Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2024-2025

Module GEOL1101: Understanding Earth Sciences

Department: Earth Sciences

GEOL1101: Understanding Earth Sciences

Type Open Level 1 Credits 20 Availability Available in 2024/2025 Module Cap Location Durham

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • Introduce the following fundamental subject areas within Earth Sciences: petrology, sedimentology, structural geology and palaeontology.
  • Introduce a systems approach to thinking about Earth features.
  • Show how Earth Sciences understanding for individuals, and a community, is derived from research processes.

Content

  • A first term focusing on treating the Earth as a system, whole Earth composition and scientific reasoning.
  • A second term focusing on Earth history and life.
  • An introduction to scientific writing skills.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Petrology: understand the principles of melt generation/magmatism and of metamorphic reactions and assemblages. Relationships to chemical cycling and crustal growth.
  • Sedimentology: processes of erosion, sediment transport and deposition. Main sedimentary rock associations. Principles of sedimentology (logging, facies analysis, sequence stratigraphy etc). Relationships to climate, tectonics and evolution.
  • Structural geology and tectonics: main structural features of the continents and oceans and techniques for their analysis. Relationships to plate tectonic cycles and global and regional climate.
  • Palaeontology: understanding fossils and evolution. Relationships to tectonic and climatic drivers.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Understanding of research methodologies in Earth Sciences, and an appreciation of the specific research foci in Durham Earth Sciences.
Key Skills:
  • Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data sets.
  • Inter-relation of different branches of science.
  • Writing skills.
  • Identifying and avoiding plagiarism.
  • Use and misuse of generative AI.
  • Finding, accessing and citing scientific literature.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Lectures. Practical classes to expand on concepts introduced in lectures.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures 20 1 per week 1 hour 20
Practicals 20 1 per week 2 hours 40
Preparation and Reading 140
Total 200

Summative Assessment

Component: Examination Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Two-hour unseen written examination 100%
Component: Practical Assessment Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Two-hour unseen practical test 100%

Formative Assessment:

Discussion and feedback at every class meeting. Exercises similar to practical examination questions.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University