Entrance requirements for the Geosciences master’s degree program are:

• a bachelor’s degree in Geosciences or an equivalent degree
• or a bachelor’s degree in a subject other than geosciences, including completion of a 10-day geological mapping course. If you are unable to prove that you have obtained the necessary prerequisites from your bachelor’s degree, you may fulfill these requirements during the first semester of the master’s program.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

You can find more information in the examination regulations.

Our Master of Science in Geosciences will likely be of particular interest to those who have a strong interest in the natural sciences and are proficient in English.

As excursions are an integral component of this program, it is recommended that you are able to maneuver safely on off-road paths. For this reason, a certain level of physical fitness is advantageous, particularly when taking part in longer tours on rough terrain.
In general, you should possess a certain affinity for laboratory work.

Course sequence

The Master of Science is divided into two areas:

1. Compulsory modules
2. Electives

Compulsory modules

This area is comprised of three components that reflect the Geosciences’ focal research area in Mainz: “Terrain”, “Paleoclimate” and “Dynamics of the lithosphere”.
The “Terrain” component – which all students must complete – is comprised of a total of 24 field days.
You are also able to choose between the components “paleoclimate” and “dynamics of the lithosphere,” which you can complete as a part of your compulsory module. The component that you do not select here can, however, be completed as a part of you elective module (see below), should you so wish.

Depending on your selected compulsory modules, you will generally be able to complete these within the first two academic semesters.

Electives
In this area, there are ten different thematic blocks and of those, you may select four that appeal to you the most in terms of topic, content, and personal interests. The thematic blocks reflect the current research topics that are offered by the work groups. This broad array of topics allows you to gain insight into JGU’s modes of operation in terms of research.

Depending upon which elective modules you select, these will generally be completed within the first three academic semesters.

Degree

Upon completion of of your compulsory and elective modules as well as your master’s thesis, you are set to graduate. For your thesis, you are free to focus on a thematic area that reflects your personal preferences and interests. You will have five months time to work on your thesis, by the end of which, you will have to complete an oral examination that is thematically relevant to your master’s thesis.

As a general rule, you will be able to graduate by the fourth academic semester.

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

As a part of the degree program, a 24-day long geological mapping excursion will take place in Switzerland. In addition to the 24 days, you should account for the two additional arrival and departure days.

On top of this, field exercises lasting four to five days will take place abroad as a part of numerous courses within the elective module (see above).

Lab courses and internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

Upon the successful completion of this Master’s degree in Geosciences, you will have obtained the necessary comprehensive specialist and technical knowledge, which is a prerequisite for all geoscientific professions.

Possible fields of employment for geoscientists include:

• Resource geology: This relates to the exploration and advancement of ore mining and mineral resources, in particular
• Environmental geology: This deals with, for example, areas in the realm of site remediation and groundwater extraction and protection
• Georesources: This area is primarily concerned with the preliminary investigation of sites that area, for example, relevant for geothermal use
• Engineering geology: Work in this area is mainly comprised of rock stabilization, soil investigations, risk map preparation (e.g. with reference to geohazards)
• Tunnel and road construction, as well as track planning for railway lines
• Geoinformatics: Here, the preparation of special maps or computer-based spatial models for the purpose of infrastructure development is of particular focus
• Field surveys for regional authorities

Moreover, upon completion of your master’s degree, the opportunity to work towards an academic career is possible. In this case, however, we strongly advise you to pursue a doctorate.

Aside from geoscientific fields of activity, mobility companies (such as the “Deutsche Bahn”) or IT companies will take an interest in graduates of this Master of Science. You will generally possess all the necessary skills to be able to take on lines of work involving spatial data.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.