Sedimentary Geology
4.0
creditsAverage Course Rating
Sedimentary rocks are the historical records of the Earth, documenting climate change, mass extinctions, and the evolution of life. This course will provide an introduction to sedimentary processes and sedimentary rocks. Focus is placed on linking physical observations to the ancient environments in which sedimentary rocks once formed. Fundamental tools for interpreting the sedimentary rock record, such as depositional models, geochronology, and chemostratigraphy will be reviewed. Two 1-day weekend field trips will occur over the course of the semester. There will also be weekly 1-hour labs. Lab and field trip times will be determined in the first week of class. Graduate and advanced undergraduate level. Recommended Course Background: AS.270.220 or instructor permission.
Fall 2013
Professor: Naomi Levin
The best aspects of this course included the interactive labs and constant hands-on experience. Students found the field trips and the emphasis on rock identification to be extremely helpful. However, labs often ran over and were not always related to what was discussed in class. Suggestions for improvement included shorter labs, or at least more time to complete the labs. Prospective students that are interested in learning about sedimentary geology should be prepared to attend regularly and devote time to the labs, homework, and readings.