Geology and geophysics
Students enrolling in earth sciences subjects will gain an understanding of:
Earth science is an interdisciplinary science comprising the sub-disciplines of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, environmental geoscience, computational geoscience and palaeontology. 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 an ultimate aim to specialise in palaeontology preferably should take biology in place of either chemistry or physics. Those with interests in environmental science are advised to take chemistry. First-year students who intend to major in geology are strongly 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 four-point subjects ESC2031, ESC2061, ESC2042, ESC2071 and GPS2012. It is strongly recommended that ESC2061 and at least one other of these four-point subjects be taken by students proceeding to third-year earth sciences studies. BSc(Environmental) students may choose ESC2042 as part of the environmental geoscience stream.
Third-year geology studies can involve forty-eight point or twenty-four point programs. If twenty-four points are taken in geology or geophysics the remaining twenty-four points may be made up according to faculty course requirements. BSc(Environmental) students in geology, or geology and geophysics students interested in the environment may choose the environmental science stream.
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 studies concentrating on resource subjects (ore deposits, petroleum) which include a basic geophysics component.
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 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.
For details of a BSc with a major in exploration or global geophysics see the departmental handout.
Upon satisfactory completion of third-year degree requirements, honours or masters stage one programs are recommended for suitably qualified students in geology, to enhance substantially 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.
Coordinator: Dr D C McPhail
Subjects offered
Subjects offered are ESC1011 and ESC1022.
ESC1011 is of interest to students seeking a broad overview of earth and environmental sciences. There are three one-hour lectures and one three-hour practical session per week, and a one-day field excursion in the middle of the semester. Practical sessions illustrate and enhance material covered in the lectures. Optional excursions and seminars may also be available, for example, observation of the cosmos by telescope (in association with the Astronomical Society of Victoria).
ESC1022 continues to provide an overview of earth and environmental sciences, in particular an introduction to processes which have shaped the earth's crust through its evolution. The subject consists of three one-hour lectures and one three-hour lab each week, together with two field excursions and a possible research seminar. Practicals illustrate and enhance material covered in the lectures. Optional excursions and discussion sessions may be offered to interested students.
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 program; in addition the processes by which mineral and ore deposits form are introduced.
The department offers two eight-point and five four-point subjects. Students planning to take geology in third year are required to do 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 ESC2061 (Field geology). Other four-point subjects listed below are available to those students who are geologically inclined.
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.
ESC2011, ESC 2061 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.
The four-point subjects offered are ESC2071 (Chemical geology), ESC2042 (Environmental geoscience I), GPS2012 (Introduction to computing, remote sensing and image processing in earth sciences), and ESC2031 (Vertebrate life on planet earth).
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). These subjects may also be taken by science students but they count as extra-faculty subjects in completing BSc course requirements.
Level-two subjects offered
Coordinator: Dr David Gray
Prerequisites: ESC2011 and ESC2022.
The third-year program in earth sciences consists of six-point subjects in geology, geophysics and environmental geoscience. Units within the subjects can be taken in a number of combinations depending on the student's interests; however, the combinations mainly fall into two main sequences, geology and geophysics.
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 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-subject practical work and/or short practical tests. The field camp and geology project subjects will be assessed primarily on the basis of written reports.
Students intending to become professional earth scientists may take forty-eight points in geology and environmental geoscience or combine two twenty-four point subjects in geology and geophysics (see below) within the Department of Earth Sciences. Students who are primarily interested in earth sciences, but who also wish to maintain or explore interests in other discipliens may combine a twenty-four point sequence in another discipline provided they meet the degree requirements of the Faculty of Science.
Subjects offered (third year)
First semester
Second semester
To complete either a twenty-four-point or forty-eight-point geology discipline, all students are strongly recommended to attend a two-week third-year field mapping camp. All students should take ESC3121 (Structural geology) and ESC3131 (Metamorphic geology) (first semester) as necessary background to the field camp.
Coordinator: Professor James Cull (Geophysics subjects)
Prerequisites: Any two eight-point combination in second-year geology, physics, applied mathematics or computer science, or permission of head of department.
Earth sciences offers coherent studies leading to a twenty-four point sequence in geophysics which must be taken over two semesters. Geophysics is normally taken in conjunction with a complementary single major in one of geology, physics, mathematics and computer science. 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.
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 study 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.
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 subjects 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.
Coordinator: Dr Ian Cartwright
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 (Hons) 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 studies in first semester. BSc(Hons) 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 studies which may be field and/or lecture-practical programs. Available programs will be listed by the coordinators and must be chosen in consultation with supervisors and the relevant year coordinator.
Students transferring to geology or geophysics from other streams will be required to attend seminars and programs related to their project. A minimum of three lecture units is normally compulsory, selected in consultation with the supervisor, 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.
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