Undergraduate Course Descriptions
11040 HOW THE EARTH WORKS (3)
Explores processes that shape Earth's landscapes (volcanism, flooding, landslides, sea-level rise, mountain building) and that are of vital interest to humans (earthquakes, groundwater, energy and mineral resources, climate change). Prerequisite: None. Kent Core-Basic Sciences, TAG Science, Transfer Module-Natural Sciences
11041 HOW THE EARTH WORKS LABORATORY (1)
Lab experience with Earth materials (mineral crystals, common and unusual rock specimens), Google Earth images, and experiments demonstrating processes at Earth's surface such as groundwater pollution, flooding, and on-line earthquake simulations.. Pre- or corequisite: GEOL 11040. 1 Credit hour, 3 Lab hours, Kent Core-Basic Sciences, Kent Core-Basic Sciences Lab, TAG Science
11042 EARTH AND LIFE THROUGH TIME (3)
Explores major events in the history of Earth including mass extinctions, Snowball Earth, birth and death of oceans, growth of continents, explosion of life, dinosaurs, and the surprising inter-relatedness of earth and life processes. Prerequisite: None. Kent Core-Basic Sciences, TAG Science
11043 EARTH AND LIFE THROUGH TIME LABORATORY (1)
Lab experience with interesting fossils, rocks, and sedimentary features, a river process simulator, and the concept of deep time. Pre- or corequisite: GEOL 11042. 1 Credit hour, 3 Lab hours, Laboratory, Kent Core-Basic Sciences, TAG Science, Transfer Module-Natural Sciences
21062 ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES (3)
Application of Geology to environmental problems, including natural resource extraction, water supply, pollution, waste disposal, landslides, floods, and land use planning. Prerequisite: None. Kent Core-Basic Sciences
21080 ALL ABOUT THE OCEANS (3)
Explores the many fascinating (and some still little known) features and processes of the Earth's Ocean including mid-ocean ridges, hydrothermal vents, tsunamis, tides, rogue waves, marine life, and the role of the Ocean in climate change. Prerequisite: None. Kent Core-Basic Sciences
22000 DEGREE AND CAREER PATHS IN GEOLOGY (1)
Provides new Geology and Earth Science majors with an overview of career paths and opportunities within these majors. Components of the course include a journal club, informational presentations by geoscientists in industry, government, and academia, and skills training needed for the major. Required half-day field trip. Prerequisite: none.
23063 EARTH MATERIALS I (4)
Occurrence, associations, characteristics, crystallography and crystal chemistry of common minerals. Laboratory identification emphasizing physical properties. Prerequisite: GEOL 11040 and GEOL 11041; and pre- or corequisite CHEM 10060. Combined Lecture/Lab
31070 EARTH MATERIALS II (4)
Occurrence and origin of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. Laboratory identification, description and classification of hand specimens. Required field trip. Prerequisite: GEOL 23063. Laboratory, Lecture, Writing Intensive Course.
31080 STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY (4)
Mechanical principles of rock deformation. Structures in sedimentary igneous and metamorphic rocks. Required field trip. Prerequisite: GEOL 11040. Combined Lecture/Lab
32066 GEOMORPHOLOGY (4)
Earth's surface features as functions of geological structures, processes and time. Landform analysis using topographic maps and some stereographic aerial photos. Trigonometry recommended. Prerequisite: GEOL 11040 and GEOL 11041. Combined Lecture/Lab
33025 WATER AND THE ENVIRONMENT (3)
How water moves on the surface and in the subsurface, with an emphasis on societal issues such as pollution, the conservation and management of water resources, and the impacts of environmental change.
34061 PRINCIPLES IN PALEONTOLOGY (4)
Concepts applied to study of commonly preserved invertebrate organisms; identification of common North American fossils. Required field trip. Prerequisite: GEOL 11042 and GEOL 11043; and either BSCI 10110 or BSCI 30560. Combined Lecture/Lab.
40095 SELECTED TOPICS IN EARTH SCIENCES (3)
Selected topics presented by visiting professors or one-time offerings presented by regular faculty. Prerequisite: 20 hours of geology courses.
40096 INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION IN EARTH SCIENCES (1 to 3)
Directed field, laboratory and/or library research. Written report required. Open on special approval of faculty member directing work. Only 3 hours will be applied toward baccalaureate degree. Up to 3 hours may count toward geology major. Prerequisite: Special approval.
40380 BIOGEOCHEMISTRY (3)
(Cross-listed with BSCI 40380, BSCI 50380 and BSCI 70380) Biogeochemistry explores the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that shape the world around us, and provides tools for understanding human alterations to global systems. In this course, we will explore elemental cycles in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as assess how humans have drastically altered these elemental cycles on a global scale, and the implications of these changes for biological systems. Prerequisite: Minimum C- grade in the following courses BSCI 10110 and BSCI 10120 or GEOL 11040 and (GEOL 11042 or GEOL 21062 or GEOL 21080); and CHEM 10060 and CHEM 10062
41025 GENERAL GEOPHYSICS (3)
Physics of Earth, seismology, geomagnetism, heat flow, radioactivity, geochronology, geotectonic models. Prerequisite: GEOL 31070 and GEOL 31080 and MATH 12002; and PHY 13001 or PHY 23101.
41073 GEOLOGY OF OHIO (3)
Minerals, rocks, fossils, structural geology, physiography, environmental geology and geologic resources. Does not satisfy requirements of geology major. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
41077 GEOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL PARKS (3)
Introduction to the geology of selected major national parks, emphasizing basic geological principles and the processes which have produced the spectacular scenery, rocks and fossils in each park. Not counted toward requirements for a major in geology. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
41079 ALL ABOUT DINOSAURS (3)
Dinosaurs (and some relatives) and their world, emphasizing how to interpret evidence concerning their history, biology and evolutionary relationships. Does not satisfy requirements of geology major. Prerequisite: None.
41080 TECTONICS AND OROGENY (3)
Introduces advanced concepts of plate tectonics and mountain building with emphasis on Western United States and Appalachians. Prerequisite: GEOL 31080.
41085 MASS EXTINCTIONS: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES (3)
Investigation of causes and consequences of extinction to marine and terrestrial ecosystems using paleontological, geochemical, sedimentological and stratigraphical information; emphasizing an Earth System Science approach to Big Five mass extinctions as well as the possible sixth extinction occurring now. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
41092 SUMMER FIELD CAMP (6)
Five weeks devoted to geologic mapping and solving structural and stratigraphic problems in Black Hills, S.D. Special fee on actual cost basis. Prerequisite: GEOL 31070 and GEOL 31080.
42030 REMOTE SENSING (3)
Computer analysis of multispectral satellite datasets. Applications in Terrestrial Earth Science are emphasized. Prerequisite: none.
42035 DATA ANALYSIS IN EARTH SCIENCES (3)
Applying scientific methods to geologic data in the field and lab; models and sampling procedures. Collecting and analyzing data. Formulating and testing hypotheses. Provides background necessary for upper-level geology courses for majors. Prerequisite: none. Combined Lecture/Lab
42060 EARTH OBSERVING (3) NEW FALL 2024
Students are introduced to visible, thermal and LiDAR remote sensing methods.Visible and near infrared multispectral and hyperspectral data sets are used for a wide variety of research including land use change, water quality research and agricultural remote and proximal sensing. Thermal remote sensing can be used to characterize surface temperature changes, earth materials and thermal stresses on plants. LiDAR provides the ability to measure variations in surface topography and can “see” through clouds and jungle canopy and even penetrate aquatic environments to measure algal biomass and suspended sediment. Remote sensing is the use of instrumentation to obtain spectral and spatial information about an object or surface without direct contact. All matter interacts with electromagnetic energy through thermal emittance, absorption, transmittance, reflectance and/or scattering. Different materials have distinct electromagnetic signatures depending on their composition, structure and the nature of the energy with which the material is interacting. This course focuses primarily on multispectral and hyperspectral visible remote sensing, but the field of remote sensing makes use of information throughout the electromagnetic spectrum to sense the environment around us. Note that most of the data sets that are examined and analyzed in this course are multispectral Landsat images. Students are encouraged to explore various topics or geographic regions for their class project. It is recommended that students take an introductory GIS class prior to enrollment. Prerequisites: None.
42065 WATERSHED HYDROLOGY (3)
Study of water movement, storage and transformation across landscapes. Prerequisites: Junior standing.
42066 PHYSICAL HYDROGEOLOGY (3)
Principles of water flow in hydrologic cycle, soil and aquifer hydraulic properties, groundwater flow, surface water - groundwater interactions and geochemical evolution of groundwater. Application of principles for evaluation of water resources; emphasizing utilization, conservation and management of groundwater resources in a changing environment. Prerequisite: MATH 12002 or higher MATH course; Junior standing.
42068 CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY AND HYDROGEOLOGY (3)
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. Prerequisite: GEOL 42067 and CHEM 10060 and CHEM 10061 and CHEM 10062 and CHEM 10063.
43042 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY (3)
Explores chemical processes that influence the natural environment, including anthropogenic impacts. Topics include atmospheric chemistry and air pollution, energy and climate change, toxic organic compounds, water chemistry and water pollution, metals, soils, sediments and waste disposal. Environmental problem solving using steady state and non-steady state box models, thermodynamics and energy transfer, and chemical reactions and equilibria is emphasized. Required half-day field trip. Prerequisites: CHEM 10060 and CHEM 10061.
44025 GEOLOGIC HAZARDS AND DISASTERS (3)
Explores the geological processes that drive a broad range of different natural hazards (including earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and floods), and how they interact with human behavior to produce geological risks and disasters. Through discussion of historical and topical events, students focus on the dual challenges of combining uncertain and incomplete information from various geological and historical sources into realistic assessments of future risks; and the communication of accurate, relevant, actionable information about these risks to the public and authorities. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
44040 EARTH'S ENERGY TRANSITION (3) NEW FALL 2024
Society is faced with a growing climate crisis but has most of the tools and technological know-how needed to address the problems. This class explores mitigation and adaptation approaches necessary for a successful energy transformation by assessing Earth energy sources from a systems perspective. Prerequisites: None.
44070 SEDIMENTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY (4)
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. Prerequisite: GEOL 31070 and GEOL 34061. Combined Lecture/Lab
44072 MARINE PROCESSES (3)
This course is an exploration of the mechanisms (geological, physical, chemical, and biological) through which the ocean operates, and how it influences climate on seasonal, inter-annual, glacial-interglacial and over deep time. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the relative importance of these processes and how they have varied through time, and the potential outcomes of human-induced changes to these processes. Special Approval required.
44074 PALEOCEANOGRAPHY (3)
A broad spectrum of geological approaches. Paleontology, geochemistry and stratigraphy are employed to interpret the history of earth's oceans.