Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Natural Disasters

This course will emphasize the geology of earth's natural hazards including earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, landslides, global warming and ozone depletion. Students will learn how geologic processes can directly affect people, property and human made structures. Procedures to mitigate such hazards will be explored. In addition to earth's natural hazards, some other important concepts to be addressed include population growth pressures on natural resources, uniformitarianism and geology as a foundation to understanding our environment. Course entails three hours of lecture per week and four 3-5 hour mandatory laboratory exercises per semester.