Discipline objectives
Earth sciences covers all aspects of the study of the Earth. Students enrolling in subjects will gain an understanding of:
* the Earth, its origins and developments through time in the planetary systems;
* its structure from the scale of globe to crystal;
* the processes of investigation and exploration for mineral and other resources;
* the importance of fieldwork studies and theoretical, computational and laboratory investigations;
* the importance of applying physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computing in an interdisciplinary way in geophysics, geochemistry, geology and palaeobiology.
The discipline
The Department of Earth Sciences offers subjects in geoscience, specifically geology, geochemistry, computational geoscience, palaeontology and geophysics. These subjects are fully interdisciplinary and reflect the diverse nature of geological and geophysical science.
The application of chemical, physical, mathematical, biological and computing principles forms the basis of these subjects, and allows students to identify specific aspects of earth sciences, and the sciences in general, which may be pursued in detail in the later years of study. Earth science-based careers span fuel and mineral exploration and extraction industries, engineering geology and hydrogeology, government surveys, environmental studies, marine science, teaching and research in universities and many other organisations.
First-year students should include twelve-point options in each of geology and mathematical methods, and at least one of chemistry, physics, biology and physical geography. Those with geological interests, and with an ultimate aim to specialise in palaeontology preferably should take biology in place of either chemistry or physics. First-year students who intend to major in geology are advised to discuss their curriculum with members of the Earth Sciences staff.
Second-year geology studies should include at least sixteen points of geology by combining ESC2011 (Crustal processes) with ESC2022 (Petrology). Both of these are prerequisites for third-year geology studies. In addition at least one other second-year coherent package of sixteen points from another department (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Computer Science, Geography) should be taken. The remaining sixteen points of the forty-eight credit points may also be taken in this way, or made up of individual eight and/or four-credit point subjects. Additional options in the Department of Earth Sciences are the three four-point subjects ESC2031, ESC2042 and GPS2012. It is strongly recommended that at least one of these be taken by students proceeding to third-year earth sciences studies.
Third-year geology studies can involve forty-eight point or twenty-four point programs. If twenty-four points are taken in geology studies the remaining twenty-four points may be made up according to faculty regulations.
Upon satisfactory completion of third-year degree requirements, honours or masters stage one programs are recommended for suitably qualified students in geology, to substantially enhance professional opportunities. The honours program is a one-year course, the basis of which is a research project. The MSc stage one course is a combination of coursework and research, and providing progress is satisfactory at the end of the year, allows entry into the full masters program, which normally involves one additional year of study by coursework and/or research.
Geophysics involves the application of physics, mathematics and computing to the interpretation of the subsurface structure and distribution of rock types and resources using electronic instrumentation and computational data processing techniques.
Students majoring in geology may combine geophysics with geology in third year. Those requiring a smaller geophysics component may take geophysics subjects as part of their geology course concentrating on resource subjects (ore deposits, petroleum) which include a basic geophysics component.
For details of a BSc with a major in exploration or global geophysics see the departmental handout.
Students may combine physics, mathematics or computer science with geophysics in third year. Alternatively, they may join the geophysics stream after completing a pass or honours degree.
A consecutive degree BSc/BE is offered by the Faculty of Science in conjunction with the Department of Civil Engineering. A description of the structure of that program, and the courses available through the Department of Earth Sciences, are given at the end of the entry for the Department of Earth Sciences.
First year
Coordinators: Dr Sonia Esperanca and Dr Barbara Wagstaff
Subjects offered are ESC1011 and ESC1022.
ESC1011 (Planet Earth and its environment - the cosmic connection) should be of interest to those students seeking a broad overview of the subject. There are three weekly one-hour lectures (including films), and a three-hour laboratory session per week, together with one field excursion, a laboratory session at the Museum of Victoria Planetarium and a research seminar. Practicals illustrate and enhance material covered in the lectures. Optional excursions and seminars are available, including a telescope night with the Astronomical Society of Victoria.
ESC1022 (Planet Earth: dynamic systems, environmental change and resources) provides an understanding of basic Earth processes for those seeking a broad overview of the subject. The subject involves three one-hour lectures, and a three-hour lab each week, together with two field excursions and a research seminar. Practicals illustrate and enhance material covered in the lectures. Optional discussion sessions allow enhancement of certain topics.
Second year
Coordinator: Dr David Lambert
Prerequisites: ESC1011 and ESC1022
The second-year geology program builds on the basic material presented in the first-year geology subjects and provides an introduction to the more detailed studies of the third-year geology subjects.
The mainstream program consists of a detailed examination of the characteristics of rocks and minerals, and how they form. It is also an introduction to the ways in which geoscientists reconstruct the physical and chemical conditions and processes that existed in the geological past. The manner in which rocks deform and the interpretation of tectonic structures and processes is an important part of the course; and the processes by which mineral and ore deposits form are introduced.
The department offers two eight-point and three four-point semester-length subjects. Students planning to take geology in third year are required to do at least the two subjects ESC2011 (Crustal processes) and ESC2022 (Petrology) which will be offered sequentially in first and second semester. Such students will be expected to have completed the prerequisite first-year subjects ESC1011 and ESC1022. Students with better than average academic records may be permitted to enrol in the mainstream second-year geology program without these prerequisites with the permission of the head of department. In addition to ESC2011 and ESC2022, students intending to take geology in third year are strongly advised to complete at least one of the four-point subjects listed below.
In addition, students who have not previously completed ESC1011 or ESC1022 may take these as four-point subjects counting towards their second-year Faculty of Science requirements.
Both ESC2011 and ESC2022 will also be available to students wishing to take them as independent subjects to support other studies. Students with interests in any of the second-year geology subjects and not intending to proceed to third-year geology studies may take any subject or combination of subjects.
Other subjects offered include GPS2012, ESC2042 and ESC2031.
The department offers four four-point subjects for students enrolled in the Faculty of Arts. These subjects are ESC2081 (Sedimentation, stratigraphy and biostratigraphy), ESC2091 (Structural geology, tectonics and geophysics), ESC2102 (Crystallography, optics and mineralogy), and ESC2112 (Igneous and metamorphic geology).
Third year
Coordinator: Dr David Gray
Prerequisites: ESC2011 and ESC2022
Contact hours
The usual number of contact hours in formal lecture/practical and/or seminar/discussion units is five hours per week (two one-hour lectures, one three-hour practical session, or equivalent). Geology units without fieldwork requirements are normally twelve weeks in length, as are all geophysics units. The remaining week in each semester is available to students for final revision. Other geology units which include compulsory one to five-day field excursions contain correspondingly fewer weeks of formal coursework; hence all units have similar total workloads.
Assessment
In general, assessment of coursework units will be on the basis of theory and/or practical examinations during the end-of-semester examination periods, in-course practical work and/or short practical tests. The field camp and geology project subjects will be assessed primarily on the basis of written reports.
Geology
Students intending to become professional earth scientists may take forty-eight points in geology or combine two twenty-four point subjects in geology and geophysics (see below) within the Department of Earth Sciences. Students with primary interests in geology who wish to maintain interests in a discipline taught in another department, or gain exposure to a discipline relevant to a particular field of geology, may combine two twenty-four point subjects in the two disciplines to meet degree requirements.
The units listed below will form part of twelve and twenty-four point subjects. ESC3011.24 and ESC3022.24 are required for a full third year in geology (four units each semester); ESC3031.12 and ESC3042.12 for twenty-four points of geology (two units each semester); and GPS3011.12 and GPS3022.12 for twenty-four points of geophysics (two units each semester).
ESC3051.12 and ESC3062.12 are alternate geology subjects that can be taken to complete a full third year where the student did not originally enrol in ESC3011.24 and ESC3022.24.
In 1995, the Department of Earth Sciences will offer the following third-year units:
* First semester Igneous petrology/geochemistry; structural geology and tectonics (compulsory); metamorphic geology; global geophysics; regional geophysics. Under special circumstances, the field trip can be taken as a first-semester unit (by permission of third-year coordinator).
* Second semester Sedimentary geology/palaeontology/ stratigraphy; ore deposit geology and geochemistry; petroleum geology and geophysics; field trip (compulsory); geophysical exploration (electrical); geophysical exploration (seismic). Students who wish to take four geophysics units should enrol in GPS3011 and GPS3022.
Relevant third-year coursework units offered in other Monash departments (especially Chemistry, Computer Science, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geography and Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics) may in some cases be incorporated into geology subjects. Where coursework units in particular areas of geology are not offered in the Monash Department of Earth Sciences, students may be able to gain access to suitable subjects in the geology departments of La Trobe and Melbourne universities. Both these options may be exercised only after discussion with (and with the permission of) the third-year coordinator.
To complete either a single or double geology major, all students must attend a two-week third-year field mapping camp. In 1995, this camp will be held in the mid-semester break of second semester. All students are to take structural geology (first semester) as necessary background to the field camp. Either or both metamorphic geology (first semester) and sedimentary geology (second semester) are also recommended companion subjects to the field trip.
Geophysics
Coordinator: Associate Professor James Cull (Geophysics subjects)
The units listed below form part of twelve-point subjects. GPS3011.12 and GPS3022.12 are required for a single major in geophysics.
Prerequisites
Any two eight-point combination in second-year geology, physics, applied mathematics or computer science, or permission of head of department.
Contact hours
All geophysics units consist of two one-hour lectures and one three-hour practical session, or equivalent, per week, and run for twelve weeks. Some course elements may be taught at Melbourne or La Trobe universities.
Assessment
All geophysics units will be assessed by examinations in the relevant semester examinations period. Essays and assignments may also be used for assessment within units where appropriate.
Earth Sciences offers coherent studies leading to a twenty-four point sequence in geophysics which must be taken over two semesters. See departmental handout for details. Students intending to continue on to honours level geophysics should consult the geophysics coordinator when selecting other third-year subjects.
The ore deposit geology and geochemistry unit or petroleum geology and geophysics unit may be taken in second semester, if the student has the appropriate background. A field excursion with additional exercises in interpretation is required for geophysics single major students, and the format of this excursion will be decided upon consultation with the third-year coordinator.
Fourth year
At fourth-year level students may choose to do either a one-year honours program or the masters stage one program. Entry into either requires a credit level grade or higher in a coherent package of courses of at least twenty-four points in third-year geology, geophysics, physics, mathematics or computer science. The honours program involves limited coursework, seminars and a major research project. The masters stage one program involves more coursework and/or project work, but also a substantial research project. Satisfactory completion of the masters stage one program after one year at a standard equivalent to an honours grade of H2A or better, qualifies the candidate to enter the full masters program, which involves one further year of study as outlined below.
Honours in earth sciences
Coordinator: Associate Professor Jim Cull
Prerequisites
A credit average in one twenty-four-point or two twelve-point third-year subjects in geology, geophysics, mathematics or physics and/or permission of the head of department, and approval of the faculty.
Entry into the BSc (Honours) course may take place either in first semester or second semester. A mid-year start is possible for students who have limited background in the geological sciences, to enable them to take supplementary courses in first semester. BSc (Honours) students will be required to submit a research thesis at the end of the honours year. The subject of this thesis will be decided in discussion between the student, the supervisor and the head of department and will normally involve a field project together with supporting laboratory studies. Projects with a laboratory emphasis may also be possible. In addition, a reading essay and seminar presentation on specialised aspects of the student's work will be required at set times during the year, and all students are required to take three one to two-week courses which may be field and/or lecture-practical courses. Available courses will be listed by the coordinators and must be chosen in consultation with supervisors and the relevant year coordinator.
Students transferring to geophysics from other streams (eg mathematics, physics) will be required to attend seminars and courses related to their project. A minimum of three lecture units is normally compulsory, selected in consultation with the geophysics coordinator, from the list of units available to the MSc stage one/MSc stream.
* Students may undertake honours programs in either geology or geophysics, although research projects may involve elements of both.