Our course offerings span both traditional geoscience and environmental geoscience courses. We have the advantage of having a dedicated laboratory for teaching and a dedicated space for undergraduate majors to study and complete assignments. The Department offers courses at both the graduate and undergraduate level.
Click the semester of interest to go to the Office of the
Registrars course offering page. Or click the top link
for the projected long term course offerings.
Clicking these links will scroll the page to the relevant sections on:
The Department of Earth Sciences at IUPUI places a strong emphasis on high quality classroom teaching. Courses are taught by teaching and research faculty as well as graduate teaching assistants.
Teaching/Learning Facilities
The department has a dedicated teaching laboratory (SL 085) for teaching labs and advanced courses, as well as one conference room available for teaching advanced courses; all other courses are taught in classrooms throughout campus. The SL 085 classroom includes microscopes, rock, mineral, and fossil samples, and video projection equipment. Students in advanced courses, with permission, are granted access to this space for studying and completing assignments.
In addition, the department maintains an undergraduate computer lab (SL 049) with numerous computer stations that include advanced software used in geology. Geology majors and students enrolled in advanced geology courses, with permission, are granted access to this space for studying and completing assignments.
Computer classrooms located throughout the Science, Engineering, and Technology (SL) building are used as needed. Additional department-owned laboratory facilities are also available for advanced courses. A department SUV is available for class-related field trips.
Field Trips and Service Learning
Field work is an important part of learning in Earth Sciences.
Field Trips.
Learning Earth science requires you to go outside! Depending on the instructor, many classes from the 100-500 level have either required or optional field trips. Some trips are part of the course material, while others are offered for extra credit. Trips range from the close to home, such as the Southside Landfill and Belmnot Sewage Treatment Plant within the city, to broader trips at Falls of the Ohio State Park, Lieber State Recreation Area, and Muscatatuck County Park, to the very far away trips including California, Iceland, the Grand Canyon, and the Smokey Mountains.
See Photos
from our Field Trips.
Service Learning. Some 100-level courses have a service learning requirement. Unlike field trips, service learning is "learning by doing;" where students complete a project that helps them learn, AND benefits the community or assists in environmental restoration or research activities. Service learning is an initiative across IUPUI; within our program, CEES manages all service learning activities for our department.
Online/Distance Education Courses
Environmental Geology (G107) Oceanography (G115) and Indiana Geology (G135) are offered in online-only sections in fall, spring, and some summer sessions. Indiana Geology Field Experience (G136) is offered as an online lab tied to the Indiana Geology course. Online courses require you to own a computer with at least a 56K modem connection (some courses require a high speed connection) and are designed for people who are very frequent internet users. Currently, G135 is only offered online, while G107 and G115 are offered in both on-campus and online sections. For more information about these courses, see the links below.
The Department offers a variety of 100-level lecture and laboratory courses—and a majority of students enrolled in our introductory courses are non-science, non-geology majors fulfilling a science requirement. The goal of these courses is to use Earth resources, Earth history, and Earth environments as a foundation for understanding science and learning concepts needed in the advanced courses. Some schools at IUPUI dictate which courses can count towards a program/degree requirement, so always check with your advisor before enrolling.
If you plan on continuing in geology or environmental science, Physical Geology (G110) and Advanced Physical Geology Lab (G206) are required for all majors, while Physical Geology, Physical Geology Lab and Environmental Geology (G110/120/107) are required within the B.S. in Environmental Science program. Other 100-level courses are considered electives. If you are a geoscience major and have questions, contact the Undergraduate Advisor. If you are a non-major and have a question about these courses, contact our
Lecturer.
Click the course name below for more information about each course.
| Semesters Offered |
Course Number and Title |
Course Description |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G107
Environmental Geology (on campus)
G107
Environmental Geology (online) |
An introduction to geology through discussion of geological topics that show the influence of geology on modern society. Topics include mineral and energy resources, water resources, geologic hazards and problems, geology and health, and land use. |
| Fall & Spring |
G117
Environmental Geology Lab |
Laboratory exercises in environmental aspects of the geosciences. To accompany G107. |
| Fall & Spring |
G109
Fundamentals of Earth History |
Basic principles of earth history: geologic time, basic rock types, reconstructing past environments. Physical development of the earth: its interior, mountain formation, plate tectonics. Origin and development of life: evolution, the fossil record. |
| Fall & Spring |
G119
Fundamentals of Earth History Lab |
Laboratory studies of rocks, fossils, and stratigraphic principles to reconstruct past environments and interpret earth history. To accompany G109. |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G110
Physical Geology |
Introduction to processes within and at the surface of the earth. Description, classification, and origin of minerals and rocks. The rock cycle. Internal processes: volcanism, earthquakes, crustal deformation, mountain building, plate tectonics. External processes: weathering, mass wasting, streams, glaciers, ground water, deserts, coasts. |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G120
Physical Geology Laboratory |
Laboratory studies of minerals and rocks, landscapes, and earth structures. To accompany G110 for non-geology majors. Geology Majors take G206 |
| Fall & Spring |
G115
Intro to Oceanography
Intro to Oceanography (online) |
Non-mathematical introduction to the geology, biology, and physical characteristics of the ocean. Includes waves, tides, and currents of the world ocean, the adaptations and distributions of marine animals, pollution of the marine ecosystem, and an introduction to the global ocean-atmosphere system. |
| Fall & Spring |
G130
Short Course in Earth Science |
Five-week short courses on a variety of topics in the earth sciences. Each short course is one credit; no topic may be taken for credit more than once. Click here for topics offered. |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G135
Indiana Geology |
Discover the geology of Indiana and why Indiana looks the way it does. An in-depth investigation of Indiana's geology, including minerals and rocks, geologic time, mineral resources, fossils, topography, soil, water resources, and special geologic features such as the Falls of the Ohio River and Indiana Dunes. |
| Fall, Spring |
G136
Indiana Geology Field Experience (online) |
A laboratory paired with the Indiana Geology course that will examine map reading, rock identification, using stratigraphy to interpret a rock's history, and the environmental impact of humans. This lab is not currently offered, but is scheduled to be available in 2006-07. |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G199
Service Learning in Geology |
Students participate in community service projects. Completion of the project includes a paper reflecting on how the service experience contributed to their application of the principles of general education. |
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If you plan to major in Geology or Environmental Science, you should contact our Undergraduate Advisor first. You and the advisor will go over the course and degree requirements and create a schedule for your upcoming semesters. Our advanced courses are designed to provide both a foundation in basic geoscience concepts as well as specialization in geoscience subdisciplines.
Most advanced courses are offered only once per year, and some are offered every other year.
Check the
Long Range Plan for
course offerings in the future. See the Registrar's Course Offerings
to confirm what is being offered in an upcoming semester. Below is a list of our course inventory.
| Course Number
and Title |
Course Description |
G205
Reporting Skills in Geosciences |
Techniques of presenting written and oral reports from the geoscience approach. The written report: mechanics of format and illustrations, proper citation of geoscience literature, the abstract, proofreading, and editing. The oral report: effective presentation and response to audience questions, simulating a professional science meeting. |
G221
Introduction to Mineralogy |
Crystallography: symmetry, morphology, classes. Mineral chemistry, physics, and genesis. Description, identification, association, occurrence, and use of common and important minerals. |
G222
Introduction to Petrology |
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks: composition, field occurrence, characteristics, classification, origin, laboratory description and identification. |
G304
Principles of Paleontology |
This course explores our current understanding of the organisms preserved in the fossil record including the biologic processes that generate patterns of diversity and the geologic processes that affect our ability to detect those patterns. |
G306
Earth Materials |
|
G323
Structural Geology |
Nature and origin of primary and secondary structural features of the earth's crust, with emphasis on mechanics of deformation and origin, and three-dimensional problems illustrating structural concepts. Laboratory. |
G334
Principles of Sedimentation and Stratigraphy |
Processes and factors influencing genesis of sedimentary particles and their deposition. Interpretation of depositional environments. Sedimentary facies and interpretation of stratigraphic record from outcrop, core sequence, and remote sensing. Laboratory. Field trip. |
G3XX
Evolution |
|
G406
Introduction to Geochemistry |
Interactions between geology, chemistry, and biology in natural systems. Explores biogeochemical processes on small scales and in terms of global cycles, as well as human impacts on biogeochemical cycling. |
G410
Undergraduate Research in Geology |
Field and laboratory research in selected problems in geology. May be repeated. A total of 3 credit hours may be applied toward the degree. |
G415
Principles of Geomorphology |
Natural processes that create landforms and landscapes. Physics and chemistry of weathering and soil formation. Dynamics of mass wasting, streams, and glaciers. Includes field and laboratory investigations. |
G420
Regional Geology Field Trip |
Field trip to selected regions for study of mineralogic, lithologic, stratigraphic, structural, paleontologic, geomorphologic, or other geological relationships. Most recent locality was Iceland. |
G420
Geology Field Camp |
|
G430
Principles of Hydrology |
An introduction to the principles of hydrology. |
G431
Wetland Ecosystems |
|
G445
Applied Analytical Techniques in Geology |
Principles of advanced analytical techniques including x-ray analysis, electron beam imaging and analysis, and mass spectrometry, with applications in geosciences. Lectures on theory followed by laboratory exercises. Students will complete individual or collaborative research projects. |
G451
Principles of Hydrogeology |
Geologic and hydrologic factors controlling the occurrence and dynamics of ground water. Emphasis on basic physical and chemical relationships between water and geologic material. |
G460
Internship in Geology |
Industrial or similar experiences in geologically oriented employment. Projects jointly arranged, coordinated, and evaluated by faculty and industrial/governmental supervisors. |
G486
Soil Biogeochemistry |
|
|
G490
Undergraduate Seminar in Geology |
Readings and discussion of selected topics. May be repeated, provided different topics are studied. Click here for current and past offerings. |
G495
Senior Thesis in Geology |
Capstone experience involving a research project. Written report required. |
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Below is a list of our graduate course inventory. The offerings can be variable based on faculty and student interest and availability, and new courses are frequently created. For information concerning upcoming graduate courses, you may direct your questions to the Department Chairperson.
Offered/
Last offered |
Course Number and Title |
Course Description |
| 2005 Fall |
G525
Glacial Geology |
Formation, dynamics, and regimen of glaciers. Erosional and depositional processes and landforms. Glaciation of North America with emphasis on stratigraphy, soils, climates, and physical changes resulting from glacial processes and environments. Field investigations and a student research project required. |
| 2003 Spring |
G527
Geological Oceanography |
Geological features and processes operating in the oceans; continental shelf, slope and ocean-basin geomorphology, sedimentology, structure, and composition; origin and geologic history of seawater and ocean basins. |
| 2003 Fall |
G535
Quaternary Geology |
Characteristics, distribution, and origin of Pleistocene and recent deposits, stratigraphy and chronology; formation of associated landforms, landscapes, paleosols, and soils; Quaternary environments and paleoclimatic interpretation. |
| 2002 Spring |
G545
Applied Analytical Techniques in Geology |
Principles of advanced analytical techniques including x-ray analysis, electron beam imaging and analysis, and mass spectrometry, with applications in geosciences. Lectures on theory followed by laboratory exercises. Students will complete individual or collaborative research projects. |
| 2005 Fall |
G550
Surface Water Hydrology |
In-depth analysis of surface water components of hydrologic cycle: hydrometeorology, evaporation/transpiration, rainfall-runoff relationships, open-channel flow, flood hydrology, and statistical and probabilistic methods in hydrology. |
| 2005 Fall |
G585
Environmental Geochemistry |
Aquatic and environmental geochemistry, including freshwater and marine systems, natural and human-induced changes to geochemical systems, and the geochemical record of paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic variations. |
| 2005 Fall |
G595
Data Analysis Techniques in Geoscience |
Application of statistical and numerical analysis techniques to geoscience data, including sampling methods, confidence intervals, least squares methods, correlation, time series analysis, and multivariate techniques. Emphasis on using a computer to solve geoscience problems. |
| 2006 Spring |
G690
Advanced Geology Seminar |
Readings and discussion of selected topics. May be repeated, provided different topics are studied. Click here for current and past offerings. |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G700
Geologic Problems |
Consideration of special geologic problems. |
| Fall, Spring, Summer |
G810
Research |
Thesis Research |
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Note regarding numbering: Courses with numbers in the 100s and 200s are lower-division undergraduate courses. Courses with numbers in the 300s and 400s are upper-division undergraduate courses. Courses in the 300s may be used for graduate credit by graduate students in education but not by other students. Courses in the 400s may be taken for graduate credit by all graduate students. Courses with numbered 500 or higher are graduate courses.
IUPUI Earth Sciences Department
723 West Michigan Street, SL118
Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
317.274.7484
317.274.7966 (fax) |
