Master of Science in Geophysics with Study Abroad

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

From crowdfunding to cryptocurrencies, and from automated trading to Alipay, recent innovations in financial technologies have revolutionised the way we spend, save, borrow, and invest. Companies in the financial services sector are now able to intelligently harness data to provide tailored products and services; big technology corporations offer financial services to customers through their social media accounts; and disruptive technology start-ups have quickly scaled to challenge the dominance of traditional banks by developing new forms of finance from the ground up.

This new MSc offers an opportunity to join the financial technology revolution. Students will learn the key design features of a number of financial technology applications and will develop skills to implement, assess, and engineer these technologies. Students will also develop an understanding of the computational, statistical, and machine learning principles necessary for insightful large-scale data analysis used in data-driven finance.

Hosted by a world-leading engineering faculty, this is a technology-focused MSc and not a finance or accounting programme that is traditionally provided by a business school. Therefore, we expect applicants to have a strong background in computer science, engineering, or a numerate science; a background in economics or finance is not expected or required.

This MSc is likely to appeal to applicants looking to start or advance their careers in data-driven finance and technology. The UK is a world leader in financial technology and the Bristol region has the largest fintech ecosystem outside of London. The programme has been co-designed with industrial partners and will offer opportunities to engage with industry on real-world commercial projects.

This joint degree combines a rigorous training in mathematics with an understanding of computer science and its applications.

Mathematics is the language of the sciences and is of core value in an advanced understanding of computer science. Computer science provides many of the key tools needed to solve the most important and pressing problems of the modern age.

The degree is ideal for someone looking to apply themselves in fields as varied as high finance, cryptography, quantum computing, algorithm design, machine learning and data science.

In your first year you will study essential core components of mathematics and computer science, giving you a rigorous foundation for future years. Subsequently, you will have the opportunity to tailor your mathematics and computer science options so that you graduate with a balance of theoretical and practical skills that reflect your interests.

Examine the interactions between the geology, biology, chemistry and physics of Earth’s surface, oceans and atmosphere and gain a deep understanding of Earth’s environment and how it can be influenced by human activities.

Learn with experts whose research feeds directly into your studies at the cutting edge of scientific developments. Recent options have included Soils and the Critical Zone, Environmental Impact Assessments, Oceans and Climates, and Environmental Radioactivity.

By your final year you’ll be conducting your own independent research and exploring the questions that matter most to you.

We have a friendly community and a program of student-run projects, informal seminars and social events. Field trips are a huge part of why our school community is so tight knit, giving you the chance to get to know your course mates and key staff, while honing your practical skills. You will gain plenty of hands-on experience, with over 40 days of fieldwork both in the UK and overseas, the cost of which is included in your tuition fee.

The skills developed throughout your studies are highly valued by employers – from scientific and technical skills including coding, modelling, lab skills, and data analysis – to transferable skills such as communication, creativity and resilience.

This course combines philosophy with the study of German, which provides a valuable skill set that is ideally tailored to the increasingly globalised workplace.

For philosophy you will study units covering introduction to philosophy, logic, and realism and normativity.

For German, you will follow a curriculum designed to introduce you to many aspects of German studies. As well as following a structured language course, you will study literature, history, thought, politics, linguistics and culture.

You will spend your third year abroad studying or working in a German-speaking environment. This will enable you to refine your language skills and cultural knowledge and gain valuable work experience. For further details of year abroad opportunities visit Global Opportunities.

Both departments have an impressive reputation for teaching and research. This degree combination provides a wide range of options that allow you to pursue your own interests.

This taught postgraduate program is research-led and will draw heavily on academic literature. It will build on your existing knowledge of technical aspects of accounting and finance. You will develop your ability to critically analyse the nature and conditions of effectiveness for these techniques to contribute to accounting and finance practice and governance.

In the first term you will explore contemporary issues in accounting and finance research literature. You will also build key skills in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. This will prepare you for the more specialist elective units taught in the second term.

The final part of the MSc is a research-based dissertation, which involves identifying and analysing a research question in accounting and/or finance under the guidance of a member of staff. For those planning on undertaking a PhD, this dissertation represents an important bridge between taught and advanced research studies.

This program develops skills for critical analysis of accounting and finance topics, which will be valuable in your future career. The strong conceptual foundation it offers will support students who want to pursue an academic or professional career in accounting or finance.

You will learn about the fundamental building blocks and forces of nature and how quantum physics and relativity help us understand the world around us, from the infinitesimal scale of particle and nuclear physics to the cosmic scale of galaxies and the Universe.

Year one gives you a comprehensive grounding in physics and mathematics. In year two you will develop a fundamental understanding of the principles of physics, including practical work in the laboratory and computational physics. Flexibility and choice are key features of a Bristol physics degree and you are usually able to transfer between courses in the first two years.

In your final year you will undertake a major project, working in a research group with a staff member. Our students' final-year projects address questions at the frontiers of our research fields and the most successful have been published in scientific journals.

You will join a friendly department with a very active, award-winning student society. We encourage you to develop a broad range of skills, including the experimental, theoretical and analytical skills needed for a career in research and industry. Our physics graduates have an excellent record of employment, a testament to the value that employers place on these skills.

This course combines philosophy with the study of French, providing a valuable skill set ideally tailored to the increasingly globalised workplace.

In philosophy you will study units covering introduction to philosophy, logic, and realism and normativity. In your first year you will gain a grounding in the fundamentals of philosophy through two mandatory introductory units: one exploring issues in epistemology and metaphysics and the other concerning moral and political philosophy. You will also take a unit exploring critical thinking and logic.

In year two you complete your foundation in philosophy with a mandatory unit on realism and normativity and conduct more detailed study in topics ranging from ethics to the philosophy of language.

In the final year you may undertake an independent study unit on almost any topic in philosophy, writing an extended essay in consultation with a supervisor. Final-year taught units relate to the research interests of staff in areas ranging from global justice to philosophy of physics.

Our aim is to produce the next generation of leaders in earthquake engineering and natural disaster risk management, who want to make an impact on the design of the built environment, the mitigation of seismic loss and the protection of human life. This specialist MSc combines earthquake, structural and geotechnical engineering with infrastructure design, assessment and management.

This discipline demands world-class facilities and at Bristol you will benefit from studying in one of the UK’s leading centres for earthquake engineering. Here, you will have access to the state-of-the-art BLADE/EQUALS laboratory, including one of the most advanced earthquake shaking tables in Europe.

The University of Bristol is one of 14 partners in the UK Collaboratorium for Research in Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) to develop a world-class, national infrastructure research community. UKCRIC will coordinate partnerships across industry, academia, government and communities to facilitate the long-term, cost-effective functioning of the UK’s transport systems and the development of smart infrastructures.

The new National Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction Laboratory at the University of Bristol, which will be operative from 2021, is a £12 million investment that will enable large prototype scale experiments for use by both academics and industry in the field of earthquake engineering and infrastructure resilience.

Throughout the program you will work together with expert staff and international partners, exposing you to real-world challenges that engineers face. Industry links are integral to the program and our graduates are highly sought after by major UK and international employers.

One of the many highlights of the year is a field trip to an earthquake affected area in south-east Europe. You will have the opportunity to visit structures designed with innovative methods to resist earthquake forces or inspect the damage of a recent aftermath by using modern tools for non-destructive material testing and remote imaging. The costs of the trip – accommodation, travel, daily subsidence and insurance expenses – are included within the tuition fee for this program.

This course is ideal for students interested in learning more about how to use numbers and data within politics. It provides training in practical and analytical skills, which will enhance your career prospects and provide you with a strong platform for postgraduate study. No prior knowledge of statistical techniques is required.

About two thirds of your studies will follow the single honours BSc Politics and International Relations. You will study the politics of individual countries and governments and the relationships between countries, communities and individuals. You will become familiar with different views and methods of analysis, learning to apply and evaluate them.

The remaining third of your course will provide interdisciplinary training in quantitative methods. In year one of the quantitative pathway we discuss how numbers and data are used to tell convincing stories in the media and social research. We consider what is meant by segregation and how it can be mapped and measured. Year two offers practical classes in social statistics and applied data analysis, which will develop your skills in numeracy and analysis.

Your third year abroad is an exciting opportunity to experience and study a different society and culture. Visit Global Opportunities to find out more about where you can study abroad.

You will undertake your own individual research project in an area of quantitative social science during your fourth year back in Bristol.

This course is ideal for students interested in learning how to use numbers and data within sociology. It provides training in practical and analytical skills, which will enhance your career prospects and provide you with a strong platform for postgraduate study. No prior knowledge of statistical techniques is required.

About two thirds of your studies will follow the single honours BSc Sociology course. You will study society’s structures, forms of action and cultural practices, and understand changes in social life. You will gain a thorough grounding in sociology, as well as opportunities to specialise in new areas of research conducted by academics at the forefront of the discipline.

The remaining third of your course will provide interdisciplinary training in quantitative methods. In year one of the quantitative pathway we discuss how numbers and data are used to tell convincing stories in the media and social research. We consider what is meant by segregation and how it can be mapped and measured.

Year two offers practical classes in social statistics and applied data analysis, which will develop your skills in numeracy and analysis and enable you to undertake your own individual research project in an area of quantitative social science in year three.