Petroleum Geoscience

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Primarily suited to hydrocarbon industry professionals who wish to further develop their knowledge and skills while working, this online version of the well-established Royal Holloway MSc course has an international reputation for excellence in the petroleum industry.

Finding new reserves is becoming ever more challenging and the enhanced recovery of reserves from existing fields is becoming increasingly important. Well-trained Petroleum Geoscientists with the ability to integrate geological and geophysical data, and to apply it on a variety of scales, have a vital role to play.

Royal Holloway, University of London is one of the leading centres for Earth Science research in the UK. It has excellent links with the international oil industry and a strong programme of industry-funded petroleum geology research, which ensures that this Masters is up-to-date, focused and commercially relevant.

Royal Holloway staff provide tutorial support for each module, plus guidance for your dissertation and for project work, which is based on industry data.

Features of the programme

* Comprehensive learning materials delivered via a dedicated web portal: video clips, animations, audiovisual presentations, fully illustrated manuals, self-assessment quizzes, exercises and computer-based practicals including examples of subsurface data such as seismic and well-log data
* A field trip and intensive study seminars held in the UK as part of the final module on the course
* Option to be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Petroleum Geoscience if you choose not to undertake the project.

The programme has been developed by academics within the Department of Earth Sciences at Royal Holloway using the material and experience from the campus-based Petroleum Geoscience MSc course that has been running since 1985. The Royal Holloway Earth Sciences Department achieved an 'excellence' rating for teaching quality and 70% of our research was graded as world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.

Career progression

Many graduates of the campus-based MSc are now well-established, successful industry professionals with careers ranging from national oil companies to geoscience IT and consultancy to academia.

Your time commitment

This course is offered online with each module running with tutor support for a three month period during the academic year, and available the rest of the time for preview and revision. This online structure enables you to fit your studies around work and family commitments. To complete an MSc in a three year period you will need to study an average of 20 hours per week during the academic session.

Excellent support

Fully supported by a Virtual Learning Environment, you will have the opportunity for interaction with online tutors to discuss course material and exercises; a virtual student cafe allows you to interact and network with other students.

Structure and Syllabus

MSc: 6 compulsory core modules plus the independent research project

PG Dip: 6 compulsory core modules

Six core modules

* Tectonics and lithosphere dynamics
* Geophysical analysis
* Structural analysis
* Sedimentology and stratigraphy
* Reservoir geoscience
* Petroleum systems

Independent research project (MSc only)

Summary of the entrance requirements: * An undergraduate degree (e.g. bachelor) which is considered at least comparable to a UK second class honours degree, in a physical science subject, preferably but not necessarily related to geoscience. The degree must be awarded from an institution acceptable to the University. An upper second class degree equivalent is beneficial but not essential if you have work experience in the oil and gas industry. * Work experience in the oil and gas industry, preferably carrying out evaluation of conventional and/or unconventional petroleum systems, but any technical oil and gas related work will be considered. Sufficient relevant work experience may be considered to replace the requirement for a second class honours degree qualification in geoscience; cases are considered on an individual basis * Applicants for the MSc must demonstrate that they have access to interpretation software, data and local expert supervision before they can register for and complete the research project module PGM051 necessary to complete the MSc. Usually this means applicants should be currently in employment with an oil and gas company, but exceptions can be made for students who can arrange data, software and supervision by other means. * You do not need to be currently in employment within the oil and gas industry to complete the six taught modules. Successful completion of these modules is sufficient to qualify for a PG Diploma. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 420 TOEFL iBT® test: 92 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Royal Holloway offers a number scholarships to international students at all levels. For more details on a specific scheme or to download a scholarship application form, please check the website.

We are also proud to be working with several scholarship and loan agencies overseas, to help fund your studies in the UK. For more information on our international cooperation agreements, please check our External Sources of Funding page.

We also advise that you keep an eye on your regional British Council site for more opportunities to study in the UK and at Royal Holloway.

Accreditation

Academic leaders: Royal Holloway - Earth Sciences

Founded in 1885, Royal Holloway is one of the six largest Colleges of the University of London and is home to the Department of Earth Sciences.

The Department achieved an 'excellence' rating for teaching quality and 70% of its research was graded as world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The RAE sees every UK university submit a dossier of their best researchers' work in 67 disciplines on which they are graded and ranked.