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Undergraduate Introductory Course Descriptions

All of these are N&M courses with the exception of G125 and G190. TOPICS qualified courses are noted.

G103 Earth Science: Materials and Processes (3 cr.) NMNS Introduction to origin and classification of minerals and rocks. Relationships between rock types, rock structures, surficial geological processes of running water, subsurface water, glaciation, wind, tides, and landform evolution. Geologic time. Two lectures and one demonstration/ laboratory each week. Credit given for only one of the following: G103, G111. II Sem.

G104 Evolution of the Earth (3 cr.) NMNS Earth's history interpreted through five billion years. Deductive approach to understanding the significance of rocks and fossils and reconstructing the plate-tectonic origin of mountains, continents, and ocean basins. A survey of events in earth's evolution relevant to contemporary environmental concerns. Two lectures and one laboratory each week. Credit given for only one of the following: G104, G112.

G105 Earth: Our Habitable Planet (3 cr.) NMNS Introduction to planet Earth as a dynamic and complex global system. Course materials will demonstrate physical and chemical linkages between biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere that directly impact lifestyles of human populations at time scales of years to centuries. Two lectures and one laboratory each week.

G111 Physical Geology (3 cr.) NMNS P: One high school or college course in chemistry. Basic concepts of geology. Formation of rocks, erosion and landscape evolution, plate tectonics, interpretation of earth processes from geological data. Two lectures and one laboratory per week. One required field trip. Restricted to prospective geology and other science majors. Credit given for only one of the following: G103, G111. I Sem.

G112 Historical Geology (3 cr.) NMNS Principles of interpreting earth history from geological data. Geologic time, biological evolution, plate tectonics, and ancient environments. Two lectures and one laboratory per week. One required field trip. More here. Credit given for only one of the following: G104, G112. II Sem.

G114 Prehistoric Life (3 cr.) NMNS The origin and evolution of life over the past three billion years. The paleoecological and evolutionary development of plants and animals. Two lectures and one demonstration each week. II Sem.

G116 Our Planet and Its Future (3 cr.) NMNS The interaction between geologic and environmental processes in the earth. Special emphasis on how these processes affect public policies and laws. Multimedia exercises and videotape presentations (made specifically for this course) are included. Two lectures and one discussion section/laboratory per week.

G121 Meteorites and Geological Processes in Planets (3 cr.) NMNS Geological processes operative on earth-like planetary bodies and asteroids; evidence from current meteorite, lunar, martian, and space research; quantitative and deductive exercises; including demonstration/laboratory. For non-science majors. Credit given for only one of G121 and S121. More here.

G125 Processes in the Geological Sciences (2 cr.) P: one 100-level course from the geological sciences. May be taken concurrently with G221. This laboratory-based course is designed to provide familiarity with the geological processes that are critical for understanding both the geological past and modern geological activity. Course intended for geological sciences majors but open to other science majors.

G131 Oceans and Our Global Environment (3 cr.) NMNS Introduction to oceanography, with emphasis on: ocean-atmospheric interaction and global climate, plate tectonics and morphology of the ocean basins, marine geology, energy resources, environmental problems due to sea level rise, coastal erosion, oil spills, and life in the sea. Two lectures and one laboratory each week.

G141 Earthquakes and Volcanoes (3 cr.) NMNS Examination of the causes and effects of earthquakes and volcanic activity. Impacts of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, including secondary effects such as landslides, mudflows, and tsunamis; climatic effects; energy/mineral resources; and social disruption. Mitigation of effects of natural disasters. Two lectures and one laboratory per week.

G171 Environmental Geology (3 cr.) NMNS Examination of natural and man-induced geologic hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and land subsidence; environmental issues, disposal and management of solid, chemical, and radioactive waste, acid mine drainage as well as the environmental impact of mineral extraction and water resource utilization. Two lectures and one laboratory per week. I Sem.

G188 Volcanoes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada: Geology and Natural Heritage of the Long Valley Caldera (3 cr.) N & M, TFR P: LLC L100 or consent of instructor. Introductory-levelfield course. Introduces students to the natural history of the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. Focuses on the geological processes, natural hazards, and environmental issues facing a unique and environmentallysensitive area of the western United States. I Sem. More here.

G221 Introduction to Mineralogy (3 cr.) NMNS P or C: college-level course in chemistry. The importance of minerals, the basic building blocks of rocks and the Earth. Atomic bonding, structures, and symmetry. Mineral chemistry and crystal structures (how their atoms are arranged), and how the minerals respond to changes in temperature, pressure, and environment. Hand-specimen identification of minerals using their physical properties. Three lectures, one two-hour lab, one 3-day field trip. I Sem. Credit given for only one of GEOL G221 or G225.

G222 Introduction to Petrology (3 cr.) NMNS P: G221. Study of the principal representatives of the major chemical groups of minerals. Emphasis on rock-forming and useful minerals, their crystal structure, chemistry, physical properties, association, and occurrence. Study of major rock types. Two lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week. II Sem.

G225 Earth Materials (4 cr.) NMNS P: one course in chemistry. This course sequentially considers minerals, rocks, sediments, and soils; the materials that comprise the solid earth. The distribution and environmental significance of these materials are studied, as are their chemical and physical interactions with groundwater and plants. Three 50-minute lectures and one 2-hour laboratory per week. Laboratory attendance is required. Credit given for only one of GEOL G225 or G221. I Sem.