ENROL NOW

Geology

Course CodeBSC115
Fee CodeS3
Duration (approx)100 hours
QualificationTo obtain formal documentation the optional exam(s) must be completed which will incur an additional fee of £30. Alternatively, a letter of completion may be requested.

Studying geology has practical relevance in the real world in diverse ways, for example:

  • Understanding and managing groundwater
  • Informing us how to appropriately manage mining
  • Providing insight into geologic natural hazards e.g. landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
  • Understanding and predicting seismic activity
  • Determining appropriate engineering work e.g. in construction of dams, infrastructure, buildings
  • Helping to locate underground deposits of specific rocks and minerals
  • Enabling knowledge of the effects of past episodes of climate change on the earth
  • Adding to our knowledge of how the earth formed and plate tectonics (movement of the plates on the earth’s crust)  

Lesson Structure

There are 9 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction To Geology
    • Methodology
    • Applications Of Geology
    • Basic Chemistry Of Rocks
    • Rocks And Minerals
    • Building Blocks
    • Minerals & Mineraloids
    • Formation Of Minerals
    • Other Related Processes
    • Introduction To Mineral Groups
    • Silicates
    • Non-Silicate Minerals
  2. Types Of Rocks
    • Igneous Rocks
    • Sedimentary Rocks
    • Metamorphic Rocks
    • Mineral Classification And Crystal Structure
    • Simplified Review Of Pauling’s Rules On Crystal Structures
    • Geological Environments And Mineral Formation
    • Igneous Minerals
    • Metamorphic Minerals
    • Sedimentary Minerals
    • Hydrothermal Minerals
  3. Structural Geology
    • Tectonics And Geodynamics
    • Tectonics
    • Geodynamics
    • Features Of Structural Geology
    • Fractures And Faults
    • Folds
    • Boudins
    • Foliations And Lineations
    • Describing Structures In Geology
    • Designing Tectonic Models
    • Measurements
    • Data Acquisition: Field Geology
    • Data Synthesis And Analysis
    • Geological Maps And Cross Sections
    • Tectonic Maps And Structural Profiles
    • Structural Sketch-Maps
    • Block Diagrams/Tectonograms
    • Validating Models
  4. Minerals
    • Identifying Minerals
    • Mineral Classification
    • Silicate Minerals
    • Orthosilicates
    • Sorosilicates
    • Cyclosilicates
    • Tectosilicates
    • Inosilicates
    • Phyllosilicates
    • Non-Silicate Minerals
    • Native Elements
  5. Geobiology
    • Earth’s Gases And Metabolic Diversity Of Organisms
    • Metabolic Approaches
    • Oxygen-Producing (Photosynthetic) Bacteria
    • Greenhouse Gases
    • Biophysical Soil Processes
    • Soil Chemical Environment
    • Soil Microbiome
    • Soil Biology
    • Influence Of Soil
    • Underwater Bio-Physical Processes
    • Coral Reef Formation
  6. Geophysics
    • Seismology
    • Tectonics
    • Hydrology
    • Glaciology
    • Geothermometry
    • Geomagnetometry
    • Petrophysics
    • Mineral Physics
    • Geodesy
    • Geodynamics
    • Plate Tectonics Theory
    • Plate Boundaries
    • Divergent Boundaries
    • Convergent Boundaries
    • Transform Faults Boundaries
    • Nano Tectonics
  7. Geochemistry
    • Geochemistry Sub-Disciplines
    • Analytical Geochemistry
    • Elements And Isotopes
    • Isotope Geochemistry
    • Radiocarbon Dating
    • Low-Temperature Geochemistry
    • Organic Geochemistry
    • Geochemical Cycles
    • Interactions Between The Earth’s Layers
    • Separation And Concentration Of Elements
    • Moving And Mixing The Earth
    • Evolution Of The Earth’s Atmosphere
    • The Nitrogen Cycle
    • The Oxygen Cycle
    • The Carbon Cycle
    • Fractionation
    • Health Impacts
  8. Groundwater Hydrology
    • Estimated Global Groundwater Resources
    • Types Of Groundwater
    • Occurrence Of Groundwater
    • Infiltration Of Water
    • Depth To Groundwater
    • Aquifers
    • Types Of Aquifers
    • Confined Aquifer
    • Unconfined Aquifer
    • Semi-Confined Aquifer
    • Perched Aquifer
    • Properties And Parameters Of Aquifers
    • Glacio Hydrogeology
  9. Applied Geology
    • Groundwater Management
    • Mining
    • Engineering
    • Geotourism
    • Geological Surveys

Aims

  • Explain the nature and scope of geology and concepts that underpin the science of geology.
  • Differentiate between rock types.
  • Explain the scope, nature and application of structural geology in today’s world.
  • Differentiate between different minerals.
  • Explain the scope, nature and application of geophysics in today’s world.
  • Explain the scope, nature and application of geobiology in today’s world.
  • Explain the nature of chemical change that can occur in the geology of a site.
  • Explain the nature and significance of groundwater on different sites.
  • Explain different practical applications for a knowledge of geology