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New course in the Earth Science Department!

GEOL 115 - Laboratory and Field Studies in Earth Science is a new 3-credit Earth Science course that will be offered for the first time in the Spring of 2012.  The purpose of this course is to better prepare students who are taking 200-level GEOL courses as part of the Earth Science Minor, or as electives.  In GEOL 115 students will gain more experience in the identification of rocks and minerals and a solid foundation in field studies, both essential for success in 200-level and upper-level Earth Science courses. 

Some of the topics that will be covered in GEOL 115 include:

  • Identification and physical properties of rock-forming and resource minerals, including many that were not covered in GEOL 111
  • Physical characteristics and classification of sedimentary, igneous & metamorphic rocks
  • Introduction to rock and minerals in thin section and the petrographic microscope
  • Examination of rocks in the field and the mapping of bedrock outcrop
  • Examination of surficial materials in the lab and field
  • Interpretation and analysis of geological data
  • Fundamentals of geoscience writing and map compilation

GEOL 115 is a 3 hour/week lab and field course that will complement new changes to GEOL 111 and GEOL 112.  Until now the lab components of GEOL 111 and GEOL 112 each consisted of twelve weekly 2-hour classroom sessions, but as of September 2011 these will be reduced to six sessions, offered bi-weekly.  

There will likely be a number of issues in the transition from the two old GEOL 100-level courses to the new system with the revised GEOL 111, GEOL 112 & GEOL 115.  Here are some guidelines to help you determine whether you need to take GEOL 115:

You do NOT need to take GEOL 115 if:
  • If you completed both GEOL 111 & GEOL 112 prior to the September 2011
You DO need to take GEOL 115 if:
  • You plan to take 200-level GEOL courses, but have not completed both GEOL 111 and GEOL 112 before September 2011
  • You have completed GEOL 111A and/or GEOL 112A (lecture-only portions) and wish to take a 200-level GEOL course. In addition to GEOL 115, you will also need to complete GEOL 111B and/or GEOL 112B (lab-only portions).

There are likely other issues that will arise during the implementation of these changes, so please do not hesitate to contact Tim Stokes, Steve Earle or Sandra Johnstone if you have questions.