Palaeontology-Heavy Geology Courses?

I'll stop asking questions eventually I swear.

I'm doing my own research into this but there are so many geology courses out there that it's pretty slow going, so... does anyone know of any geology courses that have notably heavy amounts of palaeontology content? My end goal is to study palaeontology at a postgraduate level and eventually become a (museum?) palaeontologist, but I'd like to get a geology degree at undergrad since it just seems more... open? Like I'd have more opportunities.

Reply 1

Kiwi789

Original post by elvamire

While I don't know much about Geology courses in general, have you thought about Bristol's palaeontology course? They've got a pretty big palaeontological department, and there's a palaeobiology postgraduate course available for students who do choose to study single honours, e.g. pure Geology (though be cautious in picking this option, are you certain you would enjoy geology? Quite a few palaeontologists I know don't really like the subject - or have at least cursed it - though everyone is different, you could love geology!).

:biggrin:

Reply 2

elvamire

Original post by Kiwi789

I would LOVE to apply to Bristol's palaeontology course, it looks amazing! However, I'm applying through UCAS Extra, and from what I can see on the course search it isn't open to Extra applicants. :/ So that kind of sucks.

I'm admittedly not certain about geology and I'd prefer to do pure palaeontology, but it's something to consider, y'know?

Reply 3

C.P.

Original post by elvamire

In terms of geology as a whole how much experience of it have you got as there are so many branches that are obscure and you don't really know about them until you try it...

Reply 4

Surtr

You can't really do palaeontology properly if you don't know some geology. The geology is what provides a context to the fossil, the environment in which it's found, and the kind of settings in which it might have lived. Without that context you might as well be stamp collecting.

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Reply 5

Kiwi789

There are other ways to go into Palaeontology rather than through Geology. If you prefer biological side of ancient life to rocks, you could do an undergraduate degree in biology or zoology, and then apply for a masters in palaeontology afterwards (in which you would be given a crash-course in basic geology, "Rocks for jocks"). In palaeontology both geology and biology are intertwined, so it doesn't really matter which you pick to study at undergraduate. :smile:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 6

Plagioclase

Original post by Surtr

In fairness, a palaeontology degree would still include plenty of geology.

Reply 7

C.P.

Original post by Plagioclase

In fairness, a palaeontology degree would still include plenty of geology.

worth exploring the other areas of it though. I was dead set on palaeo before I started doing the other stuff for the course...

Reply 8

Plagioclase

Original post by C.P.

worth exploring the other areas of it though. I was dead set on palaeo before I started doing the other stuff for the course...

No I certainly agree with you, I'd also recommend a geology course over a palaeontology course, I'm just saying that of course paleontology courses do teach some geology because you can't be a palaeontologist without knowing about the geological background.

Reply 9

rosiesaurus

Original post by elvamire

Don't know if it's too late by now, but Leicester do a Geology w/ Palaeontology course which has a fair palaeo constituent, including a really good Microfossils module :smile:

If you want to go into palaeo research, studying geology is probably the best route as you'll learn all about sedimentology, palaeoenvironments, stratigraphy, mapping and isotopes which are all really relevant!