Earth and Ocean Sciences [EOS] is built on two fundamental and intertwined disciplines: Geology and Oceanography, making it a completely unique degree programme in Ireland. As such, this programme will provide you with an unparalleled perspective on our home planet. An important element of this is gaining a full understanding of how the Earth has dramatically changed and evolved over its c.4.6 billion year history. Only by better understanding the Earth’s past, we can more fully appreciate conditions at the present and be able to predict what might happen in the future.  

Having studied EOS, you will never look at our home planet in the same way again!  

Geology is the study of the Earth as a dynamic system, including its origins and subsequent history, along with its structure and composition. It is the ultimate story of large-scale environmental change through time, incorporating diverse areas such as palaeontology, hydrogeology, geophysics, remote sensing, mineralogy, sedimentology and earth surface processes. Almost all natural resources (e.g. metals, minerals, water, energy) on our planet are controlled either directly or indirectly by geology; geoscience informs how these resources can be optimally managed for a sustainable future in the very pressing context of climate change. 

Oceanography is key to understanding all aspects (physical, biological, chemical) of the oceans. Oceanographers are needed to assess and monitor climatic and environmental impacts, as well as natural and man-made hazards in oceans and coastal areas. Ireland is a small island on the far west coast of Europe, but our maritime territory covers more than ten times the land area, and this vast area encompasses a myriad of unique habitats, including enormous canyons and precipices, which support marine ecosystems and regulate currents and nutrient transport, essentially regulating the health of the oceans. 

Year 1 

• Earth & ocean sciences for society
• The Earth from core to crust
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics

Year 2 

• Introduction to ocean sciences
• Introduction to field skills
• Earth surface landforms & processes
• Zoology
• Botany & plant sciences
• Scientific writing skills

Year 3 

• Geological maps & geological structure
• Physical oceanography
• Sedimentology
• Palaeontology & evolution
• Mineralogy
• Igneous & metamorphic petrology
• Hydrology
• Remote sensing
• Residential field trip

Year 4 

• Advanced research project, incorporating scientific literature review
• Advanced field skills (residential field trip)
• Oceanographic fieldskills (ship time on research vessel)
• Global change
• Hydrogeology
• Earth observation
• History of life
• Economic geology
• Sedimentary basins

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

• This course is completely unique in Ireland, with an innovative focus on interconnected earth and ocean systems.
• The core modules of the degree have been carefully designed to build your knowledge and expertise in geoscience year on year.
• Learn from academic staff who are international experts in their field and bring their cutting-edge research into the classroom.
• Investigate environmental change on the scale of our planet  over its entire 4.6 billion year history.
• Strong emphasis on field skills and field work in years 2-4, including two residential field courses.
• Galway is unrivalled in terms of its location, surrounded by world class geology (e.g. Connemara, the Burren) and on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The EOS degree takes full advantage of this with both geological and oceanographical field work, including ship time spent on an Irish research vessel.
• Diverse choice of independent research projects in year 4, many including a strong field component.
• Unique focus on transferable practical skills (e.g. visual communication, team working, problem solving and data analysis) across a wide range of topics throughout the degree which greatly enhance employability of our graduates. 

A degree in Earth and Ocean Sciences [EOS] opens up opportunities to a huge range of careers all over the world. Currently, there is increasing global demand for geoscientists, and this will continue to grow as they play a key role in addressing the challenges faced by society. 

The unique skills developed during the degree make EOS graduates highly employable. Our graduates are working in Ireland, across Europe, in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and some have even worked in Antarctica. They are working on, and in, all of the world’s oceans.  

Graduates are following research and academic careers, they are working for government agencies (e.g. Environmental Protection Agency, Geological Survey Ireland, Met Eireann) and regulatory bodies, and they are working in industry on everything from geothermal projects to geoscience tourism. They work in mineral exploration, renewable energy, environmental and groundwater monitoring, and as oceanographers, palaeontologists, volcanologists and engineers. 

Our BSc in Earth and Ocean Sciences will equip you with the key skills that today’s employers need, including: 

• Communication skills
• Project management
• Field skills
• Shipboard experience
• Data handling and processing skills
• Spatial mapping skills
• Critical thinking- solving problems and thinking outside the box
• Creativity - communicating in new and innovative ways
• Teamwork - collaborating with people from all over the world 

The EOS degree will give you the essential skills to build a successful and rewarding career in a globalised world.

• Dr Sadhbh Baxter
• Dr Jake Ciborowski
• Prof Peter Croot
• Dr Eve Daly
• Dr Anthony Grehan
• Dr Tiernan Henry
• Prof Mark Johnson
• Dr Liam Morrison
• Dr John Murray
• Dr Shane Tyrrell
• Dr Martin White

The Earth and Ocean Sciences [EOS] degree is a strongly multidisciplinary programme that builds core skills for students year on year. 60 credits [ECTS] of core and elective (optional) modules are completed in each of the four years of study. These usually involve a combination of lectures and practical work/continuous assessment. The theoretical element of courses/modules is typically examined at the end of the semester of study. 

Given the emphasis on practical and field skills, all EOS modules involve some element of continuous assessment, and we utilise the full range of learning and assessment techniques. Our field-based courses are entirely continuous assessment based. Workshops and informal discussion sessions are also commonly used, especially in third and fourth years.  

The entire EOS degree programme is carefully structured and essentially forms a continuum of learning, with each year building on the previous year of study, There is also a shift in the teaching and learning approach every year: as you progress from first year to final year, you will take more ownership of your learning, and develop new learning skills.  

How will I learn? 

Teaching and learning in EOS is structured around lectures, practical classes, field work, workshops seminars. 

1. Lectures - these help to guide students through the course material and are typically 45-50 minutes long. 
2. Technology-enhanced learning - all EOS modules make full use of the Canvas Virtual Learning Environment.
3. Practicals - the majority of our courses will usually have some hands-on or continuous assessment component. Practical classes can take place in labs; however, from second year onwards EOS courses begin to introduce both field work and project-based teaching in which students will be expected to submit written essays or scientific reports.
4. Critical thinking development - we value good communication and critical thought, and it is a significant part of the learning process in the EOS degree. Writing essays or creating reports is perhaps the most powerful of all methods for coming to grips with a subject, and report writing is a fundamental skill requirement in the jobs market. 
5. Communication skills - In third and fourth years, students begin to do both group and individual presentations in courses. An innovative example of a team-based science communication assignment can be found here. These communication skills are extremely important at university and in the workplace. 

Course queries: 
lorna.larkin@universityofgalway.ie   

Programme Director:  

Dr Shane Tyrrell 
Lecturer in Sedimentology  
Head of Earth and Ocean Sciences  
Earth and Life Sciences 
School of Natural Sciences 
College of Science and Engineering 

E: shane.tyrrell@universityofgalway.ie 

Q: Do I need a high level of mathematics to do this course? 
A: No - it is not a necessity. The minimum entry requirements include maths as a subject (Leaving Cert higher or ordinary level). While some individual modules are more numerical in nature, you will be taught the mathematical principles underpinning these as part of the course of study. You will also have the opportunity to take optional modules in statistics in year 2 to add to your transferable skills set. 

Q: Do I need to have studied science in school to take this course? 
A: The minimum entry requirements include one laboratory science subject at Leaving Cert (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry [joint], Computer Science or Agricultural Science) - but it does not matter which laboratory science you have completed. In year 1 you will cover the fundamentals of Biology, Physics and Chemistry to ensure a solid scientific background as you progress into year 2.  

Q: Do I need to have studied geography in school to take this course?
A: Not at all. While Earth and Ocean Sciences does have some overlap with Physical Geography, in this degree course, we teach all of Earth and Ocean Sciences from first principles. Geography deals with the Earth’s surface, including physical features, human activities and spatial relationships. EOS includes all of these elements, but has a considerable additional focus on earth and ocean processes, structure (including deep in the Earth’s interior), earth raw materials, and earth history (deep time) - all from the perspective of sustainable resources.  

Q: What is the difference between a degree in Earth and Ocean Sciences and a degree in Marine Science? 
A: There is some overlap between the EOS and the Marine Science degree - both incorporate elements of zoology (particularly marine biology), physical and chemical oceanography and botany. However, the geoscience elements of the EOS degree make it very distinct, incorporating the study of terrestrial and marine environments through all of earth history (4.6 billion years) - often from the perspective of global processes and sustainable resources. As a result, EOS graduates readily find employment in geoscience, here in Ireland and also around the world.

Minimum Entry Requirements 

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint), Computer Science or Agricultural Science) and any two other subjects recognised for entry purposes.  

Alternative Pathways 

The Access Centre at University of Galway provides a number of alternative entry routes to undergraduate programmes. See below some useful links: 

• QQI/FET/FETAC Places 

• Mature Students 

• Access and Foundation programmes 

• HEAR Scheme 

• DARE Scheme 

Other Qualifications 

If you are a school leaver presenting results other than Leaving Cert results, please review the entry requirements relevant to you:  

• A Level students 

• International Baccalaureate students  

• EU students 

For applicants whose first language is not English, it is important to check our English Language Requirements.  

Admissions Office  

Our Admissions Office provides additional detail relevant to CAO applicants including key dates, FAQs and instructions for non-school leavers.

Irish and European (EU/EFTA/UK) Applicants 

Apply via the CAO. See the CAO Handbook for useful information on applying through the CAO.  

Mature Applicants  

Apply via the CAO by 1 February. To apply for a place as a mature student, you must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the year of entry. Further information available here.  

QQI/FET/FETAC Applicants 

Apply via the CAO. See our QQI/FET/FETAC Applicants page for information on places available and entry requirements. 

Fees for Academic Year 2025/2026

Course Type	Year	EU Tuition	Student Contribution	Non-EU Tuition	Levy	Total Fee	Total EU Fee	Total Non-EU Fee
	All	€4,268	€3,000	€27,000	€140	€3,140	€7,408	€27,140

• Most EU students applying through the CAO will be eligible for the ‘Free Fees Initiative’. You can find out more here.
• If you are eligible for a means tested SUSI grant this may cover 100% of this Student Contribution Charge. If you are 100% eligible SUSI will pay the Student Contribution Charge of €3,000 on your behalf. 
• The Student Levy It is payable by all students and it is not covered by SUSI
• Where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing year fees. This applies to non-EU fees.
• You can find additional detail on the Fees Office webpage including FAQs and how fee status is assessed.

Fieldtrips:
There are some travel costs attached to participating in fieldtrips which are a core component of the degree (approximate cost of €250 for residential field trips in years 3 and 4). The School endeavours to cover costs as much as possible and keep the student contribution as low as possible. Eligible students may also receive additional support from SUSI for these compulsory field trip costs. 

Scholarships for Global Students

University of Galway is committed to attracting high-calibre students from around the world. To this end, we offer a range of merit-based scholarships to students from a number of outside of the EU countries, in line with our strategic international priorities. For international students commencing study at University of Galway there are a number of different scholarships on offer.  

Undergraduate Merit Awards (€2,000 - €5,000): 

€2,000 for all first-year students in the School of Natural Sciences (offered for four years) 

Undergraduate Excellence Awards (€10,000 - €20,000): 

€10,000 for one student each in the Schools of Engineering and Natural Sciences (offered for four years) 

More details here.

Application Process 

Students applying for full undergraduate degree programmes from outside of the European Union (EU), and who are liable for full non-EU tuition fees, should apply online via Apply to University of Galway. Our application portal opens on the 1st October each year for each the following September.   

Further Information 

Please visit the international application webpage for further information on closing dates, documentation requirements, application fees and the application process.