complex interrelations between human activities and a changing Earth system. With this module, students will explore key themes at the core of human-Earth interaction such as anthropogenic climate change, geohazards, environmental pollution, and sustainable exploitation of energy resources and energy-critical elements.

• Climate, Ocean and Atmosphere
• Physics and Chemistry of the Earth

  In this module you will develop an understanding of basic concepts in chemistry and physics and how to apply these to geological processes. You will look at atoms and atomic structure, the periodic table of elements, reactions, equations, geochemical analysis, the composition of the earth, interpretation of phase diagrams, solubility of minerals, weathering and the hydrological cycle. You will also consider Newton’s Laws, kinematics, circular motion, planetary orbits, gravity, magnetism, electricity, resistivity, stress, strain, seismicity, isostasy, radioactivity, and geochronology.

• Earth Scientists Toolkit

  In this module you develop an understanding of the skills required to practice geology in the field, carrying out a series of activities in South Devon and Pembrokeshire. You will learn to describe and interpret the origin of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and how to prepare a geological map and cross-section using standard symbols. You will examine stereographic projections, sedimentary logging, the construction of stratigraphic columns for the identification of rocks, and the analysis of structural features using stereonets.

Year 2

• Geohazards

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the hazards associated with geological activity, their causes, and approaches to risk management. You will look at volcanoes, earthquakes, and radon, and the hazards associated with the exploitation of geological resources and associated anthropogenic activity, including asbestos, the mining industry, and contaminated land. You will examine a variety of geological and geochemical data, and learn to interpret and analyse these in order to make scientifically justified decisions as to the level of risk.

• Research in Earth, Climate and Environmental Change

  In this research led module skills in scientific writing, communication and data interpretation will be developed alongside an understanding of current research topics in Earth, Climate and Environmental Change. A series of seminars will be led by experts on a range of research topics in the field of Earth, Climate and Environmental change. From these seminars, you will gain an understanding of cutting edge research and the way in which research projects are planned and carried out. A literature review exercise on one of the research topics from the seminar series will be undertaken with support from tutors.

  You will receive training in techniques for literature searching, synthesising a large quantity of literature and reference managing. Data interpretation skills will be developed through a short guided quantitative project.

• Geochemistry

  In this module you will develop an understanding of advanced chemical concepts relevant to the Earth Sciences. You will focus on isotope geochemistry and consider techniques that are directly applicable in most geological contexts. You will attend practical classes and conduct a small project involving the analysis and interpretation of a real geochemical dataset.

• Earth Scientists Environmental Toolkit

  By the end of the module students should: Have gained an appreciation of some aspects of anthropogenic impact on the environment by visiting a range of field sites Understand the principles of environmental sampling, including sampling strategies, sources of error and sample contamination issues Have gained experience of a range of sample preparation methods and how to produce analytical data for a number of different sample types Understand how ICP-AES can be used for environmental analysis and gained practical experience of laboratory techniques Have gained experience of safe laboratory working practices Have developed team working skills, including time management, negotiation, and co-operation Have further developed their data analysis and report writing skills. Be able to plan and undertake an independent field-based environmental project.

• Earth Scientists Digital Toolkit

  The purpose of this module is to embed GIS and programming skills for the creation, analysis and interpretation of geospatial data and coding skills to facilitate data collection, analysis, modelling and interpretation. The module explains the origin of GIS and trains students in the creation of georeferenced point, line and polygon data, combine raster and vector data, and data analysis. It also introduces Python and the use of arrays, reading and writing, branching and repeating, and plotting.

Year 3

• Advanced Palaeoclimate

  The Earth’s climate has changed across geological time, due to the interaction of a huge array of inter-related climate forcing agents. These changes have been reconstructed using many different lines of chemical, biological and physical proxy data, and mechanistically interrogated using computer simulations (Earth-System models). In this module, you will be taught about the key features of major climatic events in Earth’s history and should gain an appreciation of the typical rates and magnitudes of change that characterise these episodes. A key aim of the module is to demonstrate some of the techniques used for quantitative palaeoclimate reconstruction, and for you to learn the critical evaluation skills needed to interpret these datasets. These skills will be developed through class practical exercises and a summative task that requires the interpretation of a raw palaeoclimate dataset.

   

• Earth, Climate and Environmental Change research project

  Projects can be field and/or laboratory based, generating new scientific data, or they can be computational, analysing existing data that has not been subject to detailed and critical analysis. Early in term 1 you will submit a project plan to the supervisor and course leader and will receive written feedback on the project plan. Formative feedback will also be provided at the end of term 1 following presentations showing progress made so far. You will be expected to regularly meet with your project supervisor for guidance. At the end of the project you will present the results of your research as a scientific report and as an oral presentation.

   

• Advanced Geohazards

  The module will cover hazards associated with geological activity, their causes and risk management including topics such as volcanoes, earthquakes and radon. Additionally the module will cover hazards associated the exploitation of geological resources and associated anthropogenic activity. This will cover topics such as asbestos, the mining industry and contaminated land. Students will work in small groups to prepare a poster on a city of their choice outlining geohazards (causes and management) that are pertinent to that city, bringing together all aspects of the module including physical, chemical and anthropogenic hazards. Students will be expected to give a short discussion and answer questions about their chosen city. Throughout the module students will be assessed formatively on a number of practicals that draw together a variety of geological, numerical and geochemical data that require analysis and interpretation of these data.

Year 4

• Evolution of the Modern Earth

  This course will integrate sedimentary, palaeontological, oceanographic and atmospheric information from the geological and modern record to understand the evolution of the modern Earth. Students will investigate the climate record through geologic time and what it can tell us about the future challenges of climate change, utilising a varied range of paleoclimatic proxies from both paleontology and sedimentology and looking at the range of climate data. They will explore the links between climate, tectonics and sedimentary systems. They will assess the intimate relationship between the evolution of land life and the evolution of the atmosphere.

• Independent Geoscience Project

  Under the guidance of a departmental supervisor, you will design and execute an independent research project which will be submitted for examination as a report of 45 pages. The project will utilise data collected in the field or the laboratory and may involve an industrial placement. Field-based projects will normally be based on 7-10 days of fieldwork. Data handling using statistical techniques must be integrated into the project. You will use departmental facilities to supplement data already acquired or produce their main database. Emphasis will be placed on ensuring that topics are properly designed before the commencement of the project and that appropriate progress is being made throughout both terms. Selection and outline of agreed topic and agreed deadline will be presented on a form to be countersigned by member of Academic Staff who will act as a supervisor.

• Field and Research Skills

  The aim is to equip MSci students (and potentially new PhD students) with the skills and techniques to undertake research. The course will include scientific ethics, the intelligent and efficient design of research or experiments, including how to capture, store and deal with data and meta-data, project planning, how to publicize your science, press release, video, outreach etc, an Introduction to Unix/Linux and a scripting language such as python i.e. how to do many things to a large number of files or large files and how to run them efficiently. Data reduction and interrogation with Igor or R or python with plotting publication ready data to maximum effect. Uncertainty in scientific measurement and modelling and how to propagate it. An introduction to basic electronics and interfacing your computer to an experiment and log/capture data, and ending with image capture and analysis.

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

Year 1

• All modules are core

Year 2

• Stratigraphy and the History of Life

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the key events in the history of life and their environmental impact using the fossil and sedimentary record. You will analyse fossil assemblages using stratigraphic principles such as absolute dating, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. You will consider how to interpret sedimentary rocks, and examine the importance of fossil assemblages in the interpretation of events in earth history.

• Applied Geophysics

  In this module you will develop an understanding of the theory and practice of seismic, gravity, magnetic and resistivity surveying. You will consider the methods used to manipulate, analyse, and display geophysical data to solve geological exploration problems, and examine the strengths and weaknesses of the different data types.

• Geothermal Energy

  The module will introduce you to the principles of deep and shallow geothermal energy and its current and potential use for producing electricity and space heating (and, for heat pumps, also space cooling). Geothermal energy is the close to other geological topics such as hydrogeology, volcanology, and hydrocarbon reservoirs. The module will underline the ideal combination between geothermal energy (steady source – always there) and other but non-steady renewable sources (solar, wind and wave energy). The module will provide clear and detailed overviews on the main geothermal energy sources, namely (1) shallow geothermy (heat pumps), (2) hot-dry-rock (enhanced geothermal systems), and (3) natural geothermal (hydrothermal) systems, both in sedimentary basins and in active volcanic areas. Highly successful projects (most shallow geothermy and natural systems project) and the less successful (many hot-dry-rock projects) will be analysed to learn from them. The focus is on quantitative methods for understanding and using geothermal systems, including the basic physical principles that control the formation and maintenance of such systems, petrophysical principles, thermal principles, and using large datasets to assess the potential of geothermal systems in different geological environments. The module also covers the environmental, political/social, and economic aspects of the exploration and use of geothermal energy. The module aims to provide the students with knowledge and skills for analysing and exploring geothermal energy, both shallow and deep, in the UK and worldwide.

Year 3

• Hydrogeology
• Environmental Biogeochemistry
• Applied Geochemistry

  The aim of the course is to provide students with practical and analytical skills in Geochemistry and provide a geochemical stream throughout the degree programme. The focus of the course is on practical skills. Practical analytical skills are highly sought after in industrial and academic geological research and will allow future non-practitioners to understand the constraints of modern Geochemical analysis. The course will be run in two streams: The first stream will be weekly one hour lectures/workshops which will concentrate on the theory of analysis of air, water and solid samples for isotopic ratios, uncertainty propagation, advanced isotopic techniques and weathering. The second stream will be weekly three-hour practicals in the departmental research laboratories. Practicals will be designed to collect and analyse air, water and solid samples, prepare the samples for analysis, run on the relevant machine, reduce the data and interpret the data with uncertainty and then write up as a report for one formative and two summative pieces of assessment.

• Planetary Geology and Geophysics
• Solar, Wind and Marine Energy
• Subsurface storage of CO2 and Energy

  The module will introduce you to the Geoscience (and wider background) needed to understand the exploitation of the subsurface for the storage of carbon dioxide (to reduce greenhouse gas emissions) and the storage of renewable energy (e.g. compressed air storage within salt). These new uses of the subsurface are expected to become significant businesses through the 2020s (in response to the Paris Climate Agreement), and the Petroleum Industry has the necessary skills, knowledge and resources to develop these. Consequently, many of our future graduates will likely find significant career opportunities in these new areas rather than in traditional hydrocarbon extraction. The module introduction will cover the environmental, economic, political and social background so that you understand the business model that will enable this new industry (specifically the how and why of carbon pricing). You will then investigate the geophysical methods required to evaluate potential subsurface structures. You will also look at the science behind subsurface utilization (e.g. issues such as what structures and sediments are needed and how these are similar to, or different from, the structures and sediments that form hydrocarbon reservoirs). In summary, the module aim is to produce graduates who can explore and exploit sedimentary basins in all the ways they are likely to be important during the 21st century.

Year 4

• All modules are core