This wide-ranging on-screen module introduces a scientific study of the earth across the spectrum of scale – from shifting continents to the microscopic; and time – from the 4.5 billion year age of the earth to geological processes that happen in a flash. Your studies will include fossil life, erupting volcanoes, mountain building, and the record of earth's changing surface environments. The teaching materials will develop your practical skills using geological maps, microscopes, and many types of field data, alongside developing your general science and study skills. You'll also learn fieldwork skills via virtual field trips or the optional four-day residential field school (for which there is additional cost).
| Course facts | |
|---|---|
| About this course: | |
| Course code | S209 |
| Credits | 60 |
| OU Level | 2 |
| SCQF level | 8 |
| FHEQ level | 5 |
| Course work includes: | |
| 6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
The module will give you fundamental knowledge about how the earth works, and demonstrate the extent to which earth science is a part of everyday life.
The online material in this module is particularly exciting and innovative as you use a virtual microscope and a digital kit (containing minerals, rocks and fossils) for interactive practical activities. It also teaches map work and field skills using a number of virtual field trips and integral 3D software. Following an introduction to the module the topics covered include: minerals, rocks - the basics, constructing geological histories from maps and landforms, fossils, sedimentary processes, sedimentary environments and their geological record, the solid earth, volcanoes and magmas, recrystallizing the earth, deforming the earth, Cyprus case studies, and current issues in earth science.
This module teaches field skills using home-based, online activities, available to all students, including virtual field trips, case studies and the chance to carry out a local, field-based or literature-based investigation.
This module offers an exceptionally wide range of skills, many of which are transferable to other areas, as well as those you will need to progress to other modules in earth, environmental and natural sciences. It will also enable you to be much better informed about, and enhance your understanding of, the physical world around you.
This module should be of particular interest to those employed, or seeking employment, in environmental agencies, the minerals industry and heritage organisations, as well as the educational sector. The module will also develop your problem-solving abilities, observational, practical and information literacy skills in a wide range of contexts (including fieldwork and report-writing), and the use of computers for learning, analysing data and communication. All these skills are likely to be useful in the work environment, particularly for jobs requiring a precise and quantitative approach.
You need to have a good knowledge of science and basic maths – check you're ready, with our self-assessed quiz.
You'd normally be prepared by completing OU level 1 study as part of one of our science qualifications. For this module we recommend that you've passed Science: concepts and practice (S112), or its predecessor S104, as they give a broad foundation in the relevant science, maths and IT skills. Questions in science (S111) and Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116) are also appropriate if you're confident in your maths skills.
If you're not sure you're ready, talk to an adviser.
Visit your local library for suggestions of good introductory texts on geology and earth science.
If you've studied S112 or S104, re-familiarise yourself with the geological principles and terminology in the earth science parts (Topics 2–4 in S112; Books 2 and 6 in S104).
You will need to draw diagrams, or to annotate by hand, diagrams that you download, and then use either a scanner or a digital camera to produce files of these diagrams to include in your assessment. A printer is desirable.
You will also need to purchase two geological maps (costing about £15 in total) using a special order form on the module website.
If you take part in a local field tutorial, field-based investigation or the optional 4-day residential school, you will require a hard hat (costing about £5).
You'll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Monterey or higher.
Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.
To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).
Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.
Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It's not available on Kindle.
It's also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you'll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.
Throughout your module studies, you'll get help and support from your assigned module tutor. They'll help you by:
Module tutors also run online tutorials throughout the module. Where possible, recordings of online tutorials will be made available to students. While these tutorials won't be compulsory for you to complete the module, you're strongly encouraged to take part.
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.
This module has an optional residential field school.
The Field Studies Council runs the residential field school Geology. This 4-day programme (at FSC Blencathra in Cumbria) includes outdoor exercises and follow-up laboratory work.
The residential field school fee for 2023/24 was £464 (£364 if you don't need accommodation); you must also pay for your travel.
Instructions for booking will be on the module website.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone. The Accessibility Statement below outlines what studying this module involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
All of this module's study materials are online. Online materials are composed of pages of text with images, they also include audio and video clips of various lengths (all with transcripts or subtitles). The module also contains a substantial number of diagrams, some interactive media and multiple choice self-assessed quizzes. Online materials also include links to external resources, online forums and online tutorial rooms.
This module provides a range of online learning events. Although not compulsory, attendance at online tutorials will help you consolidate your learning. All online tutorial sessions are recorded and the recordings available for viewing later.
You will occasionally be required to work with other students, but these are optional activities undertaken within tutor groups or with others at the optional residential school.
You will be required to complete a small independent project. Two categories of projects are available, the first involves attending a residential school whilst the second option is to complete an investigation at home. The written report on the science investigation project forms a required component of assessment. The module introduces you to the use of an online laboratory and you will be required to work with a digital rock kit and virtual microscope.
This module contains an optional residential school for which there are home based alternatives available. If you choose to attend the residential school you will be asked to work with others. The residential school involves visits to quarries and other geological exposures with walks of up to 8km in a day over uneven and exposed terrain.
Mathematical and scientific symbols and expressions are used throughout the module and you will be required to use such notation within assessment.
The study materials contain a considerable number of diagrams, graphs and photographs. Reading, interpreting and producing examples of these are an important part of the study of this module and are assessed. Figure descriptions are provided for some figures.
You will search for information on the internet as part of some activities and as part of your practical investigation; some of this may be assessed, e.g. researching unfamiliar minerals and writing up your practical investigation.
In this module you will be working with reading materials that uses scientific and mathematical notation. These are delivered online.
This module has 6 tutor-marked assignments (5 TMAs and a final emTMA), which must be submitted online via the OU electronic TMA system. TMA01 to 05 assess the module text and occasionally the activities incorporated within the module. The final assessment, emTMA06, is the substantive, overarching assessment for this module and consists of a project write up and a skills portfolio question.
You will receive feedback from your tutor on your submitted Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs). This will help you to reflect on your TMA performance. You should refer to it to help you prepare for your next assignment.
All Open University modules are structured according to a set timetable and you will need time‑management skills to keep your studies on track. You will be supported in developing these skills.
This module requires use of a digital rock kit and a virtual microscope to view and investigate various properties of rocks and minerals, and may not be fully accessible as a result. Other specialist software (for analysing images, conducting a virtual field trip, exploring the virtual globe and investigating three-dimensional structures online) is used for a few activities, many of which are optional.
Earth science (S209) starts once a year – in September/October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2024.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2025.
October 2025 is the final start date for this course. For more information, see Future availability.