What are classes like in the Department of Geology?
All courses in our Department are taught by full faculty members. Occasionally, an upper level course may be taught by a visiting professor. Most of the labs are also taught by faculty, even at the introductory level.
All students interested in geology need to take Geo 1 The Dynamic Earth and Geo 2 Environmental Geology. These courses can be taken in any order, and once you have completed them you have the prerequisites for most of our upper level courses. (You also would have satisfied the Natural Sciences distribution requirement for graduation.) The lecture classes for Geo 1 and 2 are comparatively large, typically enrolling 50 to 80 students (despite this, the professors generally learn the names of each student in the course). You will also be in a lab section, and here the enrollment is usually between 10 and 25 students. The labs complement and supplement the lecture part of the course, and include numerous demonstrations, working models, experimental activities, and several field trips.
Prof. Garven (left) leading students on a filed trip in his Groundwater course
Our upper level courses are small. There are usually fewer than 20 students enrolled, and the faculty members get to know the students well. Many of these courses have labs in which you undertake projects, prepare geologic reports, work with mineral, rock, and fossil samples, or gather data from experiments. There may also be homework problem sets for the course. We encourage students to work cooperatively in these courses (though each is responsible for his or her own work), and this promotes a very friendly atmosphere among our students. It is common for geology majors to come into Lane Hall in the evening or on weekends to do lab or course work, and some students consider the Department a home away from home.
Prof. Reuss leading the Petrology class
We have high, but realistic expectations of our students. We provide support, advice, nudging, and encouragement. We expect students to work hard in our courses, and to supplement their geology courses with the supporting sciences of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to get the most out of their education and to prepare for grad school or a career. Our faculty are committed to teaching, and take our mission to educate our students very seriously.
