Master in International Master of Science in Applied and Exploration Geophysics

Master in International Master of Science in Applied and Exploration Geophysics is one of 8 English-taught Geology programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 8 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland; this programme lists EUR 1,453 a year. 8 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

What you study

This is a joint master's run by Montanuniversität Leoben and the Università di Pisa. You graduate with a double MSc, one from each institution. The focus is on using geophysical methods to image what lies below the surface, both in space and over time.

The curriculum mixes lectures, labs, computer labs and field courses. Lectures cover the physics of seismic and electromagnetic waves and the theory of magnetic and gravity fields. In field courses and computer labs you learn how to acquire and process data to build images of the subsurface. Petrophysics labs let you measure rock properties, which you then integrate with other data to produce subsurface models.

The programme is called IMAGE (International Master in Applied and Exploration Geophysics). The language of instruction is English throughout.

How the programme is organised

You spend two years on the programme, a total of 120 ECTS. The first year is at the university where you applied. The third semester is at the partner university. The fourth semester is for your master's thesis work, and you can do it at either university depending on your supervisor.

Start dates differ: October at Leoben, end of September at Pisa. You can apply for admission at either university. The double degree means you experience two academic systems and two countries, and you build intercultural skills along the way.

Who it suits

This programme suits you if you have a bachelor's in geophysics, physics, applied geosciences, engineering or a similar discipline. The page notes that students with a focus in geophysics are given priority in selection. You should be comfortable with maths and physics: some courses, such as Inverse Problems or Signal Analysis, require fundamentals in those areas and computational skills. Your bachelor curriculum should reflect that.

If you like fieldwork, computer-based data processing and the idea of studying in two countries, this is a good fit. The programme prepares you for work in resource exploration, civil engineering and environmental research.

Admission, language and next steps

Applications go directly to the institution, not through a central portal. Send your documents by post to the Chair of Applied Geophysics at Montanuniversität Leoben. They must arrive by 31 March. You will need a completed application form, certified copies of your bachelor's certificate and transcripts (plain copies for the application), proof of English proficiency (TOEFL iBT at least 80 with minimum section scores, or IELTS overall 6.0 with minimum section scores), a one-page letter of application, and a CV of up to two pages. Chinese, Mongolian and Vietnamese applicants also need an APS certificate.

Native English speakers or graduates of English-taught degrees are exempt from the language test. A local committee screens eligibility, then an international committee with two representatives from each partner university makes the final decision. You will hear the result by 30 April at the latest.

EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition at public universities within the standard duration plus two semesters; other students pay a fee per semester. At Pisa, an enrolment fee applies and varies by country of origin. Check the programme page for details on fees and visas.

Applied and exploration geophysics includes the search for raw materials and deposits of all kinds (e.g. crude oil/natural gas, ores, coal, industrial minerals, construction raw materials, water) as well as various engineering tasks including site assessment of construction projects (e.g. transport infrastructure, power plants, underground structures), and the search for interventions in the near subsurface (e.g. archaeological monuments, pipeline search, explosive ordnance clearance). The course is located at the intersection of engineering, physical and geoscientific studies. It prepares the students for the aforementioned tasks on the national and international labour market. It imparts professional competence in the relevant scientific and technical disciplines, an understanding of the validity of geophysical methods and their importance for technical issues and other knowledge and skills that are important for practising the profession.

The program is offered in collaboration with the University of Pisa (Italy).

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Montanuniversität Leoben. A public university sets the admission requirements and dates for this level, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: Admission procedure. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.