Official Study Guide for Germany
Geosciences, geotechnology
The geosciences are dedicated to our planet Earth, its formation and the nature of its surface. How these geological resources can be utilised is in turn the subject of geotechnology.
Overview of the academic discipline
The geosciences are concerned with aspects of the earth system, i.e. soil, rocks, water and the atmosphere, and how they influence each other. The field is strongly research-orientated and interdisciplinary, and has points of contact with environmental sciences (section 3.3.2) or environmental engineering (section 3.2.22), for example. Geotechnology is also at the interface with the engineering sciences.
Students of geosciences gain sound knowledge in the extraction of raw materials, environmental protection, waste storage and urban and regional planning. In the latter area, there are overlaps with subjects such as civil engineering (section 3.2.3) or urban and regional planning (section 3.2.1).
Which topics are included in the curriculum?
All bachelor’s programmes in this field begin with a basic geoscientific education with modules in physics, biology, chemistry and mathematics. In the Geosciences degree programme, this includes basic mineralogical and petrological knowledge, geoinformatics, geochemistry, sedimentology, tectonics, palaeontology and geological history, hydrogeology and geophysics.
Depending on the degree programme, different specialisations are offered in the Master's degree:
- On the Geosciences degree programme, for example, there are modules in astrophysics, geochemistry, geoinformatics, geology, geophysics, hydrogeology/environmental geology, engineering geology/geotechnics, mineralogy, petrology/deposit research or palaeobiology.
- The Geography degree programme offers various specialisation options, e.g. anthropogeography (human geography), physical geography or climate research.
- The Geoecology degree programme focuses on landscape ecology, soil science, hydrology, mineralogy/geochemistry and bio/geoinformatics.
- The Meteorology degree programme comprises modules in theoretical, experimental and applied meteorology, including climatology, with experimental and numerical practicals as well as an interdisciplinary elective area.
What are the requirements?
In-depth knowledge of the following school subjects is a good prerequisite for a successful degree programme: geography, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and English.
What study programmes are there to choose from?
The majority of degree programmes are offered at universities, but some are also offered at universities of applied sciences. The programmes on offer range from geosciences and geology to geoecology and hydrology.
The geosciences Bachelor's degree programmes are generally admission-free. Depending on the university, however, there may be an internal selection procedure.
What job opportunities are there after graduation?
Geoscientists mainly advise geological consulting firms, engineering and planning offices in the environmental sector (e.g. remediation of contaminated sites, remediation of soil, groundwater or subsoil) as experts. There are also job opportunities in the public sector, in particular at state geological offices, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, the Geoinformation Service of the German Armed Forces, local authorities (municipalities, districts), state mining authorities and universities and non-university research institutions.
Mineralogists also find work in companies that develop or process new materials, e.g. high-performance materials, surfaces and coatings, mineral building materials and binding agents. They also work in industry to ensure the environmentally friendly treatment and disposal of mineral residues or the remediation of cultural heritage.
Meteorologists mainly work in climate and environmental research at research institutions and at national and international weather services; they also work in engineering offices and industrial companies as experts or environmental protection officers or for insurance companies in risk assessment.
Geographers mainly work in the private sector, for example in aerial photography and remote sensing companies, in specialist publishing houses, in the real estate industry, in location planning for larger companies, in the tourism and tourism industry, in advisory and consulting companies, in energy supply companies or environmental protection organisations. There are also fields of work in public administration or in the private service sector.