What determines the nature of the surface of the Earth, both physically and biologically, temporally and spatially, and how has mankind impacted upon it? This is the sort of question that our Environmental Geoscientists are trained to answer.

The MESci builds upon the equivalent BSc programme by means of a fourth year which enables you to undertake a specialist research project in the area of your choice. It is designed for high-quality candidates who might aim to pursue a research career in academia, government or industry.

Set in an outstanding natural landscape which has been subject to a long and heavily polluting industrial history, South Wales offers study sites that include not only upland geomorphology and coastal environments but also landfills, heavy metal contamination, acid mine drainage, derelict land and mining subsidence, making Cardiff an excellent place to study Environmental Geoscience.

It is an applied degree that will challenge you to think holistically about subjects ranging from water quality to landscape evolution, from the evolution of the biosphere to climate change and from contaminated land to sustainability.

Fieldwork is an integral part of our degrees, giving you hands-on experience in real field situations. The fieldwork programme has been designed to give you the widest range of field experiences linked to classroom-based teaching.

As well as fieldwork in South Wales, this scheme currently offers residential trips to Portugal for geological mapping training and geoecology and to the volcano of Tenerife to study ‘the whole island concept’ linking geomorphology, hazards, soils, vegetation, water and sustainability.

For students interested in professional research careers in Environmental Geoscience, the four-year MESci provides a strong basis for investigation and research in this subject.

Distinctive features

This programme involves a common first term allowing you to experience aspects of Earth Sciences and Geography before finally deciding upon which honours degree course you wish to pursue.

It also includes residential field courses abroad in year two and the final year, which involve highly research active staff.

You will undertake a major summer project between years two and three building on training throughout the year – as an Environmental Geoscientist you will either do an independent project or an independent placement project with a company.

In year four you will complete a master’s research dissertation which will help widen your career options.