MSc Earth Sciences

ETH Zurich · Zurich, Switzerland

Master'sEarth sciencesFull-time

Two-year, 120-ECTS Master's programme taught in English at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, studying the Earth system with respect to its history, current relevance and future development. Students choose one of four majors; courses are organised into topical modules of 12 ECTS, with four compulsory modules per major plus electives from ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. Training combines fieldwork, analytical methods, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, and concludes with a Master's thesis in the chosen major.

Key facts

Duration
24 months (2 years)
Language
English
Format
Full-time
Tuition
4,380 CHF per year
Intake
Autumn semester only (spring entry not possible)
Application deadline
International Bachelor's degrees: 1-30 November 2025 (for Autumn Semester 2026 entry); Swiss Bachelor's degrees: 1-30 April 2026

Verified Aug 2026 (ethz.ch fees page): fee group 1 (Swiss/Liechtenstein citizens or residents) CHF 730/semester; fee group 2 (most new foreign students, from autumn 2025) CHF 2,190/semester (~CHF 4,380/yr). International application window 1-30 November for autumn entry; spring entry not possible.

Specialization tracks

Major in GeologyMajor in Engineering GeologyMajor in Mineralogy and GeochemistryMajor in Geophysics

Admission requirements

Related programmes

Verify details on the official programme page.

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