USC Schedule of Classes

Geologic structure and evolution of planet earth. Principles of plate tectonics, rocks and minerals, processes of mountain building, continent and ocean formation, earthquakes, volcanism, development of landforms by running water and glaciers. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day or two-day field trip required.

Physical, chemical, and geological character of the oceans andocean basins. Origin of the oceans. Ocean processes and agents.Economic value of the oceans. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day field trip required.

Impact of civilization on planet earth, and impact of earth's natural evolution on society: earthquakes, volcanism, landslides, floods, global warming, acid rain, groundwater depletion and pollution; mineral and fossil fuel depletion, formation of the ozone hole. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. One all-day or overnight field trip.

Basic principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics used in evaluating clues written in the rock record, and the processes that have shaped our planet. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. At least one field trip required.

Examination of the scientific process: what constitutes science; evolution of ideas about the nature of space, time, matter, and complexity; paradigm shifts in the biological and earth sciences. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours.

Climate systems from the beginning of earth history to the present; tools and techniques used to reconstruct prehistoric climate records; effects of climate variations on development of life forms on earth.

Causes of earthquakes and nature of large faults; earthquake hazard and risk; world's great earthquakes; understanding the Richter scale. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours; one fieldtrip required.

Energy resources from a global perspective, including fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewable energy.

Laboratory component for GEOL 105Lg, 107Lxg, 108Lg, 125Lxg, 130Lxg, 150Lxg, or 240Lxg for students with equivalent lecture credit from another institution.

Minerals and their formation in Earth geosystems; includes discussions of mineral properties, crystal structures, uses and biogeochemical importance. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 6 hours; required field trips. Recommended preparation: any introductory GEOL course.

Survey of physical, chemical, and geological oceanography emphasizing the role of the oceans in modulation of climate, atmospheric composition and biogeochemical cycles; paleoceanography and paleoclimate. Corequisites: CHEM 105b and MATH 126. Recommended preparation: PHYS 151Lg or PHYS 135abL

Examination of the tools used to reconstruct past climate change and a thorough discussion of past climate changes on Earth with an emphasis on the recent past. Prerequisite: MATH 118 or MATH 125 and ENST 320b. Recommended preparation: Any introductory GEOL course.

Geosystems, such as mantle convection, active faults, climate, and the carbon cycle, will be studied using numerical models and concepts such as chaos, universality, emergence, and intermittency. Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 2 hours. Recommended preparation: MATH 126.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Writing of a thesis under individual faculty supervision. Not available for graduate credit.

Special topics in the earth sciences. Field trip required when appropriate to the topic. Departmental approval required.

Lectures by Earth Sciences faculty about current research; introduction of new graduate students to the breadth of current research; applying for research funding; practicing effective research presentations. Graded CR/NC.

Principles of physical, chemical, and geological oceanography including discussions of air-sea interaction, biogeochemical cycling and the role of the ocean in modulating climate and atmospheric composition; discussion section will cover formulation of basic calculations that illustrate these principles. Recommended preparation: CHEM 105BL, MATH 126.

Elementary physical principles underlying the behavior of Earth's atmosphere. Dry and moist thermodynamics, radiative transfer, conservation laws, fundamental dynamical balances, instability theory, cloud physics. Recommended preparation: PHYS 161L, PHYS 304.

Ancient and recent borings and bioturbation structures and their utilization of stratigraphic, paleoenvironmental, paleoecological, sedimentological, and geochemical studies. Recommended preparation: 333L and 334L

The mechanical description of deformational processes at both crustal and lithospheric scales, and the interpretation of geological and geophysical data in terms of these processes.

Elasticity, fracture, and flow properties of rocks and minerals; effects of temperature, pressure, petrology, fractures, and interstitial fluids. Experimental techniques and geological applications.

Geosynclinal and orogenic development of western North America from the Precambrian to present, in the light of plate tectonics concepts. Field trips. Recommended preparation: 321L.

Advanced methods of theoretical seismology for studying the generation of seismic waves from natural and artificial sources and the propagation through realistic earth models.

Current topics in geochemistry.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Practical principles for the long-term development of effective teaching within college disciplines. Intended for teaching assistants in Dornsife College.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation.