Arctic Geology

UNIS offers bachelor, Master and PhD courses in Arctic geology.

The geological evolution of Svalbard is recorded in spectacular geological sequences spanning the Precambrian to the Cenozoic, and overlain by Quaternary glacial and interglacial deposits. Easily accessible outcrops make it possible to demonstrate the interplay of continental drift with tectonic, glacial, periglacial, coastal, fluvial and marine sedimentary processes.

There is, for instance, a long history of past climate variations in Svalbard’s geological record. There are pre-Cambrian glacial tills that formed when Svalbard was located on the Southern Hemisphere, organic rich Mesozoic rocks which were deposited at equatorial latitudes, and Quaternary glacial and interglacial marine and terrestrial deposits from its recent Arctic situation. Large parts of the archipelago are currently covered by glaciers, and there is continuous permafrost within ice-free areas, and even below some of the glaciers. The close proximity of present-day geological, glacial, periglacial, marine and terrestrial processes provides an exciting field laboratory as the basis for study.

The applicant must be enrolled at Bachelor-, Master- or PhD level at a Norwegian institution of higher education or an accredited international institution of higher education. The minimum academic prerequisite is 60 ECTS in general natural sciences, in addition to course specific requirements listed in each course description.