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Programme Specification 2019 – 20
Programme Information
Programme Title Programme Code HECoS Code
Geology with a Year Abroad
For Registry Use Only
For Registry Use Only
Award Length of Study Mode of Study Entry Point(s)
Total Credits
ECTS CATS
MSci 4 years Full time Annually in October 240 480
BSc (Hons) 3 years Full time Annually in October 180 360
BSc (Ordinary) 3 years Full time none* 150 300
Diploma of Higher Education 2 years^ Full time^ none*^120
Certificate of Higher Education
1 year Full time none* 60 120
- The Certificate, Diploma and BSc (Ordinary) are not accredited. They are only available as exit awards, and are not available for entry. All students must apply to and join a BSc or MSci programme initially.
Ownership
Awarding Institution
Imperial College London Faculty^ Faculty of Engineering
Teaching Institution Imperial College London
Department Earth Science and Engineering
Associateship Royal School of Mines Main Location of Study
South Kensington Campus
External Reference
Relevant QAA Benchmark Statement(s) and/or other external reference points
QAA Subject Benchmark Statement for Earth Science, Environmental Sciences and Environmental Studies
FHEQ Level
MSci: Level 7 BSc: Level 6 Diploma: Level 5 Certificate: Level 4
EHEA Level
MSci: 2 nd^ Cycle BSc: 1 st^ Cycle
External Accreditor(s) (if applicable)
External Accreditor 1: Geological Society of London
Accreditation received: 2017 Accreditation renewal: 2023
Collaborative Provision
Collaborative partner Collaboration type Agreement effective date
Agreement expiry date
n/a n/a n/a n/a
Specification Details
Programme Lead Dr Mark Sutton, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Student cohorts covered by specification 2019 - 20 entry
Date of introduction of programme October 2019
Date of programme specification/revision March 2018
Programme Overview
As a geologist, you will study the Earth, learning about the rocks, minerals, fossils and fluids of which it is composed, the physical and chemical processes that drive the evolution and structure of its interior, the oceans, atmosphere and biosphere that sculpt and alter its surface, and the other planets, moons and asteroids to which it is closely related. Geologists seek to understand the Earth and other planets through observation and experiment, and to build their understanding upon fundamental scientific principles using interdisciplinary skills in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computing and engineering.
Geology deals with profound processes, some of which happen over many millions of years and over thousands of kilometres, and others of which can happen in a small area over a short time but that can nonetheless transform an entire region or even the entire planet, with permanent consequences. As a geologists, you will come to understand earthquakes and volcanoes, how the dinosaurs lived, why they died and what happened next, how the continents move around and how great mountain chains are formed, modified and destroyed, where to find fossil fuels and useful minerals, what is likely to happen to the climate and the biosphere if we are careless in their exploitation, and how and why Earth, Venus and Mars are at once so similar and so different.
An essential part of geology is the study of rocks and structures, in outcrop, in the field. Here, the geologist’s aim is to unravel the three-dimensional evolution of a portion of the Earth through time using observations made at the present surface of the Earth. This always requires skill, experience, insight and a good theoretical model, but above all it builds and requires the ability to reach well-founded conclusions using incomplete and inadequate data. Most of our geology students find the fieldwork that underpins the study of geology at Imperial to be the most-rewarding part of their entire degree. You will also find that the generic transferable skills that geological fieldwork imparts are in high demand across a wide range of career, including those that require accurate decision-making using incomplete information.
The first two years of the programme will prepare you for a major independent field project in which you will spend several weeks in the field, mapping and developing your understanding of your chosen geological area – typically this will be in the Pyrenees, in the Alps, on a Greek island, or in the Scottish Highlands, but it could be anywhere in the world that has suitable geology and access. In preparation for this project, you will learn the skills required in formal lectures, in detailed supervised practical classes, in days spent analysing rocks, minerals and fossils in the classroom, and in analysing landforms, structures and outcrop in the field at multiple locations across western Europe. You will also learn the necessary supporting mathematics, physics and geophysics, chemistry and geochemistry, biology and palaeontology, computer programming and computer applications, and larger-scale Earth and planetary science.
In the third year, you will complete your independent geology project, and spend a year studying at another leading university outside the UK. The year abroad is not an easy option – it will throw up cultural, academic and organisational challenges – but it nonetheless provides a hugely rewarding opportunity for some of our best students to expand their knowledge, self-confidence and experience. We send only a handful of students overseas each year, and each posting is bespoke to the student involved. In recent years, students have spent time abroad at MIT in Boston, at Berkeley in San Francisco, at UCLA in Los Angeles, at ANU in Canberra, at UBC in Vancouver, and at University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. If you have proficiency in an appropriate
- Demonstrate mastery of at least one advanced technique for acquiring, generating, analysing, evaluating or challenging observations or theory within earth and planetary science.
- Conceive, design, execute, critique, revise, document and present an original research project and an independent programme of geological fieldwork.
- Synthesise original scientific literature extending into active research areas at the boundaries of the subject.
- Analyse major unsolved questions within earth science, understanding their history, context and importance, and display confidence in formulating, evaluating and advancing well-argued opinions on how these questions might be resolved.
- Demonstrate broad experience of international geological practice and the development of professional collaboration with peers overseas, overcoming and benefiting from differences in culture, terminology and practice between different international organisations.
Upon successful completion of three years of study (leading to the award of a BSc Geology for students graduating after three years), a typical Geology graduate will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of the terminology of geology, geophysics and geochemistry.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the principal characteristics and histories of the interior, surface, climate and biosphere of the Earth, the methods used to ascertain these characteristics, and the physical, chemical and geological processes that explain them.
- Describe the principal characteristics of the terrestrial planets, major moons and minor bodies in the Solar System, and the processes that explain these characteristics.
- Demonstrate confidence and accuracy in identifying important rocks, minerals, fossils and structures in outcrop, in hand specimens, and under the microscope.
- Demonstrate the skills necessary to plan, conduct and evaluate an independent programme of geological fieldwork, report technical observations and conclusions effectively, and apply geological principles to the solution of problems in the field.
- Describe and explain how major earth resources are generated, their global distribution and characteristics, and the methods that can be used for their discovery and exploitation.
- Apply the principal techniques and theories of mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering and computer programming required across geoscience.
- Evaluate geological, geophysical, geochemical and remote sensing data, and infer appropriately by extrapolating realistically from incomplete or inadequate data.
- Discuss with confidence the theories, principles, and outstanding controversies for major processes, phenomena and observations within earth science.
- Synthesise observations, evidence and theory across different areas of earth and planetary science, recognising and explaining similarities and differences between different regions, times, planets and processes.
- Demonstrate broad experience of international geological practice and the development of professional collaboration with peers overseas, overcoming and benefiting from differences in culture, terminology and practice between different international organisations.
- Demonstrate a high-level of professional skill in written, verbal and online technical communication, engaging and persuasive presentation, problem solving and project management.
Upon successful completion of two years of study (leading to the award of a Diploma for students exiting after two years), a typical student will be able to:
- Demonstrate accuracy in their use of the terminology of geology.
- Demonstrate a good knowledge of the principal characteristics of the interior, surface and biosphere of the Earth, their histories, and the physical and geological processes that explain these characteristics.
- Explain accurately the methods used to make observations about the surface and interior of the Earth, and be able to report the principal results produced by these methods.
- Demonstrate accuracy in identifying important rocks, minerals, fossils and structures in outcrop, in hand specimens, and under the microscope.
- Apply geological principles to the solution of problems in the field.
- Apply the principal techniques and theories of mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering and computer programming to geoscience.
- Evaluate geological, geophysical, geochemical and remote sensing data.
- Work independently, evaluate progress, and report technical observations, methods and conclusions effectively.
- Demonstrate awareness of societal and industrial needs, practical engineering solutions to real-world problems, and environmental and human impact in relation to geoscience.
Upon successful completion of one year of study (leading to the award of a Certificate for students exiting after one year), a typical student will be able to:
- Demonstrate familiarity with the terminology of geology.
- Describe the principal characteristics of the interior and surface of the Earth, and the physical and geological processes that explain these characteristics.
- Outline some of the methods used to make observations about the surface and interior of the Earth, and be able to report the main results produced by these methods.
- Identify important rocks in outcrop and in hand specimens.
- Apply mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer programming to problems in geoscience.
- Write accurately about technical subjects and about geoscience.
The Imperial Graduate Attributes are a set of core competencies which we expect students to achieve through completion of any Imperial College degree programme. The Graduate Attributes are available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/students/academic-support/graduate-attributes
Entry Requirements
Academic Requirement
A-level
A minimum of AAA overall or equivalent.
To include at least two of the following subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Biology, Geography.
General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted.
International Baccalaureate
A minimum of 38 points overall.
To include a minimum of 6 in two of the following at higher level: Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics or Physics.
For further information on entry requirements, please go to https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/requirements/ugacademic/
Non-academic Requirements none
English Language Requirement
Standard requirement Please check for other Accepted English Qualifications
Admissions Test/Interview
All short-listed candidates are invited for interview. Interviews normally take place within the Department at Imperial College on Wednesdays between October and March.
During the interview visit, students meet key members of staff, and have a 30-minute one-to-one interview; existing undergraduates on the programme show prospective students around the department. Both staff and students are on hand during the day to answer questions
within an actively forming and deforming mountain belt; recently this field trip has been run in the Italian Apennines.
Throughout the programme, a number of workshops, tutorials and other activities run that are designed to build a particular focus, and develop particular skills, in each year. These are:
- Year 1 – Science Focus: builds core skills in geoscience, mathematics, physics and chemistry.
- Year 2 – Engineering Focus: builds awareness of society, industry, and practical solutions to problems.
- Year 3 – N/A (you will be studying abroad)
- Year 4 – Research Focus: develops skills in project design, advanced research methods, and frontier geoscience, and actively explores the scientific boundaries of human knowledge.
Throughout the programme, extensive use is made of technology to enhance and support you in the classroom, during private study, and on fieldwork. If, for example, you choose to take an elective module that covers processes on another planet, then you may find yourself involved in a virtual field trip to the surface of that planet, or if you study advanced seismic interpretation, then you will be using advanced 3D commercial software to explore the subsurface of the Earth for valuable resources. Lecturers also seek to integrate technology into their day-to-day teaching, using online voting, instructional videos and e-books to support and diversify your learning experience.
Workload
Module size at Imperial is measured in ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits. One ECTS represents about 25 hours of student effort for a typical conscientious student, including formal teaching, fieldwork, private study, examination preparation and assessment. A full academic year involves 60 ECTS, or about 1500 hours of study in total.
A typical module taught over one term will be worth 5 ECTS. It will involve about 30 hours of formal teaching in lectures, practicals, tutorials and workshops, about 64 hours of coursework, problem solving, private study and project work, and about 30 hours of revision for a one-hour examination. There is significant variation in this balance between different modules, but all modules of equivalent value involve similar levels of commitment and workload.
Lectures, practicals and other formal activities take place on weekdays only, with Wednesday afternoons normally remaining free. There is no teaching at weekends except for field modules that are run outside London; these typically run for ten to twelve days and so nearly always involve a weekend spent on fieldwork. We do not normally schedule teaching out of term time, though it can sometimes be necessary for field modules to run into vacations because of practical restrictions on accommodation, transport or even the state of the tide at coastal locations. Although it is possible to complete the independent geological project entirely within term time, many students chose to extend this highly rewarding field project into the summer vacation between years two and three.
Assessment Strategy
Assessment Methods
You will have already experienced various forms of academic assessment during your previous education. At Imperial, we use assessment in two ways: Formative assessment is used to develop your skills, knowledge and understanding, and to help you judge your own progress; formative assessment does not contribute to your final marks and class of degree awarded. Summative assessment involves formal assessment of your work, through examination, coursework and project work; summative assessment does contribute to your final result.
Formative assessment is provided throughout the programme in a variety of forms. Almost all practical classes, problem classes, workshops, and field trips involve formative assessment throughout, supported by direct verbal feedback from lectures and graduate teaching assistants in the classroom, the provision of worked examples and correct solutions for practicals and coursework, and written comments in field and laboratory notebooks. Fieldwork provides ample opportunity for formative feedback, as students and teachers engage in dialogue at the outcrop. Many lectures involve mini tests, and other forms of rapid assessment within the lecture or associated practical class, and tutorial work and small independent projects in the first two years provide more- structured formative assessment.
Summative assessment is provided through formal written examinations, practical examinations, assessed coursework, and independent project, laboratory and fieldwork reports. The independent project may also be assessed by oral examination, and some specialist elective modules may involve assessment of oral presentations, posters and team performance. All assessment is aligned with the intended learning outcomes for
the taught modules, and is intended to act as a method of consolidating learning through revision and application, rather than simply as a measure of progress.
The exact balance of summative assessment through the programme depends upon which elective modules are taken, but is likely to be approximately:
coursework practical examination
year 1 10% 20% 70%
year 2 10% 30% 60%
year 3 Varies Varies Varies
year 4 5% 55% 40%
coursework: unsupervised written assessment such as essays and problem sheets – typically you will conduct coursework independently outside normal timetabled classes.
practical: assessment of your performance in timetabled practical, laboratory and field classes, and in major projects – typically assessment is through project reports, field and laboratory notebooks, verbal and poster presentations, oral examinations, and group exercises.
examination: invigilated assessment, including practical examinations and supervised in-class tests as well as conventional written examinations – typically you will answer previously unseen questions in a fixed time period.
In Geophysics, several examinations will have a strong practical element. As the programme progresses, the importance of examination decreases, and more weight is placed upon performance in independent projects.
Academic Feedback Policy
Timely, well-structured, relevant feedback is an integral part of the learning process; it is prioritised by teachers and highly valued by students in Earth Science and Engineering. Feedback is provided frequently and in many different formats throughout the programme. Both written and verbal feedback is provided during practical and problem classes, in workshops, in tutorials, during field work, and in response to assessed and unassessed coursework. Much of this feedback is instant; it occurs as students are engaging with the task, and helps them to check their understanding, and evaluate their own progress, in real time. For example, during fieldwork, verbal feedback is provided constantly throughout the working day, allowing students to change and improve their learning approaches in an iterative fashion. Students are encouraged to reflect and act upon their feedback, particularly with regard to their written projects in years one, two and three, which build in complexity and difficulty. Written feedback on minor coursework is normally be provided within two weeks of submission.
Feedback will normally be individual on assessed summative coursework and project work, and will normally be generic on unassessed formative coursework, provided verbally or in writing, typically during the next teaching session or delivered online. Feedback on major projects will normally be provided within five weeks in term time; this is typically written feedback focussed on how the student could improve the work for the future
Generic feedback is provided on all examinations, once summative marks are released; where appropriate, individuals can request to be given supervised access to their exam scripts. The College’s Policy on Academic Feedback and guidance on issuing provisional marks to students is available at:
www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/academic-policy/exams-and-assessment/
Re-sit Policy
The College’s Policy on Re-sits is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current- students/undergraduate-and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/
Mitigating Circumstances Policy
The College’s Policy on Mitigating Circumstances is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and- data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/
Programme Structure^1
Year 1 – FHEQ Level 4
Students study all core and compulsory modules, and one elective module from group A, and one elective module from Group B.
Code Module Title
Core Elective Group^ Term^ Credits
EART
Dynamic Earth and Planets Core 1 & 2 7.
EART
Stratigraphy and Geomaterials Core 1 7.
EART
Programming for Geoscientists Compulsory 1 5
EART
Deforming the Earth Core 2 5
EART
009 Life over Deep Time^ Core^2
EART
Geology in the Field Core 3 7.
EART
Physical and Surface Processes Core 2 7.
EART
Volcanism and Internal Processes Core 2 5
EART
Mathematics for Geoscientists Elective A 1 5
EART
005 Maths Methods 1^ Elective^ A^1
EART
Chemistry for Geoscientists Elective^ B 1 5
EART
Low Temperature Geochemistry
Elective B 1 5
Credit Total 60
Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5
Students study all core and compulsory modules.
Code Module Title Core/ Elective Group Term Credits
Solar System Science Core 1 5
High-temperature Geochemistry Core 1 5
(^1) Core modules are those which serve a fundamental role within the curriculum, and for which achievement of the credits for that module is essential for the achievement of the target award. Core modules must therefore be taken and passed in order to achieve that named award. Compulsory modules are those which are designated as necessary to be taken as part of the programme syllabus. Compulsory modules can be compensated. Elective modules are those which are in the same subject area as the field of study and are offered to students in order to offer an element of choice in the curriculum and from which students are able to select. Elective modules can be compensated.
Maps and Structures Core 1 5
Pure and Applied Geophysics Core 1 & 2 7.
Rocks and Structures in the Field Core 3 10
Palaeontology and Optical Petrology Core 1 & 2 7.
Igneous and Metamorphic Geology Core 2 7.
Sediments and Stratigraphy Core 1 & 2 7.
Remote Sensing Earth and Planets Core 2 5
Credit Total 60
Year 3 - FHEQ Level 6
Students may take up to 30-ECTS equivalent at level-7.
Students must have earned 60 ECTS at Level 7 by the end of Year 4.
Code Module Title Core Level Term Credits
Year Abroad Placement (normally including an independent project and an equivalent to I-Explore) Core^ 6 & 7^ 1, 2 & 3^60
Credit Total 60
Year 4 - FHEQ Level 7
Students study all core modules, plus five modules from group D. Students may take a maximum of three level-6 modules which may include I-Explore as an elective for credit.
Students must have earned 60 ECTS at Level 7 by the end of Year 4.
Code Module Title
Core Elective Group^ Term^ Level^ Credits
MSci Independent Project Core 1 7 30
Field Geology of an Active Mountain Belt Core 3 7 5
Credit Total 60
Year 4 - FHEQ Level 6/7 – Group D electives
Different sub-sets of modules are offered each year, with a minimum of 12 elective modules normally available.
Code Module Title
Core Elective
Group Term Level Credits
Mining Environmental Management Elective D 2 6 5
Ore Deposits Elective D 2 6 5
Environmental Seminars Elective D 2 6 5
Hydrogeology and Fluid Flow Elective D 2 6 5
Progression and Classification
Progression
Year One: Candidates must normally achieve an aggregate mark of at least 70.00% for the year, must pass all core modules, and must have earned at least 60 ECTS credits for the year. No more than 5 ECTS may be earned as compensated passes during the year. Candidates who do not meet this requirement but meet the progression requirements for MSci Geology will be transferred onto that degree scheme.
Year Two: Candidates must achieve an aggregate mark of at least 40.00% for the year, must pass all core modules, and must have earned at least 60 ECTS credits for the year. No more than 5 ECTS may be earned as compensated passes during the year. Candidates must also perform at a high level (normally at least 70%) in term 1 modules in year two, as adjudicated by the examination board or a sub-board designated by the examination board for this purpose. Candidates who do not meet this additional requirement will be transferred onto the MSci Geology degree scheme.
Year Three: Candidates must achieve an aggregate mark of at least 40.00% for the year, must pass all core modules, must have earned at least 60 ECTS credits for the year, and must have earned at least 45 credits at level 6 or higher. No more than 15 ECTS may be earned as compensated passes during the year.
Year Four: Candidates must achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50.00% for the year, must pass all core modules, must have earned at least 60 ECTS credits for the year, and must have earned at least 60 credits at level 7. No more than 15 ECTS may be earned as compensated passes during the year.
- The pass mark for modules at levels 4, 5 and 6 is 40.00%, and at level 7 is 50.00%.
- At the discretion of the Board of Examiners, compensated passes may be awarded in non-core modules at levels 4, 5 and 6 that have been awarded 30.00% or higher, and in non-core modules at level 7 that have been awarded 40.00% or higher. Compensated passes are not allowed in core modules. Marks for modules awarded a compensated pass are included in year and programme overall weighted marks.
- A single compulsory I-Explore co-curricular module must be taken, and subsequently passed or awarded a compensated fail, but will not be included in calculating the aggregate mark for the year. If optional additional co-curricular modules are taken for credit, then their marks will be included in calculating the aggregate mark for the year.
- The marks for both level-6 and level-7 modules are included in calculating aggregate marks in year 3 and in year 4.
The Year Abroad cannot be compensated.
Classification
The marks from modules in each year contribute towards the final degree classification using the weighting:
BSc MSci Year 1: 7.50% 7.50% Year 2: 35.00% 20.00% Year 3: 57.50% 36.25% Year 4: - 36.25%
Final degrees are classified as:
First: 70.00% or above for the average weighted module results Upper Second: 60.00% or above for the average weighted module results Lower Second: 50.00% or above for the average weighted module results Third: 40.00% or above for the average weighted module results
Please find the full Academic Regulations at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic- governance/regulations/. Please follow the prompts to find the set of regulations relevant to your programme of study.
Supporting Information
The Programme Handbook is available at: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/engineering/departments/earth- science/current-student-staff-info/ug/
The Module Handbook is available at: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/engineering/departments/earth- science/current-student-staff-info/ug
The College’s entry requirements for postgraduate programmes can be found at: www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements
The College’s Quality & Enhancement Framework is available at: www.imperial.ac.uk/registry/proceduresandregulations/qualityassurance
The College’s Academic and Examination Regulations can be found at: www.imperial.ac.uk/about/governance/academic-governance/regulations
Imperial College is an independent corporation whose legal status derives from a Royal Charter granted under Letters Patent in 1907. In 2007 a Supplemental Charter and Statutes was granted by HM Queen Elizabeth II. This Supplemental Charter, which came into force on the date of the College's Centenary, 8th July 2007, established the College as a University with the name and style of "The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine". www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/secretariat/college-governance/charters/
Imperial College London is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS) www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/the-register/
This document provides a definitive record of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student may reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if s/he takes full advantage of the learning opportunities provided. This programme specification is primarily intended as a reference point for prospective and current students, academic and support staff involved in delivering the programme and enabling student development and achievement, for its assessment by internal and external examiners, and in subsequent monitoring and review.
Modifications
Description Approved Date Paper Reference
n/a n/a n/a n/a
Programme Specific Regulations
Policies and regulations may vary for students on a year abroad. You are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the relevant policies and regulations which will underpin your studies while abroad before you go. If you have any questions, please talk to your host institution or your home departmental contact.
