This course is designed for the student with some background in geology who is interested in processes that operate at the Earth’s surface and the landscapes these processes carve. During the course of the semester we will learn about the basic forces that drive surface processes, climatic variations through the Quaternary and their role in shaping landscapes, the movement of water at and immediately below the surface, the actions of winds, waves, and glaciers and the landscapes they produce. We will explore the delicate balance that exists between surface landforms and the processes that alter them. General learning objectives are as follows:
Learning Objectives:
1. to understand the general nature of processes that operate at the Earth’s surface and the landscapes they produce,
2. to recognize and describe landforms and features in various landscapes from surface observations and from printed and electronic media, and
3. to be able to construct accurate maps of land surface structures using a TOTAL surveying station and general mapping skills,
4. to effectively utilize topographic maps and map software to solve geomorphic problems.
You must also be signed up for the Lab section which meets Monday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:50 pm. Several of our lab exercises will take place outdoors so watch the weather and plan accordingly. We will make a field trips off campus. The date(s) for this trip is either April 7 or April 21st and, if rained out, our fall back is May 5th (both days are Saturdays) to Cache Valley to study an active landslide and to measure stream discharge conditions in Cache Creek. We will talk much more in depth on these trips but clear your calendar for these times now.
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Instructor: Dr. Kevin Cornwell |
1010 Placer Hall |
278.6667 |
My office hours are Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:30 and by appointment.
Grades -Your course grade will be determined by your performance on three essay exams (20% each), graded lab projects (20% total) and a research project/paper (20% total).
Late assignments will not receive full credit and no late assignments will be accepted after the assignments have been graded and handed back.
Exams - If you must miss an exam please make prior arrangements with me or, if ill, call and let me know the problem. There will be no make-up exams without an excused absence. Probable exam dates will be February 28, April 11 and Finals week.
Research Project – will be discussed during the first few weeks of class in more detail. Essentially this will give you an opportunity to get into the field, look at landforms, review existing literature and produce a paper/report that outlines your understanding and interpretation of landscape conditions with respect to geologic changes over time. The paper will be due by the end of class on May 9th. An oral presentation of the content of your research paper will be arranged during the last two weeks of the semester and presented during lab sessions. As outlined above, the research paper and presentation will account for 20% of your course grade.
Textbook for the course will be – Geomorphology – A Systematic Analysis of Late Cenozoic Landforms, 3rd edition by Arthur L. Bloom. There may also be several outside readings required for class discussion. These readings will be placed in the Reference Room in the CSUS library.
TENTATIVE OUTLINE OF DISCUSSION TOPICS AND READINGS