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Subject Guide: Earth Sciences
If you prefer wellies to high heels, or raincoats to dinner jackets, then the earth sciences are for you. As an earth scientist you’re more likely to get your hands dirty collecting samples out in the field than you would if you were an accountant in an office. If you like adventure and can handle days, even weeks on end, without your creature comforts of hot water and soft blankets, then you will enjoy a career in the earth sciences.
What are Earth Sciences?
The earth sciences study the different elements of the planet we live on; from the land to the sea, soil to rocks, mountains to crevices and volcanoes to earthquakes. They also look at the earth’s resources, how we use them, what we could do with them, and perhaps most importantly, how we should be preserving them.
At Oxford University, the earth sciences are the focus of scientific understanding about this and other planets, embracing an enormous range of topics, including the evolution of life, the nature of planetary interiors, the causes of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, earth-surface processes and the origin and behaviour of oceans and atmosphere.
The earth sciences look at the past, the present and the future, and are an important area of study as the concepts of sustainability, conservation of our planet, and protection of our environment, become more significant each year.
Are the Earth Sciences for me?
If you’re passionate about science and love the environment, then consider a career in earth sciences. If you have an inquisitive mind and enjoy the challenge of proving or disproving theories, as an earth scientist you will be in your element.
You will have a natural flair for the science and mathematical subjects, and prefer quantitative methodology over qualitative.
As an earth scientist you will divide your time between the lab and the field, so a love of travelling and ‘roughing it’ in the great outdoors will also be an advantage. You will also be well organised and meticulous in your work, ensuring all samples are carefully collected, labelled and stored during your fieldwork.
You will have patience, tolerance and a positive approach to the challenges that come your way. No experiment will fail for you; it will just be an added hurdle in the quest to solving the problem.
What courses are available?
Cornell University in the US was ranked in the top 10 universities for natural sciences in the THES-QS World University Rankings 2007. The Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department offers courses in geology, geophysics, oceanography, climate dynamics, meteorology, hydrology, and natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The University of Sydney, which was ranked in the top 50 universities for natural sciences in the THES-QS World University Rankings 2007, offers an earth and environmental sciences syllabus that covers water issues, environments through time, organic geology and oceanography.
The University of Melbourne offers the Bachelor of Environments, a slightly different degree that encompasses various areas of earth sciences. This undergraduate degree covers a range of subjects including architecture, environmental geographies, landscape management, property and urban design.
Most earth sciences courses will have a good balance of practical and theoretical work, both of which are important to a student’s development within the field.
What are the career prospects for Earth Sciences graduates?
There are a number of different disciplines within earth sciences that graduates can look for careers in, such as hydrology, botany, geology, ecology and environmental science.
Students will need specific skills to work in these areas and will therefore need to have a clear career goal in mind before planning their study program. Most earth science courses enable students to sample a range of subject areas in their first year, providing an introduction upon which further study, and ultimately career choices can be made.
There is a great variety of jobs available in the earth sciences area from the more traditional: geologist, lecturer, oceanographer, researcher, geophysicist or seismologist, to the more modern: environmental journalist, GIS consultant, reservoir engineer, contaminated land specialist or wastewater modeller.
For earth science graduates looking for jobs, a key organisation is the British Geological Society. Totaljobs.com also has an extensive list of science-oriented jobs, as does www.earthsciencejobs.co.uk.
