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Overview | Summary of Courses

Offered By:	ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences, ANU College of Medicine, Biology & Environment, ANU College of Pysical Sciences, ANU College of Science, and ANU Colleges of Science
Academic Contact:	Dr John Mavrogenes
Areas of Interest:	Earth and Marine Sciences

Geology is the science dedicated to the study of the Earth. In more detail, geologists study the origins and evolution of Earth from its inception as one of several planets orbiting the Sun, its subsequent segregation into a central metallic core and overlying silicate mantle, and the evolution through time of the continental and oceanic crusts, the atmosphere and oceans, and the various life forms that colonise the surface and near-surface layers. In the past 40 years, we have come to appreciate the global mobility of the outermost boundary layer of the Earth (the lithosphere) encapsulated by the paradigm of plate tectonics. Interactions between plates generate earthquakes, mountain belts, and volcanoes.  In addition to understanding the fundamental mechanisms driving these global forces,  geologists are engaged in understanding the origins of commercially important energy, metalliferous, and industrial resources. An increasingly important aspect of geological science is the multidisciplinary approach required for progress in understanding the processes driving atmospheric and oceanographic evolution resulting in global climatic changes. Geology is fundamentally a field-based science and many opportunities arise in the major for field studies. This major involves a limited selection of courses from those offered by Research School of Earth Sciences, and is designed to complement other majors offered by Earth and Marine Sciences, or convened by Archeology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or The Fenner School of Environment and Society. We recommend that those wanting to work as professional geoscientists should complete a Geology Double Major.

Requirements

A major in Geology will consist of a minimum of 42 units of courses.  A double major in Geology will consist of a minimum of 60 units of courses.

(a) at least 12 units from these courses:

• ENVS1004 Australia’s Environment
• EMSC1006 The Blue Planet
• EMSC1007 Introduction to Earth Science in the Field

(b) at least 12 units from these courses:

• EMSC2012 Introduction to Structural and Field Geology
• EMSC2014 Surficial Processes
• EMSC2015 Chemistry of the Earth and Oceans
• EMSC2016 Resources and the Environment
• EMSC2017 Mineralogy
• EMSC2018 Geophysics
• EMSC2019 Marine Palaeontology and Evolution of Life on Earth
• EMSC2020 The Lithosphere

(c) at least 18 units for Single or 36 units for Double:

• EMSC3001 Field Geology
• EMSC3002 Structural Geology and Tectonics
• EMSC3007 Economic Geology
• EMSC3022 Planetary Science
• EMSC3023 Global Cycles II The Modern Oceans
• EMSC3024 Magmatism and Metamorphism
• EMSC3025 Groundwater
• EMSC3027 Global Cycles and Palaeoceanography
• PHYS3070 Physics of the Earth
  

First Year course advice

Students must take two of ENVS1004, EMSC1006 and EMSC1007 and it is recommended that they also take first year courses in CHEM, PHYS and MATHS.