10000 Level Courses

GEOL 11040  Earth Dynamics
3 Credits
Application of basic concepts and theories of Earth science to the interpretation of Earth materials and dynamic processes (erosion, sedimentation, volcanism, continental drift). Prerequisite: none. This course may be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirements (LER).

GEOL 11041  Earth Dynamics Lab
1 Credit
Lab study of minerals, rocks, aerial photos, topographic maps and geologic maps. Pre/corequisite: GEOL 11040. This course may be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirements (LER).

GEOL 11042  Earth History
3 Credits
Application of basic concepts and theories of Earth science to the interpretation of the origin and evolution of the solar system, the Earth, the structures of the crust and life. Prerequisite: none. This course may be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirements (LER).

GEOL 11043  Earth History Lab
1 Credit
Lab study of fossils, sedimentary rocks and geologic maps in the framework of interpreting Earth history. Pre/corequisite: GEOL 11042. This course may be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirements (LER).

20000 Level Courses

GEOL 21062  Environmental Geology
3 Credits
Application of geology to environmental problems including natural resource extraction, water supply, pollution, waste disposal, landslides, floods and land use planning. Field trips. Three-hour lecture weekly. Prerequisite: none. This course may be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirements (LER).

GEOL 21080  Oceanography
3 Credits
Introduction to geological, physical, chemical and biological nature of the oceans. Three-hour lecture weekly. Prerequisite: none. This course may be used to satisfy the Liberal Education Requirements (LER).

GEOL 23063  Mineralogy
4 Credits
Occurrence, associations, characteristics, crystallography and crystal chemistry of common minerals. Lab identification emphasizing physical properties. Lecture three hours, lab two hours weekly. Required field trip. Prerequisites: GEOL 11040 and 11041. Pre/corequisite: CHEM 10060.

30000 Level Courses

GEOL 31070  Petrology
4 Credits
Occurrence and origin of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Lab identification, description and classification of hand specimens. Lecture three hours, lab two hours weekly. Required field trip. Prerequisite: GEOL 23063.

GEOL 31080  Structural Geology
4 Credits
Mechanical principles of rock deformation. Structures in sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. Lecture three hours, lab two hours weekly. Required field trip. Prerequisites: GEOL 31070.

GEOL 32066  Geomorphology
4 Credits
Earth’s surface features as functions of geological structures, processes and time. Landform analysis using topographic maps and some stereographic aerial photos. Lecture three hours, lab two hours weekly. Trigonometry recommended. Prerequisites: GEOL 11040 and 11041.

GEOL 34061  Invertebrate Paleontology
4 Credits
Concepts applied to study of commonly preserved invertebrate organisms; identification of common North American fossils. Lecture three hours, lab two hours weekly. Required field trip. Prerequisites: GEOL 11042 and 11043 and either BSCI 20560 or 10120. This course may be used to satisfy the writing-intensive requirement with approval of major department.

40000 Level Courses

GEOL 40095  Selected Topics-Geology
3 Credits
Selected topics presented by visiting professors or one-time offerings presented by regular faculty. Prerequisite: 20 credit hours of geology (GEOL) courses.

Recent titles for Selected Topics courses in Geology include:

                  Fluvial Processes

                  Coastal Processes

                  Light Isotope Geology

                  Marine Sedimentary Processes
                  Paleoecological Systems

                  Inquiry-Based Earth System Science I and II

For more information on these courses, please contact the Department Office.

GEOL 40096  Individual Investigation in Geology
1-3 Credits
Directed field, lab and/or library research. Written report required. Open on special approval of faculty member directing work. Only 3 credit hours will be applied toward baccalaureate degree. Does not count toward geology major. IP grade permissible. Prerequisite: special approval.

GEOL 41025  General Geophysics
3 Credits
Physics of Earth, seismology, geomagnetism, heat flow, radioactivity, geochronology, geotectonic models. Required field trip. Prerequisites: GEOL 31070 and 31080; and MATH 12002; and PHY 13001 or 23101.

GEOL 41080  Tectonics and Orogeny
3 Credits
Introduces advanced concepts of plate tectonics and mountain building with emphasis on Western United States and Appalachians. Required field trip to New England. Prerequisite: GEOL 31080.

GEOL 41092  Summer Field Camp
6 Credits
Five weeks devoted to geologic mapping and solving structural and stratigraphic problems in Black Hills, S.D. Prerequisites: GEOL 31070 and 31080. Special fee—actual cost basis.

GEOL 42030  Remote Sensing
3 Credits
(Cross-listed with GEOG 49230) Emphasis on computer analysis of LANDSAT data using multivariate statistical tools. Introduces statistical methods and use of the computer. Problems in Earth sciences are stressed. Three-hour lecture weekly. Prerequisite: special approval.

GEOL 42035  Scientific Method in Geology
3 Credits
Applying scientific method in the field and lab; models and sampling procedures. Collecting and analyzing data. Formulating and testing hypotheses. Three-hour lecture weekly. Required field trip. Prerequisite: special approval.

GEOL 42067  Introductory Hydrogeology
3 Credits
Occurrence of groundwater in geologic materials, emphasizing utilization, conservation and management of groundwater resources. Lecture two hours, lab two hours weekly. Prerequisites: MATH 12002 and GEOL 31070 and 32066.

GEOL 42068  Contaminant Hydrology and Hydrogeology
3 Credits
An introduction to the basic principles of chemical and physical behavior of contaminants introduced by humans into the environment. Students are expected to understand concepts and work practical quantitative problems. Prerequisites: GEOL 42067 and CHEM 10060 and 10061 and 10062 and 10063.

GEOL 42069  Hydrogeochemistry
3 Credits
Processes and evolution of the chemical composition of water in the natural hydrologic cycle. Methods of hydrochemical interpretation applied to groundwater and pollution problems. Three-hour lecture weekly. Prerequisites: 10 credit hours of chemistry (CHEM) courses.

GEOL 42074  Environmental Core and Wireline Logging
3 Credits
Examination of subsurface processes and the distribution of stratigraphic layers using core and well logging techniques based on analysis of physical properties of sediment, rock and pore fluids. Applications to paleoclimate, hydrogeology, engineering geology, oil and gas exploration and environmental remediation. Prerequisite: GEOL 31070

GEOL 42078  Engineering Geology
4 Credits
Engineering properties of soils and rocks. Site evaluation for building foundations, dams, tunnels and highways. Slope stability. Lecture three hours and lab two hours weekly. Prerequisite: Geology (GEOL) majors and junior standing.

GEOL 43040  Principles of Geochemistry
3 Credits
Introduction to chemical thermodynamics and its applications in solving geochemical problems. Distributions of elements and isotopes in the Earth and laws governing these distributions. Prerequisites: GEOL 31070 and MATH 12002 and CHEM 10060 and 10061.

GEOL 43066  Optical Petrography
3 Credits
Theory of optical crystallography and the microscopic examination and identification of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks in thin section. Lecture two hours, lab two hours weekly. Prerequisite: GEOL 31070.

GEOL 44070  Principles of Stratigraphy
4 Credits
Students are introduced to the principles regarding the systematics of sedimentary rocks and the relationships between geologic formations at various spatial and temporal scales. Lectures are integrated with readings from the open literature and required labs and field trips. Prerequisites: GEOL 31070 and 34061.

GEOL 44074  Paleoceanography
3 Credits
A broad spectrum of geological approaches, including paleontology, geochemistry and stratigraphy, is employed to interpret the history of Earth’s oceans. Prerequisite: senior standing and geology (GEOL) major.