Department of Geology
Courses
Introductory course for both non-science and science majors focusing on 1) earth hazards; and their mitigation, 2) climate change and its impacts and 3) earth and energy resources, their origin and environmental impacts.
Origin of the seas and ocean basins. Processes of marine sedimentation and seawater chemistry. Dynamics of air/sea interaction, circulation, waves and tides. Description of coastal and other marine environments.
A complementary laboratory to Introductory Oceanography, GLY 150. A series of exercises relating to bathymetry, accoustic profiling, marine charts, properties of seawater, sea floor sediments, currents, waves and tides.
An introduction to U.S. Parks and Monuments including earth materials, plate tectonic setting, formative geologic processes, and natural history; brief overview of history and purpose of the National Park Service.
An elementary but comprehensive physical geology course that deals with the earth's origin, composition, structures, tectonics and processes. Intended primarily for, but not limited to, the science major. 3 lec.
Introduction to 1) the principles used to interpret past physical, biologic, and chemical events archived in rock record, and 2)the history and development of the earth's lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
An introduction to laboratory methods for the identification and classification of minerals, rocks, fossils and landscapes.
Reconstruction of events in earth history based on physical characteristics and arrangement of rock layers and their fossil contens. 2 hr lab (PR: 210L; CR: GLY 201)
Using the geology of West Virginia, introduces geologic field methods including geologic map interpretation and construction, cross-section preparation, qualitative and quantitative data collection, and ArcGIS mapping. Includes fields trips, laboratories.
Pre-req: (GLY 200 with a minimum grade of D or GLY 201 with a minimum grade of D) and (GLY 210L with a minimum grade of D or GLY 211L with a minimum grade of D).
Explores geologic structures: their history, 3-d relationships and the stresses that cause them. Structural deformation occurs at scales ranging form the continental to the atomic. Labs and weekend field trip.
Pre-req: GLY 110 or GLY 200.
Techniques of collection, preparation and analysis of mineral, rock and water samples, and the use of different instruments for obtaining quality data. Will also cover tools used for data interpretation.
Pre-req: GLY 200 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D and GLY 210L (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D.
Formation, organization, sequence, and correlation of sedimentary rocks; study of the orgin, transportation and deposition of rock-forming sediments. 3 lec-2 lab.
Pre-req: GLY 201 with a minimum grade of D and GLY 211L with a minimum grade of D.
Field trip to Big Bend National Park, Texas to study the structure, stratigraphy, igneous geology, metamorphic geology, paleontology and natural history of this national park.
Taxonomy, morphology, and paleoecology of body and trace fossils representing the major invertebrate phyla; analysis and interpretation of faunal assemblages; evolution and extinction of species. (PR: GLY 201)
Pre-req: GLY 201 with a minimum grade of D and GLY 211L with a minimum grade of D.
Application of chemical principles to geology. Topics include cosmochemistry; distribution of elements in minerals and rocks; aqueous solutions and water-rock interaction; radiometric age dating and stable isotope geology.
Pre-req: CHM 211 with a minimum grade of D and GLY 200 with a minimum grade of D.
Microscopic description of minerals, textures, and fossils in sedimentary rocks, their classification, and interpretation of source area, depositional environment and post-depositional history. 3 lec-2 lab.
Pre-req: GLY 201.
Development of seismic, gravity, magnetism, electrical and thermal methods of studying the structure and dynamics of the earth. 3-lec
Pre-req: GLY 200 with a minimum grade of D and GLY 210L with a minimum grade of D and (PHY 201 with a minimum grade of D or PHY 211 with a minimum grade of D) and MTH 229 with a minimum grade of D.
Origin and distribution of coal, oil and gas, and methods of exploration and reserve evaluaton. 3 lec-2 lab.
Pre-req: GLY 200.
The properties of water, the hydrologic cycle with emphasis on surface and groundwater processes, the uses, needs and problems associated with water resources. 3 lec.
Pre-req: GLY 200 with a minimum grade of D and (MTH 132 with a minimum grade of D or MTH 229 with a minimum grade of D or MTH 229H with a minimum grade of D).
Consideration of risks posed by natural geo-hazards and from physical/chemical contamination of geologic media. (PR: GLY 200, GLY 210L or equivalent; Recommended: GLY 451)
Pre-req: GLY 200 with a minimum grade of D and GLY 210L with a minimum grade of D.
Consideration of geotechnical problems faced by geologists and engineers. Major topics include mechanics and classification of soil and rock, and geotechnical aspects of groundwater.
Pre-req: GLY 200 with a minimum grade of D and GLY 210L with a minimum grade of D and (MTH 132 with a minimum grade of D or MTH 229 with a minimum grade of D).
An independent study involving a research project or internship. Must be approved by Geology faculty. (PR: 20 hours of Geology coursework).
A seminar-type class on a multidisciplinary applied topic offered at the discretion of faculty to substitute for GLY 491. (PR: 20 hours of Geology coursework / consent of faculty).