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Geoscience
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Oceanography |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 10 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Introduction to oceanography, with emphasis on: ocean-atmospheric interaction and global climate, plate tectonics and morphology of the ocean basins, marine geology, energy resources, environmental problems due to sea level rise, coastal erosion, oil spills, and life in the sea. One field trip to observe shoreline processes is required. A special fee will be assessed to students participating in the field trip to cover the transportation costs. MnTC Goal 10. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Introduction to GIS |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Students will use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques to acquire, adjust, extend, modify, integrate, analyze, map, and manage digital spatial data (both rasters and vectors) across space and time, using the standard ArcMap interface and extensions (especially 3D Analyst and Spatial Analyst) and customized toolboxes in ESRI’s ArcGIS suite of software. This course builds on concepts introduced in the Thinking Spatially (GEOS 207) and Cartography (GEOS 210) courses and applies them to physical, biological, and social data within a GIS. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
United States and Canada |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 5 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Regional survey of United States and Canada with emphasis on regional contrasts and interrelationships. MnTC Goal 5. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Sedimentology and Stratigraphy |
| Prerequisite |
GEOS 115 GEOS 302 GEOS 303 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Writing Intensive |
Yes |
| Description |
Classification and description of the various kinds of sediments and sedimentary rock units; sedimentary facies; cyclic sedimentation; and techniques of correlating sedimentary rocks. Laboratory exercises will be incorporated into the lecture period. One field trip is required. A special fee will be assessed to those students electing to participate on an optional field trip to cover transportation costs. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Economic Geography |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 8 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Writing Intensive |
Yes |
| Description |
This course will focus on the geography of human economic activities, including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, trade, and the global patterns of world economics. MnTC Goal 8. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Sustainable Transportation |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 9 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Human nature is characterized in part with wanderlust, migratory urges, trade and commerce, and just wanting to see what is over the next hill in our exploring our environment. This course begins with a survey of all transportation types and modes, how they developed, and how and why be have arrived at the particular situation we find transportation and accessibility to exist in our world. We also analyze how transportation is or is not sustainable in the contexts of environment and the ethics of accessibility. MnTC Goal 9 |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Reading Landscape: Ways of Seeing |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Writing Intensive |
Yes |
| Description |
Explores the landscape concept as developed and applied within anthropology and the geosciences. Considers the interaction of culture and perception in the way we view our physical world. Writing Intensive. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Elementary Meteorology |
| Lasc Area |
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Writing Intensive |
Yes |
| Description |
The basic elements of weather, including temperature, pressure, condensation and precipitation, air masses and fronts, vorticity, jet streams and storms. MnTC Goal 3 and 10. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Environmental Geography and Conservation |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 10 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This course is a description, analysis, and spatial study of environmental problems including food supplies, energy resources, pollution of all types, wildlife habitat and habitat loss, and environmental change and degradation. The course will also explore the human impacts on environment and ecosystems, and discussions of conservation and preservation issues. MnTC Goal 10. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Economic and Environmental Geology |
| Prerequisite |
GEOS 115 GEOS 302 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This course introduces students to aspects of geology important in understanding earth's energy and mineral resources and how human activities in extracting and using those resources affect our environment. Key topics covered include an introduction to water movements on and in the ground (hydrology), how pollutants move in that water, the geochemical interactions among earth, water, and air, ore-forming and oil-forming processes, economic considerations important in the use of natural resources, and environmental laws. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Geoarchaeology |
| Prerequisite |
ANTH 115 or GEOS 115 or GEOS 117 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Examines the application of Geoscience methods and techniques to archaeological deposits and materials. Emphasizes foundational concepts in Geoarchaeology, the role of Geoarchaeology in contemporary archaeology, and the application of geoarchaeological knowledge and skills to inform archaeological interpretation. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Planetary Science |
| Lasc Area |
Goal 3 Lab |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
A synthesis of current knowledge of the members of the solar system and the origin and evolution of planetary systems. Lab included. MnTC Goal 3. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Planetary Science Laboratory |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This is a planetary science lab course that must be taken concurrently with GEOS 360. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Structural Geology and Mapping |
| Prerequisite |
GEOS 115 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This course covers key aspects of structural geology including deformational structures, deformational styles, and material properties. The lab focuses on mapping skills such as interpretation of geological maps and inferring cross-sectional view based on map views. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Structural Geology and Mapping Lab |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This is a structural geology and mapping lab course that must be taken concurrently with GEOS 370. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Topics in Geosciences |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This is a topical course and may be repeated when the course topic changes. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Research in Geosciences |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Individual research in collaboration with instructor. Product may be a written report, publication, or report at a professional meeting. Project and its format must be accepted by research advisor before registration. May be repeated for different research projects. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Research in Geosciences |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Individual research in collaboration with instructor. Product may be a written report, publication, or report at a professional meeting. Project and its format must be accepted by research advisor before registration. May be repeated for different research projects. |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Introduction to Remote Sensing |
| Prerequisite |
GEOS 205
|
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
This course provides an introduction to the use of remotely sensed data in environmental research. Remote sensing is the science of acquiring data using the measurement of electromagnetic radiation by techniques that do not require actual contact with the object or area being observed. Most environmental applications of remote sensing use instruments carried on satellites. The different sensors used to collect this information, and the interpretation techniques vary quite widely, and are being developed at an astounding rate. In this course, we will focus on the interpretation and applications of data from space-borne imaging systems (eg: Landsat MSS, Landsat TM, Landsat ETM+, Quickbird, IKONOS, MODIS, ASTER, AVHRR). |
| Course Code |
|
| Title |
Spatial Analysis |
| Prerequisite |
GEOS 307 and GEOS 205 |
| Course Outline |
Course Outline |
| Description |
Students will use advanced GIS techniques to spatially adjust, extend, modify, integrate, analyze, visualize, and correlate digital spatial data (both rasters and vectors) across space and time using ESRI’s ArcGIS extensions (especially 3D Analyst and Spatial Analyst) and customized toolboxes in ArcGIS. This course builds on concepts introduced in the Thinking Spatially (GEOS 207) and Introduction to GIS (GEOS 307) courses and applies them to physical and social data in a GIS. |
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