MSc Geoscience for Sustainable Energy / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

The mission of this programme is to develop the technical knowledge and skills required for graduating students to work in interdisciplinary careers that ensure the sustainable supply of energy and technology deployed to reduce atmospheric carbon by:

  • supplying energy from the subsurface
  • storing energy in the subsurface
  • long-term atmospheric carbon storage
  • storing waste from energy streams
  • developing environmentally-sustainable solutions for sustainable future energy supply

This education and training will be facilitated by integration of fundamental theoretical knowledge, field-, laboratory and computational tools, through blended learning, tutorials, seminars, field trip and group work.

In this programme we train next-generation geoscientists in the skills needed to ensure the long-term, sustainable supply and storage of low-carbon energy. Graduates of this programme will be able to demonstrate a broad understanding of all subsurface geoscience applications, alongside an in-depth technical knowledge of sedimentary geoscience and geophysics, rock mechanics, fluid flow and pore evolution.

This will equip students for employment within the energy sector, including in the fields of energy, heat and hydrogen storage,  geothermal energy, geological carbon sequestration, gas/compressed air storage, environmental governance of hydrocarbon extraction, and nuclear waste disposal. The programme content has been designed following consultation with key players in the energy industry and the programme will be supported by an industrial advisory board from a diverse range of sub-surface disciplines/energy providers. 

Aims

This course aims to:

  • train next-generation geoscientists in the skills needed to ensure the long-term, sustainable supply and storage of low-carbon energy.
  • provide you with the technical knowledge and skills required to work in interdisciplinary careers that ensure the sustainable supply of energy and reduce atmospheric carbon by (i) supplying energy from the subsurface; (ii) storing energy in the subsurface; (iii) reducing atmospheric carbon; (iv) storing waste from energy streams; (v) developing environmentally-sustainable solutions for sustainable future energy supply.
  • integrate fundamental theoretical knowledge, field, laboratory and computational tools, through blended learning, tutorials, seminars, field trips and group work.
  • provide you with the ability to demonstrate a broad understanding of all subsurface geoscience applications, alongside an in-depth technical knowledge of sedimentary geoscience and geophysics, rock mechanics, fluid flow and pore evolution.

Special features

Fieldwork on Manchester's Geoscience for Sustainable Energy program is provided at no extra cost. In addition, you will be provided with a fieldwork package worth £250, including boots, coat, rucksack and measuring equipment.

A key element of the course is fieldwork, which aims to synthesise and reinforce material taught in lectures and practical classes. They provide the opportunity to learn relevant field techniques, and to compare field analogues with core, wireline logs and seismic sections.

You will attend a one day field introductory trip and a joint 5 day field trip with the other Energy MScs will be run in Semester 1. In Semester 2 there is a 7 day field trip. All travel and accommodation costs are covered by the programme.

Teaching and learning

Masters students have around 25 hours contact time per week and are expected to spend around 25 hours in private study. Your week will be made up of:

  • Lectures
  • Small group tutorials
  • Laboratory classes
  • Group work
  • Individual research projects
  • Computer-based tuition - a range of data handling, presentation and IT skills, and computer based learning are taught on a dedicated computer cluster
  • Workshops

Coursework and assessment

  • Assessment is by a mixture of traditional examinations, coursework, laboratory practical and workshops. Assessment methods vary widely to suit the nature of the course unit and each level of study.
  • Examinations take place in January and May each year, with around one third of the marks from continuous assessment.
  • Lectures are usually assessed by written exam (calculation, short-answer or essay-based), which are held at the end of an academic semester.
  • Practical units are usually assessed by experimental report and/or short written assignment and/or written exam.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Fundamentals of Applied Subsurface Geoscience EART60031 15 Mandatory
GeoEnergy Systems EART60081 15 Mandatory
Exploration Group Project EART60102 15 Mandatory
Computational Subsurface Geoscience EART60152 15 Mandatory
Independent Research Project EART60172 60 Mandatory
Communication Skills and Fieldwork EART60230 15 Mandatory
Key Interpretation Skills EART60381 15 Mandatory
Subsurfance Mechanics and GeoEngineering EART60572 15 Mandatory
Fluids and Minerals in Subsurface Energy Systems EART60682 15 Mandatory

Facilities

The University of Manchester offers extensive  library and online services  to help you get the most out of your studies.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk