Program overview
Geophysics is a hardcore major under the science category. Simply put, it uses the principles and methods of physics to 'see through' the Earth's interior. You might learn how to perform CT scans on the Earth using seismic waves, or use gravity, magnetic, and electric field data to infer underground mineral deposits or structures. Core courses include Geophysical Field Theory, Seismology, Gravimetry, Geomagnetism, Geoelectrics, Geophysical Exploration, Numerical Computation and Data Processing, etc. This major is suitable for students who are interested in both physics and Earth sciences, enjoy hands-on experiments, are willing to do fieldwork, and can sit down and analyze data. Chinese universities have unique strengths in this field, such as China University of Geosciences (Wuhan/Beijing), Peking University, and University of Science and Technology of China. They have close collaborations with the China Earthquake Administration and the Institute of Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, giving students opportunities to participate in real earthquake monitoring, resource exploration projects, and even deep-space exploration (e.g., geophysical methods in lunar exploration). If you like challenges and don't mind occasional fieldwork, this major offers plenty of practical opportunities.