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First Degree Courses in Geoscience

The aims of the Society scheme are:

  • to promote geoscience as an important area of professional education and training with appropriate and well maintained internal standards
  • to replace the current system of assessing individual academic qualifications by a formal and rigorous system of accrediting geoscience degree courses that satisfy the academic requirements of Fellowship and Chartered Geologist status 
  • thus to guarantee to potential students that a degree in an accredited course will normally qualify the holder for admission to Fellowship of the Society and for the award of Chartered Geologist status after a specified period of professional development and relevant experience. 
  • to provide the Society with an improved means of assessing and monitoring the content and quality of UK geoscience degree courses. 
  • to contribute to the development of European-wide professional standards in geoscience and to the free movement of Chartered Geologists within the European Union (EU).
The Society's accreditation process is governed by Regulation R/FP/7.


Accredited Courses


Currently accredited degree courses
The list of accredited courses changes as university departments apply for and receive accreditation. Accreditation is granted for a period of six years, at the end of which the university must submit an application for re-accreditation. This list shows all currently accredited degree courses, with the date accreditation was granted and the date it will expire unless an application for re-accreditation is submitted.

Have I got an accredited degree?
An accredited degree can reduce the amount of experience needed to apply for Chartered Geologist and Chartered Scientist. Fellows interested in applying for Chartered Geologist or Chartered Scientist who believe or are not sure if they hold an accredited degree should check this list to confirm the status of their degree. This list includes both current and formerly accredited degree courses and shows the date range within which a student must have graduated to have an accredited degree.


How to apply for accreditation

Interested persons or departments should contact the society for a copy of the leaflet Accreditation Scheme for First Degree Courses in Geoscience, available free of charge. To order a copy please Email us (enquiries@geolsoc.org.uk) being sure to include your postal address.

All potential applicants to the Accreditation Scheme need to contact the Accreditation Officer, Dr Colin Scrutton, either by email (Colin.Scrutton@dunelm.org.uk) or by post through the Society, before preparing their submission. (Postal address: Accreditation Officer, The Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BG)