Oklahoma State University: The STATE's University
Visit the OSU Home Page

College of Arts and Sciences
2008-09 Degree Requirement Sheets - click here for previous years

An asterisk (*) following the four-digit number indicates the course is approved for graduate credit.
Graduate College


Geology (GEOL)



GEOL 1014
(L,N)Geology and Human Affairs

Lab 2. The influence of geology and related earth sciences on the human environment. Energy and material resources, beneficial and hazardous natural processes, and the planetary and biological evolution of earth. Lab investigations environmentally oriented.

GEOL 1114
(L,N)Physical Geology

Lab 2. Composition and structure of the earth and the modification of its surface by internal and external processes. Mineral resources, sources of energy, and environmental aspects of geology. A background in pre-college science and math is recommended. Field trip required.

GEOL 1224
Evolution of the Earth

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 1014 or 1114 or BIOL 1114. A survey of the physical and biological history of the Earth from the coalescence of the solar system to the present. Field trips required.

GEOL 1613
Inquiry-based Earth Science

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1413 and PHYS 1313 recommended. Natural earth systems and their influence on the human environment. Essential aspects of astronomy, meteorology, hydrology and geology. Taught using inquiry methods. Intended for prospective elementary teachers as a model that can be adapted for use in the classroom. Field trip required.

GEOL 2254
Practical Mineralogy

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 1014 or 1114 and CHEM 1314. Hand-specimen identification of minerals using physical and chemical properties. Introductory optical identification of common rock forming minerals. Society's utilization of mineral resources. Field trips required.

GEOL 2364
Elementary Petrology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 2254. Origin, occurrence and classification of rocks; hand-specimen identification. Field trips required.

GEOL 3004
Earth Science for Teachers

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 1114 or equivalent. Teaching natural earth systems and their environmental impact. Use of an adaptation approach in organizing, presenting, and evaluating earth science concepts in the curriculum. Field trips required.

GEOL 3014
Structural Geology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 1224, PHYS 2014 or consent of instructor. Behavior of earth materials during various deformational processes and analysis of the resulting structural features such as folds, faults and fractures. Field trips required.

GEOL 3034*
Principles of Stratigraphy and Sedimentology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 1224. Principles of stratigraphy and their applications. Laboratory emphasizes realistic practical problems undertaken in the field and in the laboratory. Field trips required. Non-majors may receive graduate credit.

GEOL 3043
(N)Scenic Geologic Regions

Prerequisite(s): 1014 or equivalent recommended. The geologic characteristics of national parks and scenic regions in North America and throughout the world.

GEOL 3073*
Geomorphology

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 1114 and MATH 2144 or concurrent enrollment. Study of land forms and the processes that form them, using topographic maps, air photos, remotely-sensed images, soils maps and field techniques. Field trips required.

GEOL 3103
Paleontology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 1224 or consent of instructor. Basic principles of paleontology involving invertebrates, vertebrates and plants. Lab focused on the morphology, identification, paleoecology and biostratigraphy of marine invertebrates. Field trips required.

GEOL 3503
Environmental Geology

Prerequisite(s): 1114 or consent of instructor. Application of geologic principles to environmental issues, including human use of the surface and subsurface of the earth and human interaction with extreme natural events such as earthquakes, floods and landslides. Field trip is required.

GEOL 3546*
Field Geology

Lab 12. Prerequisite(s): 2364, 3014, 3034, 3073. Six weeks of field methods in geology. Required of all geology majors. Transportation and room and board fees required.

GEOL 4023*
Petroleum Geology

Prerequisite(s): 3014 and 3034. Origin, migration and accumulation of petroleum, requirements for source rock, reservoir rock and traps. Structure and stratigraphy of selected oil fields. Field trips required.

GEOL 4030
Geologic Field Investigation

1-3 credits, max 3. Prerequisite: 1014 or 1114. One to three weeks of required field study at sites of geological interest and significance. Field trip charges apply. Does not substitute for GEOL 3546. No credit for students who have credit in 5030.

GEOL 4103*
Geophysical Methods

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 2014 and 2114; upper-division standing; MATH 2103 recommended. An overview of geophysical methods and their applications to exploration, environmental and engineering problems. Seismic reflection and refraction methods, gravity, magnetic, resistivity and electromagnetic methods. A field trip required.

GEOL 4203*
Seismic Interpretation

Examination of the reflection seismic interpretation methods with emphasis on the oil and gas industry. Both structural and stratigraphic methods. Hands-on interpretation using a standard industry software package.

GEOL 4213*
Plate Tectonics

Prerequisite(s): 1114. Principles and major concepts of plate tectonics, the unifying theory of earth sciences. Geology and plate tectonics evolution of the major mountain chains of North America; Ouachitas, Appalachians and Cordillerans. Field trip required.

GEOL 4300
Geology Colloquium

1 credit, max 2. Prerequisite(s): 15 credit hours in geology and junior status. Discussion of selected topics in the geological sciences with emphasis on professional presentation practices.

GEOL 4403*
Geochemistry

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 1014 or 1114 or consent of instructor; CHEM 1314; CHEM 1515 or concurrent enrollment; MATH 1513 or above. Application of chemical principles to geological processes. Processes affecting the composition of surface and ground waters.

GEOL 4453
Hydrogeology

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 2114. The water cycle and ground-water systems as well as general problems related to ground-water occurrence, quantity, quality and pollution. Field trip required.

GEOL 4463*
Physical Hydrogeology

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 4453 or similar; PHYS 2114. Physical ground-water systems. Realistic problems to acquaint students with ground-water occurrence and movement. Geologic, geophysical, hydraulic testing and modeling techniques used to define an actual ground-water system. Ground-water regulations. Field trips required.

GEOL 4513
Marine Geology

Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1314 or equivalent; PHYS 1114 or 2014 or equivalent; GEOL 3034 or equivalent. Comprehensive examination of the geology of the oceans. Topics include techniques of data collection and interpretation, physical oceanography, origin of marine sediments, marine tectonics and ocean history. No credit for students who have previously taken 5513.

GEOL 4663*
Global Geologic Resources

Distribution and analysis of global mineral, energy and water resources. Economic, environmental, social and political impact of selected resources on local to global scales.

GEOL 4990*
Special Problems in Earth Science

1-8 credits, max 8. Prerequisite(s): 25 hours of geology and permission of instructor. Individually designed study projects involving assigned reading, library work, field work, laboratory work or a combination of these. Field trips may be required.

GEOL 4993
Senior Honors Thesis

Prerequisite(s): Departmental invitation, senior standing, Honors Program participation. A guided reading and research program ending with an honors thesis under the direction of a senior faculty member, with second faculty reader and oral examination. Required for graduation with departmental honors in geology.

GEOL 5000*
Thesis

1-6 credits, max 6. Prerequisite(s): Approval of graduate committee. Work toward master's thesis in geology.

GEOL 5030*
Geologic Field Investigation

1-3 credits, max 3. One to three weeks of required field study at sites of geological interest and significance. Emphasis will be placed on applicability to graduate research. Field trip charges apply. No credit for students who have credit in 4030.

GEOL 5050*
Problems in Economic Geology

1-3 credits, max 6. Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor. Individually-designed problems in economic geology. Field trips may be required.

GEOL 5073*
Fluvial Geomorphology

Prerequisite(s): 3073 or consent of instructor. Landforms and processes related to the action of running water in stream channels and on hillslopes. Field trips required.

GEOL 5083*
Geology of Antarctica

Prerequisite(s): 3034 and 3073 or 4513 or equivalents; permission of instructor. Survey of the geology of Antarctica with an emphasis on its glacial history. Focus is on the marine record but will also review some of the terrestrial records of glacial history. The course will include a research cruise to Antarctica.

GEOL 5100*
Problems in Hydrogeology

1-4 credits, max 8. Prerequisite(s): 4453. Advanced problems in hydrogeology with emphasis on quantitative methods. Field trips may be required.

GEOL 5183*
Advanced Paleontology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 3103 or equivalent. In depth study of selected fossil groups with emphasis on marine micropaleontology. Student projects on assigned fossil groups with presentation of results both orally and in writing. Field trips required.

GEOL 5203*
Structural Styles in Oil and Gas Exploration

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 3014. The theoretical, experimental and descriptive approach to structural styles formed by different tectonic stresses (i.e., extensional, contractional, strike-slip and salt tectonics) and their importance in oil and gas exploration. Field trips required.

GEOL 5223*
Advanced Methods in Structural Geology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 3014. Advanced geometric techniques and analysis of complex structural terrains. Elucidation of geometry and history of geological structures by interpreting seismic reflection profiles and constructing balanced cross-sections. Field trips required.

GEOL 5233*
Trace Elements in Hydrogeology

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1515. Examination of the behavior of various trace elements in the aqueous environment. Availability and mobility of selected trace elements, the characterization of geochemical environments, pe-pH stability fields, adsorption and other parameters that affect element mobility. Introduction to thermodynamic water-equilibrium computer programs.

GEOL 5243*
Research Methods and Techniques in Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Methods and techniques for solving practical scientific problems in sedimentary rocks and stratigraphy. Scientific method, definition of a research problem, sampling. Techniques for characterizing sedimentary rocks focused on rock mineralogy/texture, porosity/permeability and associations/stacking patterns of stratigraphic sequences.

GEOL 5253*
Petrology and Diagenesis of Clastic Rocks

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 2364, 3034. Examination of petrology and depositional facies of sandstones and shales. Identification of detrital and diagenetic constituents and determination of paragenetic sequence of diagenetic events. The effect of burial and thermal history on reservoir quality. Field trips required.

GEOL 5263*
Electron Microprobe Analysis

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1515, PHYS 2414, or GEOL 2254. Practical course for operators of the electron microprobe. Basic principles of X-ray microanalysis and hands-on training using the electron microprobe.

GEOL 5273*
Depositional Systems

Prerequisite(s): 3034, 3546. Examination of the processes within depositional environments and the facies they form. Focus on the environmental interpretation of rocks, cores and seismic profiles based on their composition, texture, character, stacking pattern and sedimentary structures. Emphasis on clastic systems. Field trips required.

GEOL 5283*
Subsurface Geologic Methods

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 3014, 3034. Use of subsurface geologic information from cores and well logs to prepare maps and identify oil and gas prospects. Field trips required.

GEOL 5303*
Applied Geophysics

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): PHYS 1214. Principles of exploration geophysics with emphasis on the petroleum and mineral industries. Field trips required.

GEOL 5353*
Advanced Well Log Analysis

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 3034. The geologic interpretation of a variety of well logs, emphasized, as well as quantitative methods. Some exercises involve concurrent interpretation of well logs and core samples, or well logs and bit cuttings. Field trips required.

GEOL 5363*
Carbonate Sedimentology and Petrology

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 2364 and 4403. Systematic study of carbonate and associated sedimentary rocks including depositional environments, stratigraphic occurrence, and diagenesis. Application of petrographic, geochemical and field methods. Field trips required.

GEOL 5383*
Sequence Stratigraphy

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): 5253, 5353, 5363. Principles of sequence stratigraphy including carbonate and siliciclastic dominated intracratonic basins. Integration of surface and subsurface data in projects. Field trips required.

GEOL 5443*
Environmental Geophysics

Lab 2. Geological aspects of problems associated with environmental engineering, ground-water pollution and regional and urban planning. Problem assessment and field methods. Two required field projects include geophysical surveys using resistivity and seismic refraction methods. Field trip required.

GEOL 5453*
Advanced Hydrogeology

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): 4453, CS 2113 or equivalent, MATH 2144, MATH 2153 and 2163 or equivalent. Advanced quantitative techniques used to address ground-water management and pollution. Advanced field and laboratory techniques as well as management and chemical transport models applied to actual field problems and case studies. Field trips required.

GEOL 5503*
Advanced Environmental Geology

Prerequisite(s): 3503 or consent of instructor. Utilization of geologic principles to resolve environmental issues in land use, land management and development. Methods of acquiring, compiling, and applying geologic information for site assessment and environmental impact. Application of these methods to an interdisciplinary project. Field trips required.

GEOL 5513*
Marine Geology

Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1314 or equivalent; PHYS 1114 or 2014 or equivalent; GEOL 3034 or equivalent. Comprehensive examination of the geology of the oceans. Topics include techniques of data collection and interpretation, physical oceanography, origin of marine sediments, marine tectonics and ocean history. No credit for students with credit in 4513.

GEOL 5523*
Environmental Organic Geochemistry

Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1314 and 1515 or equivalent; GEOL 3034 or equivalent; GEOL 4403 or equivalent or permission of instructor. Introduction to some environmental aspects of organic geochemistry. Soils and sediments as pollutant receptors, sources of pollutants and selected aspects of environmental health.

GEOL 5533*
Organic Geochemistry

Prerequisite(s): CHEM 1314 and 1515 or equivalent; GEOL 3034 or equivalent. Chemistry of organic matter in sediments and rocks with an emphasis on marine and petroleum systems.

GEOL 5553*
Environmental Geochemistry

Lab 3. Prerequisite(s): Introductory chemistry. Origin and evolution of natural water quality. Distribution and mobility of elements in the secondary environment. Computational methods for the interpretation of water analyses.

GEOL 5603*
Basin Evolution

Prerequisite(s): 3014, 3034, 4403. Advanced topics in sedimentary basin studies, including tectonics, sequence stratigraphy, facies analysis, regional diagenesis, thermal evolution, regional hydrogeology, and distribution of natural resources.

GEOL 5710*
Advanced Studies in Geology

1-4 credits, max 8. Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor. Individual library, laboratory and/or field projects on facets of geology not covered by existing courses. Field trips may be required.

GEOL 5773*
Planetary Geology

Lab 2. Prerequisite(s): GEOL 1114; upper-division standing in the natural sciences; ASTR 1014 recommended. Geophysics and tectonics of planetary interiors; geomorphology and sedimentology of planetary surfaces; geochemistry and mineralogy of planetary materials; geologic factors that could affect life on other planets; interpretation of geologic data from planetary exploration. Field trips required.

Current as of: 09/26/2008 8:11 AM

 

The State's University
Office of the Registrar - Stillwater | Stillwater, OK 74078 | 405.744.6876
Copyright © 2006 Oklahoma State University | All rights reserved