Course Co-ordinator: Dr M J Hole

Pre-requisite(s): None

Co-requisite(s): None

Note(s): Practical sessions will be available each week; individual students attend once a fortnight.

For 4,500 million years the Earth has been, and still is, a continually evolving Dynamic Planet. The record is held in the rocks and fossils of the present continental landmasses and ocean basins. To deduce the history of the planet geologists must apply a large range of scientific principles and disciplines. These disciplines encompass the biological,chemical and physical sciences. The course provides a basic understanding of how the structure and evolution of the planet are deduced and how this information can be used to discover and extract natural resources such as fossil fuels and ores.

20 one-hour lectures 5 three- hour practical sessions.

It is intended to include a half-day field course, depending on prevailing weather conditions. Other classes will be reduced pro-rata if fieldwork is possible.

1st Attempt: In-course assessment (50%); 90 minute examination (50%). In-course assessment will include class tests in mapping and palaeontology.

Resit: 1 two-hour examination including map and palaeontology practical questions (100%).