Stockholm university

Earth Sciences

Do you want to understand how our planet works? You will learn about the Earth's different habitats, natural resources and climate change, which reflect the interactions between nature, animals and mankind. They will provide you with knowledge and understanding which will enable you to influence our future society and environment.

Subject description

Earth Sciences

The Earth Sciences programme encompasses multiple subject areas within the natural sciences which relate to planet Earth. As a geoscientist you will study natural processes which occur in rock, air, water and on the surface of the Earth, ranging from a time span of milliseconds to hundreds of millions of years.

You will study climate, natural cycles and how different processes affect the society we live in today. You will learn how to identify connections in natural processes and what happens when humans impact our habitats.

Biology-Earth Sciences

The Biology-Earth Sciences programme is an interdisciplinary environmental programme with focus towards nature conservation and the environmental impacts human exploitation has on natural resources.

You will learn to identify and understand interactions in natural processes and how humans affect our environment. The programme will also provide you with a broad knowledge base within Earth Sciences (e.g Soil Science, Quaternary Geology, Climate), Biology (e.g Zoology, Botany, Ecology) and Nature and Environmental Conservation.

With a degree completed in Earth Sciences or in Biology-Earth Sciences you will be able to pursue further studies in any of our international Master's Programs focusing on subject areas such as Geomatics, Remote Sensing and GIS, Geological Sciences, Hydrology and Water Resources, Environmental Science and Physical Planning, Landscape Ecology, Polar Landscapes and Climate.

Career opportunities

Both geoscientists and biogeoscientists have a wide competence and are therefore in demand within many different fields of work. As a geoscientist you can work with global issues regarding, for example, climate change, water resources and natural disasters, both in Sweden and abroad.

You will also be able to work with prospecting of geological natural resources, geoscientific risk analysis, construction projects, environment enquiries and community planning, both in the private and public sectors.

A degree in Biology-Earth Sciences enables opportunities in several fields, such as in conservancy, as an environment and nature consultant, sustainable development, environmental technology and community planning. Common workplaces for both fields are also local and regional authorities, government agencies or organizations where you will work with environmental issues.

Courses and programmes

  • PhD studies

    Are you interested in research in Earth Sciences or Biology-Earth Sciences? In that case, you can apply for the doctoral education in Physical Geography at the Department of Physical Geography or the doctoral education in Geochemistry, Geology or Marine Geology at the Department of Geological Sciences.

Degree

For a bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences you can choose to study individual courses or join one of the bachelor’s programmes listed under Courses and programmes.

A bachelor’s degree in Biology-Earth Sciences can only be obtained through enrolment in the bachelor program listed under Courses and programmes.

More information about degrees at Stockholm University

Research

In the subject of Earth Sciences or Biology-Earth Sciences, we conduct research within and integrated between four different research units: Biogeography and Geomatics, Geomorphology and Glaciology, Hydrology, Water Resources and Permafrost, as well as Climate Science and Quaternary Geology.

The research at the Department of Geological Sciences concentrates on three research profiles: Geochemistry, Geology or Marine Geology