Master's programme in geochemistry
Master programme at stockholm university, department of geological sciences. A geochemist uses chemical concepts and analytical chemistry to understand the environment based on instrumental analysis of air, water, soil, sediments, and rocks.
Geochemical analysis of rocks and ores play a central role in raw material extraction for the exploitation of critical metals needed in the green energy transition for the use and storage of renewable energy and in climate science research. Geochemical analysis of groundwater, lakes, rivers, and the sea is critical in environmental management to assure good water quality and the preservation of critical ecosystem functions.
This program aims at students that want to obtain practical and interpretive geochemical skills that are broadly needed in the public administrative and private consulting sector and in geoscientific research. The set of courses within the program will deepen geoscientific instrumental analytical competence of organic and inorganic natural components and isotopes. The program will also develop practical and theoretical knowledge on analytical developments and challenges in the field of geochemistry. Geochemical modelling will be taught to handle naturally occurring reaction-transport scenarios such as subsurface water transport, biogeochemical reaction networks, catchment-scale geochemical mass balance for elements and their isotopes.
This program is for students with a candidate or bachelor degree in either geosciences, environmental, or marine sciences with an interest in quantitative data analysis using field and laboratory chemical instrumentation and/or data modelling. Your studies will involve a series of practical and theoretical courses offering you extensive field and laboratory components to provide you hands-on experience providing with the technical and theoretical skills required of a modern geochemist. A master thesis of will give you the opportunity to further pursue a research question further. The program involves both land- and sea-based studies taking advantage of the infrastructure of the marine laboratory of Stockholm University.
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Programme overview
The Department of Geological Sciences offers a Master’s degree in geochemistry that comprises two years of study. The Master’s programme includes 45 credit points of compulsory courses and an independent project that comprises 30, 45, or 60 credit points, 30 credits of optional courses, and depending on the credits for the independent project, elective courses comprising 15 credit points. The compulsory courses are Geochemical Field Sampling, Analysis and Data Evaluation, Isotope Geochemistry, Geochemical Modelling, Marine Geochemistry, Biogeochemistry or Organic Geochemistry, and Applied Environmental Geochemistry.
The programme offers a set of additional elective courses in Geomicrobiology and Minerals, Ocean and Climate Dynamics over Geological Timescales, Palaeoclimatology, Geodynamics, Ore Geology, Geological Mapping, Terrestrial Geophysics, Palaeontology, that can be taken in the first or second year. We also offer the distance course (15 hp) Climate Change Through Earth's History.
A total of 30 optional credit points can be obtained through reading courses given by other programmes, by other departments at Stockholm University, by other universities in Sweden, or abroad.
Please contact us for more information and for advice on the choice of courses in Sweden and abroad. We are happy to help you find the most appropriate courses at other institutions or universities. Optional courses are chosen together with the study director of the Master’s programme.
Year 1
Compulsory courses 45 credits:
Geochemical Field Sampling, Analysis, and Data Evaluation* (7.5 credits) Autumn term
Isotope Geochemistry (7.5 credits) Autumn term
Geochemical Modelling (7.5 credit) Autumn term
Marine Geochemistry (7.5 credits) Autumn term
Biogeochemistry (7.5 credits) Spring term
Applied Environmental Geochemistry (7.5 credits) Spring termThere is room for elective courses or traineeship in geological sciences of 15 credit points depending on the credit points for the independent project.
Elective courses comprise 30 credit at the maximum.
Year 2
Geochemistry independent project 30, 45 or 60 credits*
**There is room for elective courses or traineeship in Geological Science up to 15 credit points depending on the credit points of the independent project.
Elective courses comprise 30 credit at the maximum.
* Compulsory courses
** List of optional courses
Geodynamics (7.5 credit points) Fall term
Geological Mapping (7.5 credit points) Spring term
Geomicrobiology and Mineral (7.5 credit points) Spring term
Ocean and Climate Dynamics over Geological Timescales
Ore Geology (7.5 credit points) Fall term
Paleoclimatology (7.5 credit points) Spring term
Palaeontology (7.5 credit points) Spring term
Climate Change Through Earth's History (7.5 credit points) distance
Terrestrial Geophysics (7.5 credit points) Spring term
The Geoscientific Method (7.5 credit points) Fall term -
Meet us
Photo: Carina Johansson"We educate broadly and your acquired skills will be used rather selectively. In my field, geochemistry, currently, most students start to work with consulting companies that investigate surface water and groundwater quality, or soil quality."
Volker Brüchert is a senior lecturer in Biogeochemistry and theaches three courses.
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Contact
Elisabeth DäckerAdministrativ studierektor
- Visiting address
- S 316
- Svante Arrheniusväg 8 C, Geohuset
Volker BrüchertAssociate professor of Biogeochemistry
- Visiting address
- R 307
- Svante Arrheniusväg 8 C, Geohuset
