Program Overview

University of Fribourg Master of Science in Earth Sciences

The Master of Science in Earth Sciences is a joint programme run by the Department of Geosciences at the University of Fribourg and the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern. This programme is taught in English and offers students a choice from five options: Earth and Life Evolution, Earth Materials, Environmental and Resource Geochemistry, Geology, and Pure and Applied Quaternary Sciences.

Profile of the Study Programme

The Master of Science in Earth Sciences is designed for students who have completed their bachelor's studies in geology or a related field and wish to pursue a career in research or industry. The programme is a two-year degree that provides students with a comprehensive education in earth sciences, including a choice from five options.

• Earth and Life Evolution: This option explores the evolution of the geosphere and the biosphere, linked by a common theme: the processes and the unique history that have produced our life-sustaining planet.
• Earth Materials: This option is multidisciplinary between geology and material sciences, providing skills for investigating and characterising minerals, rocks, and crystalline solids.
• Environmental and Resource Geochemistry: This option focuses on the chemical and physical interaction between aqueous fluids and the solid substrate, preparing students to tackle problems in professional practice.
• Geology: This option spans the entire realm from unconsolidated soil to solid rock, on both small and large scales, with a common theme: the understanding of geological processes and the results thereof in space and time.
• Pure and Applied Quaternary Sciences: This option represents an integrated approach for training students in all aspects of quaternary sediments, which cover most of the Earth's surface.

Studies Organisation

The Master of Science in Earth Sciences is a 120 ECTS credit programme, completed over four semesters.

Structure of Studies

The programme is structured to provide students with a comprehensive education in earth sciences, including a choice from five options.

Admission

Master's degree programmes are built on the knowledge and abilities acquired when obtaining a bachelor's degree. Holders of a bachelor's degree awarded by a Swiss university are admitted to a master's degree programme without any preconditions if they have earned 60 or 90 ECTS credits within the corresponding discipline. Holders of a bachelor's degree awarded by a foreign university, provided that the bachelor's degree is recognised and considered equivalent by the University of Fribourg, may be admitted to a master's degree programme with preconditions and/or additional requirements.

Key Points

• Degree Conferred: Master of Science in Earth Sciences, Universities of Fribourg and Berne
• Languages of Study: English
• Options: Five options available: Earth and Life Evolution, Earth Materials, Environmental and Resource Geochemistry, Geology, and Pure and Applied Quaternary Sciences
• Commencement of Studies: Autumn Semester (September) or Spring Semester (February)
• Access to Further Studies: Ph.D. programmes

Programme Details

The Master of Science in Earth Sciences programme provides students with a comprehensive education in earth sciences, including a choice from five options. The programme is designed to prepare students for a career in research or industry, and provides a solid foundation for further studies at the Ph.D. level.