Overview
Students enter Second Science Geoscience through the First Science Area of Study: Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (CK404) provided they have passed First Science.
The Fourth Science Research Project must be passed for the award of a BSc (Hons) Degree.
Elective Modules
The selection of elective modules in Third and Fourth Years may depend on the student having the necessary prerequisites. Elective modules must, therefore, be chosen in consultation with the appropriate Head of Discipline. In exceptional cases, the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the College will be prepared to consider applications for alternative elective modules in Third Year. Modules that have been taken and passed in one year of study may not be re-taken in a subsequent year.
BSc Ordinary Degree - NFQ Level 7, Major Award
Students who pass Third Year may choose not to proceed to Fourth Year and may opt instead to be conferred with a BSc Ordinary Degree.
Programme Requirements
For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements.
Programme Requirements
Module List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| |
| BL1002 | Cells, Biomolecules, Genetics and Evolution | 5 |
| BL1004 | Physiology and Structure of Plants and Animals | 5 |
| BL1006 | Habitats and Ecosystems | 5 |
| BL1009 | Grand Challenges in Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences | 5 |
| CM1003 | Introductory Chemistry for Environmental Scientists | 10 |
| EV1002 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 5 |
| GG1010 | Introduction to Physical Geography | 5 |
| GS1001 | Introduction to Geology | 5 |
| GS1004 | Geological Evolution of Ireland | 5 |
| MA1001 | Calculus for Science Part 1 | 5 |
| PY1009 | Physics for the Environmental Sciences I | 5 |
| |
| GS2001 | Dynamic Earth | 5 |
| GS2002 | The Evolving Earth | 5 |
| GS2003 | Field Geoscience | 10 |
| GG2005 | Ice Age Quaternary Environments and Geomorphology | 5 |
| GG2037 | Introduction to Geoinformatics | 5 |
| EV2002 | The Environment and Human Health | 5 |
| EV2003 | Practical Data Analysis and Research Skills | 5 |
| AE2001 | Fundamentals of Ecology | 5 |
| ST2001 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 5 |
| CM2101 | Introductory Organic Chemistry for Environmental Scientists | 5 |
| or PY2009 | Physics for the Environmental Sciences II |
| PS2002 | Ecological Plant Physiology | 5 |
| or ZY2005 | Invertebrate Diversity |
| |
| GS3001 | Advanced Earth Systems | 5 |
| GS3002 | Data Analysis | 5 |
| GS3003 | Sedimentology & Sedimentary Environments | 5 |
| GS3004 | Applied Structural Geology | 5 |
| GS3005 | Palaeontology | 5 |
| GS3008 | Geoscience Literature Review | 5 |
| GS3009 | Crustal Evolution of Britain and Ireland | 10 |
| GS3010 | Mineralogy, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology | 5 |
| 15 |
| |
| Environmental Hydrogeology (5) | |
| Evolution 1—Plant and Animal Evolutionary Origins (5) | |
| Advanced Geographical Information Systems (5) | |
| Climate Change and Historical Climatology (5) | |
| |
| Environmental Hydrogeology (5) | |
| Global Environmental Issues (5) | |
| Advanced Geographical Information Systems (5) | |
| Atmosphere, Weather and Climate (5) | |
| |
| Evolution 1—Plant and Animal Evolutionary Origins (5) | |
| Evolution 2—Diversity and Extinction (5) | |
| Plant Identification (5) | |
| Vertebrate Diversity (5) | |
| |
| GS3004 | Applied Structural Geology | 5 |
| GL4029 | Environmental Sedimentology | 5 |
| GL4004 | Advanced Igneous Processes | 5 |
| | 15 |
| GL4031 | Frontiers in Geoscience | 5 |
| 1 | 25 |
| |
| Practical Offshore Marine Science (5) | |
| Environmental Remote Sensing (5) | |
| Marine and Coastal Geosciences (5) | |
| Geological Work Placement (5) | |
| Neotectonic Field Studies (5) | |
| Advanced Palaeobiology (5) | |
| |
| Practical Offshore Marine Science (5) | |
| Environmental Impact Assessments (5) | |
| Environmental Remote Sensing (5) | |
| Marine and Coastal Geosciences (5) | |
| Climate Change and Historical Climatology (5) | |
| Geological Work Placement (5) | |
| Neotectonic Field Studies (5) | |
| |
| Advanced Ecology and Biogeography (5) | |
| Conservation Biology (5) | |
| Practical Offshore Marine Science (5) | |
| Climate Change and Historical Climatology (5) | |
| Geological Work Placement (5) | |
| Neotectonic Field Studies (5) | |
| Advanced Palaeobiology (5) | |
| Evolutionary Ecology (5) | |
| Total Credits | 240 |
Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.
Programme Learning Outcomes
Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc in Geoscience (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
- Show a clear understanding of planet Earth as an integrated system, involving application of all aspects of the Geosciences including the physical, chemical and biological sciences to the study of the solid Earth, oceans and atmosphere;
- Demonstrate a mastery of geoscience principles, concepts and terminology and understand their relevance to the world of today particularly in the context of geological time and global change;
- Have competence in identifying rocks, minerals and fossils both macroscopically and microscopically in a laboratory and field environment and place them in a context of modern Geoscience;
- Apply the principles of collection, analysis and interpretation of Geoscience data while undertaking an independent field-based geoscience research project;
- Recognise and interpret the large-scale internal Earth processes and the features produced by them. Have a good working knowledge of the theory of plate tectonics;
- Be conversant with the principles of sedimentation and stratigraphy and the broader concept of geological time;
- Source information on current geoscience issues and critically appraise it for scientific credibility and relevance particularly in the context of geohazards (e.g., earthquakes, flooding, landslides), their monitoring and mitigation;
- Synthesise and apply published information and data from the Earth sciences to the analysis of geoscience and environmental problems;
- Communicate effectively, orally and in written reports, about Earth and other related environmental issues.
