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Earthquakes, groundwater and hydrocarbons are not only concerns for us all, but also primary focal areas for a geophysicist. The two-year MSc in Geophysics programme at Aarhus University is taught at the Department of Geoscience and is open to students from higher education institutions both in Denmark and abroad. A BSc degree in geology or in physics, with geophysics as a major study area or with a similar background, gives access to the MSc programme on the basis of an individual assessment. English skills corresponding to a B-level are required. The degree programme is both practical and research-oriented and reflects the interests of the business community, research institutions and the public sector. As an MSc student on the programme, you will have excellent opportunities for working with researchers in the laboratory or in the field, and you also have the opportunity of completing a project in collaboration with a private company.
The MSc in Geophysics counts as 120 ECTS credits and consists mainly of subjects within the geophysical field of study, such as field methods (including seismics, electromagnetics, geoelectrics and borehole logging); structure and dynamics of the lithosphere; development of sedimentary basins (including hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoirs); and modelling of geodata (including deformation and groundwater flows).
The MSc thesis, written during the last year of the degree programme, carries considerable weight, and in this context students benefit from the down-to-earth, informal atmosphere between staff and students. Students writing their thesis have the opportunity to specialise in a subject within a broad area, including one of the areas of geophysics in which Aarhus University is particularly strong: hydrogeophysics, lithosphere geophysics, oil and geothermal energy-related geophysics, and geodynamics and inverse modelling.
Teaching at the university focuses on independence, critical thinking and collaboration, and includes theoretical and practical exercises. The degree programme also includes a number of field trips to key geological locations in Denmark and abroad. As a geophysics student, you will quickly enter into the team spirit at the Department of Geoscience. A strong sense of solidarity is fostered by relatively low student numbers in your year group and an active programme of departmental field trips.
CAREER PROFILE
Geophysics graduates from Aarhus University find jobs in a wide range of areas, and over the last five years all graduates have found work. North-western Europe (including Denmark) is fortunate enough to be one of the few oil-exporting regions in Europe, and there are therefore a number of positions in the oil industry within exploration and production. Geophysicists are also employed within firms of worldwide consulting engineers as well as within national governmental and municipal institutions, where they work with groundwater research, environmental assessments, and ensuring clean drinking water and the re-establishment of watercourses.
After completing just one year of the MSc in Geophysics programme, you may apply for admission to a four-year PhD programme. Alternatively, a three-year PhD programme can be initiated after completion of the MSc studies. A PhD in geophysics opens up even wider job opportunities, typically within research and development.
The MSc in Geophysics counts as 120 ECTS credits and mainly consists of subjects within the geophysical field of study such as:
- Field methods, including seismics, electromagnetics, geoelectrics and borehole logging
- Structure and dynamics of the lithosphere
- Development of sedimentary basins, including hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoirs
- Modelling of geodata, including deformation and groundwater flows
The MSc thesis written during the last year of the degree programme carries considerable weight, and, in this context, students benefit from the down-to-earth, informal atmosphere between staff and students. When you write your thesis, you have every chance of becoming associated with a group of researchers. Students writing their thesis have the opportunity to specialise in a subject within a broad area, including one of the areas of geophysics in which Aarhus University is particularly strong:
- Hydrogeophysics
- Lithosphere geophysics
- Oil and geothermal energy-related geophysics
- Geodynamic and inverse modelling
The teaching at the university focuses on independence, critical thinking and collaboration, and includes lectures as well as theoretical and practical exercises. Most geophysics students also spend a certain amount of time doing laboratory work and work related to field courses. The degree programme also includes a number of excursions to key geological locations in Denmark and abroad. As a geophysics student, you quickly enter into the team spirit at the Department of Geoscience in Aarhus. This strong sense of solidarity arises largely because students on the programme are brought together by the relatively small number of students in each year group and by going on field excursions.
