Geosciences-GEOL (GEOL) < Colorado State University

Courses

GEOL 110 Introduction to Geology-Parks and Monuments (GT-SC2) Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Understanding the physical processes, natural hazards, earth materials, and natural resources of planet Earth, and the relationship of humans to this planet. Outstanding examples of natural features from national and local parks and monuments, using narrated high-resolution (including aerial) video.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: This is a partial semester course. Offered as an online course only. Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 120 Geology and Society (GT-SC2) Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Explore the dynamic Earth system that we call home. Examine the processes that shape the world and create the resources used and the natural hazards faced. Learn about plate tectonics, climate change, minerals, rocks, geologic time, resources, earthquakes, volcanoes, flooding, and landslides. Build scientific skills and an understanding of the scientific process through making observations, interpreting data, performing calculations, reading maps, and evaluating graphs.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 121 Experiential Geoscience Laboratory (GT-SC1) Credit: 1 (0-2-0)

Course Description: Explore the variety of methods used by geoscientists to study the Earth through field trips, examination of datasets, and experiments with physical models. Learn to identify rocks and minerals, read the landscape using maps, measure surface and groundwater, and interpret climate data. Build scientific skills and gain an understanding of how science operates by participating in inquiry activities.
Prerequisite: GEOL 110, may be taken concurrently or GEOL 120, may be taken concurrently or GEOL 122, may be taken concurrently or GEOL 124, may be taken concurrently.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 121 and GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab (GT-SC1).

GEOL 122 Geoscience--Climate and Environmental Change (GT-SC2) Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Explore the Earth processes that shape the environment. Examine how Earth systems change and how people contribute to and are affected by these changes. Learn about climate change, the hydrological cycle, rock and mineral formation, weathering and erosion, glaciers, oceans, and plate tectonics. Build scientific skills and an understanding of the scientific process through making observations, interpreting data, performing calculations, reading maps, and evaluating graphs.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 124 Earth Resources and Sustainability (GT-SC2) Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Explore the role of Earth resources in building a sustainable society. Learn about the geologic processes that create water, mineral, and energy resources. Examine positive and negative impacts of resource extraction and use. Investigate economic, political, and environmental issues associated with Earth resources. Build scientific skills and an understanding of the scientific process through making observations, interpreting data, performing calculations, reading maps, and evaluating graphs.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 150 Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2) Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Explore the geology of the dynamic Earth from core to surface and over timescales of hours to millions of years through hands-on activities in the laboratory and field. Learn to identify and interpret Earth materials. Build proficiency in scientific hypothesis testing. Learn how plate tectonic forces shape landscapes and tie dynamic Earth processes to societal interests, including global climate change, natural hazards, and critical natural resources.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips. Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 121 and GEOL 150.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 154 Historical and Analytical Geology Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Physical and biological history of Earth with introduction to laboratory, computer, and field techniques.
Prerequisite: GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 192 New Student Seminar--Exploring Geosciences Credit: 1 (0-0-1)

Course Description: Geosciences as a field of study; exploration of the major and career paths; strategies for academic success and beyond.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Undergraduate.
Registration Information: Freshman and sophomore geology majors only. This is a partial semester course.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 201 Field Geology of the Colorado Front Range Credit: 1 (0-2-0)

Course Description: Geology of the Rocky Mountain Front Range taught primarily through field trips and field exercises, emphasizing hands-on experiences. Learn to make basic field observations and measurements on a variety of rock types and surficial features.
Prerequisite: GEOL 121 or GEOL 150.
Registration Information: Freshman, sophomore or junior standing only. Geology majors or minors only. This is a partial semester course. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 232 Mineralogy Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Crystal structures, crystal chemistry, rock-forming and economically important minerals, crystal growth and defects, physical properties of minerals.
Prerequisite: (CHEM 111, may be taken concurrently) and (GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (MATH 120 or MATH 124 or MATH 127 or MATH 155 or MATH 160 or MATH 161 or MATH 255).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 250 The Solid Earth Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Structure, flow, and composition of the deep Earth; introduction to geophysics; tests of plate tectonic theory.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (MATH 124) and (MATH 125 or MATH 127 or MATH 155 or MATH 160 or MATH 161 or MATH 255).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 332 Optical Mineralogy Credits: 2 (1-2-0)

Course Description: Fundamental light optics in crystalline substances; optical indicatrix; isotropic, uniaxial, and biaxial substances; common minerals in thin section.
Prerequisite: GEOL 232, may be taken concurrently.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 340 Glacial Geology Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Glacier physics (mass balance, ice dynamics, heat flow, and hydrology), glacial erosion and sedimentation, glacial landforms, and the relationship between forcings (orbital, climate, tectonic, biological) and glaciations in Earth's history.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (PH 121 or PH 141).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 340 and GEOL 380A2.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 342 Paleontology Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Description of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants and their distribution in earth history.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 343 Dinosaur Paleontology Field Camp Credit: 1 (0-0-2)

Course Description: Develops field-based skills in sedimentology and paleontology, including general sedimentary geology techniques (interpreting depositional environments, measuring section, collecting samples, note taking) and paleontological techniques (prospecting, data collection, excavation, mapping, inventory), to reconstruct and interpret fossil ecosystems.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Registration Information: Required field trips. Class will spend one week camping at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science field station. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 343 and GEOL 380A3.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 344 Stratigraphy and Sedimentology Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Description, genesis, correlation, and age of sediments, sedimentary rocks and layered rock sequences.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154 with a minimum grade of C.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 364 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Identification, classification, geochemistry, petrogenesis of igneous and metamorphic rocks; textural interpretation of hand samples and thin sections.
Prerequisite: GEOL 232 with a minimum grade of C-.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 366 Sedimentary Petrology and Geochemistry Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Composition, identification, and classification of sedimentary rocks; geochemical processes affecting sedimentary rocks and surficial deposits.
Prerequisite: CHEM 113 and GEOL 154 and GEOL 364.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 372 Structural Geology Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Stress and strain in rocks, geometry of deformed rocks, and tectonic principles.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 154, may be taken concurrently) and (MATH 125 or MATH 127 or MATH 155 or MATH 160 or MATH 161 or MATH 255) and (PH 121, may be taken concurrently or PH 141, may be taken concurrently).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 376 Geologic Field Methods Credits: 3 (1-4-0)

Course Description: Scientific, surveying, and mapping methods used in geologic field studies; proposal, map, and report preparation.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344 and GEOL 372, may be taken concurrently.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 384 Supervised College Teaching Credits: Var[1-5] (0-0-0)

Course Description: Instruction and practice in laboratory instruction in lower-division departmental courses.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Written consent of instructor. A maximum of 10 combined credits for all 384 and 484 courses are counted towards graduation requirements.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 401 Geology of the Rocky Mountain Region Credit: 1 (0-3-0)

Course Description: Field course; geology of the local Rocky Mountain region.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Registration Information: May be taken up to 3 times for credit. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 415 Critical Zone Science Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Focus on the Earth’s terrestrial near-surface environment that sustains most non-marine life on the planet, known as the Critical Zone. Gain experience with the architecture and geologic and geomorphologic context of the Critical Zone in different environments. Explore the interactions between the solid earth, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere that give rise to the Critical Zone, and learn how the Critical Zone modulates various Earth surface processes.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 150 or ESS 210 or GR 210 or SOCR 240) and (CHEM 107 or CHEM 111) and (MATH 155 or MATH 159 or MATH 160 or STAT 301).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 380A1 and GEOL 415.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 436 Geology Summer Field Course Credits: 6 (0-12-0)

Course Description: Geologic mapping, measuring sections, interpreting geologic history in Colorado. Required comprehensive reports, geologic maps, and cross sections.
Prerequisite: GEOL 364 and GEOL 372 and GEOL 376.
Registration Information: This is a partial semester course. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 440 Geodetic and Near-Surface Geophysical Methods Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Introduction to geodetic and near-surface geophysical methods to answer societally-relevant geological and environmental questions. Methods include (i) dataloggers and instruments, (ii) geodetic tools (GNSS surveys, lidar, and Structure from Motion), and (iii) near-surface geophysical methods (ground-penetrating radar, active seismic profiling, and electrical resistivity imaging). Emphasizes learning to collect, analyze/interpret, and synthesize multiple types of geophysical data.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 344, may be taken concurrently) and (PH 122 or PH 142) and (MATH 161 or MATH 255).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 440 and GEOL 480A4.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 442 Applied Geophysics Credits: 4 (3-2-0)

Course Description: Geophysical exploration methods emphasizing hydrocarbon and mineral exploration, hydrogeology, and engineering applications.
Prerequisite: GEOL 372 and MATH 161 and PH 142.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 446 Environmental Geology Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Geology applied to environmental problems.
Prerequisite: (CHEM 111) and (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (MATH 155 or MATH 160) and (PH 121 or PH 141).
Registration Information: Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 447 Mineral Deposits Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Occurrence, origin, and exploration of economic metallic mineral deposits.
Prerequisite: GEOL 366, may be taken concurrently and GEOL 372.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 452 Hydrogeology Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Interaction of water and geologic materials; surface and groundwater; quantitative analysis and geologic effects on quality and flow of groundwater.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150 or GR 210) and (MATH 161 or MATH 255) and (PH 121 or PH 141).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 454 Geomorphology Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Origin of landforms; morphology and processes.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150 or GR 210) and (STAT 301 or STAT 307 or STAT 315).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 492 Seminar Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494A Independent Study: Environmental/Engineering Geology Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)