Engineering geology and geotechnics?

Hi everyone, I have found the degree course titled "Engineering geology and geotechnics" at some universities. One of the universities that offers this course is Plymouth University.

However, I was wondering, is a degree in Geology more beneficial in terms of careers etc., rather than a degree in a specific area such as engineering?

Does anyone know of anyone doing this course? Or even better, is any TSR member currently/have studied degrees in Geology and/or Engineering geology?

What A-levels did you take?


Many thanks,
Uniiverse

I've applied for geology at Exeter campus! Praying that I get an offer. Put ins good word? is it true that all the csm subjects have lectures together?

Ah brilliant! It is awesome here haha . We share nearly all of our modules with the miners and renewables in the first term of first year (so yes, lectures together), then each subject branches off after that. Some modules (for geo's) are shared with the miners in the second and third year too, but the majority are just us. Which is nice because the geology classes are always really small so very close knit - there are 24 in mine . The year below has 36 though which is by far the largest they've ever had at CSM in geology.

Good luck with your application, I'm sure you'll be fine! Is CSM your first choice then?

Hi there. I'm in my second year of Engineering Geology and Geotechnics at the Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) at the moment, and I'd say it's definitely a great course with excellent career prospects! Whether you choose this or straight geology is completely up to you and what you want to do when you graduate, both degrees have great employment rates. Are you more interested in exploration/mining geology/oil/gas, etc or the engineering side with geotechnics/rock mechanics/slope stability, and so on? Bearing in mind that at many unis the geology-related courses will be identical in the first year so you'd have plenty of time to change your mind and switch even after you start...

Speaking to a few professionals in the mining industry though, I would say that geotechnical engineers/engineering geo's often have the upper hand when they graduate over normal geologists, solely because there are so few of them compared to the latter and they're in very high demand worldwide. But honestly, just go for whichever you prefer the sound of. Have a read through the job descriptions to get an idea of what they entail: http://technology.infomine.com/reviews/geotechnical/welcome.asp?view=full and http://www.prospects.ac.uk/case_studies_options_geology_case_study_2.htm and http://www.prospects.ac.uk/case_studies_options_geology_case_study_3.htm

Oh and I did Geology, Maths and Physics at A Level. If you have any more questions just fire away . Which other unis are you looking at? Seen CSM? I honestly love it here and the employment prospects and industry contacts are fantastic (not biased at all).

2 years late, but how much mechanics are involved in the engineering geology? Asking as i havent done mechanics modules in Maths and was wondering if you needed em

Cheers

Haha no worries, you're lucky I've seen this as I've just logged into TSR for the first time in probably about 2 years.
There isn't much mechanics required really. The maths doesn't really go beyond basic AS Level stuff so you don't have anything to worry about. Hope this helps and good luck!

Thanks! Ive got some other questions if you dont mind! Is A Level Physics essential for engineering geology? and whats the employment rates and salaries like for this course?

Cheers