Geology, Bedrock Geology - Master Programme
Master's programme · 2 years · 120 credits

Description
As the global population increases, we are facing a number of new challenges related to environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources. Meeting these challenges requires more geological expertise. The Master’s programme in geology provides you with cutting-edge expertise that is in demand on the international labour market.
This specialisation in the programme provides you with specialist knowledge in bedrock geology, the research field that investigates the formation and inner structure of the Earth and the dynamics of the Earth’s crust. This is studied through geochronology, geochemistry, sedimentology, structural geology and dating methods. The education also covers mineralogy and petrology, subjects dealing with the origin and transformation of minerals and rocks. You will also get insight into prehistoric life and how plants and animals evolved over Earth’s long history. Four courses, each worth 15 credits, make up the recommended study path:
- Sedimentary geology and basin analysis
- Magmatic petrology, geochemistry and geochronology
- Metamorphic petrology and structural geology
- Evolution of the biosphere, palaeoecology and palaeontology / Global Environmental Change from a Geological Perspective
On admission to the programme, you will automatically be placed on the first two courses. Normally, students attend at least one of the other two courses, but you can also include courses in Quaternary geology or applied geology. The programme, which qualifies you for research studies, also opens the door to a labour market in which advanced geological or geoscience issues hold a central position.
The programme requires a prior Bachelor’s degree in geology or geoscience specialising in geology, including basic education in mineralogy and petrology. The international profile of the programme provides you with skills and knowledge to pursue your career in Sweden as well as internationally.
One of the many assets of our Master’s programme in geology is the department’s wide range of advanced research equipment. This includes instruments for geochemical analysis, state of the art microscopes and various dating laboratories, for example to determine the age of unusual minerals whose atoms can tell us about continental drift over hundreds of millions of years. All students attend lectures and exercises in well-equipped lecture rooms and teaching laboratories. Fieldwork is an essential part of the study programme and you will participate in field courses and excursions to southern Sweden, Denmark and the island of Gotland to familiarise yourself with different types of bedrock and sediments. For 1.5 semesters in the second year, you will conduct a degree project (45 credits), which normally includes fieldwork in Sweden or abroad followed by analysis work in one of our research laboratories. Data processing and a literature review are normally part of the thesis work.
Career opportunities
Demand for geological expertise will only increase in the future, to address the major societal challenges we are facing. With a Master’s degree in Geology, you will be well-equipped with both general and specific subject knowledge to tackle advanced tasks in research and qualified professional work. Many of our students get jobs as environmental consultants or specialists within the mining, construction and engineering sectors. Others make a career in Swedish and international authorities, often centred on sustainable management of groundwater and other geological resources. You can also work in municipal planning, water engineering and environmental protection. Geological knowledge is in demand all over the world and there are good opportunities to find jobs abroad, for example with water supply in developing countries or in major infrastructure projects.
Closed for applications
Application opportunitiesClosed for applications
Learn more about our application periods and when to apply for studies at Lund University.
There is a preparation programme available for this Master's degree
Contact
Director of Studies
Dan Hammarlund
Phone: +46 46 222 7985
Email: dan [dot] hammarlund [at] geol [dot] lu [dot] se
Requirements and selection
Entry requirements
Bachelor’s degree of at least 180 credits in geology or the equivalent. The degree must include at least 90 credits in geology.
Proficiency in English equivalent to English 6/B from Swedish upper-secondary school.
Selection criteria
English language requirements
Most of Lund University’s programmes require English Level 6 (unless otherwise stated under 'Entry requirements'). This is the equivalent of an overall IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 90. There are several ways to prove your English language proficiency – check which proof is accepted at the University Admissions in Sweden website. All students must prove they meet English language requirements by the deadline, in order to be considered for admission.
How to prove your English proficiency – universityadmissions.se
Country-specific requirements
Check if there are any country-specific eligibility rules for you to study Master's studies or Bachelor's studies in Sweden.
Country-specific requirements for Bachelor's studies – universityadmissions.se
Country-specific requirements for Master's studies – universityadmissions.se
Apply
Start Autumn Semester 2022
Day-time Lund, full time 100%
In English
Study period
29 August 2022 - 2 June 2024
Application
Closed for applications
How to apply
Lund University uses a national application system run by University Admissions in Sweden. It is only possible to apply during the application periods.
Step 1: Apply online
- Check that you meet the entry requirements of the programme or course you are interested in (refer to the section above on this webpage).
- Start your application – go to the University Admissions in Sweden website where you create an account and select programmes/courses during the application period.
Visit the University Admissions in Sweden website - Rank your programme/course choices in order of preference and submit them before the application deadline.
Step 2: Submit documents
- Read about how to document your eligibility and how to submit your documents at the University Admissions in Sweden website. Follow any country-specific document rules for Master's studies or Bachelor's studies
Country-specific requirements for Bachelor's studies – universityadmissions.se
Country-specific requirements for Master's studies – universityadmissions.se
- Get all your documents ready:
- official transcripts and high school diploma (Bachelor's applicants)
- official transcripts and degree certificate or proof of expected graduation (Master's applicants)
- passport/ID (all applicants) and
- proof of English proficiency (all applicants).
- Prepare programme-specific documents if stated in the next paragraph on this webpage.
- Upload or send all required documents to University Admissions before the document deadline.
- Pay the application fee (if applicable – refer to the section below on this webpage) before the document deadline.
* Note that the process is different if you are applying as an exchange student or as a part of a cooperation programme (such as Erasmus+).
* If you have studied your entire Bachelor's programme in Sweden and all of your academic credits are in Ladok, you do not have to submit transcripts or your diploma when applying for a Master's programme. However, there may still be other documents you need to submit! See the link below.
* Svensk student?
Läs instruktionerna om att söka till ett internationellt masterprogram på lu.se
Programme-specific documents
In addition to the documents mentioned under Step 2, you must also submit a 'Summary Sheet' when you apply for this programme.
Summary Sheet for the Master's programmes in Geology (PDF, new window)
Tuition fees
Non-EU/EEA citizens
Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 290 000
First payment: SEK 72 500
Citizens of a country outside of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are required to pay tuition fees. You pay one instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each semester.
Tuition fees, payments and exemptions
EU/EEA citizens and Switzerland
There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
Application fee
If you are required to pay tuition fees, you are generally also required to pay an application fee of SEK 900 (approximately EUR 100) when you apply at the University Admissions in Sweden website. You pay one application fee regardless of how many programmes or courses you apply to.
Paying your application fee – universityadmissions.se
Exemptions from paying the application fee – universityadmissions.se
*Note that there are no tuition or application fees for exchange students or PhD students, regardless of their nationality.
Scholarships & funding
Lund University Global Scholarship programme
The Lund University Global Scholarship programme is a merit-based and selective scholarship targeted at top academic students from countries outside the EU/EEA.
Lund University Global Scholarship
Swedish Institute Scholarships
The Swedish Institute offers scholarships to international students applying for studies in Sweden at Bachelor's, Master's, PhD and post-doctoral levels.
Scholarship options at the Swedish Institute website
Country-specific scholarships and funding options
Lund University has agreements with scholarship organisations and funding bodies in different countries, which may allow applicants to apply for funding or scholarships in their home countries for their studies at Lund University.
- Scholarships/funding for students from Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia, Russia and Chile, among other countries
- US student finance
- Canada student finance