Bachelor of Geology

Geologists study the composition, structure, physical properties, history and the processes that shape the Earth’s components.

Course highlights

JCU is the only university in Australia offering a Bachelor of Geology. Students are exposed to real world projects and industry practice through The Economic Geology Research Unit (EGRU) housed at our Townsville campus. EGRU takes a leading role in facilitating knowledge transfer in the field of economic geology between public sector researchers, industry professionals and companies.

Overview

JCU’s Geology degree emphasises the acquisition of practical skills and experience through fieldwork and industry placements. Students experience a diverse range of geological terrains and mineral provinces plus a broad range of tropical environments. The course provides students with core knowledge and training in theory, skills and practical application of geology. It is designed for students who seek a professional career as a geologist within the mining and exploration industry, government agencies, consulting companies and academia. Optional subjects are designed to provide a broad scientific background to provide the students with additional relevant knowledge and skills from other disciplines.

Duration:

3 years fulltime

Mode:

On campus, full or part time *

Workload:

Normal workload expectations are a minimum of 10 hours per week for every subject, including class contact hours, preparation and time spent on assessment tasks.

Type:

Undergraduate

Credit points:

credit points o

Mid-year entry:

Yes

Prerequisite/s:

English (Chemistry & Maths B desirable)(Students who do not have Chemistry and/or Maths B will be required to complete Preparatory Chemistry and/or Preparatory Mathematics upon entry to the program)

Campus:

Townsville; Cairns (first year only)

Faculty:

Science and Engineering

QTAC code:

316311 Townsville; 326311 Cairns

* Duration: Part-time study is available to domestic students only.

o Credit points: Represent the combined value of individual subjects in a degree. One subject usually constitutes three credit points.

Honours

An Honours program is available for students who demonstrate high academic performance. Honours consists of an additional year of study and the development of a personal research project and thesis. An Honours degree is usually essential for entry into a higher research degree.

Career opportunities

Geologists locate new reserves of crude oil, gas, coal, minerals, uranium, precious metals and water, and determine the most feasible ways to extract these resources and rehabilitate the sites. The resources sector continues to remain a feature of the Australian economy, meaning geologists are in demand.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible to join the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the Environment Institute of Australia, the Geological Society of Australia, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Society of Economic Ecologists, the International Association of Geochemistry and the Association of Applied Geochemists.

Course Structure

Level 1

CH1020:03 Preparatory Chemistry

MA1020:03 Preparatory Mathematics

EV1005:03 Environmental Process & Global Change

EA1110:03 Evolution of the Earth

SC1102:03 Modelling & Data Visualisation

CH1001:03 Chemistry: A Central Science (Townsville)

Or

CH1011:03 – Chemistry for the Natural Sciences (Cairns)

Plus two subjects from the Bachelor of Geology.

Level 2

EA2220:03 Earth Materials

EA2510:03 Earth Resources, Exploration & Environment

EA2900:03 Introductory Field Geology

EA2300:03 Crustal Processes

MA2401:03 Statistics & Data Analysis for Environmental Science

EV2502:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

or

EA2110:03 Introduction to Sedimentology

Plus two subjects from the Earth Science or Environmental Science subject

listing.

Level 3

EA3100:03 Earth Dynamics

EA3800:03 Earth & Environmental Geochemistry

EA3200:03 Deformation, Metamorphism & Hydrothermal Fluids

EA3400:03 Ore Genesis

EA3510:03 Geological Mapping

EA3511:03 Advanced Geological Mapping

PLUS

two subjects from the following:

EA3005:03 Mine Site Rehabilitation

EA3007:03 Field Studies in Tropical Water & Soil Science

EA3008:03 Advanced Hydrology

EV3018:03 Professional Vaction Placement

EV3404:03 Field Studies in Tropical Geography

EV3502:03 Advanced Geographic Information Systems

EA3650:03 Sedimentary Environments & Energy Resources

Application and Contact Information

Australian and New Zealand students

International Students

The CRICOS code for this course is 062452C

International applicants can apply online at http://www.jcu.edu.au/international or contact JCU’s

International Student Centre directly on international@jcu.edu.au

Disclaimer

This course information page is intended as a general guide. Information is correct at the time of the last update. Prospective students should contact the University to confirm admission requirements and the availability of courses. James Cook University reserves the right to alter any course or admission requirement without prior notice. It is the responsibility of students to confirm the specific details of courses, subjects and enrolment.