Geological Sciences: Part II
In the Third Year, students can expect to be taught by leading experts in the field on issues at the forefront of scientific research, across the spectrum of the geological and mineralogical sciences. A choice of Core Courses are offered in the first term, and then a number of Option Courses in the second term delve deeply into areas of active research. These choices allow some significant degree of specialisation within the Earth Sciences. Most students carry on to Part III and the MSci qualification in a fourth year of study, but it is possible to graduate after three years with a BA.
Students also undertake an independent field mapping project, and take part in a week-long field trip to Greece.
Full information on Part II is to be found in the Part II COURSE GUIDE 2012-2013.
Part III Project Guide 2013 booklet is now available in the Part III PROJECT GUIDE 2013.
The field mapping project
In the summer between their second and third years, after a practice run in Skye, students in groups spend four weeks making a geological map from their own field observations. Areas vary widely, and many students choose to map abroad: the USA, Chile, South Africa, Norway and Spain are amongst popular choices. The mapping project is distinctive at Cambridge in being wholly organised by the students themselves (although departmental funding is available), and is a highly respected component of the degree course
There are a great deal of resources and information related to the Part II Mapping project on Camtools, and the library also holds copies of some past mapping reports. For Health and Safety information see the details on the General Information page.
A variety of field observations are recorded in the field
notebook, lithological charts and field map. These are supported by photographic
evidence and rock specimens collected on location.
The evidence
collected in the field is combined to produce a written report, geological map
and cross-section.
All the material
(field and report) is submitted for assessment and will contribute 20% of the
final marks for your third year course.
For his mapping project, Jon Tarasewicz chose an area of Cantabria in northern Spain. The images on this page are from his field notebooks, map and final report.
Other examples of mapping project areas include the Atacama Desert, Chile
and Crowsnest Pass region in the Rocky Mountains, Canada.
Base camp at dawn in the Atacama Desert, Chile. The mapping area was Sierra Candeleros, looking at
rocks deformed during the Andean mountain-building events between 130 to 65 million years ago.
At 2785 metres (9137 ft) Crowsnest Mountain in Alberta, Canada made a formidable backdrop to the Turtle Mountain and
Livingston Range mapping areas. The rocks in this area
are Carboniferous to Cretaceous (360 to 65 million years old), although the basement on which they
rest is around 3 billion years old.
Last updated on 01-Feb-13 15:50