Study

Johannes Brzeszniak is six semester student of Geosciences. He is pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree, 1-subject programme.

What made you choose this degree programme?

In the first place, because I had previously studied mechanical engineering; geosciences was the degree where I could transfer most of my credit points. As it turned out, I was spot-on with my choice. Geosciences include almost the full range of natural sciences (physics, chemistry, some biology) and, consequently, are highly diverse. We study the way everything is correlated on the macro-scale, e.g. the formation and evolution of the Earth, and we also learn in what way microscopic elements (e.g. atomic lattice structures) affect such processes.

In which respect have or haven’t your expectations been fulfilled?

I was aware that a degree course is not all fun and games. You have to struggle through many theoretical subjects. However, specific geo-scientific courses are available in each semester that are always very enjoyable.

Which aspect of your degree programme do you enjoy most?

The fact that the department feels like extended family. Seeing as we usually don’t have many students per semester, we grow together very quickly. Even though they have become somewhat less frequent, our field excursions help meet new people within a short space of time. The professors and research assistants are also very friendly, if you treat them with respect. Rumour has it that they will even drink a beer or two with the students at some field excursion or other.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Finding an interesting subject for my Bachelor’s thesis. I don’t mean to say that there aren’t any interesting subject; quite the contrary, the possibilities are almost endless. But I’m looking for something that fascinates me and that I’m enthusiastic about.

What would you like to become after completing your degree?

As per August 2016, I could well imagine becoming a hydrogeologist or an engineering geologist. Still, geophysics, more specifically: exploration geophysics, is also an interesting field. I’ll just wait and see where my path will lead me after my Master’s degree.

Which advice would you like to give to students who consider enrolling in this degree programme?

Many students realise after a few semesters that the degree they have chosen does not meet their expectations. But this is something you will only ever realise if you give it a try. Don’t be afraid to change your degree programme. All these are experiences that will help you along in life.

As to geosciences: if you’re interested in natural sciences but don’t want to choose between physics, biology, chemistry, or mathematics; and if you enjoy spending time outdoors and make your way through wilderness on field trips, then geosciences is the right discipline for you. Here, you will learn that a stone does not equal a stone, and that volcanos and earthquakes don’t just occur on islands, in Japan and South America, but also around the corner from us. At first, you will probably have to struggle through a lot of material to acquire basic knowledge, but this is the case in every degree programme; speaking from experience, I can say that this is much more manageable in geosciences than in civil engineering and mechanical construction.

In order to get an idea of what geosciences entail, look it up on Wikipedia; the page gives a good overview of the areas in which we operate.