PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
Geology
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
BSc
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
F600
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
Intake from 1999
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Parent Department:
Earth Sciences
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/earth-sciences
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
See:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/undergraduate/degrees/geology-bsc
Length of the programme:
3 years
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
Advanced Level (Level 6)
Earth Sciences
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
See:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/undergraduate/degrees/geology-bsc
(see guidance notes)
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
Earth Sciences
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
Geological Society
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
September 2020
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
- To provide a broadly based education in all major branches of the geological sciences, integrating theoretical
studies with essential practical skills in the field and in the laboratory.
- To develop the ability to work on group projects, prepare written reports and acquire oral skills.
- To provide a sound training that may lead to careers in the oil, water, mineral and construction engineering
industries, the environmental sciences, or public service.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
- The origin, evolution, and internal
structure of the Earth as a physical and
chemical system.
- The physical and chemical principles
underlying the processes by which rocks
form and change through melting,
crystallization, solid-state flow, recrystallization, chemical diffusion,
weathering, erosion, and deposition of
sediment.
- The history of life through geological
time and the processes of evolution as
deduced from the fossil record.
- The interpretation of the geological
record as a history of the Earth as a
dynamic system, and of the interactions
between the solid Earth and the
hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.
- The impact of geological processes and
of the exploitation of geological resources
on the human and biological environment,
and the assessment of geological
hazards.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Lectures, practical classes, various forms of coursework
including written assignments, computer-based
teaching, fieldwork, and tutorials.
Assessment:
Assessment is by annual written examination, assessed
laboratory work, course work, and field work, tutorial
essays and marked problems, reports on individual field
work, and independent projects.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
- Reason inductively and deductively
- Identify and solve problems
- Analyse and interpret data
- Test hypotheses critically
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Intellectual skills are developed through the teaching
and learning programme outlined above. Laboratory and
fieldwork exercises involve the collection and analysis of
scientific data, and the use of the data to deduce
processes, and to test or construct hypotheses.
Assessment:
Intellectual skills are assessed particularly through
written reports and examinations, as well as through
assessed coursework.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
- The identification, analysis, and
classification of earth materials.
- The interpretation of structures, textures
and fabrics in rocks in terms of the
processes by which they have formed.
- The methods of observation,
measurement, and recording of
geological data in the field, and the
construction and interpretation of
geological maps.
- The geometrical analysis of complex
three-dimensional structures.
- The measurement and interpretation of
geophysical data, and its analysis in
terms of the internal structure and
composition of the Earth.
- The assessment of geological resources
using field, geochemical, and geophysical
techniques.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Practical skills are taught in laboratory and field classes,
and in tutorials, and involve a combination of
demonstration, group exercises, and individual
exercises. An important aspect of the skills teaching is
the independent mapping project, in which the students
have to apply their training, unsupervised, and produce
a geological map and report on an area of geological
interest. This exercise has the effect of developing the
self-confidence and independent ability of the student,
and allowing them to test and develop their skills in a
real situation.
Assessment:
Practical skills are assessed primarily through assessed
coursework and projects.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
- Independent project design,
management, and completion to time.
-Team-based problem solving.
- Communication and discussion of
scientific ideas.
- Oral and written presentation skills.
- Graphical design skills.
- Numerical skills appropriate to a
physical scientist.
- Use of information technology (wordprocessing, internet, databases,
spreadsheets, statistical and graphical
software).
- Job application and interview skills.
- First-aid training.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Transferable skills are inculcated through:
1) Individual and team-based coursework assignments
involving independent projects that have to be
completed to a schedule.
2) Seminars and oral presentations in tutorials, 3)
preparation of major written including computer-based
graphics covering independent research projects, 4)
coursework involving calculations, usually computerbased and involving spreadsheets, mathematical and
statistical software; and 5) literature based research
using electronic databases and the internet. First-aid
training is part of our field-skills training.
Assessment:
Transferable skills are assessed in part through
assessed coursework and projects, and through the
informal medium of the tutorial system.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Framework-Higher-Education-Qualifications-08.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Professor Paul Bown
Name(s):
Date of Production:
March 2003
Date of Review:
December 2014
Date approved by Head of
Department:
17 December 2014
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
17 December 2014
February 2015