College of Engineering University of Wisconsin-Madison
Geological Engineering The Fountain
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Geol 101 - General Geology

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Catalog Description
101 General Geology. I, II, SS; 5 cr (P-E). Processes of the formation of the earth, the evolution of its principal surface and subsurface features, and the interrelationship of humans with the geological environment and materials of the earth's crust. Students who have taken Geol 100 may receive only 2 cr. P: Open to Fr.

Course Prerequisite(s)
  • No prerequisites

Prerequisite knowledge and/or skills
  • Geology 101 does not require students to have previous knowledge of the any of the material covered throughout the semester.

Textbook(s) and/or other required material
  • 'Physical Geology,' 8th Edition, by Plummer, McGeary, and Carlson

Course objectives
  • This course will develop students' knowledge of how scientific methods are applied to understand the characteristics of the earth, platetectonics, and the geologic time concept. In the end, Geology 101 students should have a general understanding of the vast field of geology.

Topics covered
  • Plate Tectonics
  • Minerals
  • Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks
  • Geologic Time
  • Topographic Map Interpretation
  • Glaciers
  • Earthquakes
  • Interior of the Earth
  • Oceanic and Continental Crust
  • Mountain Belts

Class/laboratory schedule
  • Lectures are held three times a week for 50 minutes.
  • Discussion sections meet once a week for 50 minutes.
  • Labs meet once a week for an hour and 50 minutes.

Contribution of course to meeting the professional component
This course contributes primarily to the students' knowledge of college-level mathematics and/or basic sciences and does provide experimental experience.

The following statement indicates which of the following considerations are included in this course: economic, environmental, ethical, political, societal, health and safety, manufacturability, sustainability.

  • Environmental
  • Societal
  • Health & Safety
  • Sustainability

Relationship of course to undergraduate degree program objectives
This course serves students in a variety of engineering majors. The information below describes how the course contributes to the college's educational objectives.

  • Ability to apply knowledge of natural science to geological and environmental problems
  • Understand the methods, instrumentation systems, and accuracy/precision requirements for making measurements of basic and derived physical quantities. Students should also have hands-on experience individually and in groups to develop an appreciation for the skill, care, and instrumentaion required to obtain reliable measurements and to verify physical principles.
  • Ability to select an appropriate solution method for a defined problem, obtain and verify that the solution satisfies all conditions, determine the behavior or response of the system being analyzed from the solution that was obtained, and state the limits of the solution.
  • Students should understand the interdisciplinary nature of projects and be able to effectively collaborate and develop consensus in interdisciplinary teams solving multi-disciplinary problems consistent with contemporary issues.
  • Students should recognize the need for life-long learing and have skills that will enable them to engage in life-long learning.
  • Ability to apply knowledge in physical geology, principle of sedimentation, and field geology.

Assessment of student progress toward course objectives
  • Grades are formulated as follows:
  • Lecture Quizzes and Baraboo Field Trip--10%
  • First Exam--20%
  • Second Exam--20%
  • Laboratory and Discussion--25%
  • Final Exam--25%

Person(s) who prepared this description
  • L. Maher


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