ESC-10063 - Module Specification
School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

In this module you will get to learn the terminology, nomenclature and classification of minerals, rocks and fossils. You will become able to describe geological materials, both in hand specimen and under a petrological microscope, and determine the processes by which they form. You will also learn about how fossils can be used to date rocks and indicate their environment of formation. A variety of field courses will introduce you to the collection and documentation of geological information in the field, including how to make a geological map, which is an important skill that you will develop throughout the course of your degree.

This module introduces the terminology, nomenclature and classification of minerals, rocks and fossils. It covers the ability to describe geological materials, both in hand specimen and under a petrological microscope, and the processes by which they form. Field courses introduce the collection and documentation of geological information in the field, including the production of geological maps.

Intended Learning Outcomes

identify, classify and describe minerals, rocks and fossils: 1,2,3
describe the processes of rock formation: 1,2
describe the history of life on Earth: 1,2
document geological information in the field and produce geological maps: 3

Study hours

Lecture: 44 hours
Practical: 66 hours
Field courses: 34 hours
Independent study, including open book exam: 156 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment