MASTER’S PROGRAMMEIN EARTH SCIENCES

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DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES

Apply through the Admissions Office (www.antagning.se).International application deadline: 15 January 2018. Swedish application deadline: 16 April 2018

How to plan your curriculum and Master’s thesisThe Master’s programme consists of a man-datory Master thesis and elective courses. We offer three lines of study:- Bedrock Geology/Petrology- Sedimentary and Environmental Geology - Climatology

• The Earth science seminars I-II (GV0401 and GV0502) help you to identify a super-visor and a Master’s thesis topic. The sem-inars are designed to guide you through the Master’s programme, connect you to other students and provide a forum for thesis lectures.

• We highly recommend that you identify your field of interest and a potential super-visor within the first few months and to plan how your project will fit into the curri- culum. You, in close collaboration with your supervisor and the study counselor, can create your curriculum (selecting courses in your area of interests and plan-ning your thesis schedule) for the coming 2 years. You have to finalize a Master thesis of 45 or 60 hec.

• Most courses are only given every other year and planning of when to write your thesis and when to take courses requires careful planning. The advantage of our curriculum is that you can combine your thesis work with elective courses in order to optimize your training.

• Your supervisor might also recommend courses at other universities - in Sweden or abroad- that advance your research network and/or find potential future employers. If you are interested in a study abroad program during your Masters, the university and the department have exchange agreements with universities around the globe.

Geoscience students studying Precambrian geology in southern Sweden.

Sampling of 1000-year old pine in a lake in Jämtland, Sweden.

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GV0401 Master’s Seminar 5 hec

GVG460 Applied Hydrogeology 7.5hec

GV4000 Earth Science Excursion I 15hec

GVG410 Advanced Petrology 7.5hec

MP4400 Igneous and metamorphic Geochemistry 7.5hec

GVG470 Applied Geo-physics 7.5hec

MPN023 Regional Bedrock Geology 7.5hec

Year 1 2018/2019

Geology Prof i le Climatology Prof i le

GV0401 Master’s Seminar 5 hec

ES2613 Global change - problem, analysis, measures 7.5 hec

GVN460 Climate Change in an Earth system perspective 7.5hec

GVN465 Climate Modeling 7.5hec

GVK460 Biogeochemistry 7.5hec

ES2423 Sustainable development: A case study approach 15hec

Independent study*- schedule can be created on an individual basis.

GV0502 Master’s Seminar (5 hec) GV4000 Earth science excursion I 15 hec

GVK440 Quaternary Development and Paleoclimate, 7.5hec

GVG450 Ore-forming processes 7.5 hec

GVG470 Applied geophysics 7.5hec

GVG360 Advanced Structural 7.5 hec

GVK430 Environmental Geology 7. 5 hec

Year 2 2019/2020

Geology Prof i le Climatology Prof i le

GV0502 Master’s Seminar (5 hec)

ES2613 Global change - problem, analysis measures 7.5 hec

GVN460 Climate Change in an Earth system perspective 7.5hec

ES2423 Sustainable development: A case study approach 15hec

GVN465 Climate Modeling 7.5hec

Independent study*- schedule can be created on an individual basis.

Master’s Thesis courses: 60 credit thesis (GV0460 circa 40 weeks) or 45 credit thesis (GV0445 circa 30 weeks). See previous page for more

*Independent study (7.5 hec) could include a short internship, a literature study or small scienti-fic project that are relevant to your curriculum.

Göteborgs universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper. 031-786 00 00 (växel)

You are welcome to select courses to develop your individual curriculum, with the help of our student advisor and the examiner.

Note! For an extended selection of courses, you may also consider the schedules for the Geography master and the Earth Science bachelor courses. (30hec undergraduate credits permitted in a Master’s Degree possible).

What areas can you specialize in?There are many directions you can choose within Earth Sciences at the University of Gothenburg. You can e.g. specialize in BEDROCK GEOLOGY, which can lead you into studying the PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY of Sweden.

Many of these students also work with ECONOMIC GEOLOGY and end up working in the mining industry. At the University of Gothenburg, we have a special strength in GEOCHEMISTRY and, with a sophisticated instrument park, we carry out internation-ally significant research in PETROLOGY and ORE GENESIS.

Masters of Earth Science at the University of Gothenburg

MARINE GEOLOGY is the study of the geology below sea level, and this requires different techniques than on land, and the University of Gothenburg has recently pur-chased a brand-new research vessel equipped to study the ocean, including the sea floor. Much of this group’s research involves MICROPALEONTOLOGY and PALEOCLIMA-TOLOGY. You can specialize in this area and complement your studies with special courses in the newly formed Department of Marine Science (www.marine.gu.se/).

Many of our climate studies involve CLIMATE MODELING to explain and predict climate change. We also have a strong URBAN CLIMATE group that studies how climate affects cities (and vice versa) as well as how cities can be planned to cope with climate change. Volvo Cars happens to be located in Gothenburg, and this has helped to generate a strong ROAD CLIMATE group that studies how driving can be safer by un-derstanding how roads and climate inter-act. These applied climate studies can be complemented by courses in Cultural Geo- graphy at our sister institution (www.bio-env.gu.se) that deal with Global Change and Sustainable Development.

Many of our Earth Science research ques-tions involves the use of computer-aided mapping, called GEOGRAPHIC INFORMA-TION SYSTEMS. We offer advanced courses in GIS. Maps are a priority tool for geolo-

You may also choose to follow in one of the traditional disciplines with PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. Our department’s greatest research strength is arguably within CLI-MATOLOGY, and with the growing need to understand climate change, many students study climate. At the University of Gothen-burg, we have a joint Chinese-Swedish tree-ring laboratory where the PALEOCLIMA-TOLOGY of the planet is studied using DENDROCHRONOLOGY.

There is also a great demand need in society for understanding how geology affects our cities and infrastructure as well as wa-ter resources. HYDROGEOLOGY, the study of ground water is a growing strength of ours and a sought-after expertise in the consulting world. Additionally, ENVIRON-MENTAL GEOLOGISTs, who understands groundwater, ground pollution and the geo-technical properties of rock and sediment, are essential for all construction projects. Because much of the sediment in Sweden was derived from the latest ice age, we also offer the opportunity to specialize in QUA-TERNARY GEOLOGY, GLACIAL GEOLOGY and PALEOCLIMATOLOGY, the latter espe-cially with sediment cores from lakes.

Knowledge in GEOPHYSICS is a sought- after by employers and students can use geophysics to solve numerous geological problems in our department. We also have active research in VOLCANOLOGY.

gists in professional and scientific life.Within BIOGEOCHEMISTRY we investi-

gate the biotic controls on the chemistry of the environment, with a special focus on the interactions between the biological, chemical and physical compartments of terrestrial ecosystems.

STABLE ISOTOPES are used to investigate processes of elemental cycles. Another re-search topic is the production of GREEN-HOUSE GAS and how it is related to hydro- logy, hydrogeology and soil processes. Many of the biogeochemical processes are investigated under the aspect of LAND USE CHANGE and other global change aspects, combining field and laboratory experiments with ECOSYSTEM MODELLING.

Some research projects are done at SKOGARYD (www.fieldsites.se), one of Swe-den’s nationally supported field stations, part of the “Research site for Earth System Sciences at the University of Gothenburg”.

Finally, we are a FIELD-ORIENTED de-partment and as part of this emphasis, we have a 2-3-week FIELD TRIP each fall to a different part of the world.

At the Department of Earth Sciences, students deepen their understanding of our planet through advanced courses and by carrying out an in-depth research project. This brochure is to show you, as our potential student, the wide range of courses available to you which, in combination with a carefully chosen research project, can allow you to specialize in a wide range of Earth Science disciplines.

At the Department of Earth Sciences, we want you, as a master’s student, to be part of our research activities. Thus, together with you we construct a course plan and a research project that will not only greatly deepen your competence as an earth scientist, but it will also make you attractive on the job market.

It is also possible that some of you will follow a research career and continue within the academia at the University of Gothenburg, or elsewhere, as a doctoral student.

Sediment and water sampling in environmental geology.

Mountain pass, California, US. The largest REE deposit in the western world.

Soil sampling in the US.

• In 2015, the excursion went to WESTERN UNITED STATES and THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

• In 2016, the EXCURSION looked at Earth Science of GONDWANA (SOUTH AFRICA and NAMIBIA).

• In 2017, the excursion went to different parts of ITALY, such as the Alps, Tuscany, Elba and Vesuvius.

• It is also possible to travel to CHINA and AFRICA in association with under graduate courses that can count in your master’s program.

You are more than welcome to visit our website, check out our courses and investi-gate our various research profiles. You can also find further information on employees and their research interests at www.gvc.gu.se

Geoscience students preparing for seismic refraction measurements. Photo Erik Sturkell.

Field work at Storbreen glacier in Norway