Undergraduate Courses
  • Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.

    However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.

Bachelor of Science (Geology)

Study the nature, composition and structure of the Earth and other planetary bodies to increase scientific knowledge; locate materials and minerals and advise on extraction, environmental protection and rehabilitation of land after mining.

Areas of specialised study in the Geology major include:

  • Economic geology (minerals, metals, petroleum)
  • Geochemistry
  • Igneous and metamorphic petrology
  • Palaeontology
  • Sedimentology
  • Stratigraphy
  • Structural geology
  • Tectonics
  • Volcanology


You will study how planet Earth functions, its composition and origin. You will consider topics such as geological time, the Solar System, the interior of Earth, tectonics and structural geology, crystals, minerals, volcanoes and volcanic processes, and characteristics of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

Course STRUCTURE

Students interested in a career in Geology are urged to take more than the minimum required 24 credit points of 300-level EESC subjects. A graduate with 32 credit points of 300-level EESC subjects has a more comprehensive geology degree.

Subject Code

Subject Name

Session

Credit Points

100-Level

Core:

EESC101

Planet Earth

Autumn

6

EESC103

Landscape Change and Climatology

Autumn

6

EESC102

Earth Environments and Resources

Spring

6

Total for major at 100-level

18

Recommended electives:

MATH151

General Mathematics 1A (if required)

Autumn

6

EESC104

Human Geography: Sustainability, Cities and Cultures

Spring

6

SCIE103

Climate Change

Spring

6

200-Level

Core:

EESC201

Earth's Inferno

Autumn

6

EESC204

Introductory Spatial Science

Autumn or Spring

6

EESC216

Sediments and Fuels

Spring

6

EESC250

Field Geology

Summer

6

Total for major at 200-level

24

Recommended Electives:

EESC203

Biogeography and Environmental change

Autumn

6

EESC202

Soils, Landscapes and Hydrology

Spring

6

EESC208

Environmental Impact of Societies

Spring

6

300-Level

Core:

EESC301

Plate Tectonics, Macrotopography and Earth History

Autumn

8

EESC306

Resources and Environments

Spring

8

EESC310

Water Resources and Management

Spring

8

Total for major at 300-level

24

Recommended Electives:

EESC303

Fluvial Geomorphology and Sedimentology

Autumn

8

EESC305

Remote Sensing of the Environment

Autumn

8

EESC309

Dung, Death and Decay: Modern scientific methods in archaeology

Autumn

8

EESC304

Geographic Information Science

Spring

8

Sub-total for major

66

Plus additional subjects chosen from the Science Schedule

24

Total for major

90

Plus elective subjects chosen from the Science or General Schedules

54

Degree Total

144

Honours

See separate entry for the Bachelor of Science Honours.

OTHER Information

Further information is available at:
UOW Course Finder
Email: smah-students@uow.edu.au 

Last reviewed: 3 April, 2014