Home

Courses Offered by Term

Undergraduate/Graduate Courses

Graduate Courses (6000 level)

GEOS Course Websites

Hydrogeology Field Course

Geologic Mapping Course in the Upper Peninsula (GEOS 4380)

Geologic Mapping Course in the Upper Peninsula (GEOS 4390)

Apply Online

WMU Course Catalog

GEOS 1000 - Earth Studies
Students are introduced to the origin of the solar system and the earth-moon system with emphasis on humankind's place in the universe. Students will investigate the materials and processes that shape the earth and the Geologic hazards that affect our lives. Mineral, water, and energy resources will be considered in the context of their occurrence and limitations. Plate tectonics and the origin and evolution of life will be used to frame the course. 3 lectures and a 2-hour lab period. Fulfills General Education Area 6. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 1290 - Physical Geology Laboratory
A laboratory experience covering minerals and rocks, and the interpretation of topographic and Geologic maps. Prerequisite: Minimum 3 hours of nonlaboratory Geology. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 1300 - Physical Geology
Students are introduced to the origin of the solar system and the earth-moon system with emphasis on humankind's place in the universe. Students will investigate the materials and processes that shape the earth and the Geologic hazards that affect our lives. Mineral, water, and energy resources will be considered in the context of their occurrence and limitations. Plate tectonics and the origin and evolution of life will be used to frame the course. 3 lectures and a 2-hour lab period. Fulfills General Education Area 6. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 1310 - Historical Geology
Geologic time, evolution of prehistoric life, and principles of earth history with case examples from North America. Prerequisite: GEOS 1300 or GEOS 1000. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 1320 - Integrated Earth Systems Studies
The course will view the whole earth as a single system and focus on the interrelations and interactions among different subsystems and changes that occur in these with time. Topics covered will include basic laws of physics and chemistry that operate on the earth, evolution, biogeochemical cycles, global changes (natural and anthropogenic) and human interactions with the environment. Construction of models of systems will be explored to determine possible impact of a change on the system as a whole. Prerequisites: GEOS 1300 and GEOS 1310. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 1440 - Environmental Earth Science
A study of the earth from an environmental perspective. Origin of the earth and solar system, physical and chemical structure of the earth, chronology, and the use of the scientific method to advance this understanding. Focus on the hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere and their interactions. Fulfills General Education Area 7. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 1500 - Earth Hazards and Disasters
An introduction to the major geologic hazards affecting the earth. Impacts, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami and coastal hazards, mass wasting, and flooding will be discussed. Emphasis is placed on understanding how and why these hazards occur, how these hazards affect the lives of citizens in the United States and around the world, and how geoscience and technology can be used to identify and manage potential hazards. Credits: 3 hours.

GEOS 2000 - Evolution of Life: A Geologic Perspective
A consideration of the diversity of life through time with emphasis on the Geological constraints on evolution. Evolutionary processes and patterns of selected fossil groups from single-celled organisms to the vertebrates. Co-evolution of plants and animals, and mechanisms of extinction will be discussed. Fulfills General Education Area 6. Credits: 4 hours This laboratory-Based course is a continuation of GEOG 1900 and is specifically designed for prospective elementary teachers. The objectives of the course are to aid students in developing meaningful and functional understanding of key earth science concepts and their interrelations; to provide students with open-ended problems solving environments that facilitate insight in the nature of science as an intellectual activity; to explore alternate conceptions of scientific phenomena; to help students develop more positive attitudes about science and increase their confidence in their ability to do science. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 2900 - Earth Science for Elementary Educators II
This laboratory-Based course is a continuation of GEOG 1900 and is specifically designed for prospective elementary teachers. The objectives of the course are to aid students in developing meaningful and functional understanding of key earth science concepts and their interrelations; to provide students with open-ended problems solving environments that facilitate insight in the nature of science as an intellectual activity; to explore alternate conceptions of scientific phenomena; to help students develop more positive attitudes about science and increase their confidence in their ability to do science. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 3010 - Minerals and Rocks
A one semester course covering hand specimen mineralogy and petrology; includes introduction to crystallography, physical and chemical properties of minerals, and rock description and genesis. Will not count toward a major in Geology. Prerequisites: GEOS 1000 or 1300 and 1310, a course in college-level chemistry, or consent of instructor. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 3120 - Geology of the National Parks and Monuments
A study of the origin of Geologic features and the development of landscapes through Geologic time in selected National Parks and Monuments. Students will be expected to read extensively in the available literature. Fulfills General Education Area 7. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 3220 - Ocean Systems (Kominz) (Gillespie)
The ocean system encompasses over seventy percent of the world's surface, and comprises one of the largest resources that the peoples of the world hold in common. This course will explore our understanding of this complex system, and the evolution of technology on which this understanding is based. The costs and benefits of the past, present, and future use of the world ocean will be considered in the context of competing values and interests. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 3350 - Mineralogy
Introduction to crystallography, crystal chemistry, and determinative mineralogy. Physical and chemical properties, occurrence, uses and determination of about 100 minerals. Lecture 3 hours a week. Laboratory 3 hours a week. Prerequisites: GEOS 1000 or GEOS 1300; CHEM 1100 and 1110; or consent of instructor. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 3360 - Optical Mineralogy
Principles and methods of optical crystallography. Study of minerals and rocks in thin sections. Prerequisite: GEOS 3350 or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 4300 - Structural Geology
Development of rock structures and mechanics of rock deformation. Structural interpretation of Geologic maps, cross-sections, and aerial photographs. Prerequisites: GEOS 1310; GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350; MATH 1180; or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 4320 - Geomorphology
Detailed consideration of the earth's surficial processes including transformation of fluvial, glacial, mass-wasting, eolian, and coastal landforms. Laboratory exercises involve interpretation of topographic maps, Geologic maps, and air photographs. Three-day field trip required. This course is approved as a writing-intensive course which may fulfill the baccalaureate-level writing requirement of the student's curriculum. Prerequisites: GEOS 1310; GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350; PHYS 1070 and 1080 or PHYS 1130 and 1140; CHEM 1100 and 1110; and MATH 1180 or MATH 2000. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 4330 - Invertebrate Paleontology
Morphology, classification, evolution, and stratigraphic distribution of major invertebrate fossil groups. Prerequisite: GEOS 1310 or consent of instructor. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 4340 - Problems in Geology
Intensive reading and research on a topic in Geology under the direction of a member of the Geology faculty. Prerequisites: 16 hours in Geology and permission of department. Credits: 1 to 3 hours

GEOS 4350 - Sedimentation and Stratigraphy
rocesses, characteristics, and relationships among fluvial, deltaic, strand plain, lagoon, shelf, and slope terrigenous depositional systems. Laboratory includes textural analysis, sedimentary structures, paleocurrent analysis, electric logs, subsurface maps, and application of statistical and computer methods to the solution of sedimentologic problems and basin analysis. Course includes a three-day field trip. This course is approved as a writing-intensive course which may fulfill the baccalaureate-level writing requirement of the student's curriculum. Prerequisites: GEOS 1310; GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 4380 - Field Studies in Geology
Field observations and introduction to geologic mapping. Aspects of landscape evolution, rock-forming processes, and rock deformation will be studied. Emphasis will be on how observations are combined to make geologic interpretations and how the geologic history and evolution of a region can be interpreted from field data. Prerequisite: GEOS 3010 or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 4390 - Geologic Mapping
Field observations and geologic mapping. Rock-oriented mapping projects will be completed under supervision that requires observations and synthesis of rock descriptions, structural analyses, stratigraphic interpretations, and compilations of the geologic history of assigned study areas. Prerequisites: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 4400; GEOS 4300; or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 4400 - Petrology and Petrography
Classification, origin, and description of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Laboratory study of rocks and thin sections. Prerequisites: GEOS 3360; CHEM 1100 and 1110. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 4600 - Geologic Communications
A seminar designed to introduce students to the oral presentation of Geologic information. Students will critique talks given in the weekly departmental seminar and make one oral presentation to a group of students and faculty. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5020 - Problems in Geology and Earth Science
Individual problems involving topical reading and/or research problems in earth sciences. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: GEOS 1300, GEOS 3000, GEOS 3010, GEOS 4400, and consent of department. Notes: The prerequisites to 5000-level courses are: junior status and 12 hours of course work in Geosciences or consent of instructor. There may be specific prerequisites to individual courses. Credits: 1 to 3 hours

GEOS 5030 - Environmental Consulting Practice
An introduction to the principles and practices that are peculiar to environmental consulting. Emphasis is placed on the legal, business, and practical considerations needed to conduct a consulting practice. This course is not to be counted toward the 60 credits beyond the Master's in the Ph.D. program. Prerequisite: junior status and 12 hours of course work in Geosciences or consent of instructor. Credits: 2 hours

GEOS 5060 - Introduction to Soils
Properties of natural and engineered soils. Interactions between soils and plants, microorganisms, water, atmosphere, and contaminants. Soil uses, remediation, and conservation. Prerequisites: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350, MATH 1220 or MATH 1700, and CHEM 1100/1110; Corequisite is MATH 1230 or MATH 1710. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5090 - Surface Water Hydrology
Hydrology describes the waters of the earth, their occurrence, circulation and distribution, and their reaction with the environment. Emphasis is on quantitative aspects of surface water. Topics include, stream flow precipitation, evapotranspiration, hydrographs, runoff, probability analysis and modeling. Prerequisite: MATH 123 or MATH 1710. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5120 - Principles of Hydrogeology
The study of surface and ground water with special emphasis on its occurrence, movement, and relation to the Geologic environment. Prerequisites: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350; MATH 1220 or MATH 1700. MATH 1230 or MATH 1710 may be taken concurrently. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5140 - Isotope Hydrology
Principles of isotope fractionation. Experimental techniques in isotope mass spectrometry. Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen isotope systematics in the hydrologic cycle. Application of stable isotope techniques to study ground water - surface water interaction. Use of nitrogen isotope measurements in understanding round water nitrogen cycling and fate of nitrate load. Introduction to developments in the application of chlorine isotopes in hydrology. The course will include a seminar style approach requiring summarizing of recent research papers. Prerequisite: Instructor's consent. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5150 - Applied Hydrology
Application of hydrogeologic theory to water supply networks. Topics include: well installation, well testing, aquifer testing, and distribution systems. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5160 - Geochronology and Global Change
Application of the concepts of nuclear physics and chemistry to Geological problems. Topics to include absolute and relative dating, formation of the elements, global change and causes of global change. Prerequisites: GEOS 3350 and basic knowledge of Chemistry, Physics, and Math. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5200 - Economic Geology
Origin, occurrence, and utilization of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits, and mineral fuels. Lecture 3 hours a week. Prerequisite: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5210 - Geological and Environmental Remote Sensing
The course provides rigorous (70% of student's efforts) hands-on-exercises on the applications of remote sensing techniques in geological and in environmental sciences. The hands-on exercises are primarily based on case studies that were published in peer-reviewed articles, data downloaded from our receiving station, and/or data collected by the students using hand-held VNIR spectro-radiometer. In the process of solving the lab exercise, the students will master image processing techniques. The fundamentals of remote sensing will be covered as well, since the student can not start dealing with applications unless he or she knows the fundamentals. Throughout the course, the students will work with a wide-range of space-borne data sets including CORONA, Landsat MSS, Landsat TM, SPOT, ASTER, SIR-C, SRTM, A VIRIS, ASAR, and ERS. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 5230 - Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response
Training in safety procedures for working on hazardous sites. Training in the safe handling of hazardous materials which might be encountered during drilling, soil sampling, or water sampling. Review of State and Federal regulations. Use of personal protection equipment. Satisfies OSHA 40 hour training requirements. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5240 - Remediation Design and Implementation
Principles and techniques for the remediation or cleanup of ground water and soils contamination. Introduction to pump and treat systems, bioremediation, soil vapor extraction, air sparging, and others. Choosing the appropriate system and sizing it for economical application to a specific site. Field trips required. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5250 - Surface Geophysics
An introduction to the use of those surface geophysical methods used in the investigation of ground water. Includes shallow seismic electrical methods, and ground-penetrating radar. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5260 - Principles and Practices of Aquifer Testing
ntroduction to the methods of aquifer testing with emphasis on step drawdown pump-tests, forty-hour pumping test with recovery, slug tests and bail tests, data processing, using computer software, water level recorders, data loggers, and water level measuring equipment. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5270 - Principles of Well Drilling and Installation
An introduction to hollow-stem auger drilling and well installation, rotary drilling with mud and air, cable tool drilling, monitoring well design, sample collection and description; cuttings, split spoon, and Shelby tube, borehole geophysics, and installation and development of wells. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5280 - Principles and Practices of Ground-Water Sampling and Monitoring
An introduction to state-of-the-art techniques for sampling, monitoring, and evaluating ground water systems and surface water interactions. Includes quality control and assurance procedures, ground-water sampling equipment and procedures, field hydrochemical equipment and procedures, and vadose zone sampling of water and gas. Prerequisite: GEOS 5120. Credits: 1 hour

GEOS 5300 - Plate Tectonics and Earth Structure
Major tectonic features and internal structure of the earth in relation to plate tectonics, critical examination of the tenants of plate tectonics. Prerequisites: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350; GEOS 4300 or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5350 - Numerical and Spatial Data Analysis in the Geosciences
Application of various of elementary statistical methods (including elementary geostatistics) and computer-based software applications (including Arcview GIS) to the management, analysis, and display of multidimensional, sold earth, geosciences data through completion of a special project using established geological data sources or original, research project data. Prerequisites: MATH 1600, GEOG 3750. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5360 - Glacial Geology
A study of the mechanics of glacier movement, processes of glacial erosion and deposition, and the distribution of glacial features in space and time. Special emphasis will be placed on the glacial Geology of the Great Lakes area. Prerequisite: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5400 - Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology
Advanced discussion of origins and positions of igneous and metamorphic rocks in light of recent experimental evidence and concepts of global tectonics. Prerequisite: GEOS 4400 or equivalent. Credits: 4 hours

GEOS 5450 - Hazardous Waste Remediation
Content includes chemical, physical, and biological processes affecting contaminants in the subsurface. Topics include environmental regulations, remediation, site characterization, contaminant characterization, detailed engineering and management considerations related to the design and operation of hazardous waste remediation systems involving water pollution, air pollution, solid waste, and groundwater pollution. Prerequisites: MATH 1220 or MATH 1700 and corequisite MATH 1230 or MATH 1710; CHEM 1120/1130. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5550 - Introduction to Geochemistry
An introduction to high and low temperature geochemistry. Topics to be discussed include cosmochemistry, crystal chemistry, thermodynamics and kinetics, aqueous geochemistry, stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, organic geochemistry, and biogeochemistry. Three hours lecture per week with weekly problem sets. Prerequisites: GEOS 3350, CHEM 1120/1130. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5600 - Introduction to Applied Geophysics
Seismology, gravity, geomagnetism, electrical resistivity, and heat measurements applied to the determination of the internal structure of the earth. Two lectures and three hours of practical laboratory-introduction to geophysical instrumentation. Prerequisites: GEOS 3010 or GEOS 4400; GEOS 4300; MATH 1220 or MATH 1700; two semesters of college physics; or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5610 - Reflection Seismology
Reflection seismology and related techniques as applied to petroleum exploration and deep crustal exploration. Theoretical background, data collection, data processing and interpretation will be discussed. Prerequisites: GEOS 5600, MATH 1230 or MATH 1710. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5620 - Gravity and Magnetic Exploration
Gravity and Magnetic methods applied to tectonic, mineral exploration, hydroGeologic and crustal studies. Theoretical background, instrumentation, surveying techniques, data reduction, processing, and computer modeling and interpretation will be discussed. Two lectures and three hours of laboratory, problem solving, and field exercises. Prerequisites: GEOS 5600, MATH 1230 or MATH 1710. Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5630 - Electrical Methods
Resistivity sounding and profiling, induced polarization, spontaneous potential, electromagnetic methods using natural and artificial fields. Two lectures and 3 hr. laboratory with field studies and laboratory modeling. Prerequisites: GEOS 5600, MATH 1230 or MATH 1710, and (PHYS 4400 recommended). Credits: 3 hours

GEOS 5640 - Field Geophysics
Field studies utilizing seismic gravity and magnetic, electromagnetic, georadar, and electrical resistivity methods for glacial geology and ground-water, engineering, and environmental problems in the Kalamazoo area. Course also includes field work at local sites. Prerequisite: GEOS 5600 or consent of instructor. Credits: 3 hours

Department of Geosciences
1187 Rood Hall
1903 West Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: (269) 387-5485
Fax: (269) 387-5513
mohamed.sultan@wmich.edu

Any questions concerning the website should be directed to: johnson.haas@wmich.edu
©2007 Department of Geosciences, WMU