Earth Sciences
Choosing your Courses

Students can undertake a major in either Geology or Earth Science depending on the courses they choose and on the field of employment they wish to pursue. Each program page provides links to descriptions of individual courses, plus indicates whether they are core or directed for a particular major. An overview of how our courses fit with each other is available in our Earth Science BSc course progression document.

There is a great variety in the Earth Sciences courses which students can study. There are courses which involve real-world experience and most involve a fieldwork and laboratory component. The Discipline offers courses which include field trips to Broken Hill, Heron Island, Cobar, North Coast of NSW, Wombeyan Caves and the Upper Hunter Valley.

Our third year courses provide an indication of the breadth of topic areas available. For a full list of currently offered courses, consult the above course progression document or search the Course Finder.

Some Suggested PATHWAYS documents have been developed to give an indication of sets of courses meeting program requirements that will prepare students for particular careers. They are not the only sets of courses that will take students to the same careers, and they are not the only careers these sets of courses will prepare students for. The entry for the Earth Science major is also provided at the end of this page.

Students are encouraged to investigate their individual interests, consulting with the Program Convenor and/or Head of Discipline in determining how best to meet their needs.

The degree program is typically three years, although an additional year for the Honours Degree is also available. The fourth year provides students with an opportunity to undertake a research project and further course work. Students considering this option are also recommended to consult with staff about course choices that will best prepare them.

Recommended pattern of study

The recommended pattern for students wishing to major in Earth Science or Geology at the University of Newcastle is outlined below. This information should be read in conjunction with individual course descriptions and the rules for each degree program, accessed from the Degree Program pages.

Descriptions for all courses across the University are searchable in the Course Finder.

First Year

Students will learn about the Earth's dynamic systems, the evolution of the Earth and its processes and products to achieve a broad understanding of the way the Earth works. GEOS1040 (Earth's Dynamic Systems) and GEOS1050 (Earth Processes & Products) are conducted in Semester 1 and 2 respectively. These courses provide a broad understanding of the way the Earth works, and assume no prior knowledge of Earth Sciences. An additional course ENVS1060 Environmental Chemical and Physical Processes is also available as an elective to Geology or Earth Science students in the BSc program. This course must be undertaken by students in the BEnvScience and Management program majoring in Earth Sciences (Physical Systems major).

Second Year

Students undertaking a major in Earth Science or Geology will complete a Field Course and Geographical Information Systems courses along with other electives including those dealing with Petrology, Geomorphology, Soils, Climatology, Sedimentology, Structural Geology, as well as additional field courses. An additional course ENVS2040 Energy and the Environment is also available as an elective to Geology or Earth Science students in the BSc program. This course must be undertaken by students in the BEnvScience and Management program majoring in Earth Sciences (Physical Systems major).

Additional courses offered by other disciplines within the School may also be selected, for example, Chemistry, Geography and Biological Sciences, as well as others from across the university. For those wishing to specialise in Geology, there are supplementary courses available externally at the University of New England which may be taken in addition to those offered by the University of Newcastle and which can be counted towards the degree at the University of Newcastle.

Third Year

At third year level students choose a selection of courses which suit their chosen specialisation. For students planning to major in Earth Science or Geology, a number of courses offered by the Discipline must be completed at this level. These courses build on the courses offered in second year and also include topics dealing with global change, crustal evolution, geographic information systems, sedimentary basin analysis, coastal dynamics and protection, structural geology, carbonate environments, environmental remediation and the study of fuels. For those students wishing to specialise in Geology, there are supplementary courses available externally at the University of New England which may be taken in addition to those offered by the University of Newcastle and which can be counted towards the degree at the University of Newcastle.