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Syracuse UniversityDepartment of Earth SciencesUndergraduate Handbook |
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Syracuse UniversityDepartment of Earth SciencesUndergraduate Handbook |
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Contact:
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Students should own and refer as necessary to Undergraduate Course Catalog, Time Schedule of Classes, Academic Rules and Regulations, and the Liberal Arts Core Guidebook. Information in these documents takes priority, in event of conflict with this Handbook.
Undergraduate Major degrees offered by the Department of Earth Sciences are:
* The B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) can serve as the centerpiece of a liberal arts and geoscience education at S.U., providing a general background that stands by itself or that can be combined with programs in any number of other areas (Policy Studies, Economics, Education, Communications, etc.). The B.A. program is highly flexible,and allows students to design programs tailored to their specific needs.
* The B.S. (Bachelor of Science) is rigorous in its requirements, yet flexible enough to allow students to pursue specialized programs around a variety of interests. This more technical degree is designed to provide complete preparation for graduate study (commonly required for careers in the earth sciences).
* The B.S. may be either a "standard" B.S. (Geology) or a B.S. (Geology, with a concentration in Environmental Sciences).
The Department also offers a Minor, which can usefully be combined with a wide variety of other University programs.
B.A. (Geology) Degree Requirements
The B.A. requires GOL 101 (or GOL 203, or GOL 105 + GOL 290) and 102, plus an additional 18 credit hours of Earth Sciences courses numbered 300 or above. At least 12 of the credits at the 300+ level must be taken at S.U.
Some students first develop an interest in Earth Sciences while taking GOL 106 (Environmental Geology). There is considerable overlap in terms of course content between GOL 101 and GOL 106, so in some instances GOL 106 may (by petition) be accepted as your "entry" course to the major. GOL 203 (Earth Systems Science) is an alternative entry course if you have a strong interest in global environmental change. Discuss options with your advisor, the Earth Sciences Department Director of Undergraduate Studies, or with the Department Chair.
If you want to take GOL106 as part of your major program after having had GOL 101, 203, or 105, discuss the matter with the professor. It may be possible for you to register for the course under a higher number, perhaps by completing additional work.
Although these formal requirements for the B.A. are minimal, you can make your individual program as technical as you like by patterning it after the B.S. You could in fact end up with a "strong" B.A. that differs from the B.S. solely in the fact that you did not take a Field Camp. In other words, the B.A. degree would not necessarily preclude graduate school, though another institution might look more carefully at your transcript and perhaps require that you remedy particular deficiencies while working toward your graduate degree. (Students often surprise themselves by realizing, late in their undergraduate careers, that the option of graduate school is both feasible and attractive.)
B.S. (Geology) Degree Requirements
The B.S. degree is designed to provide a sound background in the Earth Sciences, supported by strengths in related sciences and mathematics. One might regard it as a pre-professional degree for a career in this field. The formal requirements fall into four categories:
* Introductory Courses (7 cr.) (BOTH ARE REQUIRED)
o GOL 101 Intro to Geology (or GOL 105 Earth Science + 290 Intro Lab, as Independent Study , or GOL 203 Earth System Science )
o GOL 102 History of Earth and Life
* Core Requirements of the Major (13 + 6 cr.) (ALL ARE REQUIRED)
o GOL 314 Mineralogy
o GOL 325 Paleobiology
o GOL 333 Structural Geology
o GOL 517 Sedimentary Processes and Systems
o GOL 470 Field Experience (6 cr., by transfer)
* Elective Courses within the Major (21 cr., at least 9 of which must be numbered 400 or above)
In the following list, courses are identified as being particularly recommended for particular specialties: Earth Systems (Syst), Environmental Geology (Env), Paleobiology (Pal), or Solid Earth Geology (Sol). These specialty tracks do not need to be followed rigorously, but they reflect our judgment about groupings that are likely to be especially useful.
This list is subject to change, depending on such things as availability of staff, evolving interests of faculty (e.g., new opportunities provided by additions of new faculty), or simply changing needs of the profession. Announcements of new courses are typically posted on Department doors and bulletin boards, and of course get listed in the Schedule of Classes. Watch for them, and realize that they may serve as alternatives to courses in the list below. Also realize that the Department is flexible, and is likely to accept alternative courses (including those from other departments) when a good case can be made for the substitution.
NOTE: The new interdisciplinary curriculum in Environmental Sciences (sponsored jointly by Earth Sciences and Biology) is described in a later section.
o GOL106 Environmental Geology (Envir )
o GOL 345 Global Change: The Geologic Record
o GOL 117 Oceanography and Limnology (Syst, Paleo)
o GOL 418 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (Solid)
o GOL 431 Plate Tectonics (Syst, Solid)
o GOL 435 Geophysics (Syst, Envir, Solid)
o GOL 477 Geochemistry (Envir, Solid)
o GOL 478 Isotope Geology (Syst, Solid)
o GOL 490 Independent Study (incl. Senior Thesis) (Syst, Envir, Paleo, Solid)
o GOL 495 Marine Geology (Syst, Paleo, Solid)
o GOL 521 Stratigraphy (Paleo, Solid)
o GOL 525 Principles of Paleobiology (Paleo)
o GOL 541 Hydrogeology (Syst, Envir)
o GOL 542 Geomorphology (Syst, Envir, Solid)
o GOL 544 Quaternary Environments/Climatic Change (Envir)GOL 555 Environmental Geophysics
o BIO 121-123 General Biology I & II (Paleo)
o BIO 231 Biology of Organisms (Paleo)
o BIO 345 Population Biology (Paleo)
o BIO 355 Genetics (Paleo)
o BIO 435 Comparative Invertebrate Biology (Paleo)
o BIO 451 Ecology , w/ or w/o BIO 453 (Lab) (Paleo)
o CIE 551 Environmental Chemistry and Analysis (Envir)
o EFB 220 Global Change (Syst, Envir)
o EFB 524 Limnology (Envir)
o EFE 415 Ecological Biogeochemistry (Envir)
o ERE 552 Fundamentals of Remote Sensing (Syst, Envir)
o FOR 341 Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality (Envir)
o FOR 345 Soils (Envir)
o GEO 352 Regional Climatology (Syst)
o MAT 321 Statistical Methods in Social Sciences (Paleo)
* Related Sciences and Mathematics (22 cr.) (ALL ARE REQUIRED)
o CHE 106/116 (or 109/119) General Chemistry and Lab
o CHE 107/117 (or 129/139) General Chemistry and Lab
o PHY 211/221 General Physics and Lab
o PHY 212/222 General Physics and Lab
o MAT 285 or MAT 295 Calculus I
o MAT 286 or MAT 296 Calculus II
Petitioning for B.S. - To receive the B.S. degree, you must submit a formal Petition to the Faculty. This is normally done several months prior to graduation. (Watch for posted deadlines.) After the petition has been submitted, the Department will review your transcript to confirm that the B.S. is the appropriate degree, and forward authorization to the Registrar. (If no petition is submitted, the University assumes you are working toward a B.A.)
B.S. (Geology with a concentration in Environmental Sciences ) Degree Requirements
The B.S. degree in Geology within the Environmental Sciences curriculum is designed to provide the student with a very strong technical background in Earth Sciences, along with multidisciplinary education in Biology and cognate sciences. The B.S. program outlined below differs only slightly from the environmental track described in the previous section. Details of your program should be worked out with your faculty advisor.
* Introductory Courses (14 or 15 cr.)
GOL 106 Environmental Geology
or GOL 101 Intro to Geology
or GOL 203 Earth System Science
GOL 102 History of Earth and Life
BIO 231 Biology of Organisms
or BIO 121-123 General Biology I and II
* Core Requirements of the Major (13 + 6 cr.) (ALL ARE REQUIRED)
GOL 314 Mineralogy
GOL 325 Introduction to Paleobiology
GOL 333 Structural Geology
GOL 517 Sedimentary Processes and Systems
GOL 470 Field Experience (6 cr., by transfer)
* Elective Courses within the Major (18 cr., at least 9 of which must be numbered 400 or above)
18 credits required, at least 9 of which must be in courses numbered 400 or above, to be chosen from the following list. Appropriate substitutions may be made, by petition to the Department's Undergraduate Studies Committee.
GOL 106 Environmental Geology (*If not used as an Introductory course above)
GOL 345 Global Change: The Geologic Record
GOL 117 Oceanography
GOL 477 Geochemistry
GOL 400 Mass Extinctions
GOL 495 Marine Geology
GOL 525 Principles of Paleobiology
GOL 541 Hydrogeology
GOL 542 Geomorphology
GOL 544 Quaternary Change
BIO 345 Population Biology
BIO 355 Genetics
BIO 409 General Microbiology
BIO 415 Conservation Biology
BIO 451 Ecology , w/ or w/o BIO 453 (Lab)
CIE 327 Principles of Fluid Mechanics
CIE 352 Hydraulic Engineering
CIE 471 Environmental Chemistry and Analysis
EFB 220 Global Change
EFB 524 Limnology
ERE 552 Fundamentals of Remote Sensing
FOR 341 Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality
FOR 345 Soils
* Capstone Course (3 cr.) (REQUIRED in the senior year.)
GOL/BIO 428 Environmental Seminar (Two sections will meet together and will be taught jointly by Geology and Biology faculty.)
* Related Sciences and Mathematics (22 cr.) (ALL ARE REQUIRED.)
CHE 106/116 (or 109/119) General Chemistry and Lab
CHE 107/117 (or 129/139) General Chemistry and Lab
PHY 211/221 General Physics and Lab
PHY 212/222 General Physics and Lab
MAT 285 or MAT 295 Calculus I
MAT 286 or MAT 296 Calculus II
Petitioning for B.S. - See under B.S. (Geology), previous section.
Completion of a Minor requires 19 credits in Earth Sciences, 12 of them in courses numbered 300 and above.
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GOL 101 Introduction to Geology (4)
Chemical, physical, and biological processes and principles affecting the history and development of the Earth. (Students cannot receive credit for more than one of the following: GOL 101, GOL 203, GOL 105.) GOL 101 is the traditional starting course for anyone contemplating a Major or Minor in Earth Sciences. If your interest is in global environmental studies, you may want to consider GOL 203 as an alternative. |
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GOL 102 History of Earth and Life (3)
Physical and biological history of the Earth. Prereq: GOL 101 or GOL 203. Required of majors. |
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GOL 203 Earth Science Systems (3)
An integrated view of Earth's systems (lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere) and the scientific evidence for environmental issues including global warming and ozone depletion. Climate change over geologic time as background to future global change. (Students cannot receive credit for more than one of the following: GOL 101, GOL 203, GOL 105.)
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GOL 105 Earth Science (3)
Integrated approach to the study of the solid Earth, continental surfaces, atmosphere, and oceans. (Students cannot receive credit for more than one of the following: GOL 101, GOL 203, GOL 105.) Not normally for majors. If you took this as your first course and then decided to major, you should make it approximately equivalent to GOL 101 by later taking GOL 290 (the GOL 101 Lab, as Independent Study). |
GOL 106 Environmental Geology (3)
Geologic systems as affected by human manipulation of and intrusion into the geologic environment.
GOL 243 Environmental Geology Laboratory (1)
Topographic maps, rock identification, stratigraphic interpretation, hydraulic head measurements, field geochemistry. One weekend short course in field methods, followed by independent project and presentation of results. Prereq: GOL 242.
GOL 309 Honors Tutorial in Geology (1-6)
Selected topics under guidance of senior staff members. Open only to students in the Honors Program. Prereq: junior standing.
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GOL 314 Mineralogy (4) Composition, crystal chemistry, and occurrence of common rock-forming minerals. Mineral assemblages, composition, and genesis of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Prereq: GOL 101 or 105. Coreq: CHE 106/116. This is a fundamental course for students in the Earth Sciences, that should be taken as early as possible. |
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GOL 325 Introduction to Paleobiology (3)
Patterns and processes of evolution as expressed in the fossil record. Paleoecology, taxonomy, and evolutionary history of major ancient invertebrate phyla. Students may not receive credit for GOL 325 if they have already received credit for GOL 525 or 625. Prereq: GOL 101 and 102, or permission of instructor.
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GOL 333 Structural Geology (3) Concepts of structural analysis of rocks, stress and strain, rock deformation mechanisms, geologic structures, their properties and how they are formed. Three lectures and one laboratory a week, field trips including some weekends. Pre-rereq: GOL 101.
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GOL 342/542 Geomorphology (3)
Landscape formation and evolution as a function of hydrogeologic, glacial, eolian, and tectonic processes acting on Earth materials. Prereq: GOL 101 or 242, or permission of instructor. Undergraduates would normally register under the GOL 342 number.
GOL 345/545 Global Change: The Geologic Record (3)
Scientific evidence for anthropogenically induced environmental changes, including global warming and its potential future impacts. Analysis of the near geologic record for evidence of prehistoric natural changes in the global environment and implications for future change. Undergraduates would normally register under the GOL 345 number.
GOL 117 Oceanography (3)
A comprehensive introduction to the geology, physics, chemistry, and biology of the world ocean and its impact on global climate and environmental concerns. Prereq: GOL 101 or 203.
GOL 409 Honors in Geology (1-6)
Special investigative work to introduce methods and techniques of research. Open only to seniors and students with 3.0 or higher GPA. Candidates for Honors in Earth Sciences must complete a satisfactory thesis and pass a comprehensive oral examination on geology and the thesis. Prereq: permission of the Department.
GOL 418 Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (3)
Applications of empirical high-temperature experimental data to origins of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Role of volatiles. Thermal and volumetric relations in magmas. High P-T aqueous solutions and crystals. Phase rule and equilibrium. Prereq: GOL 315.
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GOL 431/631 Plate Tectonics (3)
Tectonic development of the Earth; definition of plates, their boundaries, motions, and driving forces. Analysis and modeling of plate motions. Prereq: GOL 333. Undergraduates register under the GOL 431 number. |
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GOL 435/645 Geophysics (3)
Fundamental geophysical parameters; seismology and Earth structure; gravity and magnetic fields, with application of potential theory; terrestrial rotation and shape; heat flow, thermal state, and evolution of the Earth. Undergraduates register under the GOL 435 number.
GOL 477 Geochemistry (3)
Chemistry of Earth processes, including basic thermodynamics, solution chemistry, isotopic chemistry, and kinetics; magmatic crystallization, isotope fractionation, formation of carbonate and evaporite sediment, ion exchange in clays, and cosmochemistry. Prereq: GOL 314; CHE 107/117.
GOL 470 Experience credit: Field Geology
See section: Geology Field Experience.
GOL 490 Independent Study (1-3)
Individual project developed and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member.
GOL 495 Marine Geology (3)
Geology of modern oceans, including physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic controls. History, techniques, structure of ocean basins, geology of continental margins, marine sediments, coastal zones, paleoceanography, and global change. Prereq: GOL 333, 395, 517, or permission of instructor.
GOL 510 Paleolimnology (3)
The record of environmental change contained within lake sediments. Basic background in limnology followed by field/laboratory research projects and presentations. Prereq: Upper division undergraduate science major.
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GOL 517 Sedimentary Processes and Systems (3) Ancient sedimentary rocks and their modern analogs. Physical and chemical aspects of sedimentation and diagenesis. Prereq: GOL 101-102. |
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GOL 521 Stratigraphy (3)
Basic principles governing the interpretation, correlation, classification, and naming of stratigraphic units. Physical stratigraphy. Prereq: GOL 325, 517, or 525.
GOL 525 Principles of Paleobiology (3)
Paleoecology, relative growth, taxonomy, and evolution. Prereq/coreq: GOL 102.
GOL 541 Hydrogeology (3)
Fundamentals of groundwater hydraulics. Aquifer flow-system analysis and evaluation. Groundwater--surface-water relationships. Groundwater chemistry. Prereq: GOL 101 or 242 or permission of instructor.
GOL 543 Glacial Geology (3)
Glaciers, glacial landforms and stratigraphy, history of glaciation and climate change for the last 2.4 million yrs of Earth history. Prereq: GOL 101 or 242 or permission of instructor.
GOL 544 Quaternary Environmental and Climate Change (3)
Proxy records from marine, lacustrine, glacial, and terrestrial environments for climate and environmental change during the Quaternary. Comparison with numerical models of the atmosphere and oceans. Discussion of current literature and the potential for future global change. Prereq: GOL 542 or glacial geology or permission of instructor.
GOL 555 Environmental Geophysics (3)
Comprehensive introduction to the geophysical methods used for exploring the shallow subsurface, and their application to problems in environmental geology. Prereq: PHY 211-212 or equivalent; MAT 295-296.
| One of the highlights of your undergraduate experience - required for the B.S. degree - is the Geology Field Experience. This requirement is unique, in that it consists of 6 or more credit hours of transfer credit brought in as GOL 470. The requirement is usually satisfied by participation in an approved 6-week summer "field camp." Field camps are run by numerous universities that routinely accept students from other institutions. Activities typically involve one or more geologic mapping projects in geologically (and scenically!) interesting terrain, together with field trips ranging somewhat more widely from the base camp. |  |
It is necessary to apply for acceptance by a particular field camp. You can examine brochures advertising many such programs in the Departmental office (Rm 204). Among the factors you will want to consider when choosing a field camp are: geography (our general advice: West is Best); geology (structural complexity and style, principal bedrock types); ruggedness (some "rough it" all the way; others are tamer); and reputation (best judged by talking with seniors and grad students who have had recent, first-hand experience).
Occasionally, by petition, GOL 470 may be satisfied by some other activity more suitable to the particular student. However, the traditional field camp experience is so central to the training of geologists, that substituting an alternative should be done only with the prior approval of the Department.
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Field experience is so important to geology that we incorporate field trips into many of our courses. But we urge that you take advantage of other opportunities to get in the field. Sometimes you can go along on trips in courses other than those in which you are enrolled (or intend to enroll). Or someone may informally organize a departmentally sponsored trip completely separate from any course. Watch bulletin boards. Also watch for announcements of trips sponsored by regional or special-interest organizations. Every fall, a wide selection of field trips are offered by the New York State Geological Association (NYSGA) and the New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference (NEIGC). Similar trips are run each spring by the Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists. Undergraduates are very welcome on all of these, and the cost is minimal. Watch bulletin boards. Often, a van will be going from Syracuse. |
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Participation in meetings of professional organizations may seem like something you are not ready for, but that is not necessarily true! Such meetings consist of all-day "technical" sessions, each dedicated to a particular theme or subject area, in which a series of 20-minute presentations are given by individuals who have research results to report. One can pick and choose the particular "papers" and sessions one attends. If you attend such meetings, you will be astonished by how much you understand, you will learn a lot , and you will gain perspective on your field that is obtainable in no other way.
Among the best are the annual (spring) meetings of the Northeastern Section of the Geological Society of America (NEGSA). The host city changes from year to year. Usually it is within reasonable driving distance, and almost always there will be a van of SU people, some of them attending as presenters.
Even this early in your career, you might want to consider joining a professional organization - the Geological Society of America (GSA), Society of Sedimentary Geology (SEPM), American Geophysical Union (AGU), or some other. Journals, newsletters, and meeting-registration discounts come with membership, and most such professional organizations offer reasonably priced student memberships.
Often, individual professors may have projects that can involve undergraduates in field or laboratory work, but without the formal structure that would be required if you were to register for GOL 490. Although such participation would not involve academic credit and would not appear on your official transcript, it can provide enjoyable opportunities for you to get involved in research activities in your chosen field. Such projects are usually discovered through the departmental grapevine, or by directly approaching a professor whose interests you share.
The College of Arts and Sciences does not require you to declare a Major until the end of your sophomore year. However, it is a good idea to take care of this formality as soon as you think you know what you're doing. Simply obtain a Declaration of Major form from Bonnie Windey in the main office, fill it out, and return it to the Department Chair's mailbox for Departmental approval. (Remember, you can always change majors if you decide you've made a mistake!)
There are many advantages to "declaring" early. Not only do you have the satisfaction of knowing another requirement has been taken care of, but you begin to feel a bit more as though you are part of your Major department. You are more likely to develop associations with others in the Department, and more likely to participate in the extracurricular activities that we offer. And, of course, we appreciate knowing who our majors are. An accurate count helps enormously in anticipating course enrollments and even in planning when particular courses should be offered.
As soon as you have decided to major in Earth Sciences, let us provide you with an advisor. That advisor can not only help you with Arts and Sciences Core Requirements, as did your original "freshman" advisor, but can also help design a program to meet your goals as a major in our Department. If you intend to minor in Earth Sciences, your primary advisor will probably be in another department, but be sure to consult us concerning our side of your program.
We are a very "open" department, and you should feel free to seek advice from any of us at any time! However, our "official" assignment is:
2007-2008 Academic Year
Prof. Chris Scholz (cascholz@syr.edu)
You normally stay with the same advisor for the duration of your program at SU.
Too many undergraduates think of their professional training as limited to their formal academic program, and overlook the enormous opportunities available to them in the form of special presentations and other activities. Almost every week, the Department hosts a visiting scientist as part of our Earth Science Seminar Series. The main talk is usually given in Room 113 at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, followed by light refreshments in Room 115, but often the speaker will give other presentations, as well. Some of these talks may be specialized, and presume background you do not yet have. Even so, attending can often provide insights into the kinds of research and developments that are at the cutting edge of your major field. And some talks will be readily accessible and interesting even to a general audience.
Apart from their technical content, special events such as the Seminar Series provide you with opportunities to meet prominent people whose important contributions will become well known to you later in your career. Indeed, you may well find yourself shaking hands with someone who will be part of next week's evening news, or featured on the cover of Time .
To view the Fall 2007 Schedule click here.
Holmes Awards are given annually for outstanding performance in our basic courses (GOL 101, 102, 103, 105). Presentation of Awards is followed by a lecture by a prominent "outside" speaker on a topic of interest to a wide audience.
The Merriam Prize is awarded annually to a full-time undergraduate Earth Sciences major for outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular contributions, and professional promise.
The Hopkins Awards are given annually to outstanding junior and senior majors in the Earth Sciences.
Estwing Awards
The Eswting Award is given annually to outstanding student(s) in Earth Sciences.
Libraries are rich and under-appreciated facilities. If your interest in geology is real, you should now and then spend some time simply browsing through our holdings. Walk up and down between the stacks and you will find all kinds of interesting things that no particular course will direct you to.
You will also find the Geology Library one of the best places on campus to study. It is uncrowded, the tables are large, the chairs comfortable, and all the resources you could want are at your fingertips. And when it's time to take a break from studying, browse through some current periodicals.
Library hours during Fall and Spring Semesters are:
The Geology Computer Lab, established to encourage the use of computers in geological research and teaching, is located in Rm 005, HGL. The Computer Lab contains 9 Dell Optiplex SX270's running Windows XP,1 Apple iMac,--PERIPHERALS, HP 4200, Epson Perfection 1200 Photo
Software includes: Adobe Software
* Acrobat Reader 6.0
* ImageReady 7.0
* Illustrator
* PageMaker 7.0
* Photoshop 7.0
ESRI Software
* ArcGIS 9.0
* ArcView 3.2a
Corel
* CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 12
Anti-Virus Software
* McAfee 7.0
Microsoft
* Office 2003
o Access
o Excel
o PowerPoint
o Word
o Publisher
* PhotoDraw 2000
* Photo Editor 3.01
* Snapshot Viewer 9.0
* FrontPage 2003
* Project XP
* SQL Server Client
* Visio
* Visual Studio
Standard Windows Tools
* Calculator
* Explorer
* Media Player
* Notepad
* Paint
* SSH Secure Shell Telnet (preferred)
* Microsoft Telnet (legacy application, not secure)
* WinZip
* WS-FTP
Web Browsers
* Internet Explorer 6 (default browser)
Access to the Computer Lab is restricted. Earth Sciences majors needing to use the Lab should see Bonnie Windey 204 Heroy.
McKelvey Lounge
The Vincent E. McKelvey Lounge is located adjacent to the Library on the third floor of HGL. Dr. McKelvey, whose bachelor's degree was from SU (1937), had a long and distinguished career that included several years as Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. The Lounge is open to all the Department's students. You will find it a pleasant place to relax, meet people, and carry on informal conversations.
Check your mailbox regularly!
modified by Chris Scholz and Stephania Arnold on 11/12/07
web page updated by MMC on 1/8/08
web page updated by MMC on 11/12/07