Curious about studying Geology with Integrated Foundation Year - BSc (Hons)at Royal Holloway, University of London? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Main Site
Full Time
Sep 2026
4 Year
Our Integrated Foundation Year for science is a thorough, skills-building course that will give you everything you need to start your study of BSc Geology with confidence. Science underpins society and can help us provide answers to fundamental questions. Our Foundation Year sets you up so that you’re ready to take on those questions - providing you with opportunities to gain knowledge and understanding of how to get started in studying the sciences at university, including Geology. You’ll have theoretical and hands-on experiences to equip you with the skills and confidence to progress. To understand the physical Earth and the dynamic processes that continue to alter and change our environment it is important to understand the geology of our planet. BSc Geology combines disciplines including chemistry, physics, maths, and geography to fully comprehend the past, present, and future of our planet. A degree in Earth Sciences develops your ability to successfully apply scientific knowledge and transferable skills. A programme of fieldwork enables you to put into practice all aspects of the taught programme in Earth Sciences, as well as providing a chance for staff and students to get to know each other. The fieldwork programme is designed to provide progressive training through projects, involving either geological mapping or environmental data collection. Duration: 4 years full time
Earth is a dynamic and evolving planet with a record of plate tectonic and environmental change over its 4.6 billion year history. This module explores the geological structure and the processes that shape our planet and other planets within our solar system, from the planetary heat engine that powers plate motion and leads to the surface expression of these forces in volcanoes and earthquakes, to the use of maps, minerals and rocks to unlock the story in the rocks beneath our feet.
In this module you develop an understanding of the skills required to practice geology in the field, carrying out a series of activities in South Devon and Pembrokeshire. You will learn to describe and interpret the origin of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and how to prepare a geological map and cross-section using standard symbols. You will examine stereographic projections, sedimentary logging, the construction of stratigraphic columns for the identification of rocks, and the analysis of structural features using stereonets.
This module introduces the 4.6 billion-year history of our Evolving Earth and provides you with the skills to interpret that history. The module is subdivided into two complimentary streams that closely integrate. One stream (palaeontology) considers the story of life from its origin to the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, concluding with our own recent human evolution.
With the adoption of the Paris Agreement and the recent COP26, a seismic societal shift towards issues related to sustainability and climate change is taking place globally. The next generation of geoscientists are now required to understand the complex interrelations between human activities and a changing Earth system. With this module, students will explore key themes at the core of human-Earth interaction such as anthropogenic climate change, geohazards, environmental pollution, and sustainable exploitation of energy resources and energy-critical elements.
In this module you will develop an understanding of basic concepts in chemistry and physics and how to apply these to geological processes. You will look at atoms and atomic structure, the periodic table of elements, reactions, equations, geochemical analysis, the composition of the earth, interpretation of phase diagrams, solubility of minerals, weathering and the hydrological cycle. You will also consider Newton?s Laws, kinematics, circular motion, planetary orbits, gravity, magnetism, electricity, resistivity, stress, strain, seismicity, isostasy, radioactivity, and geochronology.
In this module you will develop advanced geological field skills. You will carry out a series of activities in an area of igneous and metamorphic rocks, and in an area of sedimentary rocks. You will learn to describe and interpret the origin of the rock types in the field and will prepare a geological map and cross-section using standard symbols. You will analyse structural features using stereonets, and infer the geological history of a region through the construction of scaled cross-sections through structurally complex terrains.
In this module you will develop an understanding of advanced chemical concepts relevant to the Earth Sciences. You will focus on isotope geochemistry and consider techniques that are directly applicable in most geological contexts. You will attend practical classes and conduct a small project involving the analysis and interpretation of a real geochemical dataset.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the geological evolution of the British Isles, interpreting regional geological history from geological maps. You will learn to describe rock specimens and examine how palaeoenvironments can be reconstructed using case studies. You will also consider the application of stratigraphic techniques and use evidence from several different fields of geology to evaluate competing hypotheses for geological evolution.
In this module you will further develop your understanding of igneous and metamorphic geology. You will look at the characteristics and origins of alkaline igneous rocks, the nature and controls on metamorphic reactions, and the links between metamorphism and tectonic processes. You will consider hand specimen and thin section techniques for study of minerals and igneous and metamorphic rocks, and examine analytical approaches to the interpretation of metamorphic rocks, including the quantification of metamorphic rates and processes.
In this module you will develop an understanding of the key events in the history of life and their environmental impact using the fossil and sedimentary record. You will analyse fossil assemblages using stratigraphic principles such as absolute dating, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. You will consider how to interpret sedimentary rocks, and examine the importance of fossil assemblages in the interpretation of events in earth history.
In this module, students rank their preferred field mapping areas and are allocated one based on their choices. They live in small groups for a minimum of four weeks in their second year, creating a geological map of a 15-25 sq km area. The chosen areas meet safety and academic requirements, offering diverse opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in earth science. Students familiarise themselves with base maps, remote sensing data, and area risks before the fieldwork. Field supervision is initially provided by academics, followed by independent work to produce a field map and record. In the third year, students discuss and analyse field data, notebooks, maps, and interpretations with supervisors and staff. They also study rocks and data from the field area. By the second term of the third year, students submit a written report and geological map, aiming to understand the area's stratigraphy, structure, and geological history.
The module aims to teach students advanced level key geological and transferable skills. Data Handling - a lecture and practical course on retrieval and handling of geological data which revises and extends numerical skills introduced in years 1 and 2. Presentation skills ? presentation exercise to improve spoken, visual and other aspects of communication in geology. Advanced Field Skills - includes data collection, teamwork and site investigations.
Foundation Year Module
The module aims to provide students with practical hands-on experience of a range of geoscience activities carried out in the field and laboratory that will be essential for their future UG studies. Examples of such activities include but are not limited to, measurements of greenhouse gases and/or air pollutants, measurements of water quality in chemical and ecological terms, measurements of soil contamination, identifying the origins and properties of rocks, fossils and/or meteorites, geophysical analyses, and a field trip to the south coast of England to study the solid earth.
Foundation Year Module
The module aims to provide students with experience of choosing, planning, carrying out and reporting on an individual (supervised) scientific project. Projects may comprise the analysis and interpretation of data that has been produced by students in field and laboratory work, or of data that may have been provided by staff or obtained by students. Students may choose to build upon the type of work carried out in the previous module, Practical Geoscience, or indeed discuss with staff, a different topic within the geosciences for their project.
Foundation Year Module
Students will learn key topics in pre-HE-level biological and earth sciences through an interdisciplinary, chronological curriculum. The module content is divided into three broad sections: origins, present and future. The history of the earth affords the opportunity to learn topics in biological chemistry, metabolism and physiology alongside planetary science and palaeontology. The second section of the module gives students the chance to learn about key challenges in communicable and non-communicable disease, climate change, biodiversity and the impact of environmental pollutants on human health. In the module?s final section the focus will shift to the future, and students will learn some of the opportunities presented in the management of ecosystem services, nucleic acid-based technologies and renewable energy sources.
Foundation Year Module
The foundation to all sciences. By engaging in mathematical reasoning you will develop your scientific thinking as well as problem-solving skills. Moreover, you will get to embark on a journey through the exciting world of maths and its application. This course will provide you with the skills to successfully continue onto a STEM degree. The course aims to aid you in developing familiarity and skills in differentiation and integration. The main mathematical topics and concepts in the course are algebra (simplification, rearrangement), sequences and series, number bases, logic, functions, graphing of functions, exponential and logarithm, trigonometry, vectors/matrices, complex numbers differentiation, integration, first order ordinary differential equations, probability, and statistics (mean, variance, normal, binomial distributions).
Foundation Year Module
The aim of this module is to provide the calculus and statistics required for a foundation in engineering and physical science. This module will provide a foundation so that a student can apply calculus to real-world problems. The module also aims to aid students in developing familiarity and skills in differentiation and integration. The main mathematical topics and concepts in the course are differentiation, integration, first order ordinary differential equations, Probability, Statistics (mean, variance, normal, binomial distributions).
Foundation Year Module
Knowing how to program is a highly sought-after skill, and is becoming increasingly important. Also, it is fun. This course equips you with the basic and foundational skills necessary to be successful in programming. We mainly use Python, but the skills learnt are also applicable to other languages. The course will contain foundational programming topics, including: how computers work, introduction to algorithms, basic data structures, control flow, programming libraries, data manipulation, input/output, file manipulation, dynamic structures and objects. Upon completion of the until you?ll will be able to understand variables, types and simple data structures (lists, strings, dictionaries and arrays), use functions to simply programs and promote code testing and reuse. Throughout the course there will be lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on problem-solving.
Foundation Year Module
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Issues and Academic Skills provides the underpinning for the Integrated Foundation Year programme and is key to helping students achieve the requirements for entry into first year undergraduate study and transition effectively from school / college to HE.
Foundation Year Module
Placement Year Fee: 20 Percentage of your Annual Tuition fee
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