Geology is the study of the Earth and its resources, and of the natural planetary processes that directly affect people – such as the formation of mineral and energy resources, geological hazards, climate change and environmental protection and management.

This is a hands-on, practical course that reflects industry practices. You will gain a thorough foundation in theoretical geology with a practical emphasis on mineral, energy and groundwater resources and their environmental management, as well as the sustainable supply of resources for the decarbonising industry – which will qualify you for a range of geology careers.

In your first year you'll study geology, chemistry, maths, scientific communication and computer skills. Your second year focuses on the theoretical, laboratory and field skills required to understand geological processes. 

The first two years of this course are based at Curtin Perth. In your third year, you can study the Applied Geology stream at Curtin Perth or the Mining Geology stream at Curtin Kalgoorlie, and select units to tailor your final year of study. These units emphasise specific applied aspects of geoscience. 

Applied Geology

This stream covers the breadth of applied geosciences, including mineral and petroleum exploration and extraction techniques, groundwater resources and environmental geosciences. It is offered at Curtin Perth and Curtin Malaysia. 

Mining Geology

This stream combines studies of resource and field geology with mining systems, resource estimation and process mineralogy. The final year of this course is undertaken at Curtin Kalgoorlie.