1130: Physical Geology Laboratory
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in
GEOL 1330. Weekend field trip may be required; cost to be defrayed by student.
Supplementary to lecture; study of minerals, rocks, and maps.
1176: Historical Geology Laboratory
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisites: GEOL 1130 and credit for
or concurrent enrollment in GEOL 1376. Weekend field
trip may be required; cost to be defrayed by student. Supplementary to lecture;
study of rocks, fossils, and maps.
1197: Selected Topics-Geosciences
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit
when topics vary. Current topics in geology and geophysics.
1330: Physical Geology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: credit for, placement out of, or concurrent enrollment
in MATH 1310 or MATH
1315. Principles of geology; emphasis on surface and internal processes
of the earth.
1340: Introduction to Earth Systems (formerly GEOL
1440)
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 1310 or
1315. Credit may not be received
for both GEOL 1340 and GEOL 1130 and 1330.
Earth's dynamic systems emphasizing the interactions among the atmostphere,
hydrophere and lithosphere. Includes the processes by which the earth was formed
and continues to be modified as well as how humans affect and are affected by
those processes.
1376: Historical Geology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: GEOL 1330, and credit for,
placement out of, or concurrent enrollment in MATH
1310 or 1315. Geologic history
of the earth; introduction to the uses of geological principles to interpret
earth history.
1397: Selected Topics-Geosciences
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit
when topics vary. Current topics in geology and geophysics.
3101: Geologic Field Trip
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisites: GEOL 1330 and consent of
instructor. May be repeated for credit when content varies. Cost of field trip
to be defrayed by student. Five- to seven-day field trip to areas of geologic
interest (e.g., Big Bend National Park) taken over Spring Break.
3130: Paleobiology Laboratory
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite:
credit for or concurrent enrollment in GEOL 3330. Undergraduate
credit only. Weekend field trips required. Cost to be defrayed
by student. Introduction to invertebrate fossils.
3145: Structural Geology Laboratory
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite:
credit for or concurrent enrollment in GEOL 3345. Five-day field
trip required; expense to be defrayed by student. Techniques for
solving problems in structural geology.
3150: Principles of Stratigraphy Laboratory
Cr. 1. (0-3).
Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in or credit for GEOL 3350.
Field trip required; expense to be defrayed by student.
Stratigraphic problem solving.
3176: Life of the Geologic Past
Cr. 1. (0-3).
Prerequisite: Credit for or concurrent enrollment in
GEOL 3376.
Weekend field trips may be required. Cost to be defrayed by student.
The study of fossil groups through time.
3177: Introductory Oceanography Laboratory
Cr. 1. (0-3).
Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in GEOL 3377.
One weekend field trip may be required; cost to be defrayed by student.
Supplementary to lecture in GEOL 3377. Examination of water and
sediment properties.
3178: Weather Information
Cr. 1. (0-3). Use of computers
to obtain weather information and to make weather forecasts.
3235: Introduction to Petrography (formerly 3135)
Cr. 2.
(1-3). Prerequisites: CHEM 1111,
1331, and
GEOL 3370. Field trips
may be required; cost to be defrayed by student. Introduction
to megascopic petrography of the common rocks. Classification,
identification, description and interpretation of rocks in hand
specimen and in the field.
3301: Dinosaurs, Mars and The Age of the Earth:
Applications of the Scientific Method
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite:
GEOL 1330. Science and the scientific
method exemplified by applications to important questions in planetary science.
3330: Principles of Paleobiology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 3340 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in
GEOL 3130. BIOL 1431;1432 recommended. Undergraduate credit only. Principles
and methods of interpreting fossils, including functional morphology,
systematics, paleoecology, paleoceanography, evolution, biostratigraphy,
and paleobiogeography.
3331: Environmental Geology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 1130 and 1330. Geosciences
related aspects of the inter-action between people and the physical environment, including
1) philosophy and fundamental principles, 2) hazardous
earth processes, 3) human interaction with the environment,
4) minerals, energy and environment, and 5) global change,
land use planning, and decision making.
3332: Geology of U.S. National Parks and
Monuments
Cr. 3. (2-2). Prerequisite: GEOL 1330. Geologic evolution of
North America and its landscape as illustrated by selected national
parks and monuments of the United States.
3333: Earth Resources
Cr.
3. (3-0). Prerequisite: GEOL 1330. Mineral and energy resources
of the planet Earth; their origin and discovery. Environmental
impact of their exploitation; future prospects.
3334: Earthquakes
Cr.
3. (3-0). Prerequisite: GEOL 1330. Causes of earthquakes; questions
of earthquake prediction, earthquake hazards, and social policy
development associated with land use planning and building design.
3335: Petrogenesis (formerly 2335)
Cr.
3. (2-3). Prerequisites: CHEM 1112 and
1332;
GEOL 3370, 3235 and
3371. Field trips may be required; cost to be defrayed by student.
Nature and origin of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
3336: Water in the Environment
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: one of the following: CHEM
1301 or 1331; GEOL
1330; PHYS 1301 or 1321;
or BIOL 1310 or 1431.
How water affects us and our environment as it moves through the hydrologic
cycle. Topics include the role of water in landslides, rivers and flooding,
pollution of our water supply, water quality, water as an energy resource, wetlands,
and coastal erosion.
3338: Environmental Hydrogeology.
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: CHEM 1331,
PHYS 1321, MATH
1431, and GEOL 1130 and 1330.
Principles of groundwater and surface water flow and interaction with the environment:
water quality and pollution.
3340: Geologic Field Methods
Cr. 3. (2-3). Prerequisites:
GEOL 3370 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in
GEOL 3235. Five- or seven-day field trip required; expense to be defrayed
by student. Undergraduate credit only. Interpreting topographic
and geologic maps; solving geologic problems using trigonometry
and descriptive geometry, field mapping, and report writing.
3345: Structural Geology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 3235 and
3340,
MATH 1431,
PHYS 1301 or
1321, and credit for or
concurrent enrollment in GEOL 3145.
Properties of earth minerals
and their behavior in stress fields; description, classification,
and interpretation of geologic structures.
3350: Principles of Stratigraphy
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 3235 and 3340, and credit for or concurrent enrollment
in 3150. Principles of stratigraphy applied to problems of geometry,
composition, and time relations of stratified rocks.
3355-3360:
Field Geology (summer only, 6 weeks)
Cr. 3 per course. (0-9). Prerequisites: GEOL 3145, 3345, 3150, 3350, and
3340. Concurrent enrollment only. Offered only during first summer
session. Field trips required; cost to be defrayed by student.
Geological mapping of topographic and aerial photographic bases,
with visits to features of geologic interest.
3365: Exploring the Planets
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: One semester of a college level course in the physical sciences and consent of instructor.
Survey of the nature and evolution of the solid bodies in the solar system: the inner planets, including earth
and its moon, the outer planets and their moons, meteorites, asteroids and comets.
3370: Mineralogy
Cr. 3. (2-4). Prerequisites: GEOL 1130,
1330, and credit for or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 1111 and
1331. Field trips may be required; cost to be defrayed by student.
Crystallographic, physical, chemical, and structural properties
of minerals. Crystal symmetry and form, stereographic projection,
mineral structures and formulae, identification and description
of minerals.
3371: Optical Mineralogy (formerly 4135 and 4235)
Cr. 3.
(2-3) Prerequisites: CHEM 1111 and
1331, GEOL 3370 and credit
for or concurrent enrollment in GEOL 3235. The theory and practice
of optical mineralogy in the study of rocks. The use of the petrographic
microscope, measurement of optical properties in minerals, introduction
to microscopic petrography of the common rocks.
3376: Life of the Geologic Past
Cr. 3. (3-0).
Prerequisite: Three hours of core approved Biology or Geology.
Concurrent enrollment in GEOL 3176 is recommended.
Survey of the history of life on earth as interpreted from the fossil record.
3377: Introductory Oceanography
Cr. 3. (3-0) Prerequisites:
MATH 1310 and one of the following:
CHEM 1301 or
1331;
GEOL 1330 or
1340;
PHYS 1301 or
1321; or
BIOL 1310 or
1431. An introduction to the world's
oceans, emphasizing geologic origin, chemical composition, physical
processes, and marine ecology.
3378: Introduction to Atmospheric Science
(also PHYS 3378)
Cr.3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
MATH 1310 and
CHEM 1301
or 1331
or GEOL 1330 or
1340
or PHYS 1301
or 1321.
The earth's atmosphere with emphasis
on the properties of air, the structure of the atmosphere, the
development of storms, and the fundamentals of global climate
patterns. Use of weather maps and diagrams will be emphasized.
3396-4396:
Senior Research Project
Cr. 3 per semester.
Prerequisite: approval of chair. Directed research project culminating in a departmentally approved report.
3399-4399:
Senior Honors Thesis
Cr. 3 per semester. Prerequisite:
approval of chair.
4197:4397: Selected
Topics in Geology
Cr. 1 or 3 per semester
or more by concurrent enrollment. (1-0;3-0). Prerequisite: consent
of instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Current
topics in geology and geophysics.
4198:4298:
4398:4498:
4598: Special Problems
Cr. 1-5 per
semester or more by concurrent enrollment. Prerequisites: senior
standing and approval of chair.
4330: Introduction to Geophysics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 1330,
MATH 2433 and
PHYS 1322. Principles of seismology,
gravity, geomagnetism, radioactivity, electromagnetism and heat
flow, and their use in geological interpretation.
4335: Geophysical Measurements in Laboratory and
Field
Cr. 3.
(2-3). Prerequisite: GEOL 4330. Acquisition of seismic, gravity,
and magnetic data and interpretation. Deals with problems of actual
prospecting.
4340: The Geophysical Study of the Earth
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: GEOL 4330. Application of
geophysical data to the study of various aspects of the earth, including its
internal compositon, large-scale processes such as plate tectonics, and the
distribution of important mineral and energy resources.
4341: Dynamic Meteorology.
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 1431 and GEOL 3378.
Principles of atmospheric motions, continuity and momentum equations, atmospheric
thermodynamics, planetary boundary layer and free tropospheric motions, mesoscale
and synoptic systems, general circulation.
4342: Atmospheric Pollution
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 1431 and GEOL 3378. Air pollution problems: ozone, acid rain, particulates and toxics on urban,
regional and global scales. Emission sources, meteorological influences and
chemical transformations of pollutants.
4358: Introduction to Depositional Models
Cr. 3. (3-0).
Prerequisites: GEOL 3235; 3350 recommended. Credit may not be
received in both GEOL 4358
and 6358.
Field trips required; cost to be defrayed by the student. Recent sedimentary depositional
environments as a basis for interpreting the sedimentary rock
record.
4378: Introduction to Seismic Prospecting
Cr. 3. (3-0).
Prerequisite: GEOL 4330. Acquisition, processing, reduction, and
interpretation of seismic reflection and refraction data as applied
to oil and gas exploration.
4379: Methods in Groundwater and Engineering
Geophysics
Cr.
3. (3-0). Prerequisites: GEOL 4330, or consent of instructor.
Methods of characterizing shallow, subsurface conditions, including
the influence of fluids on the physical properties of near-surface
materials; electrical, high-resolution seismic and gravity methods.
4382: Introduction to Petroleum Geology
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 3145, 3345, 3150, 3350, and consent of instructor. Fundamentals
of petroleum geology; source rock, reservoir, and trap studies.
Practical exploration methods such as subsurface stratigraphy
and mapping.
4383: Introduction to Well Logging
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites:
GEOL 3350 and 3150 and consent of instructor. Introduction to
well logging techniques, emphasizing geologic applications.
4384: Introduction to Gravity and Magnetic
Prospecting
Cr.
3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MATH 2433 and PHYS 1322. Principles,
field techniques, and interpretation procedures involved in exploration
with potential field methods.