Study Geology at Otago

Tayla Hill:

Kia ora everyone. My name is Tilly, and I’m a first-year master’s student studying geology here at Otago.

Growing up in Taranaki, I had an appreciation for the natural environment, so geology only felt right for me. Here at Otago, we have an active and evolving landscape. Our courses are constantly being updated with new and recent information, and we get to experience new technology firsthand. Our lecturers are world-class leaders in their field, and every day I feel so lucky and inspired to be around the people in the geology department.

Dr Christina Riesselman:

As a geology student at Otago, you’ll develop the skills and knowledge to take on some of New Zealand’s biggest challenges. You’ll take papers with international experts in earthquake science and volcanoes, learning about how the dynamic tectonic setting of New Zealand shapes our world and beyond.

Our earth scientists are leading the way in understanding how climate has changed in the past, providing crucial information about the way the climate system works that will help us plan for the future. Our graduates leave with knowledge of how natural resources are distributed in the earth, including the rare materials that will be essential in our development of green technologies—necessary to move us toward New Zealand’s ambitious goal to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Importantly, earth science at Otago gets you out into our majestic natural laboratory. The field is a really important part of our programme here, and earth science is an observational science, so we make sure you get access to it from day one. It’s a key part of your entire degree at Otago, and we want to make sure that you develop the skills you need to apply your observational knowledge to your future professions.

The faculty in the geology department at Otago are international experts working all over the world, from Tibet to Antarctica, to the Southern Alps, to the Otago Harbour—right here in our backyard. We take you from the origin of Earth through to what’s happening on the planet today, and we’d love to bring you along for the journey.