Courses
You have one programme-wide course in period 1: From crust to core: Introduction to Earth Structure and Dynamics (GEO4-1401; timeslot A). You will be automatically enrolled on this course.
In addition, you have to choose one of the three following courses:
- Dataprocessing & inverse theory (GEO4-1415; timeslot B).
- Minerals as Materials (GEO4-1417; timeslot B).
- Paleomagnetism: Quantifying Earth history (GEO4-1438; timeslot C).
Please indicate the course of your choice in the acceptance form of your offer on the Osiris Application platform.
Courses from ESD programme | 45 EC |
MSc research/thesis | 30 - 45 EC |
Individual programme/internship Compulsory second report | 15 - 30 EC |
Additional elective courses | 0 - 30 EC |
| PROGRAMME | EARTH STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS | ||||||
Recommended study path | Physics of the Solid Earth and Planets | Basins, Orogens and the Crust-Lithosphere System | Earth Materials
| Sustainable Subsurface Solutions
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Programme-wide courses (compulsory) | GEO4-1401 - From crust to core: Introduction to Earth Structure and Dynamics (1A) Portfolio | ||||||
Choose one from these two: GEO4-1424a - Applied geophysics (4A) GEO4-1430 - Field research instruction geology (full 4a) | |||||||
Courses in programme: Choose at least four courses from the complete offer of programme Full 4a=full time in first half of period 4 Full 4b=full time in second half of period 4
| GEO4-1415 (1B) Data processing and inverse theory | GEO4-1438 (1C) Paleomagnetism: Quantifying Earth History | GEO4-1417 (1B) Minerals as Materials | GEO4-1438 (1C) Paleomagnetism: Quantifying Earth history or GEO4-1417 (1B) Minerals as Materials | |||
GEO4-1409 (3B) Tectonophysics | GEO4-1413 (2D) Astrobiology and Planetary Habitability | GEO4-1411 (2C) Structural Analysis of Deformed Rocks | GEO4-1418 (2A) Dynamics of basins and orogens | ||||
GEO4-1408 (2A) Theoretical seismology | GEO4-1418 (2A) Dynamics of basins and orogens | GEO4-1410 (2B) Mechanisms of deformation and transport in rocks | GEO4-1419 (3C) Dynamics of sedimentary systems | ||||
GEO4-1416 (3D) Dynamics of the Earth’s mantle | GEO4-1419 (3C) Dynamics of sedimentary systems | GEO4-1425 (3B) Earth Mineral Resources | GEO4-1414 (3D) Subsurface Geology | ||||
GEO4-1427 (4D) Computational geophysics | GEO4-1414 (3D) Subsurface Geology | GEO4-1435 (3A) Advanced petrology | GEO4-1437 (full 4b) Sustainable & Unconventional Geo-Resources | ||||
Elective courses: 0 to 4 courses from all programmes in the Earth Sciences Master’s programme | See also other Master Programmes in Earth Sciences (ELC, ESW, MRS) | ||||||
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Courses Earth Structure and Dynamics
Choose one course (7.5 EC):
- GEO4-1401 Structure and Composition of the Earth’s Interior (1A)
- GEO4-1411 Structural Analysis of Deformed Rocks (2C)
- GEO4-1438 Paleomagnetism (3A)
Research instruction Earth Structure and Dynamics
Choose one course (7.5 EC):
- GEO4-1424a Applied Geophysics (4A)
- GEO4-1430 Field Research Instruction Geology (4-)
Plus seminars and career development activities. In addition to the above, please choose four more courses (30 EC) from the options listed above and/or the list below.
NB. Please check the information for the three study paths, to see which courses are suggested by each path.
- GEO4-1435 Advanced petrology: from microscopic properties to geological processes (1A)
- GEO4-1415 Dataprocessing and Inverse Theory (1B)
- GEO4-1403 Petrological and Geochemical Evolution of the Earth (1C)
- GEO4-1441 Reflection seismics and Geo-resources (1D)
- GEO4-1442 Modelling of Crust and Lithospheric Deformation (1D)
- GEO4-1408 Theoretical Seismology (2A)
- GEO4-1409 Tectonophysics (2B)
- GEO4-1443 Stable isotopes in Earth Sciences (2B)
- GEO4-1418 Dynamics of Basins and Orogens (2D)
- GEO4-1417 Advanced mineralogy: minerals as materials (3A)
- GEO4-1416 Dynamics of the Earth’s Mantle (3B)
- GEO4-1419 Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems (3C)
- GEO4-1410 Mechanisms of Deformation and Transport in Rocks (3D)
- GEO4-1517A Applied stratigraphy and subsurface basin analysis (3D)
- GEO4-1427 Computational Geophysics (4D)
You can also choose a maximum of two courses (15 EC) from the full list of Earth Sciences elective courses, to bring your first year total up to 60 EC / eight courses.
Period 1
- GEO4-1401 Structure and Composition of the Earth’s Interior
- GEO4-1440 Microbes and Biogeochemistry
- GEO4-4436 River and Delta Systems
- GEO4-1435 Advanced petrology: from microscopic properties to geological processes
- GEO4-1415 Data Processing and Inverse Theory
- GEO4-1405 Paleoceanography & Climate Variability
- GEO4-1403 Petrological and Geochemical Evolution of the Earth
- GEO4-1439 Aquatic and Environmental Geochemistry
- GEO4-4412 Statistics and Data Analysis Physical Geography
- GEO4-1434 Principles of Groundwater Flow
- GEO4-1441 Reflection Seismics & Georesources (lectures also partly given in Amsterdam)
- GEO4-1442 Modelling of Crust and Lithosphere Deformation
- GEO4-4433 Advanced GIS for Geoscientists
- GEO4-4441 Advanced Physical Hydrology
Period 2
- GEO4-1408 Theoretical Seismology
- GEO4-1412 Astronomical Climate Forcing & Time Scales
- GEO4-4435 Morphodynamics of Tidal System
- GEO4-6001 Quantitative Water Management
- GEO4-1409 Tectonophysics
- GEO4-1411 Structural Analysis of Deformed Rocks
- GEO4-1514B Vertebrate Evolution (Tetrapods)
- GEO4-1418 Dynamics of Basins & Orogens
- GEO4-1433 Hydrogeological Transport Phenomena
- GEO4-4408 Remote Sensing
- GEO4-1443 Stable isotopes in Earth Sciences
- GEO4-1453 Oceans and sea level
Period 3
- GEO4-1417 Advanced mineralogy: minerals as materials
- GEO4-1438 Paleomagnetism
- GEO4-4434 Morphodynamics of Wave-Dominated Coasts
- GEO4-4406 Land Surface Process Modelling
- GEO4-1416 Dynamics of the Earth’s Mantle
- GEO4-1422 Reconstructing Extreme Climate Transitions
- GEO4-1425 Earth Mineral Resources
- GEO4-4403 Coastal zone and river management
- GEO4-4409 Reconstructing the Quaternary Environment
- GEO4-4425 Hazards and Risk Assessment
- GEO4-1421 Reactive Transport in the Hydrosphere
- GEO4-1410 Mechanisms of Deformation & Transport in Rocks
- GEO4-1419 Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems
- GEO4-1517A Applied stratigraphy and subsurface basin analysis
- GEO4-4442 Global Water Resources under Change
Period 4
- GEO4-1424a Applied Geophysics
- GEO4-1427 Computational Geophysics
- GEO4-1437 Geothermal and unconventional GEO-resources
- GEO4-1420 Organic Geochemistry
- GEO4-1430 Field Research Instruction Geology
- GEO4-1431 Field Research Instruction Geochemistry
- GEO4-1432 Environmental Hydrogeology
- GEO4-4423 Climate Change, Hydrology and the Cryosphere
- GEO4-4418 MSc Excursion
- GEO4-1454 Ice-Ocean-Climate Interactions
- B-MPCEMD (Primate Social Skills)
NB. You are allowed to take courses from outside of Earth Sciences, but if you do so you must earn at least 45 EC inside of your study path and you need approval from the Board of Examiners. Make sure you add this form to the case signed by your program leader.
Study Paths
Earth Structure and Dynamics offers you a choice of three study paths. These are recommended, coherent combinations of courses from the programme. They are meant to help students design their own curriculum, and they facilitate specialisation within the programme and avoiding scheduling conflicts.
This study path adopts an in-depth geophysical approach to understanding the structure, composition and dynamics of the deep interior of the Earth and other planets. The courses address seismology, the dynamics of the mantle and lithosphere, geopotential fields, and applied geophysics, as well as state-of-the-art computational methods. The research covers the entire spectrum of geophysics from seismic tomography to geodynamic modelling of plate-tectonic processes and associated surface deformation and seismicity. This study path will train you to be a geophysicist.
Suggested courses for this path:
- GEO4-1415 Dataprocessing and Inverse Theory (1B)
- GEO4-1408 Theoretical Seismology (2A)
- GEO4-1409 Tectonophysics (2B)
- GEO4-1416 Dynamics of the Earth’s Mantle (3B)
- GEO4-1427 Computational Geophysics (4D)
This study path combines courses from other study paths to create a hybrid Geology-Geophysics track addressing the evolution of basins, orogens and the crust-lithosphere system in the context of plate tectonics. It is aimed at students seeking to combine observational and field-based geological analysis with the quantitative aspects of geophysics. Courses and research primarily cover the fields between the Physics of the Deep Earth and the Earth Materials tracks. This study path will train you to be a geophysicist or a geologist.
Suggested courses for this path:
- GEO4-1409 Tectonophysics (2B)
- GEO4-1418 Dynamics of Basins and Orogens (2D)
- GEO4-1416 Dynamics of the Earth’s Mantle (3B)
- GEO4-1419 Dynamics of Sedimentary Systems (3C)
- GEO4-1442 Modelling of Crust and Lithospheric Deformation (1D)
The Earth Materials study path focuses on the deformation and metamorphic and igneous processes operating in the crust and upper mantle. The courses address the physics and chemistry of rocks, minerals and melts, and how the behaviour of these materials controls geodynamic processes. The research ranges from unravelling orogenic and volcanic events, to exploring Earth’s early history, the origin of geological resources, mantle rheology and the response of crustal rocks to the geological storage of CO2. This study path will train you to be a geologist.
Suggested courses for this path:
- GEO4-1435 Advanced petrology: from microscopic properties to geological processes (1A)
- GEO4-1403 Petrological and Geochemical Evolution of the Earth (1C)
- GEO4-1417 Advanced mineralogy: minerals as materials (3A)
- GEO4-1410 Mechanisms of Deformation and Transport in Rocks (3D)
- GEO4-1443 Stable isotopes in Earth Sciences (2B)
Final research project
In your second year, you must carry out a final research project. Your research will culminate in a Master's thesis (30-45 EC), on which you will also give an oral presentation. In addition, you also have to do a guided research project (7.5-30 EC) and/or internship (15-30 EC).
Please note
If you started your programme before 2016 and you still have one or more first year courses to complete then you must use the Study Guide from your starting year as your point of reference.