In the Master's Programme in Geology and Geophysics, you learn to address pressing questions concerning our planet's evolution, its role as the source of raw materials, and a range of environmental issues on multiple temporal and spatial scales. Some key questions include:
Upon completion of the programme, you will have gained expertise in scientific and professional skills, including, depending on your specialist option:
An MSc degree in geology or geophysics offers multiple career opportunities as geoscientific expertise is in high demand in many fields. You can also pursue an academic career by continuing with PhD studies.
Most of the teaching is given in English, except some of the Hydrogeology and Environmental geology courses are taught in Finnish. You can also take exams in Finnish or Swedish in courses taught in English, and you can write your Master’s thesis in English, Finnish or Swedish.
A Master’s degree in Geology and Geophysics requires 120 credits (ECTS) and is designed to be completed in two years of full-time study. The studies consist of:
Advanced studies in geology and geophysics (100 cr)
The courses have been arranged into thematic lists to help guide your selection, but you can freely choose from all the courses, giving you a unique opportunity to personalize an expertise profile within the broad field of geosciences.
The themes include, for example, hydrogeology, environmental geology, palaeontology, palaeoclimatology and -ecology, mineralogy and petrology, geochemistry, economic geology, and solid earth geophysics.
Other studies (20 cr)
In the Studies service, you can explore the degree structure, content and learning outcomes from the level of the degree programme to individual courses.
The MSc thesis work is scheduled so that all projects start with the Conducting scientific research (CSR) course, which is organized annually in the spring semester (periods 3 and 4). The CSR is suggested to be taken in the spring of the first study year.
The compulsory internship is usually taken in the summer between the first and second study years, and the Scientific engagement course is planned to be done over the entire two years. Otherwise, the order of taking the courses is free but subject to availability and may contain interdependent pre-requisite requirements. The most important courses that form pre-requisites for other courses are usually organised annually.
You can check out courses in the online course catalogue for University of Helsinki students. Finnish courses are offered for international students.
As a student in the Master’s Programme in Geology and Geophysics, you are expected to write a thesis (30 credits). The goal of the Master’s thesis is to enable you to study an area of interest to you within your specialist option and help you develop research skills such as scientific writing, literature review, and advanced knowledge in your area of study.
The thesis typically includes a review of current literature and experiments or analysis of geological or geophysical data. You will write your thesis independently, under the supervision of one or more faculty members in your specialist option. It can be conducted in collaboration with external partners such as research institutes or private companies.
Thesis work begins annually in the spring semester with the Conducting scientific research course (10 credits), during which the student drafts a thesis proposal and a research plan to follow throughout the studies.
Thesis projects are mainly supervised by the researchers and staff of the Department of Geosciences and Geography, including the UH Institute of Seismology.
Below is a list of recent MSc theses of the degree programme. You can find them in the University of Helsinki's
1-7/2025
| Vepsä, Virpi Annikki | Pärvien postglasiaalisen siirrosympäristön pinta- ja pohjavesien vuorovaikutus |
| Leinonen, Ilmari Tuomas Arhippa | Application of the micro-XRF method in the study of orbicular rocks |
| Kuusiluoma, Michelle Scarlett | Detecting dark oxygen in deep bedrock groundwater of Kopparnäs, Inkoo, Finland using stable isotopes |
| Hanski, Mikko Petteri | Teräskuonien geokemia, mineralogia ja fraktioanalyysi ja niiden merkitys kuonien taloudellisessa hyödyntämisessä |
| Hurtta, Joonas Sami Ilmari | Malmin Lentokentänojan geokemiallisen tilan selvitys |
| Ovaskainen, Onni Matias | Nitrogen cycling and speciation in bedrock groundwaters, Kopparnäs, Finland |
| Nuttunen, Eveliina Sannamari | Evaluating the performance of a seismic monitoring network for a planned nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki, Finland, and reviewing local seismicity using template matching |
| Harjulehto, Eemil Aleksanteri Valdemar | Three-dimensional magnetotelluric studies on ancient collision zone in Bothnian region |
| Haivio Reales, Ana-Belen | Electrical conductivity of 3D printed synthetic rocks with variable graphite concentration and distribution |
| Seemantha Arachchi, Seemantha Arachchiralahamige Randima Hashan | 3D shape and size distribution of Bjurböle chondritic meteorite fragments from a catastrophic impact event |
| Asplund, Tony Martin | Magnetostratigraphy and environmental magnetism of the late Neogene fossil-bearing sequence in Tatal, Mongolia |
| Tuomiranta, Jasmiina Neea Sofia | Magnetotellurics over Kainuu belt, Finland |
| Tuomainen, Marja Louise Ilona | Mineralogical characterization of micas and alteration types at Kristineberg area and their relationship to ore |
| Sirén, Martin Felix Alexander | Early Cambrian bioturbation in the Kilpisjärvi region of Finnish Lapland |
| Valtonen, Tuuli | Hiilen kierto boreaalisen vyöhykkeen jokisysteemissä |
| Pätilä, Jaakko Ilari | The Ecology of Extinct Birds during the Late Pleistocene and its implications to the Late Quaternary Extinction Event |
| Laaksonen, Sanni Pauliina | Determining rates of craton exhumation using thermochronology and inverse modeling |
| Salmela, Aino Aura Maaria | Kokkolan Karhinkankaan pohjavesimuodostuman hiilen määrä ja dynamiikka |
| Aalto, Joanna Helena | Töölönlahden pohjasedimenttien viimeaikainen kuormitus |
| Ketola, Ella Johanna | Pinsiön-Matalusjoen ja Jordaninojan virtaamaan vaikuttaneet tekijät ja pohjavesivaikutus |
| Moilanen, Mikaela Maria | Hydrogeochemistry of lithium – implications for Li-Cs-Ta-pegmatite exploration in Finland |
| Hirvonen, Ronja Iina Kamomilla | Comparison of carpal and tarsal bone anatomy of cave bears and modern ursids |
| Salonen, Kristiina Aino Maria | Suomenniemen kompleksin rapakiviin liittyvien pallokivien petrografia ja mineraalikemia |
| Pöllänen, Annika Katariina | Sedimentary Environments, Regional Correlation, and Dating Potential of Diagenetic Monazite in the Lower Cambrian Dividal Group, Kilpisjärvi Area, Finland |
| Muñoz Muñoz, María Elisa | Exploring Paleoproterozoic tectonics and its implications for orogenic gold formation using geodynamic models |
Starting from 1/2024. Information about the supervisors is not shown starting from 2024 due to changes in reporting system.
| Jimenez Reyes, Debanhi | Age constraints of the Erratic Echinoderm Limestone from the Åland Islands, Finland |
| Hopiavuori, Juuso | Estimation of the Maximum Credible Magnitude (Mmax) of the Otaniemi, Espoo, Finland, Enhanced Geothermal System |
| Leppälä, Timo | Petrography, geochemistry and age of the Svecofennian granitoids and dioritoids from Jämsä, Finland as part of the regional geological development |
| Caravella, Letizia | Probabilistic moment tensor inversion for ice quakes and frost quakes |
| Pilkama, Elmiina | Subarktisen Lompolojänkkä-suon hydrologiset muutokset lähimenneisyydessä |
Douglas, Regan |
Determining Dietary Variation and its Palaeoecological Implications of Mammuthus primigenius Using Mesowear Angle Analysis |
| Suvorov, Alexander | Stable carbon and oxygen isotope records from Western Mongolia: Implications for late Neogene palaeoclimate and palaeovegetation |
| Moen, Emma | Optimizing vertical seismic profiling (VSP) surveys to image a steeply dipping fault zone in Kopparnäs, S Finland |
| Malinen, Lauri | Geochemistry and petrology of igneous intrusions at Grønsteinfjellet-Botneheia, Svalbard |
| Tvauri, Artur | Mineral chemistry of tourmaline in the albite-spodumene pegmatites of the Kaustinen Lithium Province – new major and trace element constraints on the origin and evolution of pegmatite forming melts |
| Blåfield, Charlotta Aleksandra | Climatic drivers of the global human distribution during the Last Glacial Maximum |
| Laitinen, Tomi Lauri | Dental ecometrics and mesowear signal in herbivorous dinosaurian dentition |
| Ulmanen, Heta Mari | Temporal and spatial variation of PFAS, metal and nutrient load in Vantaa River |
| Rosvall, Jessika Elisabeth | Hiilen modernit akkumulaationopeudet Suomen järvissä sekä järvien ekologiset tilat, järvityypit ja maankäyttö vaikuttavina tekijöinä |
| Valkonen, Sara Annina | Kloorattujen liuottimien eteneminen Mikkelin Pursialan pohjavesialueella |
| Laakkonen, Juha Tapani | Deposition environments of the Saskatchewan glacier valley glacial landsystem |
| Mellin, Tino Alex | Loss-on-Ignition and grain size analysis of a Holocene peat core from a seasonal wetland in Evo, Southern Finland |
| Robeznieks, Martins | Artesian waters in the Hotinvaara mineral prospecting site, Pulju Greenstone Belt, Kittilä, Finland |
| Männistö, Theo Mikael | Vetyperoksidihapetusmenetelmän käytettävyys sulfaattimaa-ainesten tunnistamisessa |
| Pakkala, Veli Ilmari | Geochemistry of the Kopsa Au-Cu-W deposit and geochemical history of western Finland |
| Pitkänen, Konsta Janne Matias | Petrology, geochemistry, and 3D modelling of the Jäneslampi spodumene pegmatite deposit, Kruunupyy, Ostrobothnia, Finland |
| Hanski, Ida-Maria | Errors in epicenter locatins at the Institute of Seismology, University of Helsinki |
Starting from 01/2023.
Suoknuuti Rudi-Matti. 2023. Maaperän rakenne ja geologinen kehityshistoria Haaralamminkankaan pohjavesialueella Oulankajokilaaksossa – lähtökohta hydrostratigrafiseen ja hydrogeologiseen mallinnukseen. Supervisors: Kirsti Korkka-Niemi and Seija Kultti
Maunu Liisa. 2023. The geochemical and petrological variability of the oceanic crust and upper mantle in the Macquarie Island ophiolite. Supervisors: Christoph Beier and Adam Abersteiner.
Tuikka Leevi. 2023. Continent-continent collisions in the Paleoproterozoic: exploring the effects of convergence obliquity and temperature on orogenesis. Supervisor: David Whipp.
Lehtovuori Aki. 2023. Petrography and olivine chemistry of chondrules in the Bjurböle L/LL4 meteorite. Supervisors: Arto Luttinen and Sanni Turunen.
Railo Sohvi. 2023. Piilevät mikropaleontologisena proksina ja niiden vuodenaikainen sukkessio jääpeitteisellä Itämerellä. Supervisors: Kaarina Weckström ja Maija Heikkilä.
Sandell Mia. 2023. Body size reductionin mammals; how are the teeth getting along? Supervisors: Miikka Tallavaara, Jukka Jernvall and Otto Stenberg.
Sihto Juha. 2023. I Salpausselän alueen ja Hyvinkäänkylän harjun pohjavesien virtaussuunnat ja ruhjevyöhykkeiden vaikutukset niihin. Supervisors: Kirsti Korkka-Niemi, Annika Åberg and Susanne Åberg.
Wiberg Meri. 2023. Mineralogical method for determining heat conductivity and heat capacity of the Finnish bedrock: Comparison of mineralogical and in situ methods of measuring thermal conductivity and heat capacity of different rock types. Supervisors: Teppo Arola, Jonathan Pownall and David Whipp.
Kolehmainen Kauri. 2023. Three-dimensional crustal and upper mantle P-wave velocity model and Moho map of Finland constructed by kriging interpolation. Supervisor: Timo Tiira
Lumppio Toni. 2023. Mineralogy of cobalt in the Talvivaara (Terrafame) black-shale hosted Ni-Zn-Cu-Co deposit Supervisors: Petri Peltonen and Joel Jokelainen.
Erhovaara Suvi. 2023. Carbon accumulation and peat geochemistry in the Puukkosuo fen during the Holocene. Supervisors: Seija Kultti and Niina Kuosmanen.
Nuutinen Janna. 2023. Methane distribution in porewater and water column in a boreal Lake Pääjärvi– introducing and comparing two porewater sampling methods. Supervisors: Seija Kultti and Tom Jilbert.
Salmi Rebekka. 2023. Orgaanisen hiilen määrä ja alkuperä Perämeren rannikkosedimenteissä. Supervisor: Maija Heikkilä.
Tolonen Miika. 2023. Structural analysis of Suur-Pellinki, Porvoo, using Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry. Supervisor: Jonathan Pownall.
Wikström Jani 2023. Retention of sediment and nutrients in cultivated mineral soil and organic soil catchments on two-stage channels in southern Finland. Supervisors: Tom Jilbert and Kaisa Västilä.
Starting from 01/2022.
Starting from 01/2021.
Starting from 01/2020.
Starting from 01/2019.
The best way to know more about the Master's Programme in Geology and Geophysics is through our students and graduates! In the testimonials, they give their insights about the programme, studies and student life in Helsinki as well as share their aspirations and future goals.
You can also check out the students' and teachers' posts in the joint blog of the degree programmes in Geosciences (MSc Programme in Geology and Geophysics and BSc Programme in Geosciences). It's a mix of posts in English and Finnish.
Student life and especially the student organisation culture is exceptionally rich and diverse in Finland.
At the University of Helsinki, more than 240 student organisations operate within the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY), ranging from faculty and subject organisations to political and societal organisations, and from choirs and orchestras to sports and game clubs. Their activities include anniversary celebrations, academic dinner parties, cultural events, get-togethers and excursions.
Students in Finland are also entitled to many benefits and services. For example, affordable student housing, low-cost sports services and student-priced meals. You also get numerous discounts, for example on public transport fees across the country.
The home base of the Master's Programme in Geology and Geophysics is the Kumpula Campus, the home of the Faculty of Science and one of the four campuses at the University of Helsinki.
Kumpula Campus, dedicated to research and teaching in the exact natural sciences, is one of the largest clusters of scientific competence in the Nordic countries. The broad nature of the disciplines and vibrant international connections offer a motivating atmosphere, a firm basis for interdisciplinary cooperation and an active and creative scientific community of researchers and students.