- Home
- Search
- Earth Sciences
- University of Portsmouth
- Palaeontology BSc (Hons)
Course options
-
Qualification
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
-
Location
Main Site
-
Study mode
Full time
-
Start date
22-SEP-25
-
Duration
3 Years
Course summary
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.
OverviewAre you interested in studying the processes of how life on Earth began, evolved and diversified? Do you enjoy getting your hands dirty as well as spending time in the lab? Get ready to dig up the past on our BSc (Hons) Palaeontology degree course, which is accredited by The Geological Society of London.- Reveal the secrets of ancient life in our petrology and palaeontology laboratories, stocked with rock, mineral and fossil specimens- Work alongside our active academic research team on the latest palaeontological theories and models, as they integrate new ideas and data into teaching- Unearth your own discoveries on field trips in locations such as the Isle of Wight, Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site locations Lulworth Cove and Lyme Regis, and other famous fossil localities
Accredited by:This course is accredited by the Geological Society of London.
Careers and opportunitiesPalaeontology is the study of ancient life, from the earliest algae to the biggest dinosaurs and our first human ancestors. It seeks to uncover the ways in which life on Earth evolved through the ages, and in turn, how this can help us better understand the natural world today.Studying fossilised lifeforms can reveal facts about biology, ecology and evolution vital to many modern environmental issues, including climate change. When you graduate, you’ll have a strong set of transferable skills suitable for a range of scientific roles, in areas such as energy resources and exploration, environmental consultancy, teaching and museum curation.You could also continue your studies with our research master's programme in Palaeontology, which would enable you to spend a year working on a dedicated project in an paleontological area that interests you. Many of our MRes students publish papers in scientific journals by the time they complete the programme.
What areas can you work in with a palaeontology degree?Previous students have gone on to work and study in areas such as:- energy resources and exploration- environmental consultancy- museum curation- teaching- academic research
What jobs can you do with a palaeontology degree?They've gone on to work in the following roles:- researcher of vertebrate palaeontology- geographic information systems (GIS) editor- science teacher
Placement opportunitiesOngoing careers supportAfter you graduate, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from our C
Application deadline
29 January
Tuition fees
- United States
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burma
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- England
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Korea DPR (North Korea)
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestinian Authority
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Republic of Ireland
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- St Vincent
- St. Kitts & Nevis
- St. Lucia
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- UAE
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wales
- Western Samoa
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
£ 19,200per year
Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.
Entry requirements
Choose a qualification
QUALIFICATION TYPE
- A level
- Scottish Higher
- Scottish Advanced Higher
- UCAS Points
- Access to HE Diploma
- Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
- Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
- Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
- T Level
- Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
A level : BBC - BBB
112-120 points to include a minimum of 2 A levels, with 32 points from a Science subject (Applied Science, Archaeology, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science/Studies, Geography, Geology, Mathematics or Physics).
VIEW MOREUniversity information
-
University League Table
49th
-
Campus address
University of Portsmouth, University House, Winston Churchill Avenue, Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2UP, England
Subject rankings
-
Subject ranking
26th out of 30 1
-
Entry standards
/ Max 229119 52%23rd
-
Graduate prospects
/ Max 10074.0 74%25th
5 -
Student satisfaction
/ Max 43.21 80%8th
4