Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Earth Sciences  (ERC2)

BSc (NFQ Level 8) · Academic Year 2025/2026
School
School of Earth Sciences
Attendance
Full Time
Level
Undergraduate
NFQ Level
8
Award
Mode of Delivery
On Campus
Programme Director
Assoc Professor Patrick Orr
Overall Programme Credits:
240
Programme Credits:
N/A
Major/Minor Core & Option Credits:
Stage 2: 0

Curricular information is subject to change.

Earth Sciences are all about our planet and how it works. At no time has this been more important. Understanding the Earth system profoundly impacts many aspects of society and is critical to developing solutions for current global challenges, including climate change, energy, access to clean water and protection from natural disasters. This degree builds on biology, chemistry, physics and physical geography to understand the structure, age and evolution of the Earth, the history of life, and the processes (e.g. plate tectonics, earthquakes, landslides) that shape Earth’s surface and interior. Modules equip graduates with modern field, digital and geospatial skills, and there is an emphasis on developing critical thinking based on earth system data, on scales ranging from microns to thousands of kilometres.

Students’ performance will be reviewed at the end of the academic year. Students who fail 50% or more of their registered modules, and who fail to progress to the next stage of their programme, will be identified under the UCD Continuation – Academic progress policy. Students’ performance will continue to be reviewed in subsequent trimesters and students will be invited to meetings with the College of Science office for support and guidance.

Where the rate of progression and performance over two academic years is deemed unacceptable, a case will be submitted to the Governing Board for review. A recommendation for discontinuation may be the outcome of this review.

As Stages 3 and 4 have the most dynamic components of the programme, and the material studied previously may no longer be relevant, a student who has been away from the programme for a significant period should be required to register again to Stage 3. The upper limit for completion of Stages 3 and 4 should be six years if they choose to do 120 credits with 20 in each year.

Earth Sciences graduates work in organisations essential to understanding and protecting the environment including geological surveys, NGOs, onshore and offshore geotechnical companies, environmental consultancies and insurance firms managing natural disaster risk. They are also employed in companies exploring for, and producing, natural resources as mineral exploration and production geologists, geophysicists, hydrogeologists, environmental geochemists and marine surveyors.

UCD Science Office

You can contact the UCD Science Office in the following ways:




  • Submit your query using our dedicated Contact Form.

  • Drop into the office in the UCD O'Brien Centre for Science, Science East, Room E1.09. Our office opening hours are 10am to 4pm (during term time).


Stage 2

Students take two core modules along with 40 credits from option modules in the BSc Programme. A further 10 credits can be taken from electives modules. If not taken in Stage 1, GEOL10070 must be taken in Stage 2. GEOL20200 must be taken in either Stage 2 or Stage 3.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 2 Core Modules
 GEOL20250 Earth Materials and Processes Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
 GEOL20210 Field Geology and Mapwork Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of:
If not taken in Stage 1, students must take GEOL10070 in Stage 2. GEOL20200 must be taken in Stage 2 or Stage 3.
 GEOL20200 Dynamic Earth Autumn  5
Stage 2 Options - A) Min 0 of:
If not taken in Stage 1, students must take GEOL10070 in Stage 2. GEOL20200 must be taken in Stage 2 or Stage 3.
 GEOL10070 Understanding Earth Systems Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students complete 40 credits from option modules in Stage 2. Option modules can be selected from this list along with other option modules from the Science programme.
GEOL20180 Geoscience perspectives on the UN Sustainable Development Goals Autumn  5
Stage 2 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students complete 40 credits from option modules in Stage 2. Option modules can be selected from this list along with other option modules from the Science programme.
GEOL10050 Earth and Humanity Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 2 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students complete 40 credits from option modules in Stage 2. Option modules can be selected from this list along with other option modules from the Science programme.
GEOL20110 Global Environmental Change Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 2 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students complete 40 credits from option modules in Stage 2. Option modules can be selected from this list along with other option modules from the Science programme.
GEOL20240 Medical Geology Autumn and Spring (separate)  5
Stage 2 Options - B) Min 0 of:
Students complete 40 credits from option modules in Stage 2. Option modules can be selected from this list along with other option modules from the Science programme.
GEOL10040 Earth, Environment and Society Spring  5

Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.