Master's Degree Programme
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September and January / February |
The master's degree programme in geology is for those of you interested in the structure of the Earth, its climate system, water resources, geothermal energy and development of sustainable solutions for the resource needs of modern society (e.g. clean drinking water and supply of energy and minerals). It is for those of you who find it exciting to collect data in the field and/or in a laboratory and interpret geochemical and geophysical datasets from different sample types (soil, water, rocks). You ultimately could use this to derive computer models and/or contribute to solutions to some of the societal challenges.
Geology has a both practical and theoretical approach and involves both lectures, lab work and excursions. You will learn how to analyse a geological problem by setting up a working model, collecting and analysing data, using it in numerical models and producing a scientific report. There are many different topics for specialisation, such as the formation of sedimentary basins and their importance for resource needs, how to find solutions to contaminants in the subsoil, how the climate has evolved through the past, and how to understand the climate in the present and safeguard it in the future. It is also possible to specialise in hydrogeology/geophysics, mineral raw materials and transition to sustainable energy sources.
Teaching in the programme is integrated with research at the highest international level and with a high degree of flexibility that makes it possible for the students to explore their own interests, both in the laboratories and in the field.
We offer the following four specialisations: Water, Climate, Energy and Deep earth systems.
Read more about the specialisations.
The master's degree programme in geology is closely related to the Master's degree programme in, Geophysics, and the two programmes have many joint courses. A background in basic geophysics, calculus, programming and chemistry is assumed.
Students work closely with technical staff and with some of the best Danish and international researchers in the field. Teamwork is promoted to provide a forum for group research and discussion as well as opportunities to collaborate with private companies for research.
The thesis, which is heavily weighted, is a chance for students to tailor their degree to their own personal and career interests while benefiting from close collaboration with fellow students and faculty members.
Graduates in geology from Aarhus University work in both the private and public sectors both in Denmark and abroad, with areas such as:
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the master's degree programme in Geology. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below you will also be able to learn more about language requirements and find out whether or not this master's degree programme has a limited intake.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| Subject area | Number of ECTS |
Subject components within geology Including at least 10 ECTS within each of the following topical areas:
| 60 |
Fundamental subject components within the majority of the following topics:
| 30 |
| Total | 90 |
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
The following Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles you to an offer of admission to the Master's degree programme in Geology:
Bachelor's degree programme in Geoscience from Aarhus University
Please note that you must apply for admission to the Master's degree programme within three years of completing your Bachelor's degree programme.
Learn more about Legal right of admission.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Master's degree programme in Geology:
This master's degree programme has a limited intake.
Because of the limited intake all qualified applicants will be prioritised according to a set of selection critieria (see below).
Meeting the admission requirements does not automatically ensure your offer of admission. Only if you have a specific bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'legal right of admission' will you be guarenteed an offer of admission to this master's degree programme.
If there are more qualified applicants than available student places, the selection will be based on the following criteria (each criterion counts for 1/3):
Grades from the qualifying degree
Grades achieved in relevant subject fields:
Geology
Geophysics
Chemistry
Mathematics
Probability theory
Statistics
Programming
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the grade point average (GPA).
Relevant subject fields (measured in ECTS). In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
Geology
Geophysics
Chemistry
Mathematics
Probability theory
Statistics
Programming
In criterion three, the score is based on the proportion of subjects on the bachelor’s degree diploma that fall within the relevant subject fields. In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under ‘Other qualifying degrees’ are not included.
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's english language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
The Master’s degree in geology counts as 120 ECTS credits and consists of subjects within the 4 specializations. You specialize by participating in course activities and projects and by writing a thesis. The first year consists of course work, while the second year is a research project that you can chose and is carried out under the supervision of a faculty member.
Before you arrive to Denmark, you structure your own individual study programme with the help of the study officer from the Department of Geoscience by choosing courses from a course catalogue. Your programme is based on your academic qualifications and interests and the subjects you studied for your Bachelor’s degree.
For more information about the individual courses, go to kursuskatalog.au.dk
If you would like information about options regarding a Master’s thesis in geology working with research groups at the Department of Geoscience, go to their respective web sites via www.geo.au.dk
At the University of Aarhus, you are in close contact with researchers in a way that you rarely experience at other universities. The door to the professor’s office is always open if you need clarification of the study material, and you are encouraged to ask questions at lectures and during exercises. We make heavy demands on your academic skills and independence. In return, you gain considerable benefits in the form of academic challenges and scientific knowledge, in addition to broad competences.
The teaching at the university focuses on independence, critical thinking and collaboration. Part of the teaching is in the form of lectures that introduce new angles to the material compared with the textbooks. The theoretical and practical exercises take place in small groups where you study relevant issues in depth. Depending on the courses taken and the thesis topic, most geology students spend a certain amount of time on laboratory work and work related to field courses. The degree programme also includes a number of excursions to key geological locations in Denmark and abroad.
The varied forms of teaching, collaboration in groups and the opportunity for close scientific dialogue with the researchers provide you with general competences that are in great demand in the global job market. These competences include abstract, critical and independent thinking, analytical skills and strategic planning. You can use these skills in many contexts – even in jobs for which you did not know you were qualified.
The teaching is divided into two semesters per year. See the academic calendar.
If you have the necessary skills and interest, you have the option of applying for admission to the PhD programme. You can apply when you have completed your Bachelor’s degree and one year of your Master’s degree or when you have completed your Master’s degree. In the PhD programme, you start working on a research project and are gradually trained through courses and personal guidance to become a researcher. Find more information about the PhD-programme in Geoscience here or read examples of current research projects at the Department of Geoscience.
The Department of Geoscience is a small community of about 200 students brought together by shared research and common interests.
You will quickly become part of the community at Department of Geoscience. The class sizes in the programme are relatively small, with a good social connection between all students. You will have access to modern facilities with well-established labs, reading places, study rooms, computer rooms and not least, the students’ Friday bar, where you can have a cosy chat with your fellow students. During your thesis, it is possible to get an office space where you can read and work with your fellow students.
The master's programme is flexible and adapted to the individual student's needs and academic wishes. The lecturers are researchers who are specialists in the field in which they teach, which ensures that the latest findings quickly find their way into the teaching. You will spend a great deal of your time on laboratory work and other work in connection with field courses, but you'll also be attending lectures and participating in group work where the many issues of the course are presented and elaborated
You will have the opportunity to participate in research projects, e.g. in connection with your thesis work. It is also possible to do projects together with private companies. The thesis is an independent research project and constitutes a large part of the study. This makes it possible to work in a team of researchers in an informal and inspiring atmosphere, where you participate as an integral part of the group's research projects, take part in the solution of exciting research assignments and become a potential co-author of scientific articles.
The University of Aarhus is unique, especially because the buildings are grouped in one campus area close to the Aarhus city center. The campus has many green areas and a beautiful park surrounding a small lake. Here you also find student accommodation, lecture theatres and a host of activities ranging from sports days to the regatta on the lake, interesting lectures, a film club, libraries and university celebrations. The campus ensures that you have easy access to the canteen, student counsellors, teachers, the bookshop, the State and University Library and the Friday bar.
The university is not all Aarhus has to offer. As the second-largest city in Denmark, Aarhus has numerous different cultural activities. The well-known Aarhus Festival is celebrated for a week at the beginning of September every year and the streets really come to life. During the rest of the year, you can visit different music venues and concert halls in the city or find entertainment at one of the many theatres in Aarhus. The city’s many museums include ARoS – the major international art museum, which is a spectacular place for visual experiences. If you have had enough of cultural activities, you can ride your bike to the beach in no time or go for walks in the Risskov woods or in the beautiful woods around Marselisborg. The forty thousand young students in Aarhus make up 17.5% of the population, which shapes city life. Aarhus is a young, dynamic city with plenty of opportunities.
-experienced, photographed and filmed by the students themselves.
With thousands of pictures #yourniversity gives insight into the everyday life as a student at AU; the parties, procrastination, exams and all the other ways you’ll spend your time at university.
Ida-Emilie Nilsson, Master's student at Geoscience
Since I was very young, I have been interested in nature, and the environment and climate have always been important to me. However, when I was in upper secondary school, I did not make a connection between my interest in these topics and a degree in Geoscience, so it was actually my interest in natural disasters and volcanoes that made me apply to Geoscience.
There has not been a single day where I have regretted to study at Geoscience. This is of course due to my strong interest in the academic field of geoscience, and dreams of adventurous jobs ahead, but also due to the daily student life here at Geoscience. We are a relatively small department, and this fosters a study environment, where you not only know your own classmates, but also know students from other classes as well as the lecturers. A special aspect of studying at Geoscience is the field trips both in Denmark and abroad. This is a special opportunity for getting to know your fellow classmates outside the classroom.
Currently, I am planning an exchange stay north of the Arctic Circle. I hope to get both personal development from this and to improve my knowledge about arctic processes and environments. There are good opportunities to go on exchange as a geoscience student, and as a lecturer told me in the first year of my Bachelor’s degree: "the best geologist is the most travelled geologist".
I do not have a specific job in mind for once I graduate. The job opportunities are quite diverse; however, I hope to get a job where I can work with climate and/or environment in some way. Through my student jobs, I have already peeked into some of the options available. My student jobs have primarily been within the environmental area, where I for example collected soil samples for a company. Who knows what the future holds? I am sure that I will find a job where I can feel that I make a difference somehow.
The chart shows the five most common types of work for graduates 1-2 years after finishing their degree. The data is derived from a survey made by Epinion for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Aarhus University in 2020.
Graduates in geology from Aarhus University find jobs within a wide range of areas in both the private and public sectors both in Denmark and abroad, and is concerned with areas such as:
Fieldwork, analyses of data and results communication are to a certain extent part of most types of jobs.
When completed the first year of your Master's degree, you can apply for admission to the four year PhD programme. However, you also have the opportunity to apply for a PhD programme once you have taken your Master's degree in geophysics. In this case, the PhD programme lasts only three years. With a PhD in Geophysics, you will have an even broader field of work areas to choose from, typically within research and development.
To do my job, you need not only basic geological knowledge but also the ability to analyse and interpret data. I learned this in my studies, along with more practical tools like GIS and administrative geology – the way regions and municipalities carry out administration in areas such as groundwater and pollution.
Christine Husum Graduate, MSc in Geology Geologist, Ramboll.
