Course overview
- Description
This course provides a high-quality, advanced education in the geology and evaluation of ore deposits. It is designed for geologists with different levels of professional experience and offers a world-class education from international and Australian experts; an opportunity to improve geological, computing, exploration and management skills; and includes hands-on practical experience, field excursions and research.
- Course title
- Master of Ore Deposit Geology (coursework)
- Award abbreviation
- MODG
- Course code
- 70590
- Course type
- Master's degree by coursework only
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- Earth Sciences
- CRICOS code
- 104799B
Course details
- Intake periods
- Throughout the year
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 48
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 1 year
- Time limit
- 4 years
- Delivery mode
- Multi-mode
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth), UTAS, Curtin
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Nicolas Thebaud
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
No study plans found for this course. See study plans for more information.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- N/A
- not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Take unit(s) to the value of at least 12 points from Group A and unit(s) to the value of 36 points from any of Groups A to C:
Group A
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | GEOS5505 | Multiscale Tectonic Systems | 60 hours (see unit outline for breakdown) | |
| N/A | GEOS5507 | Analytical Techniques for the Geosciences |
| lectures/tutorials: 8 hours per week (2 x 4-hour blocks); reading/online tutorials/assignments/assessments (non-contact): 16 hours per week (for 6 weeks starting week 8 and ending week 13) |
| NS | GEOS5508 | Isotopes to Petrogenesis |
| workshops: 9 hours per week |
| NS | GEOS5512 | Critical Metal Resources |
| Workshops: 8 hrs per week for 6 weeks |
| NS | GEOS5513 | Geophysical Exploration for Mineral Systems |
| Intensive workshop teaching over two weeks (up to 7 hrs/day for 10 days) and some online components |
| NS | MING5501 | Applied Structural Geology |
| a 5-day block and an up to 7 nights (8-days) field trip in Semester 2 (total workload is 150 hours) |
| NS | MING5503 | Geodynamics and Metallogeny Field Excursion |
| 2-week intensive unit. The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. |
| NS | MING5504 | Precambrian Metallogeny |
|
Note: Unit(s) available at the University of Tasmania
Group B
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | ENRL8531 | Volcanology and Mineralisation in Volcanic Terrains [KEA708 UTAS] | None | |
| S1, S2 | ENRL8532 | Ore Deposit Models and Exploration Strategies [KEA712 UTAS] | None | |
| S1, S2 | ENRL8533 | Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Hydrology and Geochronology [KEA709 UTAS] | None | |
| S1, S2 | ENRL8534 | Ores in Magmatic Arcs [KEA707 UTAS] | None | |
| S1, S2 | ENRL8535 | Exploration in Brownfield Terrains [KEA710 UTAS] | None | |
| S2 | ENRL8592 | GeoData Analytics [KEA713 UTAS] |
|
Note: Unit(s) available at the Curtin University
Group C
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | ENRL8538 | Natural Resources Economics [ECON6008 Curtin] | None | |
| NS | ENRL8541 | Resource Cost and Capital 602 [ECON6021 Curtin] | None | |
| S1, S2 | ENRL8542 | Resource Sector Finance [ECON6013 Curtin] | None | |
| NS, S1 | ENRL8549 | Mineral Finance and Project Evaluation 601 [ECON6015 Curtin] (0 points) |
|
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.
Admission requirements
4.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a Bachelor of Geology or Geoscience, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent;
and
(c) at least two years of professional experience in a relevant occupation; or
(2) (a) a Bachelor of Geology or Geoscience with Honours, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 48 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Additional rules
Substitution
14. Subject to approval from the Course Coordinator/Head of School, students admitted to the course with a completed honours or graduate diploma which included a research component, are permitted to substitute for four coursework units the project units GEOS5011 Masters Research Project in Geoscience Part 1, GEOS5012 Masters Research Project in Geoscience Part 2, GEOS5013 Masters Research Project in Geoscience Part 3 and GEOS5014 Masters Research Project in Geoscience Part 4.