MSc Exploration Geophysics

Programme Manager: Dr Roger Clark

Introduction

Geophysics is a pivotal part of resource exploration, (oil and gas, minerals, water), engineering site investigation, environmental monitoring, emerging technologies such as carbon sequestration, and contributes to culturally important topics such as archaeology. A Masters is widely seen as a minimum requirement for entry to a job in these areas. The MSc Exploration Geophysics course has been running for over 35 years, and is the only geophysics-specific Master's programme in the UK . In recent years, it has expanded in breadth (adding an alternative 'environmental & engineering' route to the existing hydrocarbons specialism, and initiating the MSc Structural Geology with Geophysics) and size (doubling its intake to some 25 students/year).

Entry requirements

Applications are welcome from students with a geosciences or related background, including geology, geophysics, physics or mathematics. A first or upper second class BSc. (or an overseas equivalent) is normally required: relevant industry experience can be taken into account. Applicants need not have previous training in geology, but must have mathematics to a minimum of a good UK A-level standard. Note that simple PC-based, computer literacy and skills (Windows environment, using MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) will be assumed. A formal qualification (such as the ECDL/ICDL) would be useful in this respect. The MSc includes a basic course in scientific computing (e.g. Fortran, Matlab), and much of the workstation-based geophysics teaching (e.g. seismic reflection processing and interpretation) will use Linux environments - familiarity with this would be helpful.

Funding

The course has NERC Advanced-course studentships available for UK students (or EU students with 3 or more years UK residency), and scholarships (UK/EU students only) from BG Group, BP, ConocoPhillips, Shell (UK), and Total. Successful candidates on ChevronTexaco's scholarship scheme can bring their award to the course. All scholarships cover full fees, living costs, and project and conference attendance allowances (e.g. the EAGE). Industry scholarships usually include a summer internship at the sponsoring company.

Eligible applicants who wish to be considered for NERC or oil company scholarships need to apply for the course by 30th April 2008.

Programme specification

The taught-course element of the MSc comprises 120 credits. The core course offers a thorough grounding in the theory and practice of all aspects of industrial geophysics: seismics, gravity and magnetic methods, nearsurface methods (geoelectrics, EM, GPR), and also generic skills such as programming. Training within the 'hydrocarbons' and 'environmental and engineering' routes includes geophysical methods specific to those applications, and their geological context (e.g. VSPs, Structural Geology of Basins, on the 'hydrocarbons' route). The final part of the year consists of a 4-month long 60 credits independent project.

Programme and Module Descriptions for the MSc Exploration Geophysics are available on the University Taught Postgraduate Catalogue.

Industry links

Links with industry are vital for vocational programmes: the course benefits from taught-course and project contributions by on-site University spin-off companies (GETECH, gravity and magnetics; RDR, structural geology), as well as visiting lecturers from companies.

Many School staff have industry experience. Classroom training includes team-based exercises designed to simulate industry practice, and workstation-based teaching using industry-standard software packages (e.g., shooting a reflection seismic line over an economic target, and processing it using ProMAXT); many other commercial software packages are available for project work. Most summer projects are carried out either with collaborating companies or institutes, linked to current activities, and are actual problems for which a research or business outcome is sought. Some are field-based, often overseas. Others are linked to School staffs' research themes, and are published in journals or at conferences. Prizes are offered by several organisations, including BP, GETECH, and the London Petrophysics Society and an anonymous Leeds Alumnus prize.

Career prospects

Demand for geophysicists has always remained high, and Geophysics continues to offer a growing range of employment opportunities, as highlighted in recent media reports (Education Guardian). The course at Leeds has an exceptionally good record of job placement of both UK/EU and overseas students. Many oil and gas, and service-sector, companies target the course directly for recruitment. Other opportunities arise from project placements, the EAGE, or the mid-September Open Day of project seminars and presentations with which the course closes. Career prospects for students with an MSc will be very good for the foreseeable future. Starting salaries are around £25,000pa, with additional benefits for working overseas and/or offshore. Some students take up related careers such as IT or finance sector jobs, government agencies, or continue to higher degrees. Most students join service-sector, oil and gas, or minerals companies, and many have these destinations secured well before the end of the course.

"The MSc Exploration Geophysics course at Leeds has a first class reputation for delivering geophysical knowledge. I have found the course pivotal in my career, with strong links to industry, job prospects are good and I gained a job offer with a multinational Oil-Service company before the end of the course."

Francis Ezeh, MSc Exploration Geophysics 2005-06 - Now working for Veritas

For more information click here.