Major in Engineering Geology
The Major in Engineering Geology provides an advanced understanding, technical knowledge, and practical skills in engineering geology and geotechnics.
Specific learning goals are:
- Understand, characterise and predict the behaviour of rocks and soils in civil engineering constructions such as in surface excavations, tunnels, dams, roads and bridges
- Identify, characterise and cope with hazards from natural slope instabilities (e.g. landslides, rock falls, debris flows)
- Investigate host rock properties and contaminant transport processes for the geological disposal of chemical and radioactive wastes
- Identify, develop and protect groundwater and geothermal heat resources with targeted site investigation programmes
Industrial internship
The industrial internship is a mandatory part of the Engineering Geology major. It is recommended for the 3rd semester of the Master's programme with a minimum duration of 10 weeks and a final report after the internship. Students are responsible for finding and selecting an internship position, support is provided by the internship coordinator. Detailed information and documents are available on the Moodle website, to which students are automatically enrolled at the beginning of the Master's programme.
All questions regarding the internship should be addressed to the internship coordinator Dr. Heike Willenberg.
New internship regulations
The Download regulations (PDF, 143 KB) for the internship have been updated in 2023. These regulations will come into effect at the beginning of Autumn Semester 2024/25 and will apply to students entering the Master's programme from that point on.
Important: Starting in autumn 2024, internships completed prior to the start of the Master's programme must be at least 20 weeks in length. Please contact the internship coordinator before starting your internship.
Contact
Dep. Erd- u Planetenwissenschaften
Sonneggstrasse 5
8092
Zürich
Switzerland
Master's thesis topics 2025
Starting from Spring Semester 2025 all Master's thesis topics will be published on the 'Engineering Geology Teaching' Confluence Page.
There you will also find general information regarding the rules and guidelines of the Master's Project Proposal and the Master's Thesis or what to pay attention to regarding scientific writing.