Earth Sciences
Gain expert insights in an online summer school in Earth Sciences
Gain an understanding of the fundamental processes that make up the incredible planet we live on. Combining physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, you will form an understanding of how Earth’s existence came to be, as well as its changes and development, from the big bang to the formation of mountains, as well as predictions for the future and how such conclusions are formed.
About Online Insights
Over the course of this programme, participants will take part in virtual seminars, future skills workshops, one-to-one tutorials, as well as group social activities led by current Oxbridge undergraduates.
Students receive a combination of subject-based tuition, one-to-one tutorials, future skills workshops and social activities with students from around the world.
-
Average Class Size Of 5
Maximum 10 students -
1:1 Tutorials
2 x 30-minute sessions each week -
Oxbridge Academics
Tutors from Oxford and Cambridge University -
Future Skills Workshops
Develop key attributes such as personal branding, interview skills and academic writing
For students of all time zones
As there are participants joining from around the globe, Online Insights offers two “streams” – Stream A and Stream B.
Stream A starts in the morning whilst Stream B’s classes take place in the afternoon.
Note – as our faculty are all based in Oxford & Cambridge, all times communicated are in UK time.
To see how the Online Insights programme is structured, please view the timetable.
-
Stream A
09:00 - 15:00 (UK time) -
Stream B
14:00 - 20:00 (UK time)
Example tutor:
Dr Saroj Velamakanni
The Online Insights programme has exposed me to a lot of knowledge I don’t think I would have learned, especially not in school. It was very in-depth and progressed towards cell biology, which I find particularly exciting.
I feel that this course has prepared me for higher education by teaching me the knowledge that I would be taught at university-level.
I’m planning on pursuing medicine and cell biology at university, so the programme showed me how it would be taught at a higher level.
I found classes online especially interesting. I thought it would be difficult to cope with, and I thought I might not be able to ask what I needed, but I actually found it very surprising how helpful and accommodating my tutors were. They explained a lot of things over and over, and especially in the one-to-one sessions beforehand, I had quite a bit of time to ask them questions about what I didn’t understand.
Network with like-minded individuals
Daily social activities with participants around the world
Students can connect with like-minded individuals from around the world, and are encouraged to socialise and make friends through daily activities and games after classes finish.
Activities include virtual college tours, murder mystery parties and a ‘University Challenge’-style quiz.
These sessions are led by Oxbridge undergraduates who act as Mentors for Online Insights participants. This is a fantastic opportunity for participants to hear from students at Oxford and Cambridge University, and receive guidance and advice on studying at one of the world’s top universities.
Network with like-minded individuals
Online Learning Platform
Virtual Classrooms
All sessions are delivered on Zoom’s education platform – the world’s leading virtual classroom software.
Before the course begins, all students will receive a welcome pack that includes information about their tutors, mentors, guest speakers, as well as their programme overview.
Students will also receive an interactive timetable with links to each of their classes.
We offer 2-day intensives, 1-week, 2-week and 10-week programmes so that you can learn at a time and duration that fits your current activities.
Sample Earth Sciences Modules
-
Module 1 - Planet Earth
In this module, you will take a look at our planet from an Earth Science perspective, including the principal chemical, physical and biological processes operating on the planet today as well as throughout Earth’s history. Some of the topics we may explore include nucleosynthesis, solar system formation, moon formation, terrestrial planets, meteorites and more, in order to gain a thorough understanding of the systems that make up our universe. -
Module 2 - Fundamentals of Geology
This module examines the fundamentals of geology, a core aspect of any Earth science programme. You will have the opportunity to survey the important mineral groups and examine how they naturally occur, exploring the bonding forces in crystals, the packing of individual atoms and molecules within mineral structures, their interaction with light and fundamentals of petrographic microscopy, and the thermodynamic controls on mineral composition and structure. -
Module 3 - Structural Geology
In this module, you will apply what you have learned in the fundamentals of geology to practical work, dealing with the techniques of structural geology, and the interpretation of geological maps in structurally complex terrain. This module will prepare you for your personal independent mapping project where you will showcase what you have learned in a solidified piece of work. -
Module 4 - Sedimentary Processes
Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of wind, water, or ice or by the force of gravity acting on the particles. In Earth Sciences, the sedimentary processes are concerned with the physical, chemical, and biological processes that generate sediments at the Earth’s surface. In this module, you will learn the basic principles of common sedimentary processes looked at in this field, building on knowledge gained in previous units of study. -
Module 5 - Biology & Oceanography
In this unit, you will explore some of the basic principles of biological oceanography, examining the relationship between the physicochemical properties of the marine environment and planktonic communities, such as phytoplankton, bacteria, and zooplankton. Likewise, you will take a look at the use of in situ and satellite observations to study the spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution and abundance of marine organisms. As a class, we will discuss the role of ocean biota in global biogeochemical cycles based on our built understanding
Download Syllabus Overview
Download Syllabus Overview
-
6-7 May 2023, Spring (Intensive)£695
-
27-28 May 2023, Spring (Intensive)£695
-
1-2 July 2023, Summer (Intensive)£695
-
29-30 July 2023, Summer (Intensive)£695
-
27-28 August 2023, Summer (Intensive)£695
-
23-24 September 2023, Summer (Intensive)£695
-
3 July – 14 July 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
3 July – 14 July 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
17 July – 28 July 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
17 July – 28 July 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
31 July – 11 August 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
31 July – 11 August 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
14 August – 25 August 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
-
14 August – 25 August 2023 Summer (Classic)£2,495
