Courses Offered
Geology Courses Offered
Geoscience majors must earn a grade of "C" or better in all required geology courses. Before enrolling in any required geology course, geoscience majors must have earned a grade of "C" or better in all geology courses prerequisite to that course.
Credit will not be given for both: 1) GEOL 1040 and GEOL 1310, 2) GEOL 1040 and GEOL 3210, 3) GEOL 1310 and GEOL 3210.
GEOL 1040. The Dynamic Earth. Lec.
3. Lab. 2. Credit 4.<<
Origin and classification of minerals and rocks; geologic processes and
landform development.
GEOL 1045. Geology, Environment, Resources,
and Society.
Lec. 3. Lab. 2. Credit 4.<<
Application of physical geology principles to geologic hazards, environmental
pollution and land/resource use.
GEOL 1310. Concepts of Geology.
Lec. 2. Lab. 3. Credit 3.<<
Introduction to the earth sciences: maps, weather and climate, minerals
and rocks, water, geologic processes, time and earth's history. This course
will not count as part of a geology sequence.
GEOL 2000. Earth Evolution and Life History.
Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 1040. Illustrate how biological and geological
interactions have influenced life patterns and Earth history and how these
processes continue to shape human history today. Also, the impact of human
population upon these Earth systems.
GEOL 2010. Topical Minicourse in Geology.
Credit 1.<<
Independent study including library and outdoor projects. No formal classwork
is required. May be repeated.
GEOL 2500. Geologic Fundamentals.
Lec. 2. Lab. 2. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 1040. Overview of topographic and geographic
maps. Rocks and minerals.
GEOL 3010. Dinosaurs. Lec. 3. Credit
3.<<
Recent concepts in the study of dinosaurs, including their paleobiology,
relationships to other organisms, extinction and distribution in space and
time.
GEOL 3110 . Principles of Mineralogy and
Petrology. Lec. 2. Lab. 4. Credit 4. <<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and CHEM 1110, or consent of instructor.
Physical properties of minerals; identification of basic rock-forming minerals,
elements of rock classification and megascopic properties of common rocks.
GEOL 3120. Mineralogy. Lec. 2.
Lab. 4. Credit 4. <<
Prerequisites: GEOL 3110, MATH 1720 and CHEM 1120 or consent of
instructor. Geometrical crystallography; determination of silicate and non-silicate
minerals by physical properties, chemical tests and X-ray diffraction.
GEOL (GEOG) 3200. Water Resources.
Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
This course deals with water as a resource basic for life on Earth. Topics
to be covered include: dams and reservoirs, irrigation, inter-basin transfers,
river channel modification, flood control, water quality, and water law.
GEOL 3210. Geology for Engineers.
Lec. 2. Lab. 2. Credit 3.<<
Introduction to principles of geology and practical application of geology
to engineering problems.
GEOL 3230. Structural Geology.
Lec. 3. Lab. 2. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 or GEOL 3210. Introduction to the principles
of rock deformation, stress, and strain; description and interpretation
of geologic structures; application of methods for structural analysis.
GEOL 3410. Paleontology. Lec. 2.
Lab. 4. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 1040, GEOL 1045, or BIOL 1110, or consent of instructor.
Systematics, morphology, stratigraphic distribution and evolutionary significance
of all major taxa of invertebrate macrofossils and selected microfossils.
GEOL 3830. Field Geology. Credit
4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and GEOL 2500. Introduction to field methods
involving the identification and tracing of geologic formations, aerial
mapping and structure contouring. Eight hours field work per week.
GEOL 4040. Summer Field Geology.
Credit 4-9.<<
Field course in geological mapping. (Generally offered as transfer credit
only)
GEOL 4100. Environmental Sedimentology.
Lec. 2. Lab. 4. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 1040. Basic sampling and analytic techniques
to determine compositions and textures of non-lithified sediments; the use
of grain-sized distributions to interpret depositional process. Field trips
will be taken to examine modern river and coastal deposits.
GEOL 4110. Sedimentation and Stratigraphy.
Lec. 3. Lab. 2. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and GEOL 2500, or consent of instructor.
Fundamental depositional processes, sedimentary structures, and facies models
of siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks. Basic stratigraphy concepts,
methods of correlation and introduction to sequence stratigraphy.
GEOL (GEOG) 4150 (5150). Geomorphology.
Lec. 3. Lab. 2. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and 2500 or consent of instructor. Analysis
of landforms and processes that shape them.
GEOL 4210. Advanced Historical Geology.
Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: Completion of core curriculum in geology and GEOL
3410. Advanced treatment of the Earth's history concentrating on plate tectonics,
evolution of the biosphere and chemical changes from the Archaean to the
Holocene.
GEOL (GEOG) 4410 (5410). Remote Sensing.
Lec 2. Lab. 2. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 2500 and GEOL 3230 or consent of instructor.
Principles and applications of remote sensing. Provides a survey of the
concepts and techniques of remote sensing and image analysis for natural
resources, geomorphology and Earth surface processes.
GEOL 4610. Optical Mineralogy and Petrography.
Lec. 2. Lab. 4. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 3120 or consent of instructor. Theory and use
of the petrographic microscope in mineral optics; study of rocks in thin
sections using the petrographic microscope.
GEOL 4650 (5650). Applied Geochemistry.
Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and CHEM 1110 or consent of instructor.
Application of geochemistry to mineral exploration, environmental pollution,
public health and geologic hazards. Three field trips required.
GEOL (GEOG) 4711 (5711). Hydrogeology.
Lec. 3. Lab 2. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and GEOL 1045; CHEM 1120;
MATH 1830 or 1730 (MATH 1910 is recommended); or consent of instructor.
Occurrence and movement of ground water, well hydraulics, water quality
and pollution.
GEOL 4810 (5810), 4820 (5820). Special Problems.
Credit 1-3.<<
Prerequisite: Major and consent of instructor. Advanced students
may do independent investigations in some approved field. Course may be
taken for credit more than once.
GEOL 4930. Senior Thesis. Credit
3.<<
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Supervised independent study
of an original research problem. Student is required to make a research
proposal, collect data, review appropriate literature, write a paper and
present orally the results of the research problem. (Available only to geology
majors.)
GEOL 4931. Senior Thesis. Credit
3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 4930 and consent of instructor. Supervised independent
study of an original research problem. Student is required to make a research
proposal, collect data, review appropriate literature, write a paper and
present orally the results of the research problem. (Available only to geology
majors.)
GEOL 4940. Seminar. Lec. 3. Credit
3.<<
Prerequisite: Consent of departmental chairperson. Student will
utilize modern technology to prepare and deliver several oral presentations
on a geological subject.
Geography Courses Offered
Geoscience majors must earn a grade of "C" or better in all required geography courses. Before enrolling in any required geography course, geoscience majors must have earned a grade of "C" or better in all geography courses prerequisite to that course.
GEOG 1010. Weather and
Climate. Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Introduction to weather and climate; landforms; soils; vegetation; water.
GEOG 1120. Human Geography.
Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Distribution of people and their activities as they are related to the earth.
GEOG 1130. Geography of Natural Hazards.
Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Natural hazards including volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and
tornadoes. Natural hazard mititgation and impact on society.
GEOG 3710. Geography of the US. Lec. 3. Credit 3. This is an RODP (on-line) course taught from another institution.
GEOG (GEOL) 3200. Water
Resources. Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
This course deals with water as a resource basic for life on Earth. Topics
to be covered include: dams and reservoirs, irrigation, inter-basin transfers,
river channel modification, flood control, water quality, and water law.
GEOG (GEOL) 4150 (5150). Geomorphology.
Lec. 3. Lab. 2. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and 2500 or consent of instructor. Analysis of
landforms and processes that shape them.
GEOG 4210 (5210). Cartography.
Lec 2. Lab. 2. Credit 3.<<
Principles and practices of map construction and interpretation.
GEOG (GEOL) 4410 (5410). Remote
Sensing. Lec 2. Lab. 2. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOL 2500 and GEOL 3230 or consent of instructor. Principles
and applications of remote sensing. Provides a survey of the concepts and
techniques of remote sensing and image analysis for natural resources, geomorphology
and Earth surface processes.
GEOG 4510 (5510). Theory
of GIS, I. Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor; computer literacy is assumed, GEOL
2500 and/or 4410 (5410) are recommended. Introduction to 1) the PC ARC/INFO
GIS package, 2) ArcView GIS package and 3) the integration of Global Positioning
Systems (GPS) with GIS.
GEOG 4511 (5511). Theory
of GIS, II. Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and GEOG 4510 (5510). Intermediate principles
of GIS using ArcGIS and ArcView packages. Advanced integration of GPS with
GIS. Spatial analysis and modeling capabilities of GIS emphasized.
GEOG 4650 (5650). Environmental Applications
of GIS. Lec. 3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOG 4510/4520 or consent of instructor. Applications of GIS
in environmental sciences and engineering. Main emphasis is on approaches,
scripting and modeling exercises. Covers the scope of ecosystems, forestry,
drainage basins, pollution modeling and spatial analysis of contaminants
in various environments using GIS as the main tool of analysis. Completion
of a real-world GIS project is required.
GEOG (GEOL) 4711 (5711). Hydrogeology. Lec.
3. Lab 2. Credit 4.<<
Prerequisites: GEOL 1040 and GEOL 1045; CHEM 1120; MATH 1830
or 1730 (MATH 1910 is recommended); or consent of instructor. Occurrence
and movement of ground water, well hydraulics, water quality and pollution.
GEOG 4850 (5850). Advanced GIS. Lec.
3. Credit 3.<<
Prerequisite: GEOG 4510/4520. Advanced topics in GIS, including writing
of avenue scripts, writing and importing Visual Basic scripts, customization
of the interface; customization of spatial, network and 3D extensions of
ArcView and AML.
GEOG 4810-4820. Special Problems. Credit
1-3.<<
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Research course on topics of significance
in the field of geography. A paper reporting the results of this research
is required. Course may be taken for credit more than once.
TTU Department of Earth Sciences | P.O. Box 5062| Cookeville, TN 38505 | Phone: (931)372-3523 | Fax: (931)372-3363