GEOLOGY COURSES for M.A. and Ph.D. STUDENTS
705G Earth's Internal Processes (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Processes driven by Earth's internal heat; the structure, composition, and dynamics of Earth's crust, mantle and core; the methods and reasoning by which these have been deduced; causal mechanism for plate tectinics
706G Earth's Surface Processes (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Composition and dynamics of the hydrosphere and atmosphere; physical and chemical weathering; origin and evolution of landforms; human interaction with surface processes.
710G Structural Geology (45 hours lec, 30 hours lab; 4 cred)
Physical properties of rocks and rock behavior in different tectonic environments: deformation by fracturing, folding deformation, collapse structures, gravitational gliding, interpretation of linear and planar elements, petrofabric analysis. Fundamental concepts of geotectonics: orogenesis and mountain chains, island arcs, shield areas, basins and blocks, magnetic phases. Laboratory experiments with scale models. Determination of structural parameters. Mathematical solution of structure problems. Interpretation of geological maps and stereophotos.
711G Rock Mechanics (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Study of mechanical properties of rocks; fracture mechanics and failure criteria for rocks; techniques of surface and underground stress measurement; subsidence and determination of strength and anisotropic properties of rocks.
712G Geotectonics (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Various aspects of the petrology, structural features, stratigraphy of such major tectonic elements as orogenic belts, intracrational basins, rift-zones, island arcs, and
mid-oceanic ridges; their significance in the development of the earth's crust. Detailed analysis of selected world regions.|
Prerequisite: GEOLOGY 710, or permission of chairperson
714G Geophysics (45 hrs lec or seminar; 3 cred)
Principles of seismology: elastic constants, types of propagation of elastic waves. Exploration and earthquake seismology; gravity and magnetic fields of the earth. Development of a comprehensive earth model based on geographic data and concepts.
718G Field Geology (4 credits)

Comprehensive geologic field investigation involving a minimum of three weeks of supervised fieldwork and a detailed field report of acceptable standards with geologic maps, diagrams, illustrations.
Prerequisite: GEOLOGY 710, or permission of chairperson

721G Industrial Mineralogy (45 hrs lec or seminar; 3 cred)
A detailed examination of the geology, applications, and economics of industrial materials (clays, refractories, and raw materials for the glass, agriculture, chemical, and waste disposal industries).
723G Advanced Research Methods in Geology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Principles and methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis of geologic materials. Laboratory techniques applicable to petrologic studies: statistical analysis, universal stage, electron microprobe, differential thermal analysis.
724G Igneous Petrology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Principles of igneous petrology based on chemical thermodynamics and phase equilibria systems established by geochemical laboratory investigations. Problems of rock classification and nomenclature. Fundamentals of structural petrology. Petrogenesis in space and time. Study of hand specimens and thin sections using advanced laboratory techniques.
726G Metamorphic Petrology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Chemical principles and physical conditions of metamorphism based on thermodynamic and experimental data. Mode of occurrence and classification of metamorphic rocks. Detailed study of metamorphic minerals and mineral assemblages.
730G Paleontology of Invertebrates (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab 15 hrs sem; 4 cred)
Advanced treatment of the functional morphology, systematics, evolutionary history, paleoecology of invertebrate animals through geologic time. Laboratory techniques in the use of fossils as primary data of organic evolution and as indicators of paleoenvironments. (This course is also open to qualified graduate students in biology.)
730.3 Geomedicine (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Exploration of the earliest records of disease, how it is manifested and preserved in fossils, and its relationship to environmental factors. Consideration of disease as a factor of extinction in plants, dinosaurs and mastodons. Modern geomedical consequence of the exponential increase of populations and technological proliferation of pollution into the environmental of plants, animals, and man. Possible impacts on various life forms due to genetic alteration. (This course is also open to qualified graduate students in biology.)
732G Paleoecology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Reconstruction and analysis of plant and animal communities of the past, their historical development as communities, their interactions with the environment. Fossil evidence for animal behavior, food chains, predator-prey relationships, symbiosis, parasitism, environmental control of species distribution. Field and laboratory techniques.
740G Sedimentology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Dynamics of sedimentation, depositional environments, diagenesis and lithification. Fabrics, structures, classification of sedimentary rocks. Mechanical, chemical, microscopic, X-ray laboratory techniques in sedimentary analysis. Statistical methods. Special problems of clay and carbonate sedimentation.
742G Stratigraphy (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Principles of stratigraphy. Stratigraphic record and nomenclature. Faunal stratigraphy and correlation. Systematic stratigraphy of North America: Pre-Cambrian problems; geosynclinal, cratonal, nonmarine sedimentation of the Paleozoic era; Mesozoic and Cenozoic stratigraphy; paleontological aspects.
743G Sedimentary Petrology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Origin, texture, composition, classification of sedimentary rocks. Modern analytical techniques. Study of thin sections, grain mounts, hand specimens.
744G World Stratigraphy (45 hrs lec/sem; 3 cred)
Review of significant stratigraphic problems of earth history. Regions outside North America. Accuracy of paleontological correlation. Cycles in earth history.
747G Groundwater Hydrogeology (30 hrs lec, 60 hrs lab; 4 cred)
Physical, geochemical, and geologic aspects of groundwater hydrology; groundwater occurrence; resource and management; groundwater contamination and environmental problems. Laboratory work includes field trips, computer models, and case studies.
748G Contaminant Hydrogeology (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
Sources of groundwater contamination; groundwater flow and mass transport equations. Advective-dispersive and stochastic mass transport theories; sorption isotherms, retardation of dissolved solutes. Occurrence and mass transport of dissolved and non-aqueous phase contaminants in the saturated and vadose zones.
749G Well Hydraulics (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
Groundwater flow to wells. Aquifer boundaries and groundwater flow nets. Aquifer tests in confined, leaky artesian, and water table aquifers. Slug tests. Development and management of groundwater resources. Problem solving and computer and graphical analysis of aquifer test and slug test data, aquifer boundary conditions, and contaminant plume capture zones.
Prerequisite: Geology 747G or permission of the chairperson
752G Map Interpretation (15 hrs lec, 60 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Interpretation of topographic and geologic maps. Their use in the study of landforms, lithologies, geologic structures, applied geology.
754G Pleistocene Geology (30 hrs lec, 30 hrs lab; 3 cred)
Stratigraphic and geomorphic record of the Pleistocene epoch; techniques of its interpretation. Glacial, periglacial, and extraglacial deposits, structures, erosional features. Their significance in relation to glacial and interglacial climates and to sea-level changes.
759G Global Biogeochemical Change (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
Biogeochemical changes in the biosphere, terrestrial ecosystems, freshwater wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and oceans. Global water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur cycles. Changes in Earth's climate system.
760G Natural Resources: Metallic Ores (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
769G Geochemistry of Soils (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
An examination of the physical chemistry of soils including soil mineralogy (formation, relative stability, ion exchange properties) and surface chemistry.
770G Principles of Geochemistry (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
Chemical processes involved in the development of the earth and the distribution of the elements in the earth's crust, atmosphere, and ocean.
771G Geochemistry (30 hrs lec, 60 hrs lab; 4 cred)
Origin of the elements; age determination; implications of isotope ratio variations. Brief survey of some aspects of the chemistry of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere. Laboratory experiments in counting, tracer, activation analysis techniques.
773G Low Temperature Geochemistry (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
Chemical equilibria in aqueous systems and at low temperature. Natural processes controlling the composition of streams, lakes, the ocean, and near-surface groundwaters; impact of biological systems and human activities. Water in the geological cycle, applications to weathering, sedimentary processes, diagenesis, and ore formation.
775G Marine Geology (30 hrs lec, 45 hrs lab; 31/2 cred)
Morphology, structure, stratigraphy, processes, and evolution of continental margins and ocean basins; deep sea sediments; ocean history and plate tectonics. Laboratory work includes field trips.
776G Marine Geochemistry (30 hrs lec, 45 hrs lab; 31/2 cred)
Dynamic equilibria in the oceanic chemical system; geochemical and biochemical processes in the oceanic environment; marine contamination; chemical models of the ocean. Laboratory work includes field trips.
777G Quantitative Treatment of Geological Data (15 hrs lec, 30 hs lab; 2 cred)
Nature, collection, storage, and quantitative treatment of geological data.
785G Natural Resources: Petroleum (45 hrs lec; 3 cred)
The nature and occurrence of petroleum; surface and subsurface geological exploration; geophysical and geochemical survey methods; oil well and well-site analyses.
789G Physical and Chemical Evolution of the Terrestrial Planets
790.3G Seminar (45 hrs each term; 3 cred each term
Selected aspects of geology. Areas not directly covered in regular courses. Use of original sources.