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Exploration Geology with a Year of Study Abroad at Cardiff University - UCAS

Cardiff University

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: Cardiff University (Prifysgol Caerdydd)

Exploration Geology with a Year of Study Abroad

Course options

Course summary

People have been using Earth’s natural resources like metals, minerals, oil and gas for centuries to build our towns and cities, power our homes, and to make the vehicles, devices and tools that we depend on. New resources are increasingly hard to find and require specialist skills and technology to locate and exploit responsibly. On our Exploration Geology course, you will learn how the Earth’s processes have created the planet’s natural resources and how to explore for them to meet future demand. You will develop skills in fieldwork (both above and underground), data analysis and confident decision making and use modern exploration software. We make the most of our location and take regular field trips to explore mining sites across Wales. There will also be opportunities to do overseas trips, in the past we’ve been to Spain and Cyprus. On this four-year programme, you can spend one academic year studying at one of our partner universities abroad. Studying abroad is a fantastic opportunity to experience other cultures and viewpoints, learning the different styles and approaches to your subject in another country and exploring new physical environments, landscapes and coastlines. You will get the chance to make new friends and contacts from around the world. Plus, you will have the opportunity to develop a wealth of life skills and strengths that will help you to compete in an increasingly global workplace, such as adaptability, resourcefulness, and resilience. Our Regrow Borneo project allows you to offset your flight’s carbon emissions by making an affordable donation to support our tree-planting project in the Lower Kinabatangan rainforest, Sabah, Borneo. We’ve worked with industry to design our course so you graduate with the specialist skills needed to be a professional exploration geologist. Our degrees are also accredited by the Geological Society, the professional body for geosciences in the UK. You don’t need to have studied Geology already as we’ll be starting year one with the basic principles to bring everyone to the same level. Distinctive Features of the Programme

  • Year Abroad opportunity - Learn while you travel and experience the landscapes or coastlines, education and culture of a different country with the opportunity to complete a year studying at a university abroad.
  • History and uniqueness – We have been training mining engineers and geologists for over 100 years. Exploration Geology is the only undergraduate degree in the UK to focus on specialist training in resource exploration and we have strong links to industry through placements and through the Exploration alumni network and its mentoring scheme.
  • Student satisfaction - Belong to a small and friendly community of staff and students. Exploration Geology received a score of 100% Overall Satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2019.
  • Flexible degree schemes - all of the School’s degrees have a common first semester that introduce you to geosciences and geography. You can then decide whether to stay with your chosen degree or switch to another in the same School. You don’t need to commit to a university abroad until your second year, so there’s plenty of time to consider your options and decide where you would like to explore.
  • Hands-on fieldwork - you will get plenty of opportunity to develop your fieldwork skills above and below ground with regular day trips and residential trips in Wales and overseas. We have a former gold mine close to Cardiff and many other outstanding natural landscapes for us to explore.
  • Access to the British Geological Survey and National Museum of Wales - our school is in the same building as the Welsh office of the British Geological Survey and next door to the National Museum of Wales. We use the exhibition galleries of the National Museum and material from its collections to enhance our teaching. The British Geological Survey Wales also provide ideas for student projects.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

  • The Geological Society

How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
F627
Institution code:
C15
Campus name:
Main Site - Cardiff
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

Further information for International applicants can be found at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects. We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.


English language requirements

All applicants are expected to have demonstrable English language skills. Most courses ask for GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent, but some courses ask for GCSE English grade B/6 or equivalent.

To find out more, please go to:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements/undergraduate


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
70%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
90%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1
Channel Islands £9250 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9250 Year 1
EU £29450 Year 1
International £29450 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students from the UK and Islands: Fees stated are for the 2025/26 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase. Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme. Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete to the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel. Students from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland: If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, unless you qualify for UK fee status, tuition fees for 2025/26 will be in line with the fees charged for international students. You can check whether you are eligible for UK (Home) fee status on the UKCISA website: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/Wales-fee-status#layer-6099 Students from the rest of the world (international): Fees stated are for 2025/26 entry and are fixed for the duration of the programme, excluding Medicine and Dentistry programmes. Please note that during the pre-clinical element of Medicine and Dentistry programmes the fee rate will be fixed, after which the clinical fee rate will be charged. Further details are available on the university website at: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/funding-and-fees Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme. Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.

Sponsorship information

Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.

Exploration Geology with a Year of Study Abroad at Cardiff University - UCAS