Programme structure
The study discipline Petroleum Geology and Petroleum Geophysics consist of two years of studies, a thesis and theoretical course work. The thesis is an independent scientific work, carried out under supervision.
This study discipline offers the alternatives of a 30 credits and a 60 credits thesis. The kind of thesis you choose decides the structure of your master's degree.
Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)
There are compulsory HSE courses at the beginning of the first semester.
- MNHMS0015 – Introduction to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) (discontinued) OR HMS0501 – Safety and Physical Environment and HMS0502 – Positive Learning Environment and HMS0507 – Fire Safety
- HMS0503 – Laboratory Safety OR MNHMS0010LS – Innføring i laboratoriesikkerhet (discontinued) OR MNHMS0020LS – In-depth Laboratory Safety (discontinued)
- HMS0504 – Field Safety OR MNHMS0015FS – Introduction to Field Safety (discontinued)
In addition, from autumn 2015 HMS0505 – Electricity Safety is required for attending some courses, this is specified in the course descriptions.
You are exempted from these course requirements if you have already completed the equivalent HSE courses in relation to a bachelor programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at UiO.
For further information se website for transitional arrangements between old and new HSE courses.
Structure, short thesis (30 ECTS)
The study consists of 1 ½ year of courses (9 courses of 10 credits each) and ends with a half-year master thesis. You will choose a subject for your master thesis and get a supervisor during the second semester of study. In the third semester, you follow an introductory course to the master thesis, which is designed in cooperation with your master thesis supervisor. For most students, this introductory course will contain a geological field trip.
The structure of the study is as follows:
| 4. semester | Master's thesis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. semester | GEO4260 – Reservoir Geophysics | GEO4270 – Integrated basin analysis and prospect evaluation (discontinued) | GEO4011 – Field Course in Basin Analysis (discontinued) + GEO4012 – Scientific Writing and Presentation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. semester | GEO4250 – Reservoir Geology | GEO4240 – Seismic Interpretation | GEO4280 – Seismic Signal Processing and Imaging | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. semester | GEO4211 – Petroleum Systems and HSE courses | GEO4220 – Depositional environments and biostratigraphy (discontinued) | GEO4230 – Basin formation and sequence stratigraphy (discontinued) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Courses are taught by the staff at the Department of Geosciences and by adjunct professors, geologists and geophysicists from the industry. Lectures, seminars, laboratory and field work are combined in the teaching strategy.
Modern laboratory facilities for geochemical and mineralogical analyses, geochronology are integrated in the master study, as well as computer facilities for processing, interpretation, modeling and visualization of geological and geophysical data.
Some master theses will be based on field work. Large amounts of seismic and well data from offshore Norway are also used in the teaching and the master studies.
The courses are listed below. You will need to contact a student advisor if you wish to use a combination of courses which differs from the one shown here.
First semester courses:
- GEO4211 – Petroleum Systems
- GEO4220 – Depositional environments and biostratigraphy (discontinued)
- GEO4230 – Basin formation and sequence stratigraphy (discontinued)
Second semester courses:
- GEO4240 – Seismic Interpretation
- GEO4250 – Reservoir Geology
- GEO4280 – Seismic Signal Processing and Imaging
Third semester courses:
- GEO4011 – Field Course in Basin Analysis (discontinued)
- GEO4012 – Scientific Writing and Presentation
- GEO4260 – Reservoir Geophysics
- GEO4270 – Integrated basin analysis and prospect evaluation (discontinued)
Structure, long thesis (60 ECTS)
The study consists of a thesis worth 60 credits in addition to 60 credits of theoretical course work. The courses are completed during the first three semesters of the master studies. The thesis, which starts in the second semester, continues throughout the third semester, eventually to be completed in the fourth and final semester.
This alternative requires that the student has successfully finalized GEO4211 – Petroleum Systems and GEO4240 – Seismic Interpretation before starting the MSc-program.
| 4. semester | Master thesis work | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. semester | GEO4270 – Integrated basin analysis and prospect evaluation (discontinued) | Master thesis work | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. semester | GEO4250 – Reservoir Geology | GEO4280 – Seismic Signal Processing and Imaging | Master thesis work | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. semester | GEO4220 – Depositional environments and biostratigraphy (discontinued) and HSE courses | GEO4230 – Basin formation and sequence stratigraphy (discontinued) | GEO4260 – Reservoir Geophysics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | 10 ECTS credits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First semester courses
- GEO4220 – Depositional environments and biostratigraphy (discontinued)
- GEO4230 – Basin formation and sequence stratigraphy (discontinued)
- GEO4260 – Reservoir Geophysics
Second semester courses
Third semester courses
General information for both alternatives
For both alternatives, the students follow an introductory course to the master theses. The introductory course is designed in cooperation with the student and the supervisor. For most students, the introductory course will contain a geological field trip.
Courses are taught by the staff at the Department of Geosciences and by adjunct professors, geologists and geophysicists from the industry. Lectures, seminars, laboratory and field work are combined in the teaching strategy.
Modern laboratory facilities for geochemical and mineralogical analyses, geochronology are integrated in the master study, as well as computer facilities for processing, interpretation, modeling and visualization of geological and geophysical data.
Recognition of Master courses from former education
If you are admitted to the Masters Programme and you have completed Master courses outside the University of Oslo, you may apply to have these courses recognised as part of your degree. Hand in the application to the Studies administration.