Introductory Courses and Courses for Non-concentrators
G.S. 100-115 are short (half-term) courses. They consist of detailed examinations of restricted geologic topics. The department lists the specific courses from this series in the Time Schedule for the terms they are offered (fall and winter terms only). Each course, when offered, meets twice weekly for half of the term (first half or second half), and the specific dates for each course are printed in the Time Schedule. These courses are designed primarily for students with no prior geologic training and they are open to all interested persons. G.S. 100-115 are offered on the graded pattern (optional pass/fail).
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 156 (or 260). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http://www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~kacey/ugrad/courses.html
Coral Reefs will be an in-depth tour of the biological and physical processes active in modern reef systems to provide a detailed understanding of the ecology of the individual organisms and the complex nature of their interactions within the reef community. Evolution of the reef community will be examined, ranging from the crude framework structures formed over one billion years ago by primitive algae to the luxuriant and diversified reefs of the modern-day oceans, to define the evolutionary strategies of reef building organisms.
By tracking these evolutionary strategies through geologic time, the implications of man's intervention with the Earth's hydrosphere and atmosphere on the character of future reef communities will be considered.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 1 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 149 (or 273). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course will provide an introduction to our current understanding of dinosaurs and certain other reptilian groups of the Mesozoic Era. It is intended for students with an interest in geology, paleontology, or evolution, but does not require prior training in these fields. The course will deal with broad features of the evolutionary history of dinosaurs, methods of reconstructing dinosaur behavior and ecology, new developments in our interpretation of the biology of dinosaurs, and possible causes for the extinction of dinosaurs. There will be two lectures each week and a single exam at the end of the course.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 1 | Waitlist Code: 3 or 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 205 or 146 (or 270). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This one-credit hour course will explore the mobility of the continents and oceans in geological times. Conceptual and factual material will be combined with the principles of plate tectonics and the processes that drive the plates. No special background is recommended, and evaluation will be based on a final exam (with a practice take-home exam mid-way). The goals of this minicourse are to familiarize students with one of the more exciting recent developments in earth sciences, a unifying concept that explains ocean evolution, mountain building, earthquakes and volcanoes.
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Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 125. (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
Anatomical and behavioral characteristics of living primates are reviewed, and the fossil record is used to document the course of human evolution through the past 60 million years. No special background is required. Students seeking a more detailed course with laboratory exercises may follow this with Geology 438 (Evolution of the Primates). Course consists of 12 lectures, and a one-hour final examination.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 1 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 205, 146, or 147 (or 270 or 271). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~becky/
The course is a study of the earth in action and includes the following topics: geography of earthquakes and volcanoes; catastrophic events in historic times; size and frequency of occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; the products of volcanism; volcanic rocks; volcanic activity through geologic time; volcanic exhalations and the evolution of the earth's atmosphere and oceans; relationship of earthquakes and volcanoes to plate tectonics and the internal dynamics of the earth; volcanism and geothermal energy; manmade earthquakes; and earthquake prediction and control. Instruction by lecture, evaluation on basis of quizzes and final exam.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 205, 146, or 147 (or 270 or 271). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
The course is a study of the earth in action and includes the following topics: geography of earthquakes and volcanoes; catastrophic events in historic times; size and frequency of occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; the products of volcanism; volcanic rocks; volcanic activity through geologic time; volcanic exhalations and the evolution of the earth's atmosphere and oceans; relationship of earthquakes and volcanoes to plate tectonics and the internal dynamics of the earth; volcanism and geothermal energy; manmade earthquakes; and earthquake prediction and control. Instruction by lecture, evaluation on basis of final exam.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 1 | Waitlist Code: 3 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 201 or 151 (or 275). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~vmckenna/geo111.html
The intent of GS 111 is to give a heightened awareness to students of the nature and fragility of the Earth’s climate, and how changes in climate have affected past civilizations and may affect our future. Course topics will include: a description of the climate systems of the Earth: the atmosphere, oceans, and polar ice caps; the information we gather to understand the history of those systems; how changes in climate have affected past civilizations, and what we think will happen to the planet when the long expected “Greenhouse Effect – Global Warming” finally arrives.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 201 or 151 (or 275). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
The intent of GS 111 is to give a heightened awareness to students of the nature and fragility of the Earth’s climate, and how changes in climate have affected past civilizations and may affect our future. Course topics will include: a description of the climate systems of the Earth: the atmosphere, oceans, and polar ice caps; the information we gather to understand the history of those systems; how changes in climate have affected past civilizations, and what we think will happen to the planet when the long expected “Greenhouse Effect – Global Warming” finally arrives.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 204 or 158 (or 278). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This lecture course provides a current survey of the geology and climates of the various bodies of the solar system in light of the extraordinary advances in planetary exploration during the past two decades. Topics treated include historical development of geological ideas about the solar system, planetary evolution, variability of geological processes throughout the solar system, and individual portraits of the principal members of the solar system family. No previous geological background is required. Course grade will be determined from a single objective-type final examination.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 2 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: High School math, physics, and chemistry. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 142 (or 266). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~youxue/GS114.html
This lecture course introduces the origin, abundance, and distribution of the elements in the solar system. It is intended for students with an interest in science. The topics include: a review of the periodic table of the elements; stellar evolution and synthesis of the elements; nuclear properties and their relation to the abundance of the elements and their isotopes; chemical properties and their relation to the distribution of the elements in planets and in different reservoirs of a planet. Great pictures of the planets; formation and evolution of planetary atmospheres. Evaluation on the basis of a final exam.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 1 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 135 or 145 (or 269). (1). (NS). (BS).
Mini/Short course
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http: //www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~stixrude/GS115/index.html
Examines the age of the earth, the concept and discovery of deep time and its measurement, and implications for the development of our environment. The history of the earth is described from its origin in the circumsolar disk to the formation of the moon, the atmosphere and oceans, the formation of continents, and the origin of life. Final exam.
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Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 116, 119, or 120. Those with credit for GS 205 may only elect GS 117 for 4 credits. (5). (NS). (BS).
Credits: (5).
Course Homepage: http://geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/117/gs117.html
This course is the standard entrance level prerequisite for the geological sciences concentration. Because of that importance, we take its "heartbeat" on a very regular basis to ensure that not only does the course provide an excellent introduction of our discipline to non-science concentrators but also that it perks the interests of students considering geological sciences for a concentration. Several faculty members are involved with this course, and often a two-person team typically composed of a geochemist and a geophysicist teaches it. Our aim is to get the students to gain a familiarity with the fundamentals of geology, and environmental science. We describe and discuss the processes governing the basic building blocks of matter – atoms, compounds, minerals and the three types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic). We highlight the vastness of geologic time relative to the human lifespan, the central importance of plate tectonics in shaping our planet, the chemical and physical processes that shape Earth's landscapes, and the origin of (and the consequences of our use of) natural resources. The second half of the course focuses on the figure of the Earth (the geoid), its gravitational and magnetic fields, earthquake wave transmission, internal structure and heat flow. The course ends with a provocative discussion about the impact of global chemical changes (both natural and anthropogenic) on climate. Finally, the course has lab and discussion sections, which we visit often but are taught by GSIs. The lab provides hands-on experience with basic geology techniques and materials, with an emphasis on learning to identify minerals and rocks and on understanding and interpreting geologic maps.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 2 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Prior or concurrent enrollment in GS 119, or 205 and 206, or 135. Credit is not granted for GS 118 to those with credit for an introductory course in geology (GS 116, 117, or 218). (1). (NS). (BS).
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http://geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/117/gs117.html
The laboratory provides hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, and maps. Participants will learn to identify common minerals and rocks, use topographic and geologic maps, and draw and interpret geologic cross sections. Examples will be drawn from areas of recent glaciation, volcanism, and earthquakes to show how these features are depicted in maps.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 2 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Credit is not granted for GS 120 to those with credit for an introductory course in geology (116, 117, 119). No credit granted to those who have completed both GS 205 and 206. (4). (NS). (BS).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~eustasy/GS120.html
Geology of National Parks and Monuments approaches Earth history by examining the geology of places rather than by taking a process approach. It is designed for all interested undergraduates at the University of Michigan. The course format consists of three lectures each week and one two-hour demonstration-laboratory period, for four credits. Lecture material deals with the geologic history of selected National Parks and Monuments, which are chosen and scheduled so that those in which the oldest rocks are exposed (thus relating to the earliest portions of Earth history) are covered first. In so doing, we cover Earth history in a temporal progression, but do so by discussing different geographic areas. The demonstration-laboratory portion of the course will give you first-hand experience with rocks, minerals, and fossils; and an opportunity to discuss these in small groups.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 2 | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in GS 144 (or 268). Those with credit for GS 111 may only elect GS 201 for 3 credits. (4). (NS). (BS).
Credits: (4; 3 in the half-term).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course is a basic introduction to physical geography which emphasizes many topics including maps, seasons, the atmosphere, greenhouse gasses, radiation and heat balance, the dangers of global warming, circulation, moisture and precipitation, air masses, and water supply. Students also study climate classification, and geologic and historical climate changes, and landforms and their formation. Students in this lecture-lab course are evaluated by hourly and final examinations with satisfactory completion of the lab work a prerequisite to the final course evaluation.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 2 | Waitlist Code: 3 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Concurrent enrollment in GS 222. (1). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~vmckenna/oceanography.html
This course is an optional laboratory intended to provide students with opportunities to explore further various oceanography topics presented in the GS 222 lectures. Laboratory sessions will include sampling procedures, use of equipment, discussions, and demonstrations of how data are generated. The course grade will be based on written laboratory exercises and a final exam.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 1 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: GS 231 and either an introductory geological sciences course or GS 351 to be elected prior to or concurrently with GS 310. (4). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
Petrology is the study of the origins of rocks. Emphasis is placed on igneous and metamorphic rocks in this course. The evidence for the deep crustal and upper mantle sources of igneous rocks is traced using petrographic, geochemical, and phase diagrammatic observations. In metamorphic petrology the response of metamorphic rocks to changes in pressure, temperature, and fluid composition will be evaluated, primarily using petrographic and phase equilibrium data. Plate tectonic processes will be tied in to the origin and evolution of many igneous and metamorphic rocks. Some comparisons with extra-terrestrial igneous petrology will be made. The lectures are coordinated with microscopic laboratories using optical techniques to identify and evaluate mineral assemblages. The grade is determined through a combination of midterms, laboratory exams, and a final.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: GS 117 or 119. (4). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jmpares/gs351.htm
The description and analysis of geological structures in the Earth's crust and an introduction to global tectonics. Three lectures and one laboratory session weekly. The following topics are covered: the description of geological structures; the kinematics and dynamics of folding and faulting; stress, strain, deformation and rheology; introduction to dislocation theory; micro-structural analysis; principles of plate tectonics; selected orogenic systems of the world. This is a core course for concentrators, but is open to all who want to have a basic knowledge of geology. Evaluation is based on graded lab assignments, a lab test, and three exams. Textbooks: Earth Structure – An Introduction to Structural Geology and Tectonics, 1997, by B. A. van der Pluijm and S. Marshak (lectures) and Basic Methods of Structural Geology by S. Marshak and G. Mitra (labs).
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Geology 231/232, comparable courses in the solid-state, or the approval of the instructor. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course is designed to attract those students with an interest and background in solid-state sciences. The emphasis will be on the combination of fundamental principles with application to environmental and technological problems.
Major topics include:
Upper-level undergraduates and first year graduate students in geology, materials science, and engineering. lecture. The lecture will be supplemented by readings from current scientific journals. Grades will be based on homework assignments, a term paper and an oral presentation of the paper.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Permission of instructor. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
GS 430 (Depositional Environments) is an upper division course dealing with advanced concepts in the deposition of sedimentary rocks. It is intended for seniors and entering graduate students in the geological sciences with some background training in depositional processes such as a previous course in sedimentary geology or stratigraphy. Course material includes examination of important processes and products of sediment accumulation in the major terrigenous clastic, carbonate, and evaporite depositional systems including both continental and oceanic settings.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Permission of instructor. (4). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
Anatomical and behavioral characteristics of living primates are reviewed and the fossil record of primates is covered in detail, illustrating how fossils document the history of primates and the tempo and mode of primate evolution. This course includes three lectures and a laboratory each week, one midterm exam, a research paper, and a final exam. Introductory geology and biology are recommended as background.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
Prerequisites & Distribution: GS 222/223 or introductory physical geology. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course is an examination of the geology of the ocean basins and the adjacent continental margins. Topics covered include methods of marine data collection, geologic structure of the ocean floor and margins, sea-floor spreading and plate tectonics, the processes of terrigenous, biogenous and chemical sedimentation, and the interpretation of the sedimentary record in terms of past ocean circulation and global climate history.
Grades are based on a midterm and final examination.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: 3 | Waitlist Code: 4 |
Prerequisites & Distribution: Prior or concurrent election of Math. 215 and Phys. 240. (4). (Excl). (BS).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~ruff/geo483.W00/overview483.html
This course studies physics of earthquakes and the Earth's interior. Various seismological techniques to infer those from seismic waves are presented. Most treatments are application of physics to the real Earth and basic knowledge of math and physics is required. Geological background is not required. The outline of the course is: (1) basic seismological information including spatial and temporal distribution of earthquakes, magnitude and intensity scales, locating earthquakes, and seismometry; (2) elastic wave theory including stress and strain, seismic wave equations, body and surface waves, refraction and reflection, free oscillations of the Earth; (3) the Earth's structure; (4) earthquake source models. Lecture and laboratory.
| Check Times, Location, and Availability | Cost: No Data Given. | Waitlist Code: No Data Given. |
This page was created at 8:07 AM on Wed, Jan 19, 2000.