Structural Geology with Geophysics MSc

Structural geologists are crucial to implementing a successful and sustainable energy transition which addresses some of the greatest challenges of our time. Our Structural Geology with Geophysics MSc is a unique and globally leading Master's programme that fully equips you with the expertise needed to make real change across the breadth of energy and resource-facing industries.

You’ll gain advanced theoretical and practical training, combining structural and geophysical techniques to solve real-world geological problems across a range of subsurface environments, from renewable and sustainable energy provision and storage to ores and minerals resources.

Throughout the course, you’ll master the practical application of structural geology, exploring geological and geophysical constraints on subsurface interpretation whilst developing structural models and associated 3D visualisation software skills.

You’ll be taught by academics with a wealth of expertise and industry experience, and you'll have access to specialist facilities that’ll prepare you for working in the industry.

At the end of the programme, as a skilled subsurface interpreter and modeller, you’ll have an extensive skill set, transferable into independent academic research or across a wide range of exciting career paths in this field.

Accreditation

When you choose a degree with accredited status, you can be assured that the teaching is of the highest standard. The quality and relevance of our teaching have been recognised by an independent body of academics and industrialists through our Geological Society of London Professional Accreditation.

If you have an appropriate degree, our Geological Society accreditation will reduce the amount of experience required for you to reach Chartered Geologist (CGeol) status, an important career step in Geoscience.

Learning and teaching

Teaching is varied with some of your modules being very practical based, e.g. fieldwork, presentations and learning new software, while other methods are tutorial or lecture-based. You'll also have the opportunity to work individually or as a group. Regardless of the method, you'll be supported by substantial online learning material.

You'll be assigned a personal tutor who will maintain contact with you throughout the year and offer pastoral guidance. They will help you to settle into the university and clarify any procedures, as well as help you prepare for employment upon graduation.

Specialist facilities

The School of Earth and Environment’s building gives you access to world-class research, teaching and laboratory facilities. As a Masters student, you'll have access to a 3D visualisation suite and your own dedicated computer facilities, in which you may practice the following:

• 2D and 3D seismic interpretation and geocellular modelling via Petrel and other industry-standard software.
• Structural modelling and restoration through a range of industry-standard software.
• A range of structural modelling, restoration, GIS and 3D visualisation programmes using PCs.
• Ore specialisation through resource-specific software, such as Leapfrog 3D deposit modeller.

Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.

Active research environment

The School of Earth and Environment is home to five world-leading research institutes, which are at the heart of our active research environment and working to tackle the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges. Throughout your degree, you'll be taught by experts who are leaders in their fields, becoming directly engaged with their cutting-edge research.

Industry links

We have very strong links within the industry, which you’ll benefit from throughout the year. This includes the provision of scholarships, data for dissertation projects, the teaching of short courses and free licenses for industry-standard software.

We’re continually developing new industry relationships; below is a summary of some of the links that we have.

Industrial recruitment visits

We have weekly presentations from companies encompassing the industry spectrum, including the largest multinationals, specialised consultancies, and service companies. This gives you an opportunity to hear technical presentations and information about graduate recruitment schemes and employment opportunities. A number of companies also arrange first-round interviews when they visit.

Programme team

The Programme Leader, Dr Emma Bramham, is a specialist in surface behaviour and subsurface linkage to magnetically driven faulting, specifically in volcanic systems on Mars. She is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and has a wealth of industry experience as an offshore geophysicist.

The wider programme team is made up of geoscientists from the School’s Institutes for Applied Geoscience and Geophysics and Tectonics, featuring specialists in data processing, computational geophysics, structural geology and resource exploration.

Why study at Leeds:

• Graduate with an MSc accredited by the Geological Society from a university ranked 9th in the UK for Geology, Complete University Guide League Tables 2023 and top 50 in the world for Geology and Geophysics, QS World University Rankings 2022.
• Learn the latest, most pressing challenges for achieving sustainable and clean energy and resources from the impactful research conducted across five world-leading research institutes right here in our School of Earth and Environment, which feeds directly into the course.
• Advance your knowledge and skills in key areas like structural interpretation, geophysical survey techniques, geomechanics, structural modelling and 3D/4D thinking in geological contexts.
• Conduct your own individual research project, which focuses on a genuine research challenge that suits your interests and is often conducted in close collaboration with industry partners or with academics within the university.
• Build industry experience through fieldwork opportunities and develop professional, transferable skills in time management, critical and analytical thinking, teamwork, presenting and report writing throughout your course.
• Access specialist facilities, including industry-standard software and high-spec, dedicated computer facilities.
• Develop your own industry links through our network of partners and undertake opportunities like short courses and company-led training workshops, provided by companies such as BP, Schlumberger (Petrel), Badleys (T7) and Seequent (Leapfrog) which provide both an excellent opportunity to interact with industry experts and develop skills in industry-facing software crucial in future career pathways.
• Experience expert practical and theoretical teaching, delivered by a programme team made up of geoscientists from the School’s Institute of Applied Geoscience and Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics.
• Enhance your career prospects and join our successful alumni who have pursued careers in related positions, working for reputable corporations worldwide such as Fugro, ARUP, Schlumberger, AECOM, and Shell.
• Join one of our societies, such as ROCSOC or SusSoc, where you can meet like-minded people at events such as comedy and film nights, trips and through sports. You could even be elected as a member of the committee, which is a great opportunity to develop your management and leadership skills.

You'll take nine months of taught classes, followed by approximately three months of independent research and dissertation writing in association with industry or research collaborators.

The course begins by reviewing the fundamentals of structural geology, maps, and mathematics, before moving on to the more advanced modules. You’ll receive advanced training in structural geology and tectonics, geological model construction and the practical application of structural geology. You'll also gain training in interpreting sub-surface data, the principles of underlying data acquisition and processing, plus the opportunity to specialise in either hydrocarbon, geothermal or ores within semester two.

Fundamental to the emerging Energy Transition is the need to understand structural controls in the sub-surface, for both renewable and traditional energy acquisition/storage. This course will focus on the practical application of structural geology, preparing you for employment in a breadth of energy and resource-facing industries, including geothermal, hydrothermal, CCS (carbon capture and storage), hydrocarbons, rare minerals and ores, energy and hydrogen storage, and shallow hazard risking.

Some of the modules you'll study are spread over a full semester, while most are short and intensive. They are devised to develop your advanced understanding of key topics, including large-scale tectonics, basin evolution and reservoir scale deformation, and your technical ability through the use of industry-leading software.

You’ll also undertake professional and research-level training in structural geology and basin evolution from regional, to the basin, to reservoir/deposit scale.

Fieldwork

The following fieldwork forms an integral part of the course. It is directly linked to learning outcomes in the classroom. During your studies, you'll have the opportunity to take part in field courses such as:

• An introductory field day to Ingleton, North Yorkshire.
• A 6-day trip to the Southwest of England. You’ll consider both extensional and compressional tectonics, basin-scale to fault-to-reservoir scale deformation, fault seal analysis, kinematic and geometric fault evolution, restorations, and 3D fault analysis.
• A 12-day trip to the Central Spanish Pyrenees. This trip serves as a summary trip where you'll pull together elements from the entire course. You’ll consider regional scale orogenic deformation, through to basin and fracture scale. You will also examine the influence of sediment-structure interaction in basin evolution, and tie outcrop scale observations with seismic examples.
• Additional day trips will focus on Energy Transition topics.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Structural Geology Independent Project 60 credits
• Applied Geophysical Methods 20 credits
• Advanced Structural Modelling and Data Analytics 20 credits
• Structural Geology in Resources and Geo-Energy 20 credits
• Structural Models and Subsurface Interpretation 20 credits
• Geomechanics 15 credits
• Geodynamics and Basin Evolution 15 credits
• 3D Structure: Techniques and Visualisation 10 credits

There’s a need for well-trained structural geologists – specifically with geophysical expertise – spanning the scope of energy and resource-facing industries. From hydrocarbons to rare minerals and ores to sectors such as geothermal, CCS (carbon capture and storage), shallow hazard risk, and energy and hydrogen storage – you’ll have the skills sought after by many employers worldwide.

Not only is a Master's an excellent level for entering into the resource exploration industry, but this course is targeted directly for recruitment.

Plus, the University of Leeds is in the top five most targeted universities in the UK by graduate recruiters, according to High Fliers’ The Graduate Market in 2022 report.

Previous graduates of this course have achieved positions in organisations such as:

• Production Geologist, Shell UK
• Geophysicist, Maersk Oil
• Geophysicist, Oriental Energy Resources Limited
• Exploration Geologist, Barrick Gold Corporation
• Engineer, ARUP
• Geologist, Schlumberger
• Assistant IV, Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC)
• Support Geologist, Midland Valley
• Geoscientist, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL)
• Structural Geologist, Badley Ashton

Many of our students also go into academic research after their Master, tailoring their specific interests into a PhD, meaning we always have an exciting community of postgraduate researchers in our School.