The chair of General and Regional Geology was founded in 1959 as one of eleven chairs that originally formed NSU and the Department of Geology and Geophysics. Since the chair is preparing specialists with a broad geological education, much attention within the curriculum is paid to studying fundamentals of geological science as well as developing principles and methods of analysis of the Earth geological structure.

Guided by their teachers the chair students have an opportunity to:

1. master theoretical and practical skills of geological cartography as a base for field geological study and a base for search and exploration of mineral deposits;
2. acquire skills of analysis of folded and discontinuous structural forms of various scale and learn contemporary ideas of structuring procedures;
3. study main structural elements of the Earth’s crust on the Russian territory – ancient and young platforms, fold-thrust belts, the bed of the oceans, marginal and inland seas;
4. get acquainted with modern data about the structure, movement and deformation of the lithosphere, its origin and evolution;
5. learn basic techniques of Geotectonics and the principles of construction of tectonic maps;
6. learn a wide range of computer methods for primary processing, analysis and presentation of geological information.

To reinforce theoretical knowledge and collect information, students take part in geological survey expeditions or conduct research at scientific divisions of geological organizations working in different parts of Siberia and the Far East of Russia.

In accordance with the main research areas of the base institute future graduates have an opportunity to specialize in regional geology and diverse areas of tectonics, structural geology, hydrogeology, geomorphology as well as in geoinformation technology in geological research.

Master training is performed within two programs: Geotectonics and Regional Geology. Chair graduates successfully work in various research and industrial organizations both in Russia and abroad.