Overview

This 1-year course is designed to prepare graduates in the physical sciences and mathematics for research careers in Atmospheric, Earth and/or Environmental Sciences. It is ideally bridging the gap between undergraduate studies in physics, chemistry, mathematics and environmental sciences and study for a PhD.

The course gives students a broad overview of physical problems in both solid Earth geophysics and atmospheric science, a sound physical understanding of natural processes, and through a strong emphasis on quantitative data interpretation and physical and numerical modelling, the skills needed to conduct research in these subjects.

Please note the MSc Climate System Science Programme is not running in 2011. Unfortunately, this is due to the Natural Environment Research Council announcing its withdrawal of funding for Masters courses in the UK. We will be consolidating our staff expertise and resources in the alternative MRes Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere programme. This programme is highly adaptable offering students a chance to focus on either atmospheric or earth science, both of which the School has an enviable reputation for research excellence. The choice of options available in both of the pathways can include much of the material which was previously incorporated into the MSc.

Excellent Career Prospects

More than half of our students go on to further PhD study in geophysics or atmospheric science. Other students have proceeded to research roles in government or industry: examples include jobs with a geophysical survey consultancy, oil and mineral extraction companies, an environmental efficiency consultancy for the building trade, and a wind-power company. Employment prospects for graduates of the course are excellent: students with such quantitative skills are in high demand. A career in scientific research is always can interesting – sometimes exciting – but not everyone is suited to it; the MRes course provide a good opportunity to get a taste of geophysical research study and decided whether it is really the career for you.

Entry Requirements

Candidates should have an upper second class degree (2.1) or above in a physical science such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, geophysics, atmospheric or environmental science, meteorology or oceanography. Equivalent international qualifications are also acceptable.

For this course, applicants should ideally have mathematics to a good A-level grade (or equivalent) as a minimum. Preferably, candidates will have also studied at least one year of university-level maths, though additional courses are available as part of this programme.

Applicants whose first language is not English, or whose degree is not from a UK institution, will need to satisfy language requirements determined by the School. Please click here for more information.

Not sure if your International/European degree meets our requirements? Find out more information here.

Fees & Funding

For programme fee information visit our fees page

School Scholarships

There are twelve SEE Excellence Scholarships available (various awards for International/Home and EU), for full information visit the School's Scholarships page

Postgraduate Scholarships at Leeds

Visit the University of Leeds Scholarship Web Page: http://scholarships.leeds.ac.uk/

Other Funding Sources

Students focusing on Atmospheric Science might also be eligible to apply for a Scholarship from the Royal Meteorological Society

Students in the past have secured funding through a career development loan, for details visit the UK Government Website

Cost of Living in Leeds - Useful Links

Cost of living in Leeds - Leeds University Union guidance

Unipol Student Homes - Unipol Housing Leeds provides student accommodation directly to around 2,000 students including 194 student families in self-catering provision. Information on accommodation costs and 'find a home' events can be found via this website.

Course Structure

Students undertake 180 credits worth of work during the year based on 4 super-modules, each of which is made up of several components. The independent research project is worth 90 credits, and the other 3 modules 30 credits each. Two modules (Quantitative Skills and Specialist Knowledge) allow students to choose from a range of 'atmospheric' or 'earth science' options.

See the University Programme Catalogue for more information about the overall programme together with details of individual modules.

Project work can make use of the School of Earth and Environment's long-term field sites in Yorkshire and Scotland for ground-based and tethered balloon atmospheric research.

Course Leaders

The course is taught by a wide variety of staff from across the school – primarily from the Institute of Geophysics & Tectonics (IGT) and the Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science (ICAS). The course is managed by Dr Jim McQuaid (ICAS) and Prof Greg Houseman (IGT), both of whom also teach some components of the course, and regularly supervise project students.

Industry Links

Students carry out research-directed work, implementing new developments and joining existing and new collaborations with agencies such as the Meteorological Office, British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, International Seismological Centre, and Institute of Hydrology, and also industry placements such as oil companies. Many students perform field projects in conjunction with international field campaigns.

Facilities

The School moved into a new building in January 2010, which provides world class research, teaching and laboratory facilities, many of which are available to MRes students throughout their course.

Project work can also make use of the School of Earth and Environment's long-term field sites in Yorkshire and Scotland for ground-based and tethered balloon atmospheric research.

Student Profiles

The MRes programme provides an ideal training for PhD study, and graduates usually have little trouble obtaining PhD studentships at highly ranked research-focused universities, and over half of our graduates go on to study for a PhD. On average, about one student a year stays on at Leeds, often pursuing a PhD topic related to their MRes project. Other recent graduates have obtained places at Cambridge, Reading, Edinburgh, and UEA, among others. Those graduates who decide to leave academia are also well placed to obtain good jobs – highly numerate graduates with training in independent research are widely sought after. Some of the positions taken up by recent graduates include:

• Housing energy consultant (Building Research Establishment, UK)
• Marine Geophysicist (Guardline Surveys, Aberdeen, UK)
• Geophysicist (Anglo-American Mining, South Africa)
• Environmental Consultant (Haskoning UK Ltd., Peterborough, UK)
• Senior seismologist in the oil exploration industry
• Wind energy resource surveyor (OwnEnergy, USA)

Below are some thoughts on the course from recent graduates:

• Bradley Jemmett-Smith, MRes Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere
• Anthony Bloom, MRes Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere
• Alison Fowler, MRes Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere
• William Thurston, MRes Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere
• Jason Lowenstein, MRes Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere