Geology of the British Isles



Overview

Is there any other country in the world that can rival Britain in displaying such geological diversity in a relatively small area? We have, within our islands, outcrops of rocks belonging to virtually every geological period from the Archaean to the Quaternary, spanning nearly three thousand million years of Earth history. Our geological past is a story of great changes: oceans closing, continents colliding, mountains chains and active volcanoes, environments from tropical forests to arctic tundra, inhabited in turn by trilobites, dinosaurs and mammoths. We will examine a huge range of rocks, fossils and minerals, by progressing through the course from the oldest gneisses to the youngest unconsolidated sediments, focusing on specific regions that illustrate the remarkable geology of the British Isles.

Many people come to geology through a love of landscape, through hill walking, rock climbing, or other natural history disciplines, and the tutor is delighted to welcome all such people to discover the geology underlying their existing interests. Please feel free to make suggestions of additional localities to be included.  Bring your diaries to the first session, when we will discuss possibilities for fieldwork.

Programme details

Course starts: 24 Jan 2024

Week 1: Introduction to the course. NW Scotland, Channel Islands and other Precambrian terrains.

Week 2: Lake District, Wales, Scotland. Volcanic island arcs and continental collisions.

Week 3: Orkneys, Brecon Beacons, Scottish Midland Valley. Rain forests and global cooling.

Week 4: Cornwall, Pennines. Granites, ophiolites, tin and lead-zinc mineralisation.

Week 5: Dorset's Jurassic Coast, White Cliffs of Dover. Ammonites and dinosaurs.

Week 6: Giant's Causeway and Fingal's Cave basalt. Puddingstone, Isle of Wight variegated sands.

Week 7: Glaciation of Britain. Any requests for areas not otherwise covered.

Week 8: Members of the group are invited to give a short presentation on a topic of their choice relevant to the course.

Week 9/10: An extended session for practical fieldwork on a Saturday or other day to be agreed with the class.

Digital Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Carol Lister

Tutor

Carol has a doctorate in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, a master's degree in Applied Landscape Archaeology, and many years’ experience as a Professional Geologist and University Teacher.

Course aims

We will examine the regional and historical geology of the British Isles, focussing on selected areas of special geological interest.

Course Objectives:

  • Understanding the regional distribution of important rock types and geological features, as shown on the geological map of the British Isles.
  • Understanding the sequence of events in the geological history of the British Isles, from the Precambrian to the present day.
  • Improved skills in recognition of rocks, minerals and fossils, in the lab or in the field, and an appreciation of their geological significance in a regional context.

Teaching methods

A balance of lectures and practical work with geological maps and specimens.  Eight classroom sessions and two fieldwork sessions, a.m. and p.m.  Each classroom session will include some hands-on practical study and opportunities for discussion.  Students are encouraged to ask questions and to bring their own specimens for identification. No geology course is complete without fieldwork, and we will arrange to visit a geological location for some direct experience of rocks in outcrop.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • have an understanding of the geology and geological history of the British Isles;
  • know how to identify a range of rocks, minerals, fossils, structures and landforms that are to be found within the British Isles, and to appreciate their significance;
  • know how to obtain geological information about places in Britain that they may visit in the future, both from published sources and from personal observation.

Assessment methods

Option A

Minimum of two items from the following: practical work to be carried out by all students, a short (~750 word) essay or report on fieldwork, a 5-10 minute presentation given to the class in week 8.

or

Option B

An essay of ~1500 words, on a topic agreed the the tutor.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

The course is open to everyone including complete beginners, but those who have attended Introducing Geological Sciences will be able to build on their previous learning.

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support