Educational goals

The fundamental aim of geology is to understand how our planet works so as to reconstruct its past, understand the present, and if possible predict the future. The need for knowledge in this area is steadily growing in our society due to the increase in awareness of the risks linked to the scarce understanding of the consequences for our planet from our lifestyles and the careless use of our resources. This need for knowledge is felt in densely populated regions with high environmental fragility, such as the Po River Valley. The aim of the degree programme is to produce graduates capable of providing an answer to this request for knowledge thanks to their knowledge of the materials that make up the Earth, and of the processes, covering various temporal and spatial scales, which govern the dynamics of our planet. To this end the programme is strongly theoretical in nature and is based on a phenomenological and multidisciplinary approach to geological problems, where direct observation (in the field and the lab) play a fundamental role. This approach finds its methodological completion in the tools and theoretical knowledge provided by the different disciplines offered in the undergraduate programme. A solid preparation is offered in the different basic geological disciplines, as well as in Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics and Chemistry. Successively, students acquire in-depth skills in typical subject areas of the course. To complete their training, students are offered lessons in related fields but not specific to the course, and the teaching of a foreign language. The degree program prepares students for integration into the labour market through internships, which may be a prerequisite to the final examination.

Career opportunities

The degree course in Geology has a strong methodological approach that aims to provide students with a solid basic knowledge, both theoretical and experimental, in the field of Earth Sciences. It provides an adequate understanding of the geological processes that govern the dynamics of Planet Earth, and that control the distribution of natural resources and geological hazards. role in a work context: The degree provides for the acquisition of technical and operational expertise for the carrying out of professional activities in various fields of employment, contributing to activities such as: - geological surveying for the purposes of basic geological mapping; - the detection of geological hazards; - subsoil investigations using direct, mechanical methods, and simple geophysical methods; - environmental surveys; - basic studies for the procuring of geo-resources, including water; - analysis of geological materials and of cultural and environmental heritage; - the acquisition of geothematic analytical data and its computer processing; - the testing and laboratory analysis of coherent and incoherent rocks. These professional skills meet the needs expressed by Italian society, as outlined in the document "Il mercato della Geologia in Italia", drawn up in November 2009 by the National Council of Geologists and by the Centre for Economic and Social Research for the construction industry and the territory. skills associated with the role: The degree provides skills to operate in different business sectors. They are: - knowledge of the basic disciplines (mathematics, physics, chemistry) for the description and interpretation, even quantitatively, of endogenous and exogenous geological processes; - fundamental knowledge in the various fields of Earth Sciences for the understanding of the theoretical, experimental and applicable aspects of geological processes; - adequate ability to use the main disciplinary methods to conduct geological investigations in the laboratory and in the field; - the ability to operationally employ some tools that underlie the understanding of systems and geological processes; - Ability to use for professional purposes, in written and oral form, at least one European language besides Italian, and possess adequate skills and tools for communication and information management; - the ability to work with various levels of autonomy, even together with other professionals, and to integrate quickly in working environments. The degree also grants access to the State Examination for registration with the National Order of Geologists, Junior section, mandatory for the carrying out of independent professional activity. employment opportunities: The proposed educational framework for the degree program is a cultural one, with a strong base in general geological disciplines, transferring specialization in the various areas that lead to multiple employment opportunities to the successive Master’s degree course. This division, shared at a national level, allows for easier mobility of students between first and second cycles of university studies. The skills of graduates of the undergraduate program in Geology may, however, be put to use within companies and professional firms engaged in geological engineering and the geological-environmental sector, as well as in oil companies, and service companies engaged in exploration and drilling for oil. Graduates may, for example, be involved in the preparation of data and in the creation of models, and may receive training during the performance of a specialized task.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the degree course in Geological Sciences, the student must have a high school diploma or other qualification obtained abroad, recognized as suitable by the competent University bodies. The student's initial preparation will be verified before the start of the teaching activities through a non-selective evaluation test, aimed exclusively at ascertaining the level of knowledge. The methods for verifying the adequacy of the student's initial preparation and recovery of any additional training obligations (to be fulfilled in the first year of the course) are governed by the teaching regulations of the degree course.