Earth Science

A lecture course focusing on the various aspects of earth science. Topics emphasize the physical environment and may include rocks and minerals, the structure of the earth, plate tectonics, geological history, and the development of landforms. Prerequisite: MTH 100 or higher level mathematics. Additionally, it is recommended that the accompanying laboratory (ES 108) be taken concurrently. With ES 108, this course fulfills the Physical and Natural Place requirement in the General Education Curriculum.

Laboratory to accompany the Introduction to Earth Science lecture. The lab covers a variety of Earth Science topics including crystal growing, the rock cycle, mineral identification, sedimentary rock identification, metamorphic rock identification, weathering, porosity and permeability, ice and glaciers, seawater, plate tectonics, stress and deformation, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Prerequisite or Corequisite: ES 107. With ES 107, his course fulfills the Physical and Natural Place requirement in the General Education Curriculum.

An introductory physical geology course that includes a comprehensive study of the earth's physical processes and properties, with an emphasis on understanding the scientific theories behind the geological principles. Topics are explored within the general context of plate tectonic theory and include: minerals and rocks, weathering and erosion, earthquakes and earth's interior, volcanoes and volcanic hazards, mountain building, origin and evolution of the ocean floor, landforms, mass wasting, groundwater, weathering and soils, geologic time, global climate change and natural resources. Prerequisite: MTH 093 or placement beyond. Additionally, it is recommended that the accompanying laboratory (ES 128) be taken concurrently. With ES 218, this course fulfills the Physical and Natural Place requirement in the General Education Curriculum.

In this laboratory course students will utilize the basic materials and tools of physical geology to identify common rocks and minerals. Students will also analyze and interpret geologic and topographic maps as well as aerial photographs. Specific topic areas to be studied include faults and folds, mass wasting, stream, eolian, glacial, coastal and slope processes, earthquake hazards and plate tectonics. Emphasis is placed on interactions between plate tectonics and the rock cycle, and how these interactions drive igneous rock formation, metamorphic rock formation, and the formation of sedimentary basins and landforms. Lab topics will also include: earthquake/volcano mapping, virtual earthquake and river flooding activity, weather rain gauge activity, geologic landforms, earth history. Pre- or Corequisite: ES 127. With ES 127, this course fulfills the Physical and Natural Place requirement in the General Education Curriculum.

This course provides a geographic perspective on the natural processes that form major components in our physical environment with an emphasis on weather, climate and landforms. Students will also learn how geographers study the physical environment and the interconnected linkages between physical and human systems. Through gaining a deeper understanding of the physical processes that influence our planet, students will recognize how and why physical and human phenomena vary from place to place. Key issues will include the dynamic and fragile nature of the planet's natural systems, the processes involved in creating physical phenomena in the Earth's natural environment, geographic methods employed by practicing scientists, and human/environment interaction. Prerequisite: MTH 100 or higher level mathematics. Additionally, it is recommended that the accompanying laboratory (ES 138) be taken concurrently. With ES 138, this course fulfills the Physical and Natural Place requirement in the General Education Curriculum.

This course provides a geographic perspective on the natural processes that form major components in our physical environment with an emphasis on weather, climate and landforms. Students will also learn how geographers study the physical environment and the interconnected linkages between physical and human systems. Through gaining a deeper understanding of the physical processes that influence our planet, students will recognize how and why physical and human phenomena vary from place to place. Key issues will include the dynamic and fragile nature of the planet's natural systems, the processes involved in creating physical phenomena in the Earth's natural environment, geographic methods employed by practicing scientists, and human/environment interaction. Pre-or Corequisite: ES 137. With ES 137, this course fulfills the lab science requirement for the general education program.

This course covers the basic concepts of geographic information systems (GIS), the methods and software used to implement them, and their appplications to surveying and analysis of other surveying problems. This course will provide an overview of geographic information systems and a foundation in georeferencing spatial data with coordinate systems, projecting these data to a flat surface, employing map scale, working with layers of information, and making maps. Students will construct a final map project that demostrates an application of methods and software components.

Study of a selected topic of special interest. The topic may differe each time the course is offered and may be proposed by either the instructor or the students. This course may be taken for credit any number of times, provided that a different topoic is studied each time. Prerequisite: Consent of the Instructor.

Study of a selected topic of special interest. The topic may differ each time the course is offered and may be proposed by either the instructor of the students. This course may be taken for credit any number of times, provided that a different topic is studied each time. Prerequisite: Consent of the Instructor.