Mar 29, 2024  
Graduate Catalog 2016-2017 
    
Graduate Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 
  
  • GEOS 5010 - Geologic Communications and Presentations


    A seminar designed to introduce students to and improve student skills in the oral presentation of Geologic information. Students will critique talks given in the weekly departmental seminar. Students will make one oral presentation to a group of students and faculty. Course may be repeated for credit but only one credit will be applied towards major requirements.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Open to upperclass and graduate students.
    When Offered: Spring
  
  • GEOS 5020 - Problems in Geology and Earth Science


    Individual problems involving topical reading and/or research problems in earth sciences.

    Credits: 1 to 3 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
  
  • GEOS 5060 - Introduction to Soils


    Properties of natural and engineered soils. Interactions between soils and plants, microorganisms, water, atmosphere, and contaminants. Soil uses, remediation, and conservation.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Fall - every other year
  
  • GEOS 5090 - Surface Water Hydrology


    Hydrology describes the waters of the earth, their occurrence, circulation and distribution, and their reaction with the environment. Emphasis is on quantitative aspects of surface water. Topics include, stream flow, precipitation, evapotranspiration, hydrographs, runoff, probability analysis and modeling.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Fall - every other year
  
  • GEOS 5120 - Hydrogeology


    The study of surface water and groundwater with special emphasis on groundwater movement and relation to the geologic environment.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Spring - every other year
  
  • GEOS 5160 - Geochronology and Global Change


    Application of the concepts of nuclear physics and chemistry to geological problems. Topics to include absolute and relative dating, formation of the elements, global change and causes of global change.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate Students.
  
  • GEOS 5200 - Economic Geology


    Origin, occurrence, and utilization of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits, and mineral fuels. Lecture three hours a week. 

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate Students.
  
  • GEOS 5210 - Geological and Environmental Remote Sensing


    The course provides rigorous (70% of student’s effort) hands-on-exercises on the applications of remote sensing techniques in geological and in environmental sciences. The hands-on exercises are primarily based on case studies that were published in peer-reviewed articles, data downloaded from our receiving station, and/or data collected by the students using hand-held VNIR spectro-radiometer. In the process of solving the lab exercise, the students will master image processing techniques. The fundamentals of remote sensing will be covered as well, since the student cannot start dealing with applications unless he or she knows the fundamentals. Throughout the course, the students will work with a wide range of space-borne data sets including CORONA, Landsat MSS, Landsat TM, SPOT, ASTER, SIR-C, SRTM, AVIRIS, ASAR, and ERS.

    Credits: 4 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Spring - every other year
  
  • GEOS 5230 - Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response


    Training in safety procedures for working on hazardous sites. Training in the safe handling of hazardous materials which might be encountered during drilling, soil sampling, or water sampling. Review of State and Federal regulations. Use of personal protection equipment. Satisfies OSHA 40 hour training requirements.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer II
  
  • GEOS 5240 - Remediation Design and Implementation


    Principles and techniques for the remediation or cleanup of ground water and soils contamination. Introduction to pump and treat systems, bioremediation, soil vapor extraction, air sparging, and others. Choosing the appropriate system and sizing it for economical application to a specific site. Field trips required.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer II
  
  • GEOS 5250 - Surface Geophysics


    An introduction to the use of those surface geophysical methods used in the investigation of groundwater. Includes shallow seismic, electrical, and magnetic methods; and ground-penetrating radar.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer II
  
  • GEOS 5260 - Principles and Practices of Aquifer Testing


    Introduction to the methods of aquifer testing with emphasis on step drawdown pump tests, forty-hour pumping test with recovery, slug tests and bail tests data processing, using computer software, water level recorders, data loggers and water level measuring equipment.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer II
  
  • GEOS 5270 - Principles of Well Drilling and Installation


    An introduction to hollow-stem auger drilling and well installation, rotary drilling with mud and air, cable tool drilling, monitoring well design, sample collection and description; cuttings, split spoon, and Shelby tube, borehole geophysics, and installation and development of wells.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer II
  
  • GEOS 5280 - Principles/Practices of Groundwater Sampling/Monitoring


    An introduction to state-of-the-art techniques for sampling, monitoring, and evaluating groundwater systems and surface water interactions. Includes quality control and assurance procedures, groundwater sampling equipment and procedures, field hydrochemical equipment and procedures, and vadose zone sampling of water and gas.

    Credits: 1 hour

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer II
  
  • GEOS 5300 - Plate Tectonics and Earth Structure


    Major tectonic features and internal structure of the earth in relation to plate tectonics, critical examination of the tenets of plate tectonics.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
  
  • GEOS 5350 - GIS Applications in Geological and Environmental Sciences


    The course provides rigorous hands-on-exercises (based on data from case studies) on the applications of statistical methods, GIS technologies, and other computer-based software to the management, analysis, and display of multidimensional, geological, hydrogeological, and environmental data sets (70% of student effort). The course will cover (30% of student effort) the fundamentals of spatial data analysis and GIS technologies as well, since the students can not start dealing with applications unless they understand the fundamentals. In addition, students will be required to complete a research project using spatial data sets and acquired expertise.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Spring - every other year
  
  • GEOS 5360 - Glacial Geology


    A study of the mechanics of glacial movement, processes of glacial erosion and deposition, and the distribution of glacial features in space and time. Special emphasis will be placed on the glacial geology of the Great Lakes area.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Fall - every other year
  
  • GEOS 5390 - Geologic Mapping


    Field observations and geologic mapping. Rock-oriented mapping projects will be completed under supervision that requires observations and synthesis of rock descriptions, structural analyses, stratigraphic interpretations, and compilations of the geologic history of assigned study areas.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: (GEOS 3010 or GEOS 3350 or GEOS 5430) and GEOS 4300; or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to upperclass and graduate students.
    When Offered: Summer
  
  • GEOS 5400 - Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology


    Advanced discussion of origins and positions of igneous and metamorphic rocks in light of recent experimental evidence and concepts of global tectonics.

    Credits: 4 hours

    Notes: Open to upperclass and graduate students.
  
  • GEOS 5430 - Petrology and Petrography


    The origins of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks as interpreted from hand specimens, thin sections, principles of chemistry and physics, and descriptions of examples from around the world. Lecture topics are augmented by weekly laboratory studies and a required field trip.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites:  GEOS 3350, CHEM 1100 and CHEM 1110.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to upperclass and graduate students.
    When Offered: Spring
  
  • GEOS 5450 - Hazardous Waste Remediation


    Content includes chemical, physical, and biological processes affecting contaminants in the subsurface. Topics include environmental regulations, remediation, site characterization, contaminant characterization, detailed engineering and management considerations related to the design and operation of hazardous waste remediation systems involving water pollution, air pollution, solid waste, and groundwater pollution.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
  
  • GEOS 5500 - Environmental Field Geochemistry


    Students in this course will be introduced to a variety of environmental field and laboratory analytical techniques, including field sampling protocols, basic aqueous geochemistry techniques, ion chromatography, and UV/Vis spectrophotometry. Using these techniques, students will design and conduct an assessment of water quality in a local environmental system (e.g., eutrophication or salinization of local lakes, or other contamination of local surface or groundwater systems). Students will present their findings to the local community through a written report and an oral/poster presentation. Students may be expected to travel to a local field site and to work outdoors, including in canoes, under a variety of weather conditions.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: Either (GEOS 3350 or GEOS 2320); or ENVS 2150, CHEM 1100 and CHEM 1110.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
  
  • GEOS 5550 - Introduction to Geochemistry


    An introduction to high and low temperature geochemistry. Topics to be discussed include cosmochemistry, crystal chemistry, thermodynamics and kinetics, aqueous geochemistry, stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, organic geochemistry, and biogeochemistry.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    When Offered: Spring
  
  • GEOS 5600 - Introduction to Geophysics


    Seismology, gravity, geomagnetism, electrical resistivity, and heat measurements applied to the determination of the internal structure of the earth.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate Students.

    Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: Two lectures and three hours of practical laboratory-introduction to geophysical instrumentation.
    When Offered: Fall
  
  • GEOS 5610 - Reflection Seismology


    Reflection seismology and related techniques as applied to petroleum exploration and deep crustal exploration. Theoretical background, data collection, data processing and interpretation will be discussed.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate Students.
  
  • GEOS 5620 - Gravity and Magnetic Exploration


    Gravity and magnetic methods applied to tectonic, mineral exploration, hydrogeologic, and crustal studies. Theoretical background, instrumentation, surveying techniques, data reduction, processing, computer modeling, and interpretation will be discussed.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: Two lectures and three hours of laboratory, problem solving, and field exercises.
  
  • GEOS 5630 - Electrical Methods


    Resistivity sounding and profiling, induced polarization, spontaneous potential, electromagnetic methods using natural and artificial fields.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Upperclass and Graduate students.
    Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: Two lectures and 3 hour laboratory with field studies and laboratory modeling.
  
  • GEOS 6000 - Hydrogeochemistry


    Geochemical origin and characteristics of surface water and groundwater; equilibrium thermodynamics, the carbonate system, redox processes, ion exchange, organic compounds and isotopes.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 5120 or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 6050 - Groundwater Modeling


    Study of groundwater flow and contaminant transport rates using analytical and numerical models.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 5120

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 6110 - Advanced Stratigraphy


    Introduction and application of cycle and sequence stratigraphy from a rock-based perspective. Emphasis on recognizing vertical stacking patterns and sequence hierarchy of depositional units identified from outcrop and subsurface data sets for application to reservoir modeling. A course field trip to modern environments (Florida, Bahamas or Belize) or ancient carbonate systems (Paradox Basin, Utah or Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico and Texas) may be required. Student projects will include logging, description, and interpretation of cores and slabs at the mesoscopic level at the MGRRE facility.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 3350 or department approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 6120 - Advanced Hydrology


    Analytical and numerical analysis of groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Topics include well hydraulics, flow in unsaturated soils, multiphase flow, and advection-dispersion.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 5120

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 6130 - Wetlands Hydrology


    Introduction to hydrologic function of wetlands, wetlands classification, and the relationship between hydrology and soil and plants. Emphasis will be placed on the use of these parameters in wetlands delineation.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 5120 or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate students only.
    When Offered: Summer I - every other year
  
  • GEOS 6150 - Contaminant Hydrology


    Theory and field methods related to the transport of contaminants in groundwater. Includes theoretical considerations, case histories, law, analysis of problems, and preparation of hydrogeological reports.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 5120

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 6170 - Stable Isotope Geochemistry


    Application of stable isotopes in the study of hydrologic cycle, global change, and atmospheric processes. Cosmochemical implications of stable isotope systematics in extra-terrestrial samples.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: General chemistry. Basic knowledge of physical and organic chemistry.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6300 - Structural Analysis


    The theory of and methods involved in the geometric, kinematic, and dynamic analysis of deformed rock bodies. All scales of observation are considered from hand specimens to large map areas.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 4300

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6340 - Research in Geology and Earth Science


    Advanced readings or research in an area to be selected after consultation with a supervising staff member.

    Credits: 1 to 4 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit (for no more than a total of six hours). Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6450 - Clastic Petrology and Petrophysics


    Petrographic, petrologic, and petrophysical analysis of clastic sedimentary rocks. Investigate the primary and secondary mineralogy and textures of clastic sedimentary rocks through the use of a wide variety of analytical techniques. Use petrographic data to interpret and predict sediment provenance, depositional environments, diagenetic modification and burial history. Apply petrologic analysis to the interpretation of petrophysical data, including down-hole wire line log data, in the evaluation of fluid flow in geological media, especially geological reservoirs (geological media suitable for the extraction or injection of fluids). Periodic field trips and/or visits to the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education (MGRRE) facility for access to analytical instruments and sample material.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: GEOS 4330 and GEOS 4350, or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6460 - Carbonate and Evaporite Depositional Systems


    Processes, characteristics, and relationships of modern and ancient carbonate and evaporite systems. A course field trip to modern environments (Florida, Bahamas or Belize) or ancient carbonate systems (Paradox Basin, Utah or Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico and Texas) may be required. Student projects will include logging, description, and interpretation of cores and slabs at the mesoscopic level at the MGRRE facility.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: GEOS 4330 and GEOS 4350.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.
    Lecture Hours - Laboratory Hours: Two lectures and one 3-hour laboratory per week.
  
  • GEOS 6500 - Topics in Geology and Earth Science


    An intensive study of specific subjects in the area of Earth Science as listed. Subject offered will be announced in advance.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

    Credits: 2 to 4 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6550 - Quantitative Basin Analysis


    Theory and practical application of sequence stratigraphy and backstripping; two fundamental tools of the petroleum industry and academic community.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: GEOS 4350 and GEOS 5600; or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6560 - Clastic Depositional Systems


    Analysis of terrigenous clastics-dominated, sedimentary basin fill. Controls on sedimentary basin fill and sequence stratigraphy; high resolution sequence stratigraphy at outcrop, core, and well log scale. Clastic depositional systems analysis and sedimentary facies models. Sedimentary facies analysis, especially for geological reservoirs, and process oriented sedimentology. Periodic field trips and/or visits to the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education (MGRRE) facility for access to analytical instruments and sample material.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: GEOS 4350 or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to Graduate Students Only.
  
  • GEOS 6650 - Carbonate Petrology


    This course will investigate the genetic origin of carbonate rocks as well as the chemical, physical, and mineralogical changes to these rocks during diagenesis. The impact of these changes on the ability of carbonate rocks to host and transmit fluids (e.g., oil, gas, water) will be a central theme, as will the various types of data and the widely available analytical instrumentation commonly used to study limestone petrogenesis.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: GEOS 4350 or GEOS 6110 or GEOS 6460 or instructor approval.

    Credits: 3 hours

    Notes: Open to graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 7000 - Master’s Thesis


    Please refer to the Graduate College section for course descriptions.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: Department and Graduate College approval.

    Credits: 1 to 6 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 7100 - Independent Research


    Please refer to the Graduate College section for course descriptions.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: Application and Department approval.

    Credits: 2 to 6 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Open to Graduate students only.


  
  • GEOS 7120 - Professional Field Experience


    Please refer to the Graduate College section for course descriptions.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: Application and Department approval.

    Credits: 2 to 12 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Open to Graduate students only.
  
  • GEOS 7300 - Doctoral Dissertation


    Please refer to the Graduate College section for course descriptions.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisites: Department and Graduate College approval.

    Credits: 1 to 15 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Open to Graduate students only.

  
  • GEOS 7350 - Graduate Research


    Please refer to the Graduate College section for course descriptions.

    Prerequisites/Corequisites: Prerequisite: Department approval.

    Credits: 2 to 10 hours

    Notes: May be repeated for credit. Graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Open to Graduate students only.
    Cross-Listed: