Studying geology in such a tectonically dynamic, volcanically active and continually changing young country like New Zealand has given me an invaluable awareness of the scale of Earth proccesses and how we live alongside them.  Immersion in a different culture for a year has left me with great friends, a second home and fantastic memories of exploring a beautiful land.

My time at Leicester has been the most enjoyable and fulfilling 3 years of my life. I have met some of the most amazing people here both as students and as lecturers, as you feel welcomed from the moment you step into the building. Being part of two departments is beneficial due to the amount of knowledge you can gain plus being able to get expert advice from two separate disciplines. All the field trips have been helpful, educational, inspirational and most of all enjoyable... I couldn’t have asked for a better time at University.

The Geology department has a friendly community atmosphere  built upon the exceptional relationship between staff and students. The Geology with Palaeobiology course provides a broad and deep understanding of the biosphere through time and its interactions within the Earth system, incorporating the most current research.  The range of theory, practical work and fieldwork inspires enthusiasm and has developed my critical thinking and problem solving skills.

In studying Geophysics at Leicester I was able to explore every aspect of the subject; I was given opportunities to design my own surveys, to study abroad and to work with the most enthusiastic people. The course has a great diversity of modules and field work. The Department is very friendly and staff were always there for support when  I needed it! Studying geophysics at Leicester really made me want to go on to do research for a PhD.

One of the most challenging and rewarding things you will experience at the University of Leicester is the fieldwork. There are numerous opportunities here to study geology in practical and inspirational settings both in the U.K. and abroad. These courses give you the best opportunity to put everything you have learned in the classroom into practice and create some of the best memories you will have from university!

On arriving in Leicester in 2005 I was overwhelmed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere within the Department. During my four years as an undergraduate I experienced enthusiastic and dedicated teaching, first class research, exciting field ventures within the UK and Europe, and enjoyed many social events run by the excellent student society. I therefore did not hesitate when the opportunity arose to stay and conduct my PhD research in what I consider to be one of the best academic and social departments there is.

Edward Lewis

The Applied and Environmental Geology degree is second to none academically and socially. The staff are friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The degree has given me a wide choice of career options and, even before I finished, enabled me to work in Mongolia and Kazakhstan, attend a sponsored field course in Chile and two sponsored conferences.

Klara Collis

As a mature student I didn’t know what to expect joining a group of younger learners; however this was an unfounded concern.  The geology department is particularly welcoming with invaluable support provided by the staff and students.  The course has been great, lots of hard work but worth every minute.

Working at the National Space Centre on the Beagle 2 mission made my 4th year project extra special, helping with research for Britain’s first ever mission to Mars created a real sense of satisfaction for me.

After graduating I went to work for Mott MacDonald, a company employing over 12,000 staff and ranked 8th in the Times list of Best Big Companies to work for. The company, a global engineering consultancy, do not usually hire those without an MSc in Engineering Geology, however they were very impressed with the skills I had acquired during the MGeol at Leicester, in particular having done the Engineering and Hydrogeology module. I started on around £27,000 a year with a £2,000 starting bonus and the job has been amazing.

Rhian Llewellyn

I was offered a permanent position as a wellsite stratigrapher with the petroleum consultancy company Fugro Robertson Ltd, North Wales after completing a work experience placement in biostratigraphy with the company. The Geology Department at the University of Leicester has given me an excellent grounding in geology on which to base my future career. If you have a passion for soft rock geology I would definitely recommend a career as a stratigrapher!

Fieldwork is an integral part of geology and Leicester offers the best and most diverse range. It’s inspirational, intellectually stimulating,  offers experiences of a lifetime and, most of all, it’s so much fun. Learning with the guidance of experienced lecturers passionate about their subject, and in the most geologically spectacular settings, has been fantastic and is what attracted me to study at Leicester.

I graduated from Leicester and started work straight away for a company called Geo-Design in Ringwood, Hampshire. We specialise in Rock and Tunnel engineering working on both very small and very large-scale projects worldwide, from Expert Witness cases to small-scale site supervision. Working for a small company I have found myself working on my own a lot and being given independence on my degree work has certainly helped me so far. I've been working here 10 months now and have spent 3 months working on site in Jersey. This was a brilliant experience as I was analysing data in the field and updating geological models as the work progressed. Thanks to my independent mapping project this was not a new experience for me. Studying at Leicester has really prepared me for what lies ahead and the university is also an amazing place socially! Many thanks to everyone there!

I can fully and enthusiastically recommend the exchange year to the University of Arizona. The resources available and teaching quality are outstanding and we were all made to feel welcome. Although a big contrast to the UK in climate, teaching methods and environment, it’s certainly well worth the jump and will surely be an experience of a lifetime.

Joanne Tudge

After completing my degree at Leicester, I decided to stay on and do a PhD. The friendly and informal nature of the Department makes it a great place to work, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

The Department has a really friendly atmosphere and is a great place to study. All the staff and demonstrators are easy to contact and there is lots of interaction between the years so you can always ask someone in the year above if you are having difficulty with something.

Fieldwork is an integral part of geology and Leicester offers the best and most diverse range. It’s inspirational, intellectually stimulating, offers experiences of a lifetime and, most of all, it’s so much fun. Learning with the guidance of experienced lecturers passionate about their subject, and in the most geologically spectacular settings, has been fantastic and is what attracted me to study at Leicester.

Having everything close together on campus gives the university a strong community feel. The campus is next to a big park - great for picnics and games in the summer! Entertainment is put on every day within the university and halls with a varied and high quality selection to choose from. Accommodation after leaving halls is very reasonably priced compared to other universities and there is plenty available close to campus.

The city is compact but has a wide range of popular pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants. There are also plenty of opportunities to shop, with many high street and specialist shops in a recently renovated pedestrianised zone. Students get an amazing season ticket deal for bus travel throughout Leicester so, combined with a really frequent service to the city centre, we go out there a lot.