Geology, Bedrock Geology - Master Programme

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:

1. Sedimentary geology and basin analysis
2. Magmatic petrology, geochemistry and geochronology
3. Metamorphic petrology and structural geology
4. Evolution of the biosphere, palaeoecology and palaeontology

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 it is also possible to combine courses in bedrock geology with other Master’s level courses, for example 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 for the analysis of rocks and microfossils as well as 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 and you will have access to all the resources of the Geolibrary, including digital journals.

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.

More information can be found at https://www.geology.lu.se/education