Research spans major branches of earth sciences including: experimental geophysics; seismology on land and at sea; earthquake seismology; crustal modelling; electromagnetic sounding; theoretical geophysics, igneous and metamorphic petrology and volcanology; tectonic, basin and crustal development; sedimentary geology and geochemistry; clay mineralogy; carbonate and siliciclastic diagenesis; palaeobiology and palaeoecology especially of graptolites and early metazoans; biomineralisation; mineral physics and chemistry; experimental petrology and mineralogy; Quaternary environmental change; palaeoceanography and marine micropalaeontology; marine chemistry and palaeochemistry; marine sediment dynamics; field areas are worldwide and currently include: Alpine-Himalayan belt; Pyrenees; Greece; Cyprus; Turkey; Malaysia; Southeast China; oceanic islands; India; Pakistan; Zimbabwe; Zambia; Scotland; Wales; all oceans and several shelf seas; research in mathematical aspects is conducted in Institute for Theoretical Geophysics; in addition to the course fee (University Composition fee) students may have to pay a college fee.