Bachelor of Science in Geology

Please do not mistake geology for geography. While geographers study Earth’s surface, geologists delve deeper, in search of underlying structures. The outer 100 kilometres of Earth’s crust harbour various processes that can affect the surface.

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Bachelor's Programme

3 year 180 credits

Faculty of Sciences

Dutch

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About the programme

Programme summary

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Off to a good start

Postgraduate studies

First year

(version 9 - re-enrol only)

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Chemistry I: Structure of Matter	1	sem 1	nl	Klaartje De Buysser	5

Physics 1	1	sem 1	nl	Matthieu Boone	5

Mathematics I	1	sem 1	nl	Koen Thas	5

Biosphere: Zoology	1	sem 1	nl	Wim Bert	5

Introduction to Mineralogy	1	sem 1	nl	Stijn Dewaele	5

System Earth: Geology	1	sem 1	nl	David Van Rooij	5

Chemistry II: Changes in Matter	1	sem 2	nl	Isabel Van Driessche	5

Physics 2	1	sem 2	nl	Natalie Jachowicz	5

Mathematics II	1	sem 2	nl	Koen Thas	5

Biosphere: Botany	1	sem 2	nl	Annemieke Verbeken	5

Introduction to Petrology	1	sem 2	nl	Johan De Grave	5

Earth System: Introduction to Geography	1	sem 2	nl	Amaury Frankl	5

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students who have followed the Educational Track, can enter directly into the educational master's programme.

2.1 Geology Track

Subscribe to 6 credit units from 1 module from the following list.

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent and other Universities

Subscribe to 6 credit units from the study programmes of UGent including the Ghent University elective courses, or from the study programmes offered by the institutions of higer education of the Flemish Community, or (online) courses offered by Erasmus+ partner universities: distributed over the first standard learning path as follows: 6 credit units in year 3.

Second year

(version 9 - re-enrol only)

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Structural Chemistry	2	sem 1	nl	Richard Hoogenboom	3

Mathematics 3 and Geostatistics	2	sem 1	nl,en	Lieven Clement	5

Sedimentology	2	sem 1	nl	Maarten Van Daele	5

Stratigraphy	2	sem 1	nl	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Optical Mineralogy & Petrography	2	sem 1	nl	Veerle Cnudde	5

Paleontology of Plants	2	sem 1	nl	Stephen Louwye	5

Analytical Chemistry	2	sem 2	nl	Mieke Adriaens	7

Physics 3	2	sem 2	nl	Stefaan Cottenier	5

Introduction to Geographical Information Systems and Surveying Engineering	2	sem 2	nl	Alain De Wulf	5

Geology of Belgium	2	sem 2	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Structural Geology with Exercices on Geological Maps	2	sem 2	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Geological Mapping A	2	sem 2	nl	Marc De Batist	5

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students who have followed the Educational Track, can enter directly into the educational master's programme.

2.1 Geology Track

Subscribe to 6 credit units from 1 module from the following list.

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent and other Universities

Third year

(version 9 - re-enrol only)

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Palaeontology of Animals		3	sem 1	nl	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Programming	UKV	3	sem 1	nl	Peter Dawyndt	5

Hydrogeology		3	sem 1	en	Thomas Hermans	4

Petrology of Crystalline Rocks		3	sem 1	nl	Stijn Dewaele	5

Geophysics		3	sem 1	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Geology and Sustainability		3	sem 2	nl,en	Stijn Dewaele	4

Remote Sensing		3	sem 2	nl	Rudi Goossens	4

Quaternary Geology		3	sem 2	nl	Maarten Van Daele	4

Isotope Geology		3	sem 2	nl	Johan De Grave	5

Marine Geology		3	sem 2	nl	David Van Rooij	4

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students who have followed the Educational Track, can enter directly into the educational master's programme.

2.1 Geology Track

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Geological Mapping B	3	sem 2	nl	Stijn Dewaele	5

Sedimentary Geochemistry	3	sem 1	nl	Maarten Van Daele	4

Subscribe to 6 credit units from 1 module from the following list.

2.1.1 Work Experience

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Bachelor Project		3	sem 2	nl	Tom Bultreys	6

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent and other Universities

2.2 Educational Track

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Powerful Learning Environments	3	sem 1	nl	Bram De Wever	6

Teaching Methodology: Sciences	3	year	nl	Katrien Strubbe	6

Reference Internship: Sciences	3	year	nl	Katrien Strubbe	3

Full programme

(version 9 - re-enrol only)

Print

1 General Courses 165

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Chemistry I: Structure of Matter		1	sem 1	nl	Klaartje De Buysser	5

Physics 1		1	sem 1	nl	Matthieu Boone	5

Mathematics I		1	sem 1	nl	Koen Thas	5

Biosphere: Zoology		1	sem 1	nl	Wim Bert	5

Introduction to Mineralogy		1	sem 1	nl	Stijn Dewaele	5

System Earth: Geology		1	sem 1	nl	David Van Rooij	5

Chemistry II: Changes in Matter		1	sem 2	nl	Isabel Van Driessche	5

Physics 2		1	sem 2	nl	Natalie Jachowicz	5

Mathematics II		1	sem 2	nl	Koen Thas	5

Biosphere: Botany		1	sem 2	nl	Annemieke Verbeken	5

Introduction to Petrology		1	sem 2	nl	Johan De Grave	5

Earth System: Introduction to Geography		1	sem 2	nl	Amaury Frankl	5

Structural Chemistry		2	sem 1	nl	Richard Hoogenboom	3

Mathematics 3 and Geostatistics		2	sem 1	nl,en	Lieven Clement	5

Sedimentology		2	sem 1	nl	Maarten Van Daele	5

Stratigraphy		2	sem 1	nl	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Optical Mineralogy & Petrography		2	sem 1	nl	Veerle Cnudde	5

Paleontology of Plants		2	sem 1	nl	Stephen Louwye	5

Analytical Chemistry		2	sem 2	nl	Mieke Adriaens	7

Physics 3		2	sem 2	nl	Stefaan Cottenier	5

Introduction to Geographical Information Systems and Surveying Engineering		2	sem 2	nl	Alain De Wulf	5

Geology of Belgium		2	sem 2	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Structural Geology with Exercices on Geological Maps		2	sem 2	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Geological Mapping A		2	sem 2	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Palaeontology of Animals		3	sem 1	nl	Thijs Vandenbroucke	5

Programming	UKV	3	sem 1	nl	Peter Dawyndt	5

Hydrogeology		3	sem 1	en	Thomas Hermans	4

Petrology of Crystalline Rocks		3	sem 1	nl	Stijn Dewaele	5

Geophysics		3	sem 1	nl	Marc De Batist	5

Geology and Sustainability		3	sem 2	nl,en	Stijn Dewaele	4

Remote Sensing		3	sem 2	nl	Rudi Goossens	4

Quaternary Geology		3	sem 2	nl	Maarten Van Daele	4

Isotope Geology		3	sem 2	nl	Johan De Grave	5

Marine Geology		3	sem 2	nl	David Van Rooij	4

2 Elective Courses 15

Subscribe to 1 module from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Students who have followed the Educational Track, can enter directly into the educational master's programme.

2.1 Geology Track

15

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Geological Mapping B	3	sem 2	nl	Stijn Dewaele	5

Sedimentary Geochemistry	3	sem 1	nl	Maarten Van Daele	4

Subscribe to 6 credit units from 1 module from the following list.

2.1.1 Work Experience

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Bachelor Project		3	sem 2	nl	Tom Bultreys	6

2.1.2 Elective Courses UGent and other Universities

2.2 Educational Track

15

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Powerful Learning Environments	3	sem 1	nl	Bram De Wever	6

Teaching Methodology: Sciences	3	year	nl	Katrien Strubbe	6

Reference Internship: Sciences	3	year	nl	Katrien Strubbe	3

Learning outcomes

Competence field 1: Competence in one or more scientific disciplines

Exploration: understand the basic concepts of the structure and evolution of the Earth, evolution of Climate & Life, materials of the Earth. Have an insight into the cohesion between the sub-areas of Earth Science such as the functioning of Earth and Life as one connected system.
Widening: have an insight into supporting sciences: chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology and geography
Have an insight into methods, analysis and techniques in science (field and laboratory), in theories, reference frameworks and models (also 4D). Have a constant attitude of absolute safety assurance.
Explore the borders of knowledge: have an insight into the presuppositions in approximation and in the uncertainty and ambiguity of results in science.

Competence field 2: Scientific competence

Find your way around international literature in order to delve into a topic.
Demonstrate curiosity and a drive for exploration in order to discover new perspectives (curiosity driven).
Creatively design experiments starting from an initial hypothesis and newly discovered perspectives.
Respond flexibly to tasks during practical lessons, field internships and project work and have the ability to initiate problem-based research.

Competence field 3: Intellectual competence

Dare to think: take an independent and critical position about scientific knowledge both with abstract and concrete problems.
Structured thinking: learn how to define and articulate problems, focus thinking on solving problems.
Have the ability to think spatially, to zoom in and out of a three dimensional space (helicopter view) and to make the step towards a four dimensional thinking space.
Demonstrate openness to new ideas and developments.

Competence field 4: Competence in collaboration and communication

Have the ability to report and critically discuss your own literature research and simple experiments in a forum of fellow students both individually and in a group.
Take initiative in a testable manner and create confidence in your own ideas and suggestions.
Take responsibility during educational activities and field internships.

Competence field 5: Competence in social responsibility

Appreciate where science, and more specifically Geology, fits into a sustainable society.
Assimilate the principles of ethics and socially acceptable behaviour.
Pay attention to the historical development of geological thinking.
Demonstrate social engagement, be environmentally conscious and show interest in sustainable development.

Competence field 6: Professional competences

Be in touch with the industrial and broader scientific 'real world'.
Demonstrate professional behaviour through entrepreneurship, enthusiasm, involvement, accuracy, a drive for balance between competition and cooperation, tenacity and independence.