Overview of the programme

The joint Masters in Applied Geophysics comprises a significant number of core courses, a selection of specialised courses and a final research-oriented thesis project. The core courses provide the students with fundamental information essential for practicing applied geophysics. Basic processes and important state-of-the-art technologies are taught. Independent thinking and integration of concepts and information are demanded of the students. A key element of the curriculum is a period of field work during which the students design and execute a programme of geophysical investigation aimed at resolving actual engineering, environmental or archaeological problems; a broad spectrum of geophysical techniques are available for the investigations. After the field campaign, the students are responsible for the processing and interpretation of the acquired data and for reporting the results of their studies. The specialized courses reflect the research interests of the participating applied geophysics groups. They prepare the students for choosing a thesis research area that best suits their interests, knowledge, skills and experience.

The final theses are the result of approximately eight months' of research, report writing, presentation and examination. There is sufficient time for students to make significant contributions to their topics. Many of the theses involve the integration of theory with data derived from field observations, field tests or laboratory work. The academic quality is guaranteed by integrating the theses into the research activities of (a) one of the partner universities or (b) a suitable industrial, governmental or other university laboratory.