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Graduate Courses

The following list describes graduate geological sciences courses that are scheduled frequently(at least every other year). Other courses in the graduate catalog are taught less frequently, based on faculty and student interests.

In addition to these formal courses, students can take Individual Work (GLY 6905) to learn skills or approach topics not presented in other classwork, and take Research Credits (GLY 6971 for MS research, GLY 7979 for Ph.D. research prior to candidacy, and GLY 7980 for Ph.D. research after reaching candidacy).

Students should also plan to attend the weekly seminar (during Fall and Spring semesters), and take the seminar course (GLY 6931, 1 credit) at least three times during their graduate program.

For current and recent schedules of courses: Visit Registrar Website.

GLY 5156 Geologic Evolution of North America

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 2010C or 2030C; 4400C recommended.
Key geological features of North American plate and important aspects of their geological evolution through time. Current and past plate tectonic setting, major geological and geomorphologic provinces, geophysical aspects of North American lithosphere, and natural resources.

GLY 5245 Hydrogeochemistry

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: Inorganic chemistry, calculus, or instructor permission.
Geological controls on chemical and isotopic composition of natural waters, including meteoric groundwater, brines, and seawater, emphasis on thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of fluid-solid reactions.

GLY 5246 Geochemistry

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: CHM 2046 and GLY 2010C.
The abundance and distribution of the elements and their behavior during various geological processes.

GLY 5247 Surface and Ground Water Interactions

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: Geology/hydroecology, undergraduate chemistry, and physics.
Classic and new literature that deals with interactions between surface and groundwater. Emphasizes submarine groundwater discharge in estuary and coastal zones, hyporheic zones of streams, and karst aquifers.

GLY 5248 Physical Geochemistry

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: Calculus I, introductory chemistry, or instructor permission.
Principles, theory, practice, and application of thermodynamics and kinetics to geochemical processes.

GLY 5255 Organic Geochemistry and Geobiology

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: One-year introductory chemistry and one-year introductory geology.
Theory, practice, and methods of organic geochemistry, organic biogeochemistry, and geomicrobiology.

GLY 5328 Advanced Igneous Petrology

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 4310C or equivalent.
Compositional variability, phase relations, and petrogenetic history of igneous rocks, volcanic regions, and mantle. Theories of petrotectonic associations and magmagenesis.

GLY 5455 Introduction to Geophysics and Tectonics

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 2010C, 2030C, or 4400C and one year of college physics or permission of instructor.
Physics of the Earth. Study of gravity and magnetic fields, seismic waves, thermal history, orogenic belts, and plate tectonic theory.

GLY 5466 Seismology and Earth Structure

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: One of the following: MAP 2302, GLY 5455, PHY 2048, PHY 2060, or consent of instructor.
Introduces basic theory of elastic wave propagation in the Earth. Applies seismology as a tool for determining Earth structure and explains relationships between earthquakes and plate tectonics.

GLY 5468 Terrestrial Gravity and Magnetism

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: MAP 2302 or PHY 2060, and GLY 5455, or by consent of instructor.
Survey of potential field theory with applications to gravity and magnetism of the Earth.

GLY 5476 Environmental Geophysics

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 2010C or 2030C and 1 year of college physics or consent of instructor.
Reflection and refraction seismology. Gravitational, magnetic and electrical methods of exploration. Instrumentation, surveying techniques, and data reduction and interpretation.

GLY 5558C Sedimentology

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 2010C or 2030C; 4552C.
Lecture and discussion of major sedimentary processes active in coastal and continental margin settings focus on relating processes with sedimentary facies. Classwork augmented with frequent field trips.

GLY 5576 Continental Margin Stratigraphy

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY4552C or equivalent.
Basic concepts of sequence stratigraphy and to illustrate their application in the study of tectonics, sediment supply, and sea-level change. Emphasizes exploration tools, such as advanced well logging techniques and seismic stratigraphy, used to relate lithology with stratigraphy.

GLY 5705 Geomorphology

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 4400C.
Application of principles of geomorphology to origin and evolution of landscapes.

GLY 5736 Marine Geology

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 2010C, or 2030C, or OCE 1001.
A detailed introduction to the origin and evolution of ocean basins, ocean margins, and oceanic sediments and microfossils, including a paleoceanographic history of the marine realm.

GLY 5786L Topics in Field Geology

Credits: 2; max. 6
Pre-requisites: Graduate standing and permission of instructor.
Visits to selected sites and regions of outstanding geologic value and interest. Recent locations have included the Appalachians, Bahamas, and Death Valley. May be retaken for credit as long as topic differs.

GLY 5827 Ground Water Geology

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 2010C, or 2030C.
Principles of groundwater geology, with special reference to the Coastal Plain and Florida.

GLY 6075 Global Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 4552C.
Evolution of the Earth’s climate through geologic time, including discussion of modern climatology and methods of paleoclimate interpretations.

GLY 6256 Chemical Biomarkers in Aquatic Ecosystems

Credits:  3

Pre-requisites: OCE 1001

Examines the origins, fates, and distribution of organic compounds in contemporary aquatic waters as well as in recent and ancient sediments.

GLY 6268C Isotope Geology

Credits: 4
Pre-requisites: GLY 5246.
Application of radiogenic and stable isotopes to the solution of geologic problems such as geochronology, petrogenesis, and paleoclimatology.

GLY 6297 Topics in Geochemistry

Credits: 3; max. 6
Pre-requisites: GLY 5246.
Problems in igneous and metamorphic petrogenesis, geochronology, radiogenic isotopes, stable isotopes, and marine geochemistry. May be retaken for credit, as long as topic differs.

GLY 6425 Tectonics

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: GLY 4400C.
Evolution and formation of mid-ocean ridges, seamounts, hot spots, island arcs, back-arc basins, passive margins, and mountain chains.

GLY 6519 Stratigraphy and Timescales

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: Instructor permission or undergraduate degree in geology.
Methods in stratigraphy including biostratigraphy, chemostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and cyclostratigraphy and how these tools are integrated to generate geologic timescales in absolute time.

GLY 6738 Estuarine Systems

Credits: 3

Pre-requisites: None

Examines estuarine ecosystems around the world, with particular emphasis on the impact of global change on these highly productive systems.

GLY 6826 Hydrogeologic Modeling

Credits: 3
Pre-requisites: None.
Application of computer modeling to hydrogeologic problems through the use of analytical and numerical solutions.

GLY 6862 Quantitative Methods in Earth Sciences

Credits: 3

Pre-requisites: College level Calculus and Physics, or permission of instructor.

Providing graduate students with a solid introduction to the quantitative methods that are increasingly utilized in the Earth sciences.

GLY 6905 Individual Work

Credits: 1-4 Credits, Max 12 Credits

For work beyond that offered in regular courses.

GLY 6931 Seminar

Credits: 1, Max 2

Reading in special topics

GLY 6932 Special Topics in Geology

Credits: 1-3; max. 9
Pre-requisites: None.
Lectures, conferences, or laboratory sessions covering selected topics of current interest in modern geology. Generally, one to three different topics is offered each semester. Recent topics have included: Seismology and Earth Structure, Vertebrate Paleontology, Surface and Groundwater Interactions, Paleolimnology, and GIS. May be retaken for credit, as long as topic differs.

GLY 6971 Research for Master’s Thesis

Credits: 1-15

Research for Master’s Thesis

GLY 7979 Advanced Research

Credits: 1-12

Research for doctoral students before admission to candidacy. Designed for students with a master’s degree in the field of study or for students who have been accepted for a doctoral program. Not appropriate for students who have been admitted to candidacy.

GLY 7980 Research for Doctoral Dissertation

Credits: 1-15

Research for Doctoral Dissertation

PCB 5307C Limnology

Credits: 4

Pre-requisites: PCB 4044C, CHM 2046.

Biological, chemical, and physical dynamics of inland waters.