Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES)

Pre-sessional Information

The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences provides a detailed induction programme for all new taught postgraduate students. This pre-session site is designed to provide resources to help new MSc students prepare for the course prior to arrival in Portsmouth. If you have any queries or need any further information please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.

1. Joining instructions and induction week

Induction for new and returning students will be held between 17 - 21 September 2012. Please refer to the joining instructions and induction timetable below for information and timings for the induction, postgraduate workshop and introduction to geology sessions. The School will be sending out detailed joining instructions by email to all new and returning MSc postgraduate students in July.

2. Choose your optional unit

As part of the course students must choose one optional unit to study alongside the compulsory units. These optional units are listed in the University Taught Unit Database, we recommend that new students research the options available prior to arrival in Portsmouth in order to register for this unit during induction week. For information on each of the MSc units on our courses, visit the University Taught Unit Database and search by MSc course title.

3. Recommended reading

General textbooks that are suitable for the MSc courses are as follows:

MSc Geological and Environmental Hazards
Smith, K. and Petley, D. (2009) Environmental Hazards: Assessing Risk and Reducing Disaster. Routledge. Fifth Edition.
Bell, F. (2003) Geological Hazards: Their Assessment, Avoidance and Mitigation. Taylor and Francis. First Edition.

MSc Contaminated Land
Nathanail, C. P. (2004) Reclamation of Contaminated Land. Wiley.
Strange, J. (2008) Contaminated Land: Investigation, Assessment and Remediation. Thomas Telford. Second Edition.

MSc Engineering Geology
Smith I. (2006) Smith's Elements of Soil Mechanics. Blackwell Publishing. Eighth Edition.
Simons, N. E. (2002) A short course in geotechnical site investigation. Thomas Telford.

For a more specific reading list for each unit visit the University Taught Unit Database and search by MSc course title. This database provides access to detailed unit descriptors for all the postgraduate units we teach.

4. Introduction to geology course

The School runs a three day Introducton to Geology course during induction week, its a free refresher course and open to all MSc students. The recommended textbook for the course is:

Waltham, T. (2009) Foundations of Engineering Geology. Taylor and Francis. Third Edition.

Those interested in attending the course can register at the start of the induction week. Please refer to joining instructions and induction week timetable above for further details.

5. Contact us

We look forwarded to welcoming you to the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences in September. In the meantime if you have any queries, please feel free to contact the School Office on (023) 9284 2259 or the Admissions Tutor (Dr. Malcolm Whitworth) on (023) 9284 2264 or via email at malcolm.whitworth@port.ac.uk.