Introduction

Geology (or ‘Earth Science’) is the scientific study of planet Earth. It involves trying to work out the events occurring over the past 4,600 million years – largely from looking at clues contained in the rocks and fossils laid down through time. Different areas of Geology involve aspects of Chemistry (e.g. igneous rocks), Physics (e.g. structural geology) and Biology (e.g. palaeontology), but Geology is very much an old-established science in its own right.  

Traditional geological jobs have been in the oil industry, mining and quarrying, engineering, water supplies, academic jobs (e.g. applied to archaeology), and in Geological Survey departments around the world. Geology is a science subject taught at Trinity, UCD, Cork and Galway universities, as well as most of the major UK and American universities. 

Geology is not offered as a subject by the Department of Education and Science, so we follow the syllabus of the Trinity College Dublin Matriculation Examination. This exam can only be taken at the equivalent of Higher Level, and points gained can be used towards entry into Trinity College, and into non-NUI universities, including most of those overseas. 

Click here to see the Geology Department Page on the Main Site.