Geosciences

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Geosciences

Welcome to the School of Geosciences

Listen to Prof. David Muirhead's new student welcome

Undergraduate

September 2025

Academic Induction

The School of Geosciences uploads all undergraduate Induction materials and the details of your School induction into MyAberdeen.

You will find it under the Geosciences Organisation for Undergraduates organisation. Please ensure you read of these ahead of starting your studies.

Please ensure you read of these ahead of starting your studies.

Your School Induction will not be on your timetable, so please make sure to add this to your calendar.

  • Please note that there is no in-person School or welcome event. A welcome and general instructions will be given during your opening lecture (GG1010 Creating the Anthropocene).
School Key Contacts

Dr Joshua Wright
Director of Education
Email: joshua.wright@abdn.ac.uk

Betty Euington
School Admin Assistant for Geology & Archaeology
Email:archaeology@abdn.ac.uk and geology@abdn.ac.uk

Dr Deniz Gulen
School Admin Coordinator for Geography
Email: geography@abdn.ac.uk

Practicals, fieldwork and placements

Field courses are integral part of our teaching and learning strategy. Courses may be residential, lasting from a long weekend to two weeks, or they may be one-day courses in an around the Aberdeen area; there are some excellent geological sites within an hour's drive of Aberdeen. Field courses may take place during university vacations or during term-time. The School of Geosciences has also developed an extensive library of online resources which can be used to provide additional field training.

Postgraduate Taught

September 2025

Academic Induction

Your first class will be your School induction. This will help you prepare for the year ahead and provide you with useful advice on your programme, as well as School contacts and information on getting the most out of your academic experience.

The School of Geosciences uploads all postgraduate taught Induction materials and the details of your School induction into MyAberdeen. You will find it under the Geosciences Information for Taught Postgraduates organisation.

Please ensure you read of these ahead of starting your studies.

Your School Induction will not be on your timetable, so please make sure to add this to your calendar.

School Key Contacts

Dr Rebecca Crozier
Director of Postgraduate Teaching
Email:  rebecca.crozier@abdn.ac.uk

Dr Deniz Gulen
School Admin Coordinator for PGT
Email: pgt-geosciences@abdn.ac.uk

Neil Yacamini
School Admin Assistant
Email: pgt-geosciences@abdn.ac.uk

Reading Lists

Reading lists for individual courses will be available through MyAberdeen later in the winter. In the meantime, you can brush up your study skills and learn more about the University at our award-winning Toolkit website .

Assessment

Assessment methods are varied. For some courses, particularly those involving microscopy and other laboratory techniques, all assessment is done in-course. Other forms of assessment are online exercises and tests which may be deployed during or at the end of a course. Traditional end-of-course examinations are also held for some courses.

Practicals, fieldwork and placements

Field courses are integral part of our teaching and learning strategy. Courses may be residential, lasting from a long weekend to two weeks, or they may be one-day courses in an around the Aberdeen area; there are some excellent geological sites within an hour's drive of Aberdeen. Field courses may take place during university vacations or during term-time. The School of Geosciences has also developed an extensive library of online resources which can be used to provide additional field training.

Postgraduate Research

As well as being a Postgraduate Research Student in the School of Geosciences you are also part of a wider PGR community through the Postgraduate Research School

School Key Contacts

Dr Charlotta Hillerdal
Director of PGR

Email - c.hillerdal@abdn.ac.uk


Hazel Hay

School Administrator for PGR
Email - pgr-geosciences@abdn.ac.uk

Orientation

We are looking forward to welcoming you to campus to start your research journey with us. As a Postgraduate Research student you will have the opportunity to attend a University wide induction in addition to your school induction.

The University of Aberdeen Orientation programme has been designed to take you through all of the essential information you will need for your student life. You can get started now by working through the interactive modules .

There are a series of modules that you can work through before you arrive. Once you have registered you can access the remaining modules and complete your mandatory training programme through your bespoke PGR training platform on our virtual learning environment.

There will be a school welcome event for Postgraduate Research students. This will provide an opportunity to meet Postgraduate coordinators and PhD supervisors. There will also be time to answer any questions you may have. Further details regarding the welcome event will follow in due course.

Audit Master's Courses

As a PGR student you may have the opportunity to audit Master's courses to augment your research training. Please discuss this with your supervisor and check out the postgraduate taught pages above.

The PGR School also offers a comprehensive training programme to support your research journey.

Timelines and Milestones

The PGR School training and development programme offers academic, professional, and personal development through a number of training workshops, resources and opportunities, all intended to support the PGR community at the University of Aberdeen.

Find out more here.