Geology: Earth Through Time

Discover Earth's record of over 4.5 billion years of history, spanning the formation of the planet and its building blocks to the evolution of continents, oceans, and the atmosphere. Topics include how geologic processes link to the formation of life, mass extinctions, natural resources and changing climate, how geoscientists decode the record of Earth's stories preserved by sediments, rocks, and fossils, and how different technologies provide a deeper understanding of Earth's dynamic history.

Open to degree and PACE students

Planet Earth has many secrets to tell. Are you curious to explore 4.6 billion years of fascinating and sometimes catastrophic events—from the birth of Earth to the formation of continents and oceans and the evolution of life and mass extinctions? We will explore these topics and how they represent the coevolution of Earth’s geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. We will decode the record of Earth’s stories as preserved by rocks and fossils, and discover how probing the deep Earth using technology gives us a deeper understanding of our dynamic planet.

Your attendance at lecture and participation in class and online/asynchronous activities is expected. Weekly readings, lecture poll questions, and quizzes will allow you to explore topics in detail and assess your learning as the semester progresses. This class has a midterm and a final exam (both are take-home, open book/open note exams).