Bachelor of GeoScience

Overview

Geoscience plays a crucial role in finding, extracting and managing earth resources. These minerals and energy resources are essential to almost every aspect of our day-to-day modern life. Studying UNE's Bachelor of GeoScience online or on campus will open doors to a range of opportunities for you in this critical field. Our course has a strong practical focus on earth science, geology and GIS, allowing you to upskill and future fit your career. You will expand your knowledge of our planet's composition, structure and natural geological systems, and hone your skills in managing the earth's resource to secure their continuing contribution to our socio-economic wellbeing in the future.

Why study the Bachelor of GeoScience with UNE?

UNE's Bachelor of GeoScience is the only geology degree in Australia that you can complete online. By choosing UNE, you are choosing an industry leader in the provision of online lifelong learning. In fact, year after year, students award UNE 5-star ratings for Overall Experience and Student Support, year after year in The Good Universities Guide.

Whether you are studying online or on campus, you will have opportunities to take advantage of UNE's convenient location in the heart of the New England region, which provides an excellent natural laboratory for studying all aspects of geoscience. We capitalise on our location by undertaking regular and diverse field trips in our local area. We are fortunate to have an array of spectacular geology easily accessible within a short drive of our campus. We also run field trips for locations further afield including overseas to countries such as New Zealand and Bhutan.

In each year of your course, you will complete a specialised Applied Geoscience unit, learning from industry professionals, and leading and up-and-coming researchers. Focusing on forming connections between industry and academic, this innovative suite of units is designed to serve your specific needs whilst studying the Bachelor of Geoscience. Focusing on developing work-ready skills, research methodology and scientific communication skills through a combination of seminars, tutorials, and hands-on field, laboratory and/or workplace experiences, you will reflect on your ongoing development and keep a portfolio of key skills throughout.

UNE has a long history of excellence in teaching and research in earth science. Our geology research has been independently ranked as well above world standard. Our internationally recognised staff have diverse expertise in vertebrate and invertebrate palaeontology, biostratigraphy, tectonics, as well as economic geology, geological mapping, GIS, sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic geology. Our small class sizes mean you will have excellent access to our teaching staff.

UNE is well equipped with modern teaching laboratories (including a large teaching collection of minerals, rocks and fossils) and research facilities, including:

Microscope laboratories

Thin section facility

X-ray laboratories (including XRF and XRD analyzers and a µCT scanner)

Dixson Library (with an extensive collection of earth science literature)

Macrofossil preparation lab

Acid lab: acid leaching of carbonate and siliceous rocks using acetic, hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids to extract fossils.

Digital macro photography

Scanning electron microscope (SEM)

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES)

Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS)

Infrared Spectrometer

Portable field equipment including XRF

Comprehensive mineral, rock and fossil collections for teaching and research purposes

What makes our course different?

Our innovative course allows you to study the fundamentals of geology, coupled with both modern GIS and traditional mapping techniques to ensure you develop the skills you will need on the job and in the field. You will have opportunities to:

Hone your skills in applying mobile GIS technology, rather than simply learning to map on paper, providing you with advanced skills as a graduate.

Specialize in the area that interests you most, with majors in geology and palaeontology. You can also complement your major and broaden your scope with a range of interdisciplinary minors, including archaeology, ecology, science communication, chemistry, data science and modelling, spatial science, museum studies, earth surface processes, environmental management and rehabilitation.

Advance your practical skills in laboratory classes and field trips in the local area and internationally.

Develop essential, industry-ready, field and laboratory skills during intensive schools and field trips.

Study online or on campus, giving you the flexibility to balance your studies with your work and other commitments. If you choose to study online, some units include mandatory intensive schools on campus and in the field, which give you the opportunity to interact and engage face-to-face with your peers and academic staff and gain essential practical skills.

Work on research projects that can be customized to your own interests. You may wish to choose field sites that are local, interstate or overseas.

Progress to higher level studies, such as an Honours year or Master of Scientific Studies if you are achieving above average academic results.

Exit with a Diploma in Science or Advanced Diploma in Science if you decide to discontinue your studies at a point where you have met the requirements of those courses.

Study online

Most of our students choose to study online across three study periods with 24/7 tutor support* and fit study around work and family commitments. Uniquely, our online students are mostly over 30 and bring valuable experience with them. They form a community of adults juggling the same challenges and priorities and who bring their life and work experience together at UNE in order to become future-fit and better respond to a rapidly changing world.

Study on campus

Many of our students choose to take advantage of the on-campus lifestyle in Armidale, in the beautiful New England region, with access to unparalleled support, accommodation and sporting facilities. These students are often starting their first degree and have left school recently. Through access to academic and career support they get a fantastic start to their careers.

* 24/7 tutor support includes: essay feedback (within 24 hours); live chat 24/7 for generic feedback on academic writing; and subject-specific help at a foundation or first-year level for subjects including mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, business, accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics. There are also a wide range of workshops, resources and courses available in academic skills support to assist you and help you to succeed.