GEOL 1011 - Introduction to Geoscience

Delivery Online, self-paced

Course Description

In this non-lab course, students examine the nature of the Earth and its development through time. Topics include the Earth's origins and composition, volcanoes, earthquakes, and the development of the landscape over time by such processes as weathering, mass wasting, rivers, glaciers, wind, and waves.

Learning outcomes

Identify common rocks and minerals and show an understanding of how they form.
Describe the structure and composition of the Earth and the methods used to acquire information about the Earth's crust and interior.
Describe the nature of the sea floor and how it changes over time
Discuss the theory of plate tectonics and how it can be used to explain the formation and distribution of earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain belts.
Describe how continents grow and change over time.
Understand the nature of the geomorphic processes that modify the Earth's landscape.
Identify a variety of landforms from diagrams and photographs and discuss their formation.
Discuss the interaction of humans and the landscape on which they live and their responses to natural destructive forces such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.

Course topics

Unit 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igenous Rocks, and Volcanism
Unit 2: Weathering and Soil, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks, and Geological Time
Unit 3: Earth’s Interior, Plate Tectonic, and Earthquakes
Unit 4: Water, Glaciation, and Mass Wasting
Unit 5: Shorelines, Climate Change, and the Geological History of Western Canada

Required text and materials

The following Open Education Resources (OER) textbook, free of charge, is required for this course:

Earle, S. (2019). Physical geology (2nd ed.). Vancouver, BC: BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/physicalgeology2ed/

Assessments

Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.

To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the final mandatory exam.

Assignment 1: Introduction, Minerals, Igneous Rocks, and Volcanism	10%
Assignment 2: Weathering and Soil, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks, and Geological Time	10%
Assignment 3: Earth’s Interior, Plate Tectonics, and Earthquakes	10%
Assignment 4: Water, Glaciation, and Mass Wasting	10%
Assignment 5: Shorelines, Climate Change, and the Geological History of Western Canada	10%
Assignment 6: Analysis of the Environmental and Social Costs of the Manufacture, Use, and Disposal of Li-ion batteries	10%
Final Exam (mandatory)	40%
TOTAL	100%

Prerequisites

Provincial Grade 12 Diploma or equivalent is assumed.

Exclusions

GEOL 1111

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GEOL 1011 - 70472

Start: Any Time

Online, self-paced

Available

Introduction to Geoscience

Any Time (30 weeks duration)

Online, self-paced

Canadian in BC/YT non-credit	$548.39	Click here to get more information
Canadian outside BC/YT non-credit	$657.47	Click here to get more information
International Student non-credit	$1,661.15	Click here to get more information

3 credits

Open Learning faculty member information

An Open Learning faculty member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.