Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geosciences and Physics

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geosciences and Physics

Course Title

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geosciences and Physics

MQF Level

6

Duration and Credits

4 Years

240 ECTS

Mode of Study

Full-time

Information for International applicants

Geosciences

Either passes in Physics (Advanced, grade C or better) and Pure Mathematics (Intermediate, grade C or better)

or passes in Pure Mathematics (Advanced, grade C or better) and Physics (Intermediate, grade C or better),

or passes in Chemistry (Advanced, grade C or better) and Pure Mathematics (Intermediate, grade C or better) and Physics (Intermediate, grade C or better),

or passes in Computing (Advanced, grade C or better) and Pure Mathematics (Intermediate, grade C or better) and Physics (Intermediate, grade C or better).


Physics

Either

A pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Physics together with a pass at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics

or

A pass at Advanced Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics together with a pass at Intermediate Level at Grade C or better in Physics.


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Applications for our February and October intakes have been officially open since the third week in November. You can submit your application online. The deadlines for submission of applications vary according to the intake and courses. We encourage all international applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible. This is especially important if you require a visa to travel and eventually stay in Malta.

You can compare your national qualifications to the local requirements by visiting our qualifications comparability webpage. Access more information about our admission process and English language requirements.

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Our dedicated team at the student recruitment office is here to support you every step of the way. From the moment you start your application to the moment when you receive your decision letter, we're here to assist you. If you have any questions or need further information, don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can contact us at info@um.edu.mt, and our team will be more than happy to help.

After you receive an offer from us, our International Office will assist you with visas, accommodation and other related issues.

Geosciences

The Geosciences are at the core of many of today's global issues, such as natural resources and their exploration/exploitation, climate change, geohazards and environmental problems. As a prospective student, you will be a part of the Department of Geosciences' aim to develop a new generation of highly skilled geoscientists who will have a rigorous scientific education in the natural and earth sciences, field and computational proficiency, as well as hands-on experience with modern equipment and facilities. Geoscience graduates have a holistic understanding of how the Earth works and how to solve real-world problems.


Physics

The course design reflects the need to provide as wide a base as the human resources of the department permit. It provides a sound basis in the subject during the first three years, with some specialisation in chosen areas offered during the final year. You will be equipped with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to pursue careers as scientists within the industry, administration, education and, of course, research.


Geosciences

The Course shall consist of two parts, namely, Part One comprising the first three years and Part Two comprising the fourth year.

  1. Part One shall consist of study-units to which 180 credits are assigned and indicated in the programme of study and divided as follows:
  2. First Year: in addition to the compulsory and elective study-units outlined in the programme of studies of the chosen areas (not less than 26 credits in each of the two areas), students are required to register for optional study-units to bring their total for the year to 60 credits,

    Second Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study,

    Third Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study.

    At the end of Part One, students who obtain 180 credits as specified in paragraph (1) but who either opt not to proceed with the Course leading to the Honours Degree, or having proceeded, do not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.).

  3. Part Two shall consist of study-units to which 60 credits are assigned divided as follows:
    1. 40 credits in one area of study, of which 18 credits are assigned to a dissertation, and
    2. 20 credits in the other area of study,

provided that in the case of Mathematics, the dissertation may be substituted by one or more additional taught study-units.


Physics

The Course shall consist of two parts, namely, Part One comprising the first three years and Part Two comprising the fourth year.

  1. Part One shall consist of study-units to which 180 credits are assigned and indicated in the programme of study and divided as follows:
  2. First Year: in addition to the compulsory and elective study-units outlined in the programme of studies of the chosen areas (not less than 26 credits in each of the two areas), students are required to register for optional study-units to bring their total for the year to 60 credits,

    Second Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study,

    Third Year: 30 credits in each of the two areas of study.

    At the end of Part One, students who obtain 180 credits as specified in paragraph (1) but who either opt not to proceed with the Course leading to the Honours Degree, or having proceeded, do not successfully complete the Course, shall be eligible for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.).

  3. Part Two shall consist of study-units to which 60 credits are assigned divided as follows:
    1. 40 credits in one area of study, of which 18 credits are assigned to a dissertation, and
    2. 20 credits in the other area of study,

provided that in the case of Mathematics, the dissertation may be substituted by one or more additional taught study-units.


Communication and Academic Skills Programme

The communication and academic skills programme complements students’ main course of study. It introduces them to writing and presenting as situated within academic contexts sensitive to specific disciplines and develops their competences for future careers.

Geosciences

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
GSC1100 Geology 1 - Fundamentals of Geology 6 ECTS    
PHY1105* Fundamentals of Experimental Physics 4 ECTS    

* Study-unit PHY1105 is not available for students following Geosciences and Physics.
 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
CHE0305 Introduction to Chemistry 4 ECTS    
GSC1201 Introduction to Oceanography 2 ECTS    
GSC1300 Introduction to Science of the Atmosphere 2 ECTS    
SOR0210** Data Treatment and Probability 2 ECTS    

** Study-unit SOR0210 is not available for students following Geosciences and Mathematics or Geosciences and Statistics and Operations Research.
 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
GSC1400 IT Skills for Geoscientists (GIS) 4 ECTS    
GSC1401 Thermal Physics of the Earth’s Atmosphere 4 ECTS    
GSC1402 Earth Observations from Space 4 ECTS    
SOR0220*** Elementary Statistical Theory 2 ECTS    

*** Study-unit SOR0220 is not available for students following Geosciences and Mathematics or Geosciences and Statistics and Operations Research.
 

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
GSC2100 Geology 2 – Structural Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 6 ECTS    
GSC2200 Dynamics of Oceans and Atmosphere 6 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
GSC2101 Fundamentals of Geophysics 4 ECTS    
GSC2102* Earth Surface Processes; Hydrology and Hydrogeology 4 ECTS    
GSC2400 IT Skills for Geoscientists (Matlab) 4 ECTS    
MAT2803** Laplace and Fourier Transforms 2 ECTS    
PHY1135*** Introduction to Computational Physics 6 ECTS    

* Study-unit GSC2102 is not available for students following Geosciences and Mathematics or Geosciences and Statistics and Operations Research.
** Study-unit MAT2803 is not available for students following Geosciences and Mathematics or Geosciences and Statistics and Operations Research.
*** Study-unit PHY1135 is not available for students following Geosciences and Physics.  
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Unit
 
GSC2300 Atmospheric Physical and Chemical Processes 4 ECTS    

 

Students choosing Geosciences and Mathematics are required to choose 4 ECTS from the elective study-units (or 8 ECTS If not eligible to follow GSC3406).
Students choosing Geosciences and Physics are required to choose 10 ECTS from the elective study-units (or 14 ECTS If not eligible to follow GSC3406).
Students choosing Geosciences and Statistics and Operations Research are required to choose 6 ECTS from the elective study-units (or 10 ECTS If not eligible to follow GSC3406).
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
GSC3101 Seismology 6 ECTS    
GSC3102 Marine Geology and Ocean Surveying 6 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
GSC3100 Applied Geophysics 4 ECTS    
GSC3401 Time Series Analysis, DSP and Inverse Theory 4 ECTS    
GSC3406* Atmospheric Radiative Transfer and Global Warming 4 ECTS    
PHY3225** Fluid Mechanics 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
GSC2102*** Earth Surface Processes; Hydrology and Hydrogeology 4 ECTS    
GSC3110 Geoenvironmental Hazards and Related Risks 4 ECTS    
GSC3500 Geosciences Placement 4 ECTS    

* Study-unit GSC3406 is available for students who have successfully completed study-unit GSC1401 or equivalent, or for students who have received permission by a tutor following a brief interview.
** Study-unit PHY3225 is not available for students following Geosciences and Physics.
*** Study-unit GSC2102 is not available for students following Geosciences and Physics.
 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
CHE2070 Introductory Environmental Chemistry 4 ECTS    
GSC3402 Environmental Management Concepts 4 ECTS    
LIN1063*** Academic Reading and Writing in English 2 ECTS    
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
BIO2050 Science, Society and Ethics 2 ECTS    
GSC3105 Continuum Mechanics for Geoscientists 4 ECTS    
GSC3200 Fundamentals of Chemical and Biological Oceanography 4 ECTS    
GSC3201 Computational Fluid Dynamics 4 ECTS    
GSC3301 Instrumentation for Environmental Measurements 4 ECTS    
GSC3303 Gaussian Dispersion Theory and Modelling 4 ECTS    
GSC3400 Forensic Geosciences 4 ECTS    

*** Study-unit LIN1063 is not available for students following Geosciences and Physics or Geosciences and Statistics and Operations Research.
 

If Geosciences is chosen as the main area of study:

Students are required to register for 18 ECTS credits assigned to a project study-unit and 22 ECTS credits in elective study-units for a total of 40 ECTS credits.

If Geosciences is chosen as the other area of study:Students are required to register for GSC3404 (Research Seminar) and 12 ECTS credits in elective study-units for a total of 20 ECTS credits.
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
GSC3403* Independent Research Project 18 ECTS   (NC)  
GSC3404** Research Seminar 8 ECTS    
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
GSC3101 Seismology 6 ECTS    
GSC3102 Marine Geology and Ocean Surveying 6 ECTS    
GSC3107 Practical Geophysical Exploration 6 ECTS    

* Study-unit GSC3403 is compulsory only for students taking Geosciences as their main area of study.
** Study-unit GSC3404 is compulsory only for students taking Geosciences as their other area of study.
 
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
GSC3108 Global Geodynamics and Earth Deformation Processes 4 ECTS    
GSC3110 Geoenvironmental Hazards and Related Risks 4 ECTS    
GSC3500 Geosciences Placement 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)
 
BIO2050 Science, Society and Ethics 2 ECTS    
GSC3105 Continuum Mechanics for Geoscientists 4 ECTS    
GSC3200 Fundamentals of Chemical and Biological Oceanography 4 ECTS    
GSC3201 Computational Fluid Dynamics 4 ECTS    
GSC3202 Machine Learning and Computer Vision for the Environmental Sciences 4 ECTS    
GSC3301 Instrumentation for Environmental Measurements 4 ECTS    
GSC3303 Gaussian Dispersion Theory and Modelling 4 ECTS    
GSC3400 Forensic Geosciences 4 ECTS    

 

Physics

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY1105 Fundamentals of Experimental Physics 4 ECTS   (NC)  
PHY1197 Introduction to Classical Mechanics and Waves 6 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY1125 Mathematics for Physicists 1 4 ECTS    
PHY1135 Introduction to Computational Physics 6 ECTS    
PHY1193 Thermodynamics and Kinetic Theory 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY1145 Electricity and Magnetism and Optics 6 ECTS    

 

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY2145 Electromagnetism 4 ECTS    
PHY2230 Experimental Physics 4 ECTS   (NC)  

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
CHE1750* Health and Safety in the Chemistry Laboratory 2 ECTS    
PHY2195 Classical and Relativistic Mechanics 6 ECTS    
PHY2210 Mathematics for Physicists 2 4 ECTS    

* Study-unit CHE1750 is only available for students following Chemistry and Physics.
 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
LIN1063** Academic Reading and Writing in English 2 ECTS    
PHY2140 Quantum Mechanics 6 ECTS    
PHY3110 Physical Optics 4 ECTS    

** Study-unit LIN1063 is not available for students following Chemistry and Physics.
 

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3111 Advanced Experimental Physics 6 ECTS   (NC)  
PHY3145 Statistical Mechanics 5 ECTS    
PHY3515 Gravitation and Cosmology 6 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3130 Atomic Physics 4 ECTS    
PHY3225 Fluid Mechanics 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3155 Solid State Physics 5 ECTS    

 

If Physics is chosen as the main area of study:
Students are required to register for 32 ECTS credits from the list of compulsory study-units, and 8 ECTS credits from the list of Elective Stream linked to their project area to a total of 40 ECTS credits.

If Physics is chosen as the other area of study:
Students are required to register for 12 ECTS credits from the list of compulsory study-units and 8 ECTS credits from the list of Elective Stream of their choice to a total of 20 ECTS credits.
 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHY3200* Physics Project 18 ECTS   (NC)  
PHY3208 Short Review Paper and Philosophy of Science 6 ECTS    
PHY3209* Seminar 2 ECTS    
PHY3232 Nuclear and Particle Physics 6 ECTS    
 
Elective Stream A: Space Sciences.
 
PHY3289 Advanced Astrophysics and Cosmology 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Stream B: Electromagnetics.
 
PHY3277 Bioelectromagnetism 4 ECTS    
PHY3279 Applied Electromagnetism 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 1
 
Elective Stream A: Space Sciences.
 
PHY3287 Computational Astronomy 4 ECTS    
 
Elective Stream C: Quantum Physics.
 
PHY3227 Quantum Optics 4 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Elective Stream C: Quantum Physics.
 
PHY3229 Modern Quantum Theory 4 ECTS    

 
*Study-units PHY3200 and PHY3209 are only for students taking Physics as their main area.

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of Bachelor of Science - B.Sc. and Bachelor of Science (Honours) - B.Sc.(Hons.) under the auspices of the Faculty of Science.

Geosciences

At the end of the course, you should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the structure, physical properties, processes and interactions within the various spheres making up our planet.
  • Use acquired mathematical, physical and computational skills to formulate, model and solve a variety of problems relating to earth science, dynamic systems and the environment.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with a number of instrumental techniques and computational software related to geoscientific investigation, and develop adaptability to a number of outdoor situations and tasks.

Physics

By the end of the course, you will:

  • Demonstrate a refined and intricate understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of physics principles.
  • Communicate physics reasoning effectively in the oral and written form.
  • Solve complex physics problems through the use of sophisticated mathematical techniques.

  • Non EU Applicants:

    Fee per academic year: Eur 10,800

    You are viewing the fees for non EU nationals. Switch to EU nationals if you are a national of any country from within the EU/EEA.

    Geosciences

    Geoscience is a highly rewarding and interdisciplinary field of study which exposes you to a wide array of interesting methodologies, field, laboratory and computational experiences, providing them with a highly flexible skill set that can be applied in a choice of career options. As a graduate, you will thus be prepared to work on some of society's most challenging problems.

    Related Job Opportunities:

    • geo- , marine-, and atmosphere-related industries and services
    • the energy industry
    • environmental consulting
    • resource management and planning
    • policy making ֠climate change, ocean governance, building policies
    • legislative fields and governance
    • environmental and science education
    • fundamental and applied research in various geoscience areas

    The degree in Geosciences provides an excellent platform for pursuing postgraduate research in the Earth Sciences, both locally and abroad, in particular the Department's taught Masters courses in Applied Oceanography or Petroleum Studies, as well as M.Sc. by research. Well-qualified graduates may also proceed to M.Phil/Ph.D. programmes.


    Physics

    As a physicist, you will be the most versatile of scientists, capable of tackling a variety of both every-day and specialist problems. You may find employment in government departments, with private industry, with public authorities, as teachers in state and private or church schools and research laboratories, both locally and abroad.

    The physics programme equips you to join postgraduate courses (both locally and abroad). Such courses may range from taught and/or research Masters to M.Phil. and Ph.D.


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