Program Requirements

The Master of Earth Sciences (Advanced) requires the completion of 96 units, of which:

A minimum of 48 units must come from completion of the coursework component

A minimum of 36 units and a maximum of 48 units must come from completion of the research component

A minimum of 24 units must come from completion of 8000- level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

24 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

EMSC8017 Research Methods for Earth Sciences (6 units)

EMSC8032 Earth Science Research Proposal & Presentation (6 units)

EMSC8033 Computational Geosciences -- Problem Solving, Logical Thinking and Computer Programming (6 units)

EMSC8034 Research Orientation: Big Questions in the Earth Sciences (6 units)

A minimum of 6 units from completion of Core Skill courses from the following list:

EMSC8022 Analytical Techniques (6 units)

EMSC8023 Data Science (6 units)

A minimum of 12 units from completion of further 6000- and 8000-level courses from the subject area EMSC Earth and Marine Sciences.

A minimum of 36 units and a maximum of 48 units from completion of the following research component:

EMSC8030 Earth Science Research Project, which must be completed in two consecutive semesters.

Students must achieve a minimum 70% Weighted Average Mark in the first 48 units of coursework and have the approval of an identified supervisor for the research project to remain enrolled in the Master of Earth Sciences (Advanced) and continue to the research component. A condition of supervisor approval is that the research project is feasible and it should be noted that the majority of research projects will require on campus attendance.

If the total number of units attempted exceeds 48 in the same teaching period in which the 48th unit is attempted, exactly 48 units will be used in the calculation of the weighted average mark with units from the course with the highest mark applied first followed by further units from course in descending order of marks.

Students who do not achieve a minimum 70% Weighted Average Mark or do not have approval of an identified supervisor will be transferred to the Master of Science in Earth Sciences or a Graduate Diploma of Science.

Master Research

This plan includes a compulsory sub-thesis of a minimum 36 units.

Master Research Training

Prior to commencing the research project, students must complete 30 units of coursework of research training courses:

EMSC8017 Research Methods for Earth Sciences

EMSC8032 Research Proposal and Presentation

EMSC8033 Computational Geosciences -- Problem Solving, Logical Thinking and Computer Programming

EMSC8034 Research Orientation: Big Questions in the Earth Sciences

Either EMSC8022 Analytical Techniques or EMSC8023 Data Science

Capstone Courses

Study Options

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present a Bachelor degree or international equivalent

• with a minimum GPA of at least 5.5.0/7.0
• with at least 8 courses in a cognate discipline, which must also have a minimum GPA of 5.5/7.0.

The GPA requirement for this program must be met by both the program as a whole, as well as by the 8 courses in a cognate discipline. Where more than 8 cognate courses have been completed by the applicant, ANU will take the best 8 courses when assessing the cognate GPA.

The GPA for a Bachelor program will be calculated from (i) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades and/or (ii) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades other than those from the last semester (or equivalent study period) of the Bachelor degree. The higher of the two calculations will be used as the basis for admission.

Cognate Disciplines: Earth & Marine Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Sciences, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Physical Geography, Mathematics, Engineering

Ranking and English language proficiency: At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry. In line with the University's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of:

• a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or
• demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support

Diversity factors: As Australia’s national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe.

Assessment of qualifications: Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met.

Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au.

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications.

Applications for course credit: Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 24 units (one semester) of credit. 

Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Bachelor degree with Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 48 units (one year) of credit.

Cognate Disciplines

Earth & Marine Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Sciences, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Physical Geography, Mathematics, Engineering

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

A Master of Earth Sciences (Advanced) gives you the opportunity to gain a wide range of knowledge and skills that are relevant for employment in academia, industry, government agencies and education. It is an excellent qualification for pursuing a career at geosciences agencies or within mineral & hydrocarbon exploration, natural resource management, environmental monitoring, data sciences and the energy sector. The program is also an ideal pathway to a PhD in Australia or at leading institutes around the world.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate high level knowledge in their chosen study area.

2. Interpret, synthesize and critically analyse published literature of relevance to the discipline.

3. Design, plan and manage an independent research project to fill a knowledge gap in your chosen field.

4. Acquire, analyse and interpret independent data, from field, laboratory or computational experiments.

5. Apply coursework-based knowledge and skills to independent research.

6. Summarise your results, both orally and in writing, to expert and non-expert audiences.

7. Communicate effectively with university staff, peer students and the wider community on Earth Science topics.

Research Strengths

This plan includes a compulsory sub-thesis of a minimum 36 units.

Inherent Requirements

Information on inherent requirements is currently not available for this program.

Further Information

Progression hurdle:

This program has a progression hurdle that must be satisfied in order to progress to the research project: Students must achieve a minimum 70% average mark in the first 48 units of coursework and have the approval of the supervisor for the research project. A condition of supervisor approval is that the research project is feasible and it should be noted that the majority of research projects will require on campus attendance.

Course offered by the College of Science and College of Health and Medicine:

An indicative list of courses offered by the College of Science and the College of Health and Medicine can be found under current students page on the College website via this link.