Back to Catalog

GEOL108 Earth Science and Society

• Department Geology
• Level Lower
• Format Online
• Credits 3

Description

This course will help you understand the relationship between human society and the Earth, as well as the technology used to analyze that relationship. Our course has three threads: Earth, as represented by the four natural spheres atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Each of these spheres is addressed individually in modules in the course. Society, as represented through the effects of Earth processes on humans and society and the effects of the human existence on the physical nature of the Earth. Technology, which has greatly expanded in geoscience research. You will use these technologies in researching information related to your final project. These threads are tied together by our semester-long project that enables you to relate your studies directly to your community. Everyone will select a study area your hometown, your current location, or another area with which you are familiar and conduct a mini Natural Resources Inventory of the area as related to each of the four natural spheres. You will identify natural resources such as climate, waterways, land cover (forests, grasslands, etc.), and geologic hazards (sinkholes, landslides, volcanoes, etc.) specific to your study area. Then, you will assess the quality of the air and water, any degradation to the land cover, and any negative effects of geologic hazards. Finally, to complete the project, you will suggest mitigation strategies that you will present along with the resource identification and quality assessments in an audio/visual presentation.

View Sample Syllabus

Prerequisites

This course does not require any prerequisites.

Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC)

To be designated as a Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) course, all instructional materials will be provided at no cost to students. These may include Open Educational Resources (OER), free materials, or library resources. Check your syllabus for more information.

Sections