Undergraduate
Our everyday lives are shaped by Earth’s natural systems and the resources they provide. From sourcing sustainable materials for clean technologies to tackling hazards like volcanic eruptions and floods, Earth Sciences addresses urgent challenges in sustainability, energy, and the environment.
Earth Sciences is a truly interdisciplinary field, blending scientific thinking across the natural and physical sciences. This interdisciplinary approach is embedded in the course we offer at Cambridge, making it an ideal place to study the subject.
Delivered as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos alongside complementary physical and biological subjects, this integrative structure dissolves traditional academic barriers—promoting idea-sharing and inspiring a more expansive, forward-thinking approach to scientific inquiry.
Fieldwork is at central to Earth Sciences training, teaching students to observe, map, and solve problems in real-world settings. Find out more about fieldwork as part of our course here.
Course structure and options
Earth Sciences at Cambridge is offered through the Natural Sciences Tripos and studied in combination with other physical and biological sciences. Many students begin with no prior experience in Earth Sciences and find their academic home in this uniquely integrative subject. Below is an overview of how Earth Sciences fits into each stage of the Tripos.
First Year (IA)
Together, we explore the past and future of our planet—its composition, place in the solar system, and the interconnected biological, physical, and chemical processes that have and continue to shape it. We ask critical questions:
- What major environmental challenges lie ahead?
- What pivotal events shaped life and Earth’s history?
- How can Earth Sciences contribute to the green transition?
Popular subject pairings: Materials Science, Evolutionary Biology, Physics, Chemistry.
Second Year (IB)
In second year, students can choose two Earth Sciences courses—ESA and ESB—and a sister course, Quantitative Environmental Science (QES).
- ESA (Earth Surface and Atmosphere): Investigates the dynamics of Earth’s crust, oceans, and atmosphere, and explores ancient environments, the life that inhabited them, and how they co-evolved.
- ESB (Earth’s Subsurface and Planetary Interior): Focuses on the nature and workings our Earth’s planetary interior: its minerals, thermodynamics, and relationship to other planets.
Popular subject pairings: A popular combination is ESA, ESB and QES, but other pairings with ESA and/or ESB are Materials Sciences, Chemistry, Physics. ESA also pairs well with Evolution and Animal Diversity, Ecology and Conservation.
Third Year (Part II)
This is where you begin to specialise, selecting from a wide range of options across the Earth Sciences spectrum—from the physics of the Earth to past and future climate and mineral formation.
During the vacation between IB and Part II, students conduct an independent project: a hands-on opportunity to gather, analyse, and present original data.
- View some of our students' previous mapping projects here.
If you graduate at this point, you will have gained a BA in Earth Sciences.
Fourth Year (Part III)
You will get to choose from a dynamic list of highly specialised, research-focused courses, including:
- Carbon storage
- Igneous and magmatic processes
- Ice sheet dynamics
- Quantifying mass extinctions
- Additional interdisciplinary modules such as natural hazards and the energy transition.
The highlight of this year is an independent research project. You can create your own or choose from a suggested list. Past projects cover everything from modelling how to grow giant crystals in magma chambers and imaging deep Earth structures, to investigating weathering in Himalayan rivers and exploring predation in fossil ecosystems.
You will graduate with a BA and MSci in Earth Sciences.
If you didn’t take Part II Earth but want to come back to the subject, there are several Masters courses that incorporate our Part III courses: the MaST in Earth Sciences, or MPhil courses in Quantitative Climate and Environmental Science or Planetary Sciences and Life in the Universe.
Fieldwork
Field trips will allow you to put everything you've learnt in the lecture theatre and practical lab into context—expanding your knowledge and understanding of the natural world. Making observations in the field and understanding underlying processes are critical skills for earth scientists. There are six main taught residential field courses over the four-year undergraduate course. Find out more about these opportunties on our Fieldwork pages.
Careers in Earth Sciences
Our graduates leave with skills including data collection, observation, analytical thinking, evaluation, communication, and collaboration. These capabilities are highly valued across sectors ranging from policy to research and industry—opening doors to a wide range of impactful careers. Find out more about careers for earth scientists here.
How to apply
For undergraduate study, you will apply direct to the University of Cambridge rather than the Department of Earth Sciences itself.
Many of our staff will be involved in the admissions process via their colleges.