Geosciences
The master's programme in Geosciences covers specializations in glaciology, geography, hydrology, geology, geophysics, geomatics, meteorology and oceanography. You will learn about the Earth's structure, natural resources and the environment.
The interaction between people and nature is a central theme in several of the programme options. Examples of these include geo-resources, geohazards, water resource management, pollution and climate change.
The Department of Geosciences at the University of Oslo has a broad research profile, allowing you to choose from a variety of programme options, depending on your academic background, your interests and what you would like to learn more about. And of course, your chosen career, after the conclusion of your studies.
A brief overview of the programme
The master's programme in Geosciences consists of advanced courses and independent work, including a master's thesis. It is a two-year programme and gives 120 ECTS credits, 60 of which are coursework, and 60 of which are the master’s thesis. Field and laboratory work and computer modelling are integrated into most of the programme options.
You will be assigned a supervisor who will assist you in selecting the right courses, and assist you in your work on your master’s project, which will lead to an independent final work which will be your master's thesis. Working on your master’s thesis, you will concentrate on a specific area within your field of study and you be given a research approach to the subject you are working on.
From the autumn semester of 2023, the Geosciences (master's two years) admit students to four programme options:
- Applied Basin Analysis: Processes, Resources and Evolution of Life
- Earth’s Structures and Planetary Processes
- Environmental Geosciences, Geohazards, and Geomatics
- Water and Climate
Autumn 2022 and earlier, the following ten programme options admitted students:
- Geohazards and Geomechanics
- Geophysics, Geodynamics and Planetary Sciences
- Geomorphology and Geomatics
- Hydrology and Glaciology
- Meteorology and Oceanography
- Environmental Geosciences
- Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
- Petroleum Geoscience
- Sedimentology, Paleontology and Stratigraphy
- Structural Geology and Tectonics
Each programme option includes both compulsory and recommended courses. You may customize your programme according to your interests (depending on the programme option) while gaining the academic foundation required in your chosen field of study.
Our students take part in fieldwork and excursions so that they observe processes in nature, learn to model nature's processes, and conduct experiments in nature or in the laboratory, depending on the field of study. The programmes are grounded in basic knowledge of mathematics, statistics, informatics and chemistry.
Student life
We want you to enjoy being our student! When you first arrive, we host a welcome meeting with practical information about your studies, and you will meet those who are responsible for the programme. You will also meet your fellow students. Note that this meeting is mandatory.
If you are looking for help with something practical about your studies, or need guidance, please contact us.
Geoscience students have their own unions for student politics and social activities. We recommend that you take part in extracurricular activities, and contribute if you like, so you can connect with fellow students in the programme. Read more about the student-run activities at the Department of Geosciences at Student life.
The University of Oslo also has a rich student culture with over 250 student associations.
Semester abroad
The Department of Geosciences has several international exchange agreements with universities abroad, to which you can apply depending on your chosen programme option.
We are working closely with The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), and you can take subjects at UNIS/Svalbard as a single course in the fall, spring or summer.
Read more about exchange opportunities.
Career opportunities
A master's degree in geosciences provides many opportunities for professional prospects and post-graduate studies, such as a PhD degree. A background in geology, geophysics, geography, geomatics, hydrology, meteorology and oceanography opens up exciting career paths in professions that undertake important tasks in the public-private sector.
Examples of jobs where our former students work do you find here (in Norwegian).
An education in geosciences is also an education that crosses borders. That many of our master's students are not Norwegian, confirms this.
One possible way forward after a master's degree is to take a doctoral degree. You can read more about this at PhD in Mathematics and Natural Sciences.