An attractive yet unfamiliar path?

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In recent years, enrolment on undergraduate geophysics courses in the UK has declined, while financial pressures, coupled with the high costs of fieldwork and staff-to-student ratios, have made these courses vulnerable to cuts. Yet, geophysicists, particularly those in the ground engineering, archaeological and resource industries, feature on the 2023 UK Government’s Shortage Occupation List (UK Gov, 2023). Given that demand for geophysics graduates in the job market (especially in the engineering and offshore sectors, such as wind farm siting and monitoring) is only expected to grow, we risk a growing gap between supply and demand. 

Using a survey of students, educators, universities, and employers, the British Geophysical Association (BGA) explored some of the reasons behind the declining numbers of undergraduate geophysics students in the UK, with the aim of using a data-led approach to identify solutions. Here we present a preliminary assessment of our findings. 

Supply versus demand 

Our survey results indicate that over the past five years, the number of UK universities offering undergraduate geophysics degrees has dropped from 11 to 8, and those that remain open typically recruit only around ten students annually (compared to an average of 17 students a decade ago). 

over the past five years, the number of UK universities offering undergraduate geophysics degrees has dropped from 11 to 8

We received responses from 55 employers in a variety of sectors including energy, mining, construction, engineering, environmental, research, and archaeology. The companies ranged in size from micro (less than 50 employees) to macro (greater than 1,500 employees), and included UK-based organisations as well as multinationals. The 55 employers advertise approximately 245 geophysicist positions annually (which includes contractor positions), yet 57% reported difficulties filling these roles. 78% of employers expect demand to increase in the future. However, with only 70 to 100 geophysicists graduating from UK universities annually, there is clearly a gap between supply and demand. 

Of course, post-graduate courses, and in particular master’s degree courses, also serve as feeders to industry and can attract students who may not have studied geophysics at undergraduate level. Indeed, the employers who responded to our survey confirmed a preference for recruiting people with post-graduate training. However, UK master’s courses typically attract a large number of international students who may not necessarily seek employment in the UK following course completion, while many people enrol on master’s courses through sponsorship with an existing employer (that is, they already work in the sector) rather than using it as an entry point into the field. So, for the purpose of this survey, we specifically wanted to understand why secondary school students are not opting to study geophysics at undergraduate level. 

Awareness and appeal 

The survey results reveal that a key factor behind declining undergraduate enrolment is a lack of awareness about geophysics as an academic discipline and career option. While 65% of secondary school students and 95% of teachers surveyed have heard of geophysics, only 48% of pupils and 83% of teachers knew that it can be studied at university undergraduate level. There is also confusion about the subject requirements for entry into geophysics degree programmes, with many students unaware that maths, rather than physics, geography or geology, is often the essential subject. This misinformation leads students to unintentionally disqualify themselves from geophysics degrees by not choosing the right courses for their post-16 education (A-level or Highers). 

Many students are unaware that maths is often an essential subject requirement for geophysics degree programmes 

The Questionnaire 

The BGA conducted a survey to investigate the reasons for low enrolment in UK undergraduate geophysics courses. The survey was conducted between February and July 2024, and targeted the following key stakeholders in the UK: 

• Secondary school students (16-18): 

To explore motivators of degree choice and awareness of geophysics. 

• Teachers and careers advisors:  

To understand motivators of degree choice and awareness/taught content related to geophysics. 

• Undergraduate students and graduates:  

To explore attraction or deterrents and evaluate if degrees prepare graduates for employment. 

• Industry employers: To gauge demand for graduates and ensure courses align with industry needs, fostering stronger connections between universities, industry, and schools. 

Of those already studying geology, Earth science, or geoscience at undergraduate level, most were aware of geophysics as an undergraduate option, but expressed concern that geophysics seems too specialised for early in their education. While for those studying geography and engineering, less than 50% were aware of geophysics as an option at undergraduate level. 

Several factors make geophysics both appealing and unappealing to prospective students (Fig. 1). The real-world applications of the subject, outdoor fieldwork opportunities, and varied career prospects are attractive to many. However, the perceived difficulty of the subject, particularly its heavy reliance on maths, coding, and physics, deters students, especially those from geoscience backgrounds (while the requirement for maths was considered appealing to engineering students). 

It is possible that a generational divide exists in the perceptions of geophysics. Historically, universities emphasised the previously secure and abundant jobs in the hydrocarbon industry, or funding support from this sector, when marketing geophysics courses (such links are rarely used as selling points today). Older generations therefore perhaps associate geophysics with environmental degradation and the hydrocarbon industry, and assume this must deter the younger generation from studying the subject – an inference supported by our survey results, which show this view is prevalent among teachers and older graduates. However, our survey results also show that secondary school students, who are typically highly environmentally conscious, are not necessarily aware of such negative connotations. Indeed, our results suggest that many secondary school students have no understanding of what geophysics is, so they do not associate it with the hydrocarbon sector. Additionally, our results show that environmental considerations do not feature particularly highly in the decision-making process when applying for an undergraduate course. Rather students report interest in the subject matter, advice from teachers, and enjoyment of a subject at A-level as the top three factors influencing their choice of undergraduate degree course. 

Promoting career opportunities in geophysics must happen early in the educational journey

Career prospects in geophysics are appealing to secondary school students, but awareness of these opportunities is limited. While students are generally drawn to subjects that lead to clear career paths, many students—even those currently studying geophysics—lack a detailed understanding of the careers available to them. Promoting career opportunities in geophysics must therefore happen early in the educational journey, especially at the secondary school level. 

Figure 1: Appealing versus unappealing factors about geophysics, as reported by current UK undergraduates who are not studying geophysics (© BGA)

Unique hurdles 

While other geoscience subjects are also struggling with enrolment (e.g. Rodgers et al., 2024), our survey results suggest that geophysics faces unique hurdles due to its more quantitative nature. Secondary school students interested in geology and geography often shy away from the maths, coding, and modelling required in geophysics, while students who might be suited to the subject (such as those in engineering) often view geophysics as too specialised, lacking awareness of the true breadth of the subject and the varied career paths it offers. 

Teachers play a crucial role in influencing students’ subject choices, but many are unaware of the requirements for studying geophysics, such as the need for maths. Outreach to maths and computing teachers, in addition to geography and science teachers, is critical to increasing awareness of geophysics as a career option amongst secondary school students. 

Routes forward 

A meeting at the University of Leeds in May 2024 brought together representatives from academia, industry, educational charities and scientific societies to discuss the preliminary survey results. Several key strategies were identified: 

• Enhanced University Outreach: Open days should target secondary school students with strong numeracy skills who might not have considered geophysics. Engaging with universi-ty marketing teams and ensuring families are also informed about the subject’s career pro-spects could increase recruitment. 

• Engaging Teachers: Teachers, especially those in maths and computing, are key influenc-ers. Large-scale outreach efforts, such as teacher conferences and training courses, can help ensure geophysics is introduced to students as part of their regular secondary school curriculum. 

• Industry Collaboration: Employers should raise awareness of geophysics careers by offer-ing work experience placements or internships, and by working with secondary schools (and universities) to promote real-life career experiences to students. 

To address declining enrolment numbers on a large-scale requires coordinated action across academia, industry, educational, scientific and charity organisations. To better align these efforts, the BGA is working to secure funding for an Outreach Officer who can help coordinate the geophysics community, together with the BGA’s parent societies – the Royal Astronomical Society and the Geological Society of London. Until then, the BGA will focus on sharing resources and supporting universities in student recruitment.  

This article provides a summary of our preliminary analysis of the survey results. An extended discussion is available in Jenkins, J. et al. (2024) Who wants to be a geophysicist?  Astronomy & Geophysics 65 (5), 5.28–5.30. We are also preparing an in-depth analysis of our data for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. 

Authors

Dr Jenny Jenkins

University of Durham, UK. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, BGA

Dr Amy Gilligan

University of Aberdeen, UK. Outreach and Schools Officer, BGA

Dr Lidong Bie

University of East Anglia, UK. Competitions Officer, BGA 

Further reading 

• Jenkins, J. et al. (2024) Who wants to be a geophysicist?  Astronomy & Geophysics 65 (5), 5.28–5.30  

• Rogers, S. L. et al. (2024) Earth Science, Systems and Society 4, 10078 

• UK Gov (2023) Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes. Guidance. Updated 4 April 2024; gov.uk   

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