Undergraduate 2018-2019

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

GEOL 100 General Geology

(3 lecture, 2 laboratory) Survey for nonscience majors. Origins and classification of minerals and rocks, landscape development and earth's structure and history. Field trips required. No credit for both GEOL 100 and GEOL 201. Participation and course fees required. (LAC, gtP)

4

GEOL 110 Our Geological Environment

Investigation of the interaction between people and geologic environments. Focus on earth materials, geologic time, landscapes, mineral and energy resources, and geologic hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and landslides). (LAC, gtP)

3

GEOL 201 Physical Geology

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) For Geology and other science majors. Introduction to earth materials, landform development, geologic structures and tectonics. Field trips required. No credit for both GEOL 100 and GEOL 201.

4

GEOL 202 Historical Geology

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or GEOL 201 or equivalent. Geologic history of the earth and its past life and principles and techniques employed to interpret this history from rocks and fossils. Field trips to investigate local geologic history required. Course fee required.

4

GEOL 320 Mineralogy

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisites: GEOL 201. Introduction to crystallography, crystal chemistry, descriptive and determinative mineralogy, study of mineral occurrences and associations. Examine crystallography and identify minerals by physical and x-ray techniques in laboratory. Field trip(s) required.

4

GEOL 340 Paleontology

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisite: GEOL 202 Study of fossils including taxonomy, systematics, taphonomy, functional morphology, paleoecology, biostratigraphy, extinction, evolutionary trends and major events in the history of life. Labs review major fossil groups. Field trips required.

4

GEOL 390 Colorado Geology

Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or GEOL 201. Colorado rocks, minerals, fossils, landforms, oil, coal, oil shale, geologic history and geologic hazards explored in informal atmosphere. Includes multi-day field trip to investigate geological features in natural settings.

3

GEOL 410 Groundwater Geology

Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or GEOL 201; Concurrent Prerequisite: MATH 131. Groundwater in the geologic setting. Hydrology of groundwater basins. Well hydraulics. Principles of flow in saturated and unsaturated materials. Modeling of hydro geologic systems. Applications to groundwater contamination and management problems.

3

GEOL 415 Ore Geology

Prerequisite: GEOL 202 and GEOL 320. Overview of what ore is and how it is formed, techniques of finding and extracting ore, plus environmental impacts of extracting ore. Case studies of well-known mines.

3

GEOL 421 Ig and Met Petrology

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisite: GEOL 320. Description and classification of igneous and metamorphic rocks in hand sample and in thin section. Includes a study of the genesis of igneous and metamorphic rocks via phase diagrams and chemical reactions.

4

GEOL 422 Directed Studies

Individualized investigation under the direct supervision of a faculty member. (Minimum of 37.5 clock hours required per credit hour.) Repeatable, maximum concurrent enrollment is two times.

1-4

GEOL 445 Vertebrate Paleontology

GEOL 202 or permission of instructor. A survey of the evolution of vertebrates through geologic time, emphasizing major events in the history of vertebrates. Includes field trips and methods of fossil collection, preparation, and curation.

3

GEOL 450 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisite: GEOL 202. Sedimentary processes; depositional environments; classification and structures of sedimentary rocks; field and laboratory methods of analyzing and interpreting outcrops and samples. Regional stratigraphy of northeastern Colorado investigated. Field trips required.

4

GEOL 460 Geomorphology

(2 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or GEOL 201; Concurrent Prerequisite: MATH 131. Origin and evolution of landforms emphasizing processes of their formation, including tectonic, glacial, fluvial and hillslope processes.

3

GEOL 464 Glacial and Quaternary Geology

Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or GEOL 201. A survey of geologic phenomena that characterized the Quaternary Period, with emphasis on the behavior of glaciers, glacial landforms and sediment and climatic implications. Two Saturday field trips required.

3

GEOL 467 Volcanic Geology

(2 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisite: GEOL 202. A study of volcanoes, and volcanic processes and products. Emphasis on the origin, classification and interpretation of volcanic rocks and ejecta, and volcanic structures and landforms.

3

GEOL 470 Structural Geology

(3 lecture, 3 laboratory) Prerequisites: GEOL 202. Mechanics of rock deformation and geologic structures of the earth's crust – their description and classification, theories and facts regarding their origins and methods of investigating them. Field trips required.

4

GEOL 481 Geologic Field Techniques

(4 laboratory) Prerequisites: GEOL 450, GEOL 470. Techniques of obtaining and recording geological data in the field and constructing geological maps. Includes use of Brunton compass, topographic maps, aerial photographs, geographic information systems, and the preparation of geological reports.

2

GEOL 483 Soils

Prerequisites: GEOL 201 and CHEM 111. Explore, examine and interpret classification, genesis and processes (physical, chemical, biological) that drive soil formation. Use soils data from various ecosystems to determine nutritional and toxic aspects for land management.

3

GEOL 485 Tectonics

Prerequisite: GEOL 470. Overview of the processes driving and resulting from plate tectonics. Detailed study of some of the earth's past and present mountain belts.

3

GEOL 486 Petroleum and Energy

Prerequisite: GEOL 201 and CHEM 111. Petroleum and energy geology includes integrated exploration and development methods and understanding technological advancements that have led to the dynamic energy industry. Case studies and applied problems are emphasized.

3