[1][3] He studied geography at St John's College, Cambridge, graduating with a first class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1973.
[1] He then studied at Carleton University, where he undertook research on frozen soils and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1974.
[1][3] He then moved to the University of Bristol where he undertook postgraduate research on hillslope hydrology, and he completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1978.
[1][3] In December 2012, Burt was elected a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.
[1][4] In September 2013, he was elected a Fellow of the British Society for Geomorphology.