121 Geology and the Environment. 4. Materials of the earth and processes acting on them, both at the surface and within: nature of continents and oceans, plate tectonics, erosion and weathering, rocks and minerals, mapping. Natural and geological processes and events which affect human society, and the impact of human population and industry on geological systems and natural environments.

122 Historical Geology. 4. Historical account of discovery of geologic time and development of the theory of evolution; origin and development of the earth; geologic history of North America--both life and lands. Emphasis in laboratory on interpretation of earth history and applications of methods in making such interpretations through the use of the Quaker Quadrangle.

131 Environmental Geology. 4. Mountain building and plate tectonics, volcanoes and earthquakes. Landslides, avalanches, ground subsidence. Coastal problems, floods, erosion and sedimentation problems. Water supply and groundwater pollution. Waste disposal: sewage, solid waste, hazardous waste and radioactive waste. Land-use planning and the need for environmental education and legislation.

141 Marine Geology. 4. Formation of the earth and oceans; shape and composition of the ocean floor; plate tectonics. Waves and tides, seawater chemistry, climate and the ocean's interaction with the atmosphere. Coastal features: barrier islands, reefs, beaches, submarine canyons, continental shelves. Ocean energy and mineral resources. Coastal field trip included.

160 Gems and Minerals. 4. Introduction to minerals and gemstones. Includes basic crystallography and crystal chemistry; physical and optical properties of minerals. Formation, occurrence and location of gems; synthetic gemstones; consumer aspects. Informal, hands-on sessions and field trips to mineral collecting localities and the Smithsonian are included.

170 Life in the Past. 4. An introduction for non-science majors to the fossil record, and the contributions that fossils have made to our understanding of the history of life on earth. Topics covered include the use of fossils in the measurement of geologic time, the reconstruction of the earth's ancient environments and ecological systems, and the consideration of biological evolution. There are no pre-requisites for this course.

180 Energy and Natural Resources. 4. Analysis of problems posed by interaction of conventional economic growth with limited natural resources; evaluation of potential contribution of various alternative energy sources to the national and world energy budget; review of distribution and abundance of mineral resources.

211 Mineralogy. 4. Crystallography, mineralogy, crystal chemistry. Optical mineralogy and introduction to the petrographic microscope. Rock forming minerals, mineral formation and associations, mineral identification in hand specimen and with petrographic microscope. Prerequisite: Chemistry 111 or concurrent registration.

212 Introductory Petrology. 4. Study of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Principles of classification, occurrence, tectonic environments, and origin/formation of rocks are emphasized in lectures. Labs emphasize description, classification and interpretation of textures and mineralogy in hand sample and in thin section. Prerequisite: Geology 211.

223 Hydrology. 4. Precipitation, interception and runoff measurements and analysis; stream flow and features, stream flow monitoring and data analysis; floodplain mapping; water supply analysis; groundwater geology and flow, groundwater prospecting; well design and analysis; water supply and water quality problems. Prerequisite: Geology 121 or permission of instructor, and an understanding of algebra and trigonometry. Alternate years.

235 Crust of the Earth. 4. An historical approach to the development of plate tectonic theory. Includes such topics as isostasy, continental drift, polar wandering, magnetic reversals, paleomagnetism, mountain building, causes of earthquakes and volcanoes and the evolution of continents and ocean basins. Alternate years.

240 Seminar West. 4. Five-week summer course, including four weeks of camping and hiking, to study the American West. Emphasis on geologic processes of mountain building nd erosion and their impact on man--history, prehistory, environment, literature and art. Trips alternate between the Southwest (Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde) and the Central Rockies of Montana and Wyoming (Yellowstone, Grand Tetons). Alternate years.

241 Off-campus Seminars in Geology. 1. Five- to 10-day camping trips to investigate the mountains of North Carolina or the geology of the North Carolina coast. Normally pass/fail grading.

250W Climate and History. 4. This course satisfies the Historical Perspectives component of the new curriculum. This course examines times in the history of human evolution and human societies when climate change was associated with migrations or with cultural, social, or political change. We will also examine recent human-induced climate changes and attempt to evaluate their possible effects on our societies.

250 Computer Technology and the Brave New World. 4. This course will explore two areas in computing. First, the course will examine how computers function and how they communicate information. In the second part of the course, the impact of computers on human society, laws, ethics, and behavior will be explored. No prior coursework with computers is required, although familiarity with the rudiments of WWW browsing will be helpful.

335 Structural Geology. 4. Study of the deformation of rocks of the earth's crust: descriptive and theoretical treatment of folding, faulting, jointing, unconformities, diapirs, plutons and sedimentary rocks; introduction to geophysical methods; discussions of problems in global tectonics, such as mountain building and continental drift. Prerequisites: two laboratory courses in geology, competence in trigonometry or consent of the instructor.

340 Images of Earth. 4. Focuses on various ways to classify, represent, and visualize the Earth's surface. Interpretation, creation, and use of maps, aerial photographs, and satellite images. Exploration, construction, and use of geographic information systems (GIS) and other computer-based methods to create maps and visualize data. Application of knowledge and techniques to issues such as ecosystem management, environmental assessment, urban planning, geologic mapping, global change, and archaeology.

412 Geochemistry. 4. Distribution, movement and processes affecting chemical elements within the earth. Nuclear chemistry, formation of earth and planets. Crystal chemistry and mineral structures. Isotope geology, trace elements, thermo-dynamics in geology. No laboratory. Prerequisites: Chemistry 111, three semesters of laboratory courses in geology or consent of the instructor. Alternate years.

415 Paleontology. 4. Study of fossils with major emphasis on invertebrates: classification and identification, principles of evolution and paleoecology; application of paleontology to geologic problems, especially its use in stratigraphic studies. Prerequisites: three semesters of laboratory courses in geology and/or biology and/or chemistry or consent of the instructor.

416 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. 4. Advanced study of sedimentary rocks. Emphasis on sedimentary processes, grain size analysis, sedimentary structures and sedimentary petrography; the description, classification, correlation and interpretation of sedimentary rocks; principles of stratigraphic nomenclature; interpretation of tectonic conditions, depositional environment and paleogeography; advanced historical geology. Prerequisites: four semesters of laboratory courses in geology or related science or consent of the instructor. Alternate years.

424 Exploration Geophysics. 4. Study of the physical properties of the earth's crust and sedimentary cover, primarily through firsthand experience. Hands-on experience with those geophysical parameters and tools which are used to study the earth indirectly form the core of the course: the well log (resistivity, self-potential, density, and sonic logs), seismic reflection, seismic refraction, gravity, and magnetic methods. Prerequisites: two semesters of laboratory studies in geology and/or physics and a strong mathematical background at the level of algebra and trigonometry or permission of instructor. Alternate years.

250/350/450 Special Topics. 2-4.  Recent topics include geographical information systems and remote sensing, reefs of Puerto Rico, environmental history of China, climate and history, earth systems science, GIS and image processing, and soil science. May also be offered at 250 and 350 levels.

460 Independent Study. 1-4.  Independent and directed research, including field and laboratory experience. May also be offered at 260 and 360 levels.

470 Senior Thesis. Credit variable.  Independent research project begun at end of junior year. See department for details.

490 Departmental Honors. 4-8.