Geography, Geology and the Environment

Our past and present students often tell us how much they have enjoyed themselves and learnt from their experience at Keele, and as you start your degree I am sure that you will gain as much from your time here as they have. Certainly you will learn a whole range of academic and practical skills that will be of value not only in your studies and future career, but in your whole life.

Fieldwork will play an important part in this experience, with field courses based not only in the UK but also overseas. Your first field course is an introductory geological field excursion to Ercall Quarries in Shropshire, which takes place on either Saturday 20th October OR Sunday 21st October. Please keep these dates free of other commitments as this field course is a compulsory part of the Geology and Geoscience programmes, and the material covered will form the basis of future field excursions. More information will be provided about this field course when you arrive.

My colleagues and I look forward to meeting you at the start of the new academic year and we hope that you make the most of your opportunities here.

Best wishes

Dr Ian Stimpson
Geology/Geoscience Course Director

It is not necessary that you carry out any specific preparation for your degree studies in Geology or Geoscience during the summer vacation as all aspects of the subject will be covered from basics. If, however, you are keen to get started, then visit your local library and borrow a few books on general geology; any texts on the topics of rocks, minerals, fossils and the solid Earth will help you become familiar with some of the main geological concepts and processes, as well as the terminology. In addition, the following list contains the main text books that we recommend to enhance your understanding of the topics that you will study in year 1, it is not essential that you buy these texts as multiple copies are available in the University library:

1. Barnes, J.W. and Lisle, R.J. 2003. Basic Geological Mapping (Geological Field Guide). Fourth Edition. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Benton, M. and Harper, D. 1997. Basic Palaeontology. Pearson, Prentice Hall.
3. Collinson, J.D. Mountney, N. and Thompson, D.B. 2006. Sedimentary Structures. Third Edition. Terra Publishing.
4. Foote, M. and Miller, A.I. 2007. Principles of Paleontology. Freeman.
5. Grotzinger, J., Jordan, T.H., Press, F. and Siever, R. 2006. Understanding Earth (6th edition). Freeman.
6. Kearey, P., Klepeis, K.A. and Vine, F.J. 2009. Global Tectonics. Third Edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
7. Fossen, H. 2010. Structural Geology, Cambridge University Press.
8. Tucker, M.E. 2001. Sedimentary Petrology: An Introduction. (3rd Ed). Wiley-Blackwell.
9. Winter, J.D. 1998. An Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology. Prentice Hall.

Other essential equipment to bring:

An electronic calculator (with basic scientific functions such as tan, sin, cos).

Basic drawing equipment, including coloured pens and pencils, a protractor and a stapler.

Waterproof clothing and stout shoes (e.g. walking boots) will be needed for fieldwork.

Monday 24th September 2012: As part of the university’s Welcome Week there will be an introductory talk on the Geology/Geoscience degree programme beginning at 11am. We will put the venue of this session on this page when it is known and it will also appear on your e-timetable on the Keele Learning Environment.  Please make sure that you attend this talk, as important information will be provided on all aspects of your degree course and it will help you settle in.

Tuesday 25th September 2012: There will also be a Geology/Geoscience Welcome Week session on Tuesday from 9am to 11am. This will include the first lecture of the Planet Earth module as well as lecture skills training and the handing out of your fieldwork equipment.

Thursday 27th September 2012: The third Geology/Geoscience Welcome Week session runs from 10am to 1pm. This will be a practical skills based session. Depending on the weather, the Thursday session might involve some work outdoors so you should bring some waterproof clothing and stout shoes (e.g. walking boots) with you, but more details will be made available at the Tuesday session.

For many Geology/Geoscience  students, the fieldwork they undertake is the highlight of their geological education. In fact, fieldwork is an essential part of a geologist's training and is intended to supplement formal class teaching and develop the skills of observing and recording.

Classic geological areas within the British Isles are within easy reach of Keele and, together with an overseas field course, enable you to study the geological evolution of fundamentally different geological regimes.

The field course programme for 2012/13 is provided in the following table

*The dates of the above field courses are currently provisional, but will be confirmed by the beginning of semester.

Fieldwork Costs: A substantial part of the cost of fieldwork is borne by the School; however, you will be required to pay part of the cost of each course. The exact amount payable will be posted on the Geology and Geoscience Year 1 notice board at the beginning of the Autumn Semester.

Fieldwork Equipment: All year 1 Geology/Geoscience students are given a field equipment pack, consisting of compass-clinometer, hard hat, hand lens, field notebook, etc. The following equipment is also essential for geological fieldwork and it is recommended that you try to purchase these items in time for your first field course to Ercall Quarries:

• Waterproof jacket and over-trousers.
• Strong walking boots are essential.
• A clipboard (A4-size with a plastic map case for protection against the weather).
• Drawing pens (0.35 mm or less, various colours) and coloured pencils.
• Small first aid kit.
• A day sack for use in the field.
• A digital camera is also useful for recording features of interest.

• Geology course information for current students (currently being updated for 2012-13)
• Geoscience course information for current students (currently being updated for 2012-13)
• Student Support and Development Services
• University Welcome Web

Feel free to contact the Geology/Geoscience course director, Dr Ian Stimpson (email: i.g.stimpson@keele.ac.uk), if you have any specific questions.