Geology (Honours) University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Overview

Key Features

The Geology (Honours) programme offered at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is one of the llargest and most diverse geoscience departments in Africa, geology, economic geology, geochemistry, geophysics, hydrogeology, and paleontology. Honours students can select from a wide range of research topics and have access to excellent preparation and analytical facilities for petrography, geochemistry and hydrogeology. We are centred in the hub of geological activity in South Africa and host numerous events each year that allow students to network with industry.

Geologists are primarily engaged in the search for, and management of the extraction of metal and energy resources necessary to drive the global economy, as well as the monitoring of environmental consequences of human activity.

Career Opportunities

Geology Honours can lead to careers in the mineral and energy resource industry, where the search for new mineral deposits and oil, gas, and coal is driven by an understanding of Earth processes. Field mapping projects, either government programmes or private enterprise, are led by geologists, who are required to integrate field and laboratory observations and data with state-of-the-art satellite remote sensing imagery. Hydrogeologists focus on the sustainable use of water and other natural resources. Scientific research is an important part of geology, and research in geology has answered important questions such as "how old is the Earth?" and "how did the Earth form?".