Entry requirements
Admission criteria
To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved at least one of the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.
Secondary education (Year 12)
- Completion of a secondary education qualification equivalent to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
- Completion of an award from a registered training organisation (RTO) at Certificate IV (AQF level 4) or higher.
Higher education study
- Successful completion of at least 6 months full-time study (or equivalent part-time) in a higher education award program.
English language entry requirements
In addition, international students who speak English as an additional language must have obtained one of the following standards within the last two years prior to admission. Possession of one or more of these qualifications, in addition to the academic entry requirements, does not, in itself, guarantee a place at Adelaide University. Applications are considered on an individual basis and selection is competitive. Where previous study/work experience was conducted in English, the application must be accompanied by certified documentation from the educational institution/employer certifying that the language of instruction/employment was English.
- IELTS Overall 6.5
- IELTS Reading 6
- IELTS Listening 6
- IELTS Speaking 6
- IELTS Writing 6
Please access the following link for a comprehensive list of English language tests accepted by Adelaide University and other important information in relation to meeting the University’s language requirements:
Equivalent English qualificationsInternational admissions by country
Country | Requirement | Score |
---|---|---|
Australia | ATAR | 70 |
Bangladesh | Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) | 4.80 |
Canada | Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) | 65% |
China | Gaokao | 60% |
Denmark | Studentereksamen (stx: Upper Secondary School Diploma) | 4 (Fair) |
France | French Baccalaureate | 11.0 |
Global | International Baccalaureate | 25 |
Hong Kong | Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) | 16 |
India | CBSE and CISCE | 70 |
India | State Board Examinations | 80 |
Indonesia | SMA III | 75% |
Kenya | Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) | B+ |
Malaysia | Matrikulasi | 2.67 |
Malaysia | Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) | 2.67 |
Malaysia | United Entrance Certificate (UEC) | 23 |
Nepal | National Examinations Board (NEB) | 2.81 |
Norway | Upper Secondary School Certificate (Vitnemal fra den Videregaende Skole) / Vitnemal For Videregaende Opplaering | 3.2 |
Philippines | High School Diploma (Grade 12) (Academic Track) K12 | 86% |
Singapore | Singapore GCE Advanced Levels | 7 |
South Korea | College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) | 300 |
Sri Lanka | GCE A Levels | 8 |
Sweden | Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate | 13.0 |
Taiwan | GSAT % | 60% |
Thailand | Matayom 6 | 3.20 |
UK / Global | GCE Advanced Levels | 7 |
USA / Global | Advanced Placement (AP) | 7 |
USA / Global | America College Test (ACT) | 21 |
USA / Global | Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) | 1100 |
Vietnam | Bằng Tốt Nghiệp Trung Học Phổ Thông (Vietnamese Year 12) | 7.8 |
Why Bachelor of Science?
Interested in discovering ways to safeguard planet Earth and its inhabitants? Want to learn how to best use and sustain Earth’s natural resources – including minerals, water and energy?
By studying a Major in Geology and Earth Resources, you’ll develop expert knowledge in Earth’s processes, history and evolution, and how and where natural resources form. Explore Earth’s mineral and energy resources – their nature, origin and formation, giving you unrivalled skills to predict their subsurface distribution. Go beyond textbooks with hands-on learning through fieldwork and laboratory work. Graduate ready to excel in a growing industry that is vital to our future.

Overview
The Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology and Earth Resources will give you an in-depth understanding of Earth’s external and internal systems, and its naturally-occurring mineral and energy resources. Your Geology courses will explore the composition and formation of Earth, the dynamic processes that have shaped it and continue to govern its evolution, and the methods for identifying and analysing geological data. Your Earth Resources courses will cover mineralogy, ore deposit processes and the formation and storage of energy resources in sedimentary basins. You’ll gain practical skills throughout your studies through field mapping and the analysis of geochemical and geophysical datasets. You’ll graduate ready to find employment in the minerals, energy and engineering sectors, or in government agencies and research institutions.
Key features
Explore topics on space, climate change, sustainability and evolution.
Develop research, analysis and reporting skills.
Learn to map rock formations and conduct geological surveys.
Study a major to boost your employability.
Use industry-standard tools and technologies in purpose-built labs.
Complete a field geoscience program or study tour in your final year.
What you'll learn
Your studies will involve a mixture of Common Core courses, Science Core courses, Major courses, elective courses and a study tour or geoscience program in your final year.
Through Common Core courses, you’ll study climate science, environmental issues, ethics and our future as a society on planet Earth. In data handling and visualisation, you’ll explore quantitative methods, scientific statistics and how to make decisions using big data. Your science core course will build your foundational knowledge in areas such as physics, chemistry, biology or maths.
In Geology courses, you’ll investigate Earth's interior and surface systems and their evolution. Discover how oceans and mountains were formed and investigate Earth’s internal heat engine driving plate tectonics. Identify and analyse sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and how they can help reveal Earth’s past, present and future. Learn how climates and environments have changed over time and how we can ensure sustainability for the future.
In Earth Resources courses, you’ll study how energy resources like water, hydrogen, helium and hydrocarbons are formed and stored in the Earth, and how the subsurface can be used to store fluids (e.g. CO2 and hydrogen). You’ll also explore how ore deposits of critical minerals and other crucial metals for society are formed. This involves understanding how minerals are accumulated and deposited in the Earth's crust, essential knowledge for resource exploration and extraction.
Throughout your degree, there will be opportunities to study elective courses so you can build your knowledge in another area of interest.
In your final year, embark on a hands-on field geoscience program – a course which involves creating four-dimensional models that describe the geological evolution of terrains. Or choose to go on a science study tour overseas instead.
Majors
The Bachelor of Science is also available with majors in the following:

What courses you'll study
Complete 144 units comprising:
- 42 to 54 units for Core Courses, and
- Either:
- 30 to 96 units for one Major from Majors, or
- 48 units from Discipline courses, and
- At least 6 units from Work integrated learning, and
- 0 to 48 units for Electives
Complete 42 to 54 units comprising:
- 6 to 12 units for all Program Core, and
- 12 to 18 units from Common Core, and
- 6 to 30 units from Core Selective
Course name | Course code | Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Course name
Science of People, Society and the Future Planet
|
Course code
SCIE1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Data Skills for Scientists
|
Course code
STAT1000
|
Units
6
|
Course name | Course code | Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Course name
An Ethically Rich Life
|
Course code
COREX001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Fact or Fiction: Data for Everyone
|
Course code
COREX002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Igniting Change: Ideas to Action
|
Course code
COREX003
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Proppa Ways, Future Practice
|
Course code
COREX004
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Responsible AI: Bridging Ethics, Education and Industry
|
Course code
COREX005
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Ways of Being, Ways of Seeing
|
Course code
COREX006
|
Units
6
|
Course name | Course code | Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Course name
Biology 1A: Molecules, Genes and Cells
|
Course code
BIOL1003
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Biology 1B: Evolution and Diversity of Organisms
|
Course code
BIOL1004
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Foundations in Chemistry
|
Course code
CHEM1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Chemistry 1A
|
Course code
CHEM1002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Chemistry 1B
|
Course code
CHEM1003
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Planet Earth
|
Course code
EART1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Earth, Climate and Life Systems
|
Course code
EART1012
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Foundations in Mathematics
|
Course code
MATH1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Calculus 1
|
Course code
MATH1004
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Calculus 2
|
Course code
MATH1005
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Foundations in Physics
|
Course code
PHYS1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Physics 1A
|
Course code
PHYS1001
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Physics 1B
|
Course code
PHYS1002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Linear Algebra
|
Course code
MATHX104
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Differential Equations
|
Course code
MATHX202
|
Units
6
|
Notes
Program Core - Students in the following Majors will not enrol in STAT1000 Data Skills for Scientists:
Computational Physics, Experimental Physics, Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Physics and Geophysics, Space Science and Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics
Complete 84 units for ALL of the following:
Course name | Course code | Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Course name
Planet Earth
|
Course code
EART1000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Extra-terrestrial Geoscience
|
Course code
EART1002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Geophysics 2
|
Course code
EART2003
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Sedimentary Geology
|
Course code
EART2008
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Structural Geology
|
Course code
EART2009
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Igneous and Metamorphic Geology 2
|
Course code
EART2010
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Geochemistry
|
Course code
EART2011
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Mineral Resources 2
|
Course code
EART2012
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Earth Systems History
|
Course code
EART3000
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Geophysics 3C: Seismic Processing and Interpretation
|
Course code
EART3004
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Mineral Resources 3
|
Course code
EART3014
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Energy Resources
|
Course code
EART3015
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Igneous and Metamorphic Geology 3
|
Course code
EART3018
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Tectonics
|
Course code
EART3019
|
Units
6
|
Complete at least 6 units from the following:
Course name | Course code | Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Course name
Professional Skills in Animal Science
|
Course code
ANIM3005
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Advanced Applications in Animal Behaviour
|
Course code
ANIM3900
|
Units
12
|
|
Course name
Molecular and Biomedical Science Practical 2
|
Course code
BIOL2900
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Practical 3
|
Course code
BIOL3007
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Microbiology and Immunology Practical 3
|
Course code
BIOL3012
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Genetics Practical 3A
|
Course code
BIOL3900
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Field Palaeontology 3
|
Course code
EART3002
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Field Geoscience Program 3
|
Course code
EART3003
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Optics and Photonics 3
|
Course code
PHYS3004
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Computational Physics
|
Course code
PHYSX300
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Experimental Physics
|
Course code
PHYSX301
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Science Professional Placement
|
Course code
SCIE3900
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Science Professional Project
|
Course code
SCIE3901
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Genetics Practical 3B
|
Course code
BIOL2016
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
Geophysics 3C: Seismic Processing and Interpretation
|
Course code
EART3004
|
Units
6
|
Notes
If studying ANACBSCIE - Analytical Chemistry then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying ANIBBSCIE - Animal Behaviour then complete ANIM3900 - Advanced Applications in Animal Behaviour
If studying ANISBSCIE - Animal Science then complete ANIM3901 - Professional Skills in Animal Science (UoA)
If studying BIOCBSCIE - Biochemistry then complete BIOL3007 - Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Practical 3
If studying BIOTBSCIE - Biotechnology then complete BIOL2900 - Molecular and Biomedical Science Practical 2 and BIOL3007 - Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Practical 3
If studying CHEYBSCIE - Chemistry then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying COMPBSCIE - Computational Physics then complete PHYSX300 - Computational Physics
If studying ECOLBSCIE - Ecology then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying ENVGBSCIE - Environmental and Geospatial Science then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying ENVSBSCIE - Environmental Science then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying EVOLBSCIE - Evolutionary Biology then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying EVOPBSCIE - Evolutionary Biology and Palaeontology then complete EART3002 - Field Palaeontology 3
If studying EXPEBSCIE - Experimental Physics then complete PHYSX301 - Experimental Physics
If studying FOODBSCIE - Food Science and Technology then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying GENEBSCIE - Genetics then complete BIOL2900 - Molecular and Biomedical Science Practical 2 or BIOL3900 - Genetics Practical 3Aor BIOL3901 - Genetics Practical 3B and BIOL3007 - Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Practical 3
If studying GEOLBSCIE - Geology then complete EART3003 - Field Geoscience Program 3
If studying GEOEBSCIE - Geology and Earth Resources then complete EART3003 - Field Geoscience Program 3
If studying GEOPBSCIE - Geology and Palaeontology then complete EART3002 - Field Palaeontology 3
If studying GEOYBSCIE - Geophysics then complete EART3004 - Geophysics 3C: Seismic Processing and Interpretation and may also complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying MARWBSCIE - Marine and Wildlife Conservation then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying MEDBBSCIE - Medicinal and Biological Chemistry then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying MICRBSCIE - Microbiology and Immunology then complete BIOL2900 - Molecular and Biomedical Science Practical 2 and BIOL3007 - Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Practical 3 and BIOL3012 - Microbiology and Immunology Practical 3
If studying NUCCBSCIE - Nuclear Chemistry then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studyingNUCRBSCIE - Nuclear and Radiation Physics then complete PHYSX300 - Computational Physics or PHYSX301 - Experimental Physics
If studying PHYGBSCIE - Physics and Geophysics then complete PHYS3004 - Optics and Photonics 3 or PHYSX300 - Computational Physics
If studying PLABBSCIE - Plant Biology then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying PACHBSCIE - Pure and Applied Chemistry then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying SOILBSCIE - Soil Science then complete SCIE3900 - Science Professional Placement
If studying SPACBSCIE - Space Science and Astrophysics then complete PHYSX301 - Experimental Physics
If studying THEOBSCIE - Theoretical Physics then complete PHYSX300 - Computational Physics or PHYSX301 - Experimental Physics
Complete 0 to 48 units comprising:
- 0 to 48 units from Free Electives

Career outcomes
As a graduate of the Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology and Earth Resources, you’ll unlock a diverse range of careers. You might be a geologist working towards NetZero specialising in CO2 or hydrogen storage, or you may be involved in harnessing earth’s critical minerals such as copper or lithium to ensure a good supply of resources needed for the renewable energy transition. Perhaps you’ll pursue environmental consulting, guiding responsible land use, remediation and protecting ecosystems.
You could also be a:
- Exploration geologist
- Energy geoscientist
- Remediation geologist
- Geological surveyor
- Geotechnical geologist
- Environmental geoscientist
- Volcanologist
- Hydrogeologist
- Climate change analyst
- Geophysicist
- Geomorphologist
- Field technician
- Laboratory technician
- Research scientist.
Industry trends
Geologists and Earth scientists are pivotal in many sectors, including mining, energy, government, and agriculture. They develop exploration models for minerals and energy resources, advise on geological surveys, predict and manage natural disasters, and evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of mining activities. Their expertise is crucial for promoting sustainable development and has a significant impact on the economy. For instance, in 2023, the geoscience sector contributed $76 billion to the Australian economy and supported 80,000 jobs (Deloitte, 2023). As industries increasingly pivot towards renewable energy and climate change mitigation, the role of Earth scientists is evolving. Technological advancements are enhancing environmental monitoring and geological exploration capabilities. These trends are not only creating new career opportunities but are also positioning Earth scientists at the forefront of sustainable practices that will shape the future of our planet.
Ready to apply?
Please note that a non-refundable application fee of AUD$150 applies for every application submitted to Adelaide University.
Your study experience and support
Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.
You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.
Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.
Student services
We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:
- Career advice and mentoring services
- Personal counselling
- LGBTQIA+ support
- Academic support
- Fees and finance help
- Security services
- Accommodation services
- Common rooms
- Prayer rooms.
You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.

Your campus
You'll be studying at one of our renowned campuses, accessing cutting-edge facilities and contemporary study spaces.
Study hours
Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.
Assessment
During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include:
- Case studies
- Essays and assignments
- Examinations
- Group projects
- Internships and placements
- Practicals
- Presentations
- Reports and project documentations
- Research projects
- Workplace and classroom contributions.
