Geology BSc (Honours)

Program Overview

Geology BSc (Honours) 2025 entry

Overview

Geology is the study of Planet Earth. The BSc in Geology at St Andrews explores the origin and evolution of our planet and its biosphere over time, using the geological record and the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, and biology to understand the processes and events that have shaped the Earth system.

Entry Requirements

SQA Highers

• Standard entry grades: AAAB, including two of the following subjects: Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: AABB, including two of the following subjects: Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Gateway entry grades: Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

GCE A-Levels

• Standard entry grades: AAB, including two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: ABB, including two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, and Physics.

IB points

• Standard entry grades: 36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental systems and societies (ES&S), Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.
• Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL5 in two of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental systems and societies (ES&S), Geography, Mathematics, and Physics.

General Entry Requirements

• All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.
• SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following: Biology, Chemistry, Computing science, Geography, Applications of Mathematics, Mathematics, Physics, or Psychology.
• GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following: Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, or Psychology.

Course Details

• The BSc (Hons) in Geology is a four-year course, or three years for direct entry students, run by the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
• The course provides students with a combination of academic skills and vocational training.
• During your degree, you will be able to take advantage of hands-on field and laboratory-based research projects that investigate topics as varied as addressing the challenges of finding and harnessing Earth's green energy resources to better understanding the formation and development of the Earth-Moon system.

Fieldwork

• Geology at St Andrews provides outstanding field-based training.
• Students have the opportunity to take numerous day to multi-week-long field trips associated with individual modules, as well as up to four weeks of fieldwork associated with their independent research projects.

Modules

• In the first two years of your degree (known as sub-honours), you will take the required modules in geology alongside modules in at least one other subject.
• In first year, you must complete at least one compulsory module, and in second year, you must complete two compulsory modules.
• At Honours level, you will take seven to eight compulsory modules, as well as a choice of optional modules to allow you to focus in on subjects that interest you.

Teaching

• The School’s teaching philosophy is to provide a thorough understanding of Earth Sciences through experiential learning via field and lab-based study, first-hand experience in collecting data, testing hypotheses and undertaking analyses, and student-led investigative research.
• The BSc in Geology is taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes, field work, and research projects.

Fees

• Scotland: £1,820
• England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man: £9,535
• EU and overseas: £31,670

Joint Honours Degrees

• You can also take Geology as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.
• UCAS code CFC6: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Earth Sciences
• UCAS code FF16: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Chemistry and Earth Sciences
• UCAS code CFC7: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Earth Sciences and Geography

Careers

• The School is proactive about developing career opportunities, and career activities are provided for all students from first year onwards.
• Assessment styles imitate real workplace scenarios and many modules in Honours years are supported by visits to and by industry partners, and provide training in industry-standard software packages.
• As a result, graduates are well prepared for a wide range of career options and graduate employment prospects are consistently among the best in the UK.

Research Areas

• The School is home to state-of-the-art analytical facilities supported by full-time technicians.
• These allow for the detailed characterisation of natural materials, culturing of micro and macro organisms in extreme environments, and geological, geophysical and environmental field deployment.
• These facilities will enable you to address topics from fundamental field geology to the drivers of environmental change.