|
1000 The Physical Earth (4 sem. hours). Study of the earth, including earth material properties, surface erosional and depositional processes, and earth interior processes.
1100 Environmental Issues of the 21st Century (4 sem. hours). Examination of the facts underlying four major areas of environmental concern: 1) atmospheric pollution and deterioration, 2) water pollution and misuse, 3) population growth and resource availability, and 4) energy resources: availability, alternatives, and possible impacts.
2000 Plate Tectonics and Earth History (4 sem. hours). Study of successive events leading to the present configuration of the continental masses, the evolution and development of life, and the kinds and distribution of rocks and minerals, all viewed using the framework of the theory of plate tectonics.
Prerequisite: introductory (1000-level) geology course.
2200 Minerals and Rocks (4 sem. hours). This course will introduce the student to the concepts of mineralogy that are the basis for petrologic, geochemical, and economic investigations. Identification of minerals in hand sample will aid in the understanding the physical and chemical environments that promoted mineral genesis. Discipline-specific skills developed include systematic analysis of minerals and mineral assemblages, and the association of mineral and chemical composition with the environment of formation. Approximately one third of the course will focus on understanding the relationship between mineral assemblages and igneous and metamorphic rock identification, classification, and petrology.
Prerequisite or corequisite: GEOL 2000.
2300 Sedimentary Geology (4 sem. hours). Rock sequences, lithologic and paleontologic facies of various parts of the United States, and basic sedimentological principles. Field trips are required.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2000.
3000 Paleontology (4 sem. hours). Classification and morphology of fossil invertebrates with reference to evolutionary history and environment and an introduction to vertebrate paleontology with an emphasis on the Mesozoic era, specifically the Dinosauria. Field trips to collect representative fossils are required.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2000 or consent of instructor. Offered occasionally.
3200 Subsurface Mapping and Resource Evaluation (4 sem. hours). Discipline-oriented objectives of this course aid in the interpretation and description of geologic features presented on maps and cross sections. You will learn to analyze geologic data and construct maps, and cross sections that effectively illustrate the geologic condition represented by the data. You will formulate credible reserve estimates for both petro- leum and mineral prospects. Additional components of this course include an introduction to geological information systems (GIS) software, and wire line logging techniques and interpretation.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2000.
3300 Hydrology and Chemistry of Natural Waters (4 sem. hours). A comprehensive study of the occurrence, distribution, and geochemical processes of natural waters. Topics include: hydrologic cycle, Darcy’s Law, groundwater flow in confined and uncon- fined aquifers, stream flow, the effects of common forms of pollution on the natural system, current environmental regulations, and remediation technologies.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2000.
3500–3503 Field Study in Geology (1–4 sem. hours). Open to geology majors and some non-geology majors who are interested in field-based study of geologic concepts and processes.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Offered occasionally.
3510 Yellowstone Field Study (4 sem. hours). This course is designed to provide students with a field-based introduction to the Yellowstone region (Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho). Students learn the tectonic and volcanic history of the Yellowstone Plateau, and observe the modern expression of this volcanic field in Yellowstone’s famed geysers and hot springs. In addition, evidence of recent earthquakes is investigated and mapped. Through various field exercises, students also examine stream processes and chemistry.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Offered in alternate summers.
3520 Earthquakes and Volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest (4 sem. hours). Nowhere in the United States are the processes and products of plate tectonics more apparent than in the Cascadia region of the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Northern California, and Washington). This course is designed to provide students with a field-based introduction to earthquakes and volcanic hazards of one of the most geologically interesting and beautiful areas of the United States.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Offered in alternate summers.
3750–3753 Special Topics in Geology (1–4 sem. hours). Open to geology majors and some nongeology majors who are interested in studying a special area of geology that is not offered in a regular course.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
3800-3803 Directed Research (1–4 sem. hours). Laboratory and/or field research in geology under the guidance of a faculty member.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
4000 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (4 sem. hours). Introduction to the genesis, global distribution, associations, compositions, and classifications of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Laboratory emphasis is on macroscopic and microscopic identification of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Field trips are possible.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2200 or consent of instructor. Offered occasionally.
4200 Structural Geology (4 sem. hours). Origin and classification of the structural features of the rocks comprising the earth’s crust. Lab emphasizes various techniques of structural analysis.
Prerequisites: GEOL 2000.
4300 Environmental and Engineering Geophysics (4 sem. hours). Application of near-surface geophysical methods to environmental and engineering problems (ground water, archaeology, earthquake hazards, etc.). Geophysical methods discussed and demonstrated include seismic, electrical, gravity/magnetic, ground penetrating radar, and borehole geophysics. Fieldwork required.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
4350 Solid Earth Geophysics (4 sem. hours). Introduction to the fundamentals of geophysics and geophysical exploration (controlled-source seismology, earthquake seismology, gravity, magnetics, and heat flow). Specific observations illustrate how each technique constrains certain aspects of the plate tectonic framework that is
fundamental to the study of the earth.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
4402 Field Methods (2 sem. hours). A course designed to introduce field geology and familiarize students with basic field-mapping procedures.
Prerequisite: GEOL 2000.
4906 Field Geology (6 sem. hours). Advanced training in the methods of geologic fieldwork and an introduction to regional geology.
Prerequisites: to be determined by the college or university offering the course, but should include GEOL 2000, GEOL 2200, GEOL 2300, GEOL 4200, and previous field experience. Offered in alternate summers.
|
