Do you want to learn how to recognise and interpret rocks in the field and laboratory? In this course you will learn about basic geological concepts around the formation, evolution and deformation of rocks and geological structures in the solid earth. The material learned in this course will give you the background needed to tackle the big questions facing our planet in subsequent courses.
It will be divided into three sections; (i) sedimentology (ii) geological structures and (iii) igneous and metamorphic petrology. Part (i) deals with the formation of sedimentary rocks over a variety of depositional environments. Part (ii) is concerned with recognition and interpretation of basic geological structures such as faults and folds. Part (iii) covers the formation of magmas, igneous rocks and rock-forming silicate minerals, and the mineralogy and textures of metamorphic rocks.
This course is co-taught with undergraduate students but assessed separately.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Classify rocks in hand specimen, in the field and in thin sections.
- Identify diverse sedimentary depositional environments from sedimentary structures.
- Recognise structures produced by simple crustal deformation.
- Map and quantitatively describe structures in simply folded and faulted regions in the field.
- Identify common rock-forming silicate minerals in thin sections in situ.
- Describe and recognise basic silicate mineral structures and formulas.
- Explain the pressure and temperature conditions and the geological settings in which these minerals form.
- Interpret geological information
- Develop communication and teamwork skills while mapping in the field.
Other Information
Over the first week of the mid semester teaching break (usually in April) we will spend six nights mapping at Wee Jasper. As an indication, this field trip cost students $500 in 2019.
Field trip payments are to be made via Scienceshop .
Indicative Assessment
- In class assessment during practicals (20) [LO 1,6]
- Assignments completed outside class (30) [LO 5,6,7]
- Field based assessment (20) [LO 2,3,4,8,9]
- Final practical examination (30) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- Face-to face component which may consist of 1 x 1 and 1 x 2 hour lectures, plus 1 x 3-4 hour practical per week
- An additional six day field trip will take place during the mid-semester break.
- Approximately 30 hours of self-study which will include preparation for lectures, presentations and other assessment tasks.
Inherent Requirements
Students in this course must typically participate in an approximately 6 day field trip. This requires students to be able to:
- Travel to the field location and stay in field accommodation such as shared basic cabins or dorm rooms;
- Safely traverse short distances (approximately 10-500m) over uneven ground.
Students who cannot meet these requirements may be able to negotiate alternative participation and assessment requirements with the course convenor. Please see the trip information page for more information.
Prescribed Texts
No prescribed textsPreliminary Reading
Winter, J.: Introduction to Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, Prentice HallGill, R.C.O: Igneous Rocks & Processes, Wiley-Blackwell
Klein, C & Philpotts, A: Earth Materials — Introduction to Mineralogy and Petrology. Cambridge
Assumed Knowledge
Basic inorganic chemistry and mathematicsFees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4050 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3740 | 24 Feb 2020 | 02 Mar 2020 | 08 May 2020 | 05 Jun 2020 | In Person | View |
