Department of Geosciences

GEOL 110  Introduction to Geology-Parks and Monuments (GT-SC2)  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Understanding the physical processes, natural hazards, earth materials, and natural resources of planet Earth, and the relationship of humans to this planet. Outstanding examples of natural features from national and local parks and monuments, using narrated high-resolution (including aerial) video.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: This is a partial semester course. Offered as an online course only. Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 120  Geology and Society (GT-SC2)  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Explore the dynamic Earth system that we call home. Examine the processes that shape the world and create the resources used and the natural hazards faced. Learn about plate tectonics, climate change, minerals, rocks, geologic time, resources, earthquakes, volcanoes, flooding, and landslides. Build scientific skills and an understanding of the scientific process through making observations, interpreting data, performing calculations, reading maps, and evaluating graphs.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 121  Experiential Geoscience Laboratory (GT-SC1)  Credit: 1 (0-2-0)

Course Description: Explore the variety of methods used by geoscientists to study the Earth through field trips, examination of datasets, and experiments with physical models. Learn to identify rocks and minerals, read the landscape using maps, measure surface and groundwater, and interpret climate data. Build scientific skills and gain an understanding of how science operates by participating in inquiry activities.
Prerequisite: GEOL 110, may be taken concurrently or GEOL 120, may be taken concurrently or GEOL 122, may be taken concurrently or GEOL 124, may be taken concurrently.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 121 and GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab (GT-SC1).

GEOL 122  Geoscience--Climate and Environmental Change (GT-SC2)  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Explore the Earth processes that shape the environment. Examine how Earth systems change and how people contribute to and are affected by these changes. Learn about climate change, the hydrological cycle, rock and mineral formation, weathering and erosion, glaciers, oceans, and plate tectonics. Build scientific skills and an understanding of the scientific process through making observations, interpreting data, performing calculations, reading maps, and evaluating graphs.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 124  Earth Resources and Sustainability (GT-SC2)  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Explore the role of Earth resources in building a sustainable society. Learn about the geologic processes that create water, mineral, and energy resources. Examine positive and negative impacts of resource extraction and use. Investigate economic, political, and environmental issues associated with Earth resources. Build scientific skills and an understanding of the scientific process through making observations, interpreting data, performing calculations, reading maps, and evaluating graphs.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 150  Dynamic Earth (GT-SC2)  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Explore the geology of the dynamic Earth from core to surface and over timescales of hours to millions of years through hands-on activities in the laboratory and field. Learn to identify and interpret Earth materials. Build proficiency in scientific hypothesis testing. Learn how plate tectonic forces shape landscapes and tie dynamic Earth processes to societal interests, including global climate change, natural hazards, and critical natural resources.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips. Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 110, GEOL 120, GEOL 122, GEOL 124, or GEOL 150. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 121 and GEOL 150.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.
Additional Information: Biological & Physical Sciences 3A, Natural & Physical Sciences w/o lab (GT-SC2).

GEOL 154  Earth and Climate Change Through Time  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Explore evolving Earth through the lens of geologic Earth history. Discover the stories of the periods of evolution and mass extinction of biologic life, worldwide changes in climate from ice ages to inland oceans, major geologic events that led to the formation of mountains and oceans, and how these events help to understand the planet. Learn how to determine when rocks formed, and how to interpret past environments, climates, and events from the rock and fossil record.
Prerequisite: GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 192  New Student Seminar--Exploring Geosciences  Credit: 1 (0-0-1)

Course Description: Geosciences as a field of study; exploration of the major and career paths; strategies for academic success and beyond.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Undergraduate.
Registration Information: Freshman and sophomore geology majors only. This is a partial semester course.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 201  Field Geology of the Colorado Front Range  Credit: 1 (0-2-0)

Course Description: Geology of the Rocky Mountain Front Range taught primarily through field trips and field exercises, emphasizing hands-on experiences. Learn to make basic field observations and measurements on a variety of rock types and surficial features.
Prerequisite: GEOL 121 or GEOL 150.
Registration Information: Freshman, sophomore or junior standing only. Geology majors or minors only. This is a partial semester course. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 232  Mineralogy  Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Crystal structures, crystal chemistry, rock-forming and economically important minerals, crystal growth and defects, physical properties of minerals.
Prerequisite: (CHEM 111, may be taken concurrently) and (GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (MATH 120 or MATH 124 or MATH 127 or MATH 155 or MATH 160 or MATH 161 or MATH 255).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 250  The Solid Earth  Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Structure, flow, and composition of the deep Earth; introduction to geophysics; tests of plate tectonic theory.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (MATH 124) and (MATH 125 or MATH 127 or MATH 155 or MATH 160 or MATH 161 or MATH 255).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 275  Climate Change and Earth System Interactions  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Also Offered As: CLMT 275.
Course Description: Investigation of earth system interactions with climate change, including impacts to water cycling, oceans, and ecological responses.
Prerequisite: ATS 150 or GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online. Credit allowed for only one of the following: CLMT 275, CLMT 350, or GEOL 275.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 310  Earth Materials  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Exploration of what makes up the Earth beneath our feet; minerals, sediments and rocks, and water, organic matter, and hydrocarbons in pore space. Minerals as natural chemical compounds and the fundamental building blocks of rocks. Rocks and sediments as products of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic geological process. Interpretation of rock-forming process through observations. Minerals and rocks as essential resources and sources of most materials we use.
Prerequisite: (CHEM 111) and (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 and GEOL 121 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 and GEOL 121 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 154).
Registration Information: Required field trips. Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 311  Earth's Interior  Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Earth's dynamically changing interior, its composition and structure, physical and chemical processes, how these evolved through geologic time. How Earth's internal and surface processes interact to exchange energy and mass. Associated impacts on life and human society. Become familiar with the data and scientific arguments that support understanding of Earth. Methods used to obtain this knowledge and to develop and test hypotheses concerning Earth's interior.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 and GEOL 121 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 122 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 154).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 312  Earth's Surface  Credits: 2 (2-0-0)

Course Description: Examine Earth's surface from bedrock to tree tops. Earth's surface is a constantly evolving layer where rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms interact to shape the landscape, regulate natural habitats, determine the availability of life-sustaining resources, and affect the magnitude and frequency of natural hazards. Gain a coherent introduction to the processes and interactions governing this vital interface.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 and GEOL 121 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 122 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 154).
Registration Information: Must have concurrent registration in GEOL 313 and GEOL 314.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 313  Earth Systems  Credits: 2 (2-0-0)

Course Description: Exploration of interactions and feedbacks between the geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere and how they promote a hospitable climate on Earth over geological time. Emphasizing systems thinking, students learn Earth System science tools, including the rock record, geochronology, proxy data, and modeling. Drawing from geologic examples, explore how perturbations are used to probe Earth System mechanics, including potential responses to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 and GEOL 121 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 122 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 154).
Registration Information: Must have concurrent registration in GEOL 312 and GEOL 314. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 314  Earth's Surface Laboratory  Credit: 1 (0-2-0)

Course Description: Covers foundational skills in Earth Systems science. Skills in scientific reasoning, conceptual and computational modeling, quantitative data analysis and reasoning, and field analysis will be developed. Geological information, including quantitative reasoning, will be collected, synthesized, modeled, analyzed, and interpreted in class and presented orally and verbally and through active learning activities.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 and GEOL 121 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 122 or GEOL 121 and GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 154).
Registration Information: Required field trips. Must have concurrent registration in GEOL 312 and GEOL 313.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 332  Optical Mineralogy  Credits: 2 (1-2-0)

Course Description: Fundamental light optics in crystalline substances; optical indicatrix; isotropic, uniaxial, and biaxial substances; common minerals in thin section.
Prerequisite: GEOL 232, may be taken concurrently.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 340  Glacial Geology  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Glacier physics (mass balance, ice dynamics, heat flow, and hydrology), glacial erosion and sedimentation, glacial landforms, and the relationship between forcings (orbital, climate, tectonic, biological) and glaciations in Earth's history.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (PH 121 or PH 141).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 340 and GEOL 380A2.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 342  Paleontology  Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Description of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants and their distribution in earth history.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 343  Dinosaur Paleontology Field Camp  Credit: 1 (0-0-2)

Course Description: Develops field-based skills in sedimentology and paleontology, including general sedimentary geology techniques (interpreting depositional environments, measuring section, collecting samples, note taking) and paleontological techniques (prospecting, data collection, excavation, mapping, inventory), to reconstruct and interpret fossil ecosystems.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Registration Information: Required field trips. Class will spend one week camping at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science field station. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 343 and GEOL 380A3.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 344  Stratigraphy and Sedimentology  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Description, genesis, correlation, and age of sediments, sedimentary rocks and layered rock sequences.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154 with a minimum grade of C.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 364  Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology  Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Identification, classification, geochemistry, petrogenesis of igneous and metamorphic rocks; textural interpretation of hand samples and thin sections.
Prerequisite: GEOL 310.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 366  Low-Temperature Geochemistry  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: In-depth examination of the application of chemical principles to geochemical systems. Focus on geochemistry primarily through the lens of Earth’s surface (marine and terrestrial) environments. Includes gaining a general understanding of the interaction of water with geologic and biological cycles, the natural chemical compositions of water from a range of environments, and the ways in which water chemistry is quantified both analytically and through modeling.
Prerequisite: CHEM 113 and GEOL 154 and GEOL 310.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 372  Structural Geology  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Stress and strain in rocks, geometry of deformed rocks, and tectonic principles.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 154, may be taken concurrently) and (MATH 125 or MATH 127 or MATH 155 or MATH 160 or MATH 161 or MATH 255) and (PH 121, may be taken concurrently or PH 141, may be taken concurrently).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 376  Geologic Field Methods  Credits: 3 (1-4-0)

Course Description: Scientific, surveying, and mapping methods used in geologic field studies; proposal, map, and report preparation.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344 and GEOL 372, may be taken concurrently.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 384  Supervised College Teaching  Credits: Var[1-5] (0-0-0)

Course Description: Instruction and practice in laboratory instruction in lower-division departmental courses.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Written consent of instructor. A maximum of 10 combined credits for all 384 and 484 courses are counted towards graduation requirements.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 401  Geology of the Rocky Mountain Region  Credit: 1 (0-3-0)

Course Description: Field course; geology of the local Rocky Mountain region.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Registration Information: May be taken up to 3 times for credit. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 415  Critical Zone Science  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Focus on the Earth’s terrestrial near-surface environment that sustains most non-marine life on the planet, known as the Critical Zone. Gain experience with the architecture and geologic and geomorphologic context of the Critical Zone in different environments. Explore the interactions between the solid earth, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere that give rise to the Critical Zone, and learn how the Critical Zone modulates various Earth surface processes.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 150 or ESS 210 or GR 210 or SOCR 240) and (CHEM 107 or CHEM 111) and (MATH 155 or MATH 159 or MATH 160 or STAT 301).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 380A1 and GEOL 415.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 436  Geology Summer Field Course  Credits: 6 (0-12-0)

Course Description: Geologic mapping, measuring sections, interpreting geologic history in Colorado. Required comprehensive reports, geologic maps, and cross sections.
Prerequisite: GEOL 364 and GEOL 372 and GEOL 376.
Registration Information: This is a partial semester course. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 440  Geodetic and Near-Surface Geophysical Methods  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Introduction to geodetic and near-surface geophysical methods to answer societally-relevant geological and environmental questions. Methods include (i) dataloggers and instruments, (ii) geodetic tools (GNSS surveys, lidar, and Structure from Motion), and (iii) near-surface geophysical methods (ground-penetrating radar, active seismic profiling, and electrical resistivity imaging). Emphasizes learning to collect, analyze/interpret, and synthesize multiple types of geophysical data.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (GEOL 344, may be taken concurrently) and (PH 122 or PH 142) and (MATH 161 or MATH 255).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 440 and GEOL 480A4.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 442  Applied Geophysics  Credits: 4 (3-2-0)

Course Description: Geophysical exploration methods emphasizing hydrocarbon and mineral exploration, hydrogeology, and engineering applications.
Prerequisite: GEOL 372 and MATH 161 and PH 142.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 446  Environmental Geology  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Geology applied to environmental problems.
Prerequisite: (CHEM 111) and (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (MATH 155 or MATH 160) and (PH 121 or PH 141).
Registration Information: Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 447  Mineral Deposits  Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Occurrence, origin, and exploration of economic metallic mineral deposits.
Prerequisite: GEOL 364 and GEOL 372.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 452  Hydrogeology  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Interaction of water and geologic materials; surface and groundwater; quantitative analysis and geologic effects on quality and flow of groundwater.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150 or GR 210) and (MATH 161 or MATH 255) and (PH 121 or PH 141).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 454  Geomorphology  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Origin of landforms; morphology and processes.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150 or GR 210) and (STAT 301 or STAT 307 or STAT 315).
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 492  Seminar  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494A  Independent Study: Environmental/Engineering Geology  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494B  Independent Study: Geomorphology  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494C  Independent Study: Mineralogy/Petrology  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494D  Independent Study: Geoscience Field Studies  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494E  Independent Study: Paleontology/Stratigraphy  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494F  Independent Study: Sedimentology  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494G  Independent Study: Structural Geology  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 494I  Independent Study: Geophysics  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 498  Research  Credits: Var[1-6] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Written consent of instructor.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 530  Advanced Petrology  Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Igneous and metamorphic processes and products explored through thermodynamics, phase equilibria, and textural analysis.
Prerequisite: GEOL 364.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 535  Microtectonics  Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Focuses on microstructural features, processes, mechanisms, and measurements. Structurally interesting rocks especially on the microscale, development of structural fabrics and reactivation, analysis of fault rocks and kinematic indicators especially in fault and shear zones, stress measurement through microstructural indicators, shock deformation/metamorphism in impact structures, chemical changes with deformation, deformation mechanisms, and isotopic investigation of deformation.
Prerequisite: GEOL 332 and GEOL 372.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 535 and GEOL 580A3.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 540  Petrophysics and Well Log Interpretation  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Petrophysics and well log interpretation as it relates to hydrocarbon exploration and production. Wireline logs, calculating rock and fluid properties from log measurements, and recognizing zones of potential hydrocarbons. Map and calculate volumes of hydrocarbons in the subsurface using the analysis of petrophysical properties from wireline well logs.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344 and GEOL 366 and PH 142.
Registration Information: Senior or graduate standing in Geosciences, Engineering, or Physics. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 540 and GEOL 581A4.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 541  Geostatistics  Credits: 2 (2-0-0)

Course Description: Geostatistics for earth science applications. Aquifer and reservoir heterogeneity, spatial data analysis, variogram modeling, spatial estimation, kriging, and geostatistical simulation.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 150) and (MATH 161 or MATH 255) and (STAT 301 or STAT 315).
Registration Information: Credit not allowed for both GEOL 541 and GEOL 581A5.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 542  Paleoclimate  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Also Offered As: ATS 542.
Course Description: A survey of past climate and Earth system states, from the Archean to the Holocene. Special emphasis on extreme climates and on time periods where there remains substantial model-data disagreement. Role of paleoclimate in understanding future warming and evolution of the Earth system.
Prerequisite: GEOL 154.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: ATS 542, ATS 580B1, GEOL 542, or GEOL 580B1.
Term Offered: Spring (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 543  Carbonate Sedimentology  Credits: 2 (1-3-0)

Course Description: Recognition of carbonate grains, cement types, and carbonate depositional environments, and their response to sea-level changes.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344.
Registration Information: Junior standing.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 545  Shale Sedimentology  Credits: 2 (2-0-0)

Course Description: Recognize and interpret mud and mudstone facies and their depositional environments, as well as reconstructing their diagenetic history. Observe stacking patterns and reconstruct sea-level fluctuations from mudstone/shale successions and their impact on the 3D distribution of mudstones/shales.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344.
Registration Information: Junior standing. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 545 and GEOL 580A6.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 546  Sedimentary Basin Analysis  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Sedimentologic data base, correlation, mapping, facies models, classification, and evolution of sedimentary basins. Applications to petroleum exploration.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 547  Ore Deposit Geochemistry  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Geochemical techniques applied to the geology, exploration, and environmental analysis of ore deposits.
Prerequisite: GEOL 447.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 548  Petroleum Geology  Credits: 4 (3-2-0)

Course Description: Comprehensive treatment of the petroleum system with a focus on hydrocarbon exploration and production data and methods.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344 and GEOL 372.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior.
Registration Information: Senior standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Credit allowed for only one of the following: GEOL 548, GEOL 565, or GEOL 581A6.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 551  Groundwater Modeling  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Groundwater modeling from a geologic perspective. Conceptual models and computer modeling of groundwater flow and solute transport.
Prerequisite: CIVE 423 or GEOL 452.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 552  Advanced Topics in Hydrogeology  Credits: Var[2-3] (0-0-0)

Course Description: Current literature, new techniques, legislative and political developments in hydrogeology, and appropriate case histories.
Prerequisite: GEOL 452.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 553  Use of Tracers in Hydrogeology  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Use of environmental and applied tracers in hydrogeology to understand groundwater flow and transport properties. Environmental tracers are used to determine groundwater age and recharge rates, ground/water surface water interactions and to estimate the average temperature when the groundwater was recharged. Applied tracers are used to determine flow and transport processes in porous media to understand controls on solute transport, especially related to contaminant movement.
Prerequisite: CIVE 423 or GEOL 452.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 554  Remote Sensing of the Earth System  Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Course Description: Introduction to the physics and specific applications of common passive and active remote sensing techniques to study the Earth system. Gain an understanding of how to access, process, analyze and interpret remote sensing observations to answer specific research questions focused on the Earth system.
Prerequisite: (GEOL 110 or GEOL 120 or GEOL 122 or GEOL 124 or GEOL 150) and (PH 122 or PH 142).
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior.
Registration Information: Senior geology majors or graduate students. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 554 and GEOL 580B2.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 570  Plate Tectonics  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Examination of the historical development of plate tectonic theory and its application to understanding geological processes.
Prerequisite: GEOL 364 and GEOL 372 and PH 142.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 571  Tectonic Geomorphology  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Interactions between tectonic, climatic and earth surface processes that give rise to mountainous landscapes. Topics range from landscape response to single earthquake events to geochronological tools used to constrain rates of landscape change to orogen-scale interactions and feedbacks between tectonics and climate through lectures, in-class activities, data analysis, modeling, and reading assignments.
Prerequisite: GEOL 372 and GEOL 454, may be taken concurrently and MATH 160.
Registration Information: Required field trips. One weekend field trip to study tectonic geomorphology in southern CO is required. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 571 and GEOL 581B1.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 572  Advanced Structural Geology  Credits: 4 (3-3-0)

Course Description: Rheology, deformation mechanisms, structural associations and advanced methods of structural analysis.
Prerequisite: GEOL 436.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Required field trips. Graduate standing can substitute for prerequisite course.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 574  Geodynamics  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Continuum mechanics applied to understanding of deformation within the earth. Stress and strain as tensors, with application to various geological settings; plate flexure and isostasy; steady state and time dependent heat conduction in a geological context; fluid mechanics of the earth.
Prerequisite: GEOL 250 and MATH 261 and PH 141.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 575  Subsurface Geophysical Mapping  Credits: 4 (3-2-0)

Course Description: Advanced techniques for creating subsurface geological maps based on seismic reflection and well log data.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344 and GEOL 372 and MATH 161 and PH 142.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 576  Exploration Seismology  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Seismic exploration methods, including theory, data acquisition, and data processing.
Prerequisite: GEOL 344 and GEOL 372 and MATH 161 and PH 142.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 578  Global Seismology  Credits: 4 (3-2-0)

Course Description: Quantitative introduction to seismology; basics of seismic data analysis; fundamentals of wave propagation; earthquakes; structure of the Earth.
Prerequisite: PH 142 and MATH 261.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 579  Solid Earth Inverse Methods and Practices  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Inverse and parameter estimation theory and applications in the earth sciences in the context of Frequentist and Bayesian approaches to estimating and interpreting data-driven models. Review of linear algebra, statistical, and other mathematical underpinnings, and of basic MATLAB programming. Linear and nonlinear inverse problems. Nonuniqueness, ill-posedness, rank-deficiency. Regularization methods for geophysical problems.
Prerequisite: (MATH 161 or MATH 255) and (MATH 229) and (STAT 301 or STAT 315).
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 601  Professional Development for Geoscientists  Credit: 1 (0-0-1)

Course Description: The conduct of science, role of scientific publications, publication process, proposal writing, responsible conduct of research, and professional ethics.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 652  Fluvial Geomorphology  Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Geomorphology of channels, slopes, and drainage systems.
Prerequisite: GEOL 120.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 662  Field Geomorphology  Credits: 2 (1-2-0)

Course Description: Field-based geomorphologic analysis of landscape forms and processes. Apply appropriate field techniques to address relevant research hypotheses related to advanced subject matter in geomorphology. Analyze and interpret field-based data, orally present findings in a symposium setting, and discuss and critically evaluate relevant literature.
Prerequisite: GEOL 454.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. This is a partial semester course. Required field trips. Credit not allowed for both GEOL 662 and GEOL 680A1.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: Yes.

GEOL 684  Supervised College Teaching  Credits: Var[1-5] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Written consent of instructor.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 692  Seminar  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 695  Independent Study  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 696  Group Study  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 698  Research  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 699  Thesis  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 798  Research  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

GEOL 799  Dissertation  Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.