Peking University

Geology

I. Major Introduction

Geology is a classic basic discipline, but also of the most promising subject in the 21st century. Resources development, environmental protection, disaster prevention, and other major economic and social issues are the important part of geological research.

The Geology Major of the School of Earth and Space Sciences of Peking University includes two disciplinary directions---structural geology and prehistoric life and environmental science; sets 2 master stations, and 2 doctoral and post-doctoral mobile stations. Currently, there are 2 academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 distinguished professor and 1 chair professor of the Yangtze River, 1 distinguished researcher of Thousands of Young People Plan, 16 professors, and 7 associate professors. The staff undertake a number of major national science basic research projects, and carry out a wide range of international collaborative researches with scientists from more than 10 countries, creating a strong academic atmosphere for the growth of high-quality talents.

Structural geology is a national key discipline, a profession that studies the structure state of earth’s matter and its changes and causes, and is the leading subject that organically integrates geology with related sciences so as to trigger new views of geoscience through researching geological events and summarizing geological evolution history. Therefore, the development of structural geology often drives the progression of geology and even the entire geoscience. Structural geology is mainly engaged in the research of structural geology, plate tectonics, environment and disaster prediction, information geology, resource and engineering geology and other aspects.

Prehistoric life and environmental science is the interdisciplinary subject of life science, Earth science, and environmental science, which mainly studies the origin, evolution of major biological species and biodiversity evolution in the history of the earth, and explores collaborative evolution relationship of life and environment. At present, countries all over the world list the evolution process of life and interaction between earth environment and life as priority areas for funding. This subject has the most showing degree in the field of natural science in China, and our major has already been equipped with obvious advantages and features in terms of origins and evolution of amphibians-reptiles, evolution of early land vascular plants, interaction between biological evolution and environment, and so on.  

The geology major has a national training base for talents of basic research in science, and especially sets “geology scholarship” (5,000 Yuan/year per person) to encourage students to enter this profession. Other than completing the quality education-oriented basic courses, students of this subject also need to learn structural geology, tectonics, historical geology, petrology, evolutionary biology, palaeoecology and paleoenvironmental analysis, solid mechanics, information geology, engineering geology, and other courses, so as to be able to adapt to the research, teaching and management needs of all sectors of society.

The main destinations of students in geology major after graduation are: about 65% students study for master degrees without taking exams, around 20% go abroad for further study, and 10% work in the government and research institutes; others (double degrees, applying for non-geology master degrees, etc.) account for about 5%. Graduates of this major are well received by universities and scientific research institutes at home and abroad, and many of them become the academic experts and subject leaders in this field.

II. Training Requirements and Targets of This Major

Geology major focuses on the comprehensive cultivation of disciplinary foundation, practical ability and creative thinking. Through four years of learning, students can get sound political ideas, morality, cultural taste, and physical and psychological quality-oriented education; preliminarily master the basic knowledge, basic theories and research methods of geology; understand research state and development direction of contemporary earth and space sciences; have the ability to be engaged in scientific research, higher education, science and technology development, and administrative management. It provides good education of basic professional knowledge and basic skills training for students who are interested in further study.

III. Awarded Degree

   Bachelor of Science

IV.  Credit Requirement and Course Setting  

Total credits: 145 credits, among which:

1．101credits for compulsory courses;

2．38 credits for optional courses；

3．Graduation dissertation/design  6 credits；

           4．Other studies（such as scientific research training, social internship and practice, off-campus study                                              and exchange, etc.)