Student Fieldwork

Fieldwork is a special and important component of the Geosciences, because it provides many of the data from which we derive our knowledge of Earth, including spatial and temporal variations in its components. It can be considered the glue that binds together different subdisciplines devoted to studying our planet. Fascinating topics such as the evolution of life through time, the distribution of natural resources, and global climate change are rooted and remain heavily constrained by field observations.

At TCD, field work is introduced during freshman years, and becomes a substantial portion of sophister years, particularly for students focused on Geology. Our courses show how to extract information from the environment and how use this in a variety of academic and applied ways.

Upon graduation, most TCD Geoscience students share that fieldwork, while sometimes intense, was particularly enjoyable. In part, this is because diverse students generally become a close-knit, connected and supportive group.

It is noted here and elsewhere that additional student costs generally apply to field trip modules, and this should be recognized and accounted for when considering geoscience degrees. We endeavour to keep these costs low, especially considering studied locations. There are also various means for external funding, such as through SUSI and Geology Department benefactions.

Some snapshots of recent field courses are shown on the links below.