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Courses by Subject Area
Click on the links below for a list of courses in that subject area. You may then click “View Classes” to see scheduled classes for individual courses. See the Ratcliffe Hicks Courses page for a list of those courses.
1010. Dinosaurs, Extinctions, and Environmental Catastrophes
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Not open for credit to students who have passed GSCI 1050, 1051, 1055, or 1070.
Grading Basis: Graded
A reconstruction of the Mesozoic world of the dinosaurs based on paleontological and geological evidence. Past and present environmental catastrophes leading to mass extinctions and changes in biodiversity. Fundamental concepts of geology, stratigraphy, historical geology, and paleoclimatology. CA 3.
View Classes »1050. Earth's Dynamic Environment
4.00 credits
Prerequisites: Not open for credit to students who have passed GSCI 1010, 1051, 1055, or 1070.
Grading Basis: Graded
Origin and history of planet Earth, emphasizing how rock, air, water, and life interact at different scales to produce the earth's crust, landforms, life systems, natural resources, catastrophes, and climatic regimes. Provides a scientific context for human-induced global change. CA 3-LAB.
View Classes »1051. Earth's Dynamic Environment (Lecture)
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Not open for credit to students who have passed GSCI 1010, 1050, 1055, or 1070.
Grading Basis: Graded
Origin and history of planet Earth, emphasizing how rock, air, water, and life interact at different scales to produce the earth's crust, landforms, life systems, natural resources, catastrophes, and climatic regimes. Provides a scientific context for human-induced global change. CA 3. Students who complete both GSCI 1051 and 1052 may request that GSCI 1051 be converted to a CA 3 Laboratory course.
View Classes »1052. Earth's Dynamic Environment (Laboratory)
1.00 credits
Prerequisites: Prerequisite or corequisite: GSCI 1010, 1051, 1055, or 1070. Not open to students enrolled in or having passed GSCI 1050.
Grading Basis: Graded
Laboratory complement to GSCI 1010, 1051, 1055, and 1070. Provides an opportunity to work with specimens (minerals, fossils, rocks), terrain images, maps, physical models, and simulation experiments. Includes local field trips. Students who complete both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010, 1051, 1055 or 1070 may request that the prerequisite be converted to a CA 3 Laboratory course.
View Classes »1053. Discussion Earth and Life Through Time
1.00 credits | May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or 1051 or 1052 (must be taken concurrently) or instructor consent.
Grading Basis: Graded
Faculty-taught weekly discussions to enhance GSCI 1050 and 1051. Emphasis and approach will vary, but all sections will track the lecture syllabus. May be repeated for credit with instructor consent.
View Classes »1054. Field Trips Earth and Life Through Time
1.00 credits | May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or 1051 or 1052 (must be taken concurrently) or instructor consent.
Grading Basis: Graded
Two or more faculty-led weekend field trips to nearby sites of interest, designed to enhance GSCI 1050 and 1051.
View Classes »1055. Geoscience and the American Landscape
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Open only to Honors students. Not open for credit to students who have passed GSCI 1010, 1050, 1051, 1070.
Grading Basis: Honors Credit
An Honors Core course. Foundation course in geology linked to the American Landscape through readings from American history and literature. CA 3. Students who complete both GSCI 1055 and GSCI 1052 may request that GSCI 1055 be converted to a CA 3 Laboratory course.
View Classes »1070. Natural Disasters and Environmental Change
Also offered as: GEOG 1070
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Not open for credit to students who have passed GSCI 1010, 1050, 1051, 1055.
Grading Basis: Graded
Climate change, global warming, natural hazards, earth surface processes, and the impact these have on human populations now and in the past. CA 3. Students who complete both GSCI 1070 and GSCI 1052 may request that GSCI 1070 be converted to a CA 3 Laboratory course.
View Classes »2310. National Parks Unearthed: Geology and Landscapes through Time
Geologic processes that shape the Earth's landscapes and interior through the study of National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores. Plate tectonics, climate and biotic change, natural hazards and resources, and environmental conservation.
View Classes »2500. Earth System Science
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or GSCI 1051 or GSCI 1055 or GEOG/GSCI 1070.
Grading Basis: Graded
Introduction to earth system science, geoscience research methods, and professional practice through lab work, field work in UConn Forest, visits to faculty labs, and culminating project.
View Classes »3010. Earth History and Global Change
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070
Grading Basis: Graded
Reconstruction of earth history from geological data. Processes and events responsible for the stratigraphic record, and techniques used to decipher it. An integrated survey of earth history. One or more weekend field trips may be required.
View Classes »3020. Earth Surface Processes
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070
Grading Basis: Graded
Processes responsible for the formation of the unconsolidated materials, landforms, and soils which constitute the Earth's surface. Introduction to surface-water and groundwater hydrology, geological hazards and the effects of climatic change. One or more weekend field trips may be required.
View Classes »3030. Earth Structure
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070
Grading Basis: Graded
Structure and composition of the earth, including a survey of plate tectonics and crustal evolution. Gravitational, thermal and tectonic processes associated with the earth's surface and interior. One or more weekend field trips may be required.
View Classes »3040. Earth Materials
4.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070. Recommended preparation: CHEM 1124-1126 or 1127 and 1128. Cannot be taken for credit after passing GSCI 4410 or 4420.
Grading Basis: Graded
Principles of symmetry and crystal chemistry and the identification of minerals by hand sample, petrographic and x-ray methods. Description of the mineralogy and texture of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and the application of contemporary petrogenetic models to the interpretation of the geologic environments they record. One or more weekend field trips may be required.
View Classes »3230. Beaches and Coasts
Also offered as: MARN 3230
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: MARN 1002 or MARN 1003 or GSCI 1050 or GSCI 1051, or consent of instructor.
Grading Basis: Graded
Introduction to the processes that form and modify coasts and beaches, including tectonic setting, sediment supply, coastal composition, energy regimes and sea level change; tools and techniques utilized in marine geologic mapping and reconstruction of submerged coastal features; field trips to selected coastal features.
View Classes »3710. Engineering and Environmental Geology
Also offered as: CE 3530, ENVE 3530
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Recommended preparation: GSCI 1050 or 1051.
Grading Basis: Graded
Application of geological principles to engineering and environmental problems. Topics include site investigation, geologic hazards, slope processes, earthquakes, subsidence, and the engineering properties of geologic materials. Course intended for both geoscience and engineering majors. CLAS-10/14/08; EG-9/26/08
View Classes »3990. Spring Field Trip
3.00 credits | May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070
Grading Basis: Graded
A field-based introduction to the integration of geological and biological observations and processes. Field trip during and weekly meetings before and after spring break. May be repeated for credit with change in field venue or permission of the instructor.
View Classes »4050W. Geoscience and Society
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050 or 1051; at least two 2000-level or above GSCI courses one of which may be taken concurrently; ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011; or instructor consent; open to juniors or higher.
Grading Basis: Graded
Application of fundamental geological principles to issues of concern to society such as global climate change; wildfires; drought and water resources; earthquake, volcano, and tsunami hazards; medical geology; energy resources; sustainability; and coastal processes.
View Classes »4110. Sedimentology
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Prerequisite: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070. Recommended preparation: GSCI 3020.
Grading Basis: Graded
Basic principles of sedimentology with an emphasis on the description of sedimentary texture and structure. Physicochemical and biological processes that characterize depositional environments. Diagenesis. Examination of modern systems to interpret ancient sedimentary environments. One or more weekend field trips may be required.
View Classes »4120. Paleobiology
Also offered as: EEB 4120
4.00 credits
Prerequisites: Prerequisite: GSCI 1050; or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070; or BIOL 1108.
Grading Basis: Graded
Ancient life, including the preservation of organisms as fossils, evolution, ecology, geobiology, biostratigraphy, and major events in the history of life. Includes microorganisms, animals, and plants.
View Classes »4130. Geomicrobiology
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050; or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070; or BIOL 1108; or instructor consent. Recommended preparation: GSCI 3010, MCB 2610.
Grading Basis: Graded
Microbial diversity and biogeochemistry, microbe-mineral interactions, fossil record, atmospheric record, microbialites, and research methodology in geomicrobiology. A weekend field trip may be required.
View Classes »4140. Sedimentary Basin Analysis
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1010 and 1052, or GSCI 1070 and 1052, or GSCI 1051 and 1052, or GSCI 1050
Grading Basis: Graded
Tectonic and environmental controls on the development and evolution of sedimentary basins. Emphasis on mechanisms of formation, characteristic depositional patterns, and sediment composition in modern and ancient tectonic settings. Basin analysis methods include sedimentology, stratigraphy, geochemistry, provenance and paleocurrent analysis, subsidence modeling, and interpretation of geophysical data.
View Classes »4150. Applied Data Analysis in Earth Science
Also offered as: GEOG 4150
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Recommended preparation: STAT 1000Q or 1100Q, GEOG 3500Q; open to juniors or higher.
Grading Basis: Graded
Multivariate spatial analysis methods and statistical inference in earth science, emphasizing how to translate conceptual understanding into computer code.
View Classes »4210. Glacial Processes and Materials
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Recommended preparation: GSCI 3020.
Grading Basis: Graded
The climates and dynamics of glaciers, the geologic processes responsible for the materials and landforms of glaciated regions, and the applications of glacial geology to paleoclimatology, paleoecology, land use history, hydrology, engineering, and natural resources. Includes two weekend days of field trips to be scheduled.
View Classes »4230. GIS and Remote Sensing for Geoscience Applications
Also offered as: GEOG 4230
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GEOG 2300; or GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070.
Grading Basis: Graded
Application of Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing, and image interpretation to problems in geoscience. Data acquisition, processing and analysis of Digital Elevation Models and satellite imagery. Geologic materials, processes, landforms and landscapes.
View Classes »4330. Active Tectonics
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050; or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010 or 1051 or 1055 or 1070 or GEOG 1070; or GEOG 2300; or consent of instructor. Recommended preparation: GSCI 3020 and 3030.
Grading Basis: Graded
Tectonic processes that shape the Earth's surface, particularly its landforms. Emphasis on short-term processes that produce disasters and catastrophes and affect human society.
View Classes »4390. Field Problems in Earth Structure
2.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 3030, which may be taken concurrently.
Grading Basis: Graded
Mapping techniques and map interpretation using concepts developed in GEOL 3030. Emphasis on mapping moderately deformed rocks in which sedimentary features can be differentiated.
View Classes »4510. Applied & Environmental Geophysics
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: PHYS 1230 or 1402 or 1502 or 1602, which may be taken concurrently; MATH 1122 or 1132 or 1152, which may be taken concurrently.
Grading Basis: Graded
Principles of imaging the Earth's interior using observations of electric, magnetic, and gravity fields, with applications to environmental problems. GEOC
View Classes »4520. Exploration Seismology
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: PHYS 1230 or 1402 or 1502 or 1602, which may be taken concurrently; MATH 1121 or 1131 or 1151, which may be taken concurrently.
Grading Basis: Graded
Principles of seismic methods for imaging the interior of the earth, with applications to resource exploration and environmental problems.
View Classes »4550. Physics of the Earth's Interior
Also offered as: PHYS 4100
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: PHYS 1230 or 1402 or 1502 or 1530 or 1602, which may be taken concurrently; MATH 1121 or 1126 or 1131, which may be taken concurrently. Recommended preparation: MATH 1132.
Grading Basis: Graded
The composition, structure, and dynamics of the Earth's core, mantle, and crust inferred from observations of seismology, geomagnetism, and heat flow.
View Classes »4560. Fundamentals of Planetary Science
Also offered as: PHYS 4130
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: PHYS 1230 or 1402 or 1502 or 1530 or 1602, any of which may be taken concurrently; MATH 1122 or 1126 or 1131, any of which may be taken concurrently.
Grading Basis: Graded
Evolution of the solar system, celestial mechanics, tidal friction, internal composition of planets, black-body radiation, planetary atmospheres.
View Classes »4735. Introduction to Ground Water Hydrology
Also offered as: NRE 4135
4.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 1050, or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010, 1051, 1055, or 1070; open to juniors or higher.
Grading Basis: Graded
Basic hydrologic principles with emphasis on ground water flow and quality, geologic relationships, quantitative analysis and field methods. Occasional field trips.
View Classes »4810. Modeling the Changing Atmosphere and Ocean
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Open to juniors or higher. Recommended preparation: MATH 1060 or MATH 1131, or PHYS 1201 or PHYS 1202.
Grading Basis: Graded
Modeling past and future climate, with an emphasis on conceptual understanding of the earth system and simulation results from climate models of different complexities.
View Classes »4850. Paleoclimatology
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Prerequisite: GSCI 1050 or both GSCI 1052 and one of GSCI 1010, 1051, 1055, or 1070, open to juniors or higher.
Grading Basis: Graded
Introduction to the geological evidence, research methods, and hypotheses associated with major climatic events in Earth's history through a combination of lectures, paper discussions, and a climate modeling project.
View Classes »4989. Undergraduate Research in Geoscience
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: Open only to juniors or higher.
Grading Basis: Graded
Independent research for the advanced undergraduate student interested in investigating a special problem involving field and/or laboratory observations in geoscience. The student is required to give an oral presentation in a departmental seminar at the end of the semester.
View Classes »4990. Internship in Geoscience Field Study
1.00 - 3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 3010 and 3020 and 3030 and 3040, all of which may be taken concurrently. Must be taken concurently with GSCI 4991.
Grading Basis: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
An internship program under the direction of Geoscience faculty. Students will be placed with government agencies or businesses where academic training will be applied in a program of activities to be planned and agreed upon in advance by the job site supervisor, the faculty coordinator, and the intern. One credit may be earned for each 42 hours of pre-approved activities up to a maximum of three credits. Students taking this course will be assigned a final grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory.) May not be repeated.
View Classes »4991. Internship in Geoscience Research Paper
1.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 3010 and 3020 and 3030 and 3040, all of which may be taken concurrently. GSCI 4990 must be taken concurrently.
Grading Basis: Graded
Preparation of written report and oral presentation to Department summarizing internship experience and evaluating the applicability of academic experience to job situations and the impact of the internship experience on academic and career plans. May not be repeated.
View Classes »4995. Special Topics
1.00 - 6.00 credits | May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: None.
Grading Basis: Graded
Investigation of special topics related to, but not ordinarily covered in the undergraduate offerings; emphasis on laboratory projects. May be repeated for credit.
View Classes »4996W. Undergraduate Research Thesis in Geoscience
3.00 credits
Prerequisites: GSCI 4989; ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011; open to juniors or higher.
Grading Basis: Graded
Writing of a formal thesis based on independent research conducted by the student.
View Classes »4998. Variable Topics
3.00 credits | May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: Prerequisites and recommended preparation vary.
Grading Basis: Graded
With a change of topic, may be repeated for credit.
View Classes »4999. Independent Study
1.00 - 6.00 credits | May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisites: None.
Grading Basis: Graded
May be repeated for credit.
View Classes »