Geophysics

Course details
Earth Sciences is the holistic study of the planet from the core to the surface, its water and the surrounding atmosphere.
Our lives on Earth are at a turning point. Studying Earth Sciences provides knowledge and insight into the implications of this and explores society’s options to secure a sustainable future for the Earth, its environment and its inhabitants.
Understanding the physical processes that control the materials, structure and dynamics of our planet is key to predicting the Earth’s future behaviour and mitigating the global challenges faced by society. Geophysics is essential to creating a more sustainable future for humanity through monitoring natural hazard risks, detecting resources and computer modelling to predict future behaviour.
Our flexible Geophysics degree, puts you in control, giving you both the fundamentals and increased specialisation as you progress through the degree, allowing you to choose a pathway of most interest to you.

Why Durham University?
Durham is one of the UK’s leading providers of Earth Sciences education. We offer six undergraduate courses, four of which are accredited by The Geological Society of London. Our courses explore the full geological spectrum including climate change, oceans, mass extinctions, rocks and minerals, volcanoes, and the structure and chemistry of the Earth.
Course structures are flexible with a balance of formal teaching, fieldwork and active learning to put your theoretical knowledge into practice. You can tailor your degree to your interests through the wide range of optional modules and you may also be able to spend a year studying abroad, extending your degree by a year.
Our multidisciplinary approach applies physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and physical geography to real world scenarios to make sense of today's major geoscience concerns.

Facilities
Our our teaching takes place in the modern, purpose-built Arthur Holmes Building equipped with brand-new optical microscopes and a large teaching collection of rocks, fossils, geological maps, and thin sections.
We use industry-standard and research-level software (e.g., ESRI ArcGIS Pro, Python and Matlab). If your dissertation or research project involves laboratory study, you can access our world-class geochemistry and rock mechanics labs.

Rankings
3rd in the UK Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
5th in the Guardian University Guide 2026
5th in the UK Complete University Guide 2026
Top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2026

Career Opportunities
Our flexible courses have been developed to meet the needs of industry and provide you with the skills you need to succeed. You will graduate with the scientific foundations and transferable skills to move directly into the workplace or to progress to a more specialised postgraduate qualification.
Career prospects for Durham graduates are excellent. Geology and Earth Sciences graduates are highly valued by employers and go on to a wide range of highly successful careers in the sector and beyond, working in industry and research, including environmental management, water management, energy and engineering geology. Some of the high-profile employers our graduates have gone on to work for include ATKINS, ARUP, Centrica and the Environment Agency.

Course Modules

For current information please scroll to the bottom of the page for Provider Information and select Visit our Course Page under Course Contact Details.

You will be assessed through a combination of coursework, class tests and end-of-year examinations. A significant proportion of your final assessment will be through your research dissertation.

The range of assessment methods is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of subject-specific knowledge, alongside transferable skills in mathematics, scientific writing, informatics, policy, critical analysis and project management.

In addition to the help provided by your subject lecturers, you can also access extensive support for your assessments through ASC, the Academic Skills Centre. See below for details: https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/centres/academic-skills-centre/

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• The Geological Society