Walking around your home, you know it so well. The markings on the door frame where you marked your child’s height, the picture you don’t like but were gifted so have to keep up, the wine stain in the carpet that won’t come out but tells of a great night. Everything tells a story.
Earth is the same. Every rock, mineral, and mountain, even the weather. They tell a story of the planet that is our shared home and geology is the storybook.
Through the Geology Diploma Course, you’ll learn about the Earth’s structures and processes, plate tectonic forces, volcanoes, earthquakes, rocks, minerals, geological analysis, climate trends, anthropogenic influences, and economic mining.
Centre of Excellence – Geology Diploma Course
What Will You Learn?
The course begins with a look at the basic geological formation history of the Earth, the properties of the Earth’s interior, and continental and oceanic geological structures.
We’ll explore the significance of plate tectonic forces over geological timescales, seafloor spreading, subduction zones, and hot spots.
You’ll learn the significance the rock cycle has on Earth, the various methods for sediment classifications and how rock types are defined and classified. The course covers aspects of mineral formation and their associated environmental factors, silicate, rock-forming minerals, the ‘Big Ten’, and the various methods of mineral classification and their benefits.
You’ll become familiar with internal and external volcanic features, the constituents of volcanic tephra and the types of lava flow, volcano types and eruption categories, and subduction zone volcanoes. We’ll also explore the study and field of seismology, the earthquake processes, mountain building and the associated seismic activity and the hazards that can arise from earthquakes.
You’ll learn about climate trends through Earth’s geological history, the various systems that result in climate modifications, the environmental significance of the ocean, the various anthropogenic influences on climate, soil formation and distributions, the Earth’s watershed and how contamination occurs.
You’ll learn how to define geological time, differentiate between relative and absolute dating techniques, and understand dating methods using fossil evidence and radiometric isotope decay.
Anthropogenic influences, such as agriculture and industrialization, are directly responsible for environmental changes to Earth. We’ll look at the history and ecological impacts of agriculture and industrialization, and the negative geological impacts of urbanization.
The course concludes with a look at fossil fuels and their associated geological values, the process, environmental effects and future projections of economic mining, and geothermal energy substitutions and their geological implications.
By studying this course, you will:
- Gain a greater understanding of Earth, its structures, and processes
- Be aware of the processes and significance of plate tectonic forces, volcanoes, and earthquakes
- Learn about rocks, minerals, and geological analysis
- Be familiar with climate trends, anthropogenic influences, and economic mining
Course Syllabus
What will I learn on the course?
Module 1: Origins
Module 2: Plate Tectonics
Module 3: Earth’s Rocks
Module 4: Earth’s Minerals
Module 5: Volcanoes
Module 6: Earthquakes
Module 7: Climate Trends, Weathering and the Watershed
Module 8: Geological Analyses
Module 9: Anthropogenic Modifications
Module 10: Economic Impacts
Who Would Benefit from This Course?
The Geology Diploma Course is the perfect course for anyone who wants to get to know the Earth better. It answers questions that some may not think to ask, such as – ‘How do earthquakes happen?’, ‘Why do volcanoes erupt?’, ‘How are minerals formed?’, ‘Why is the Earth’s climate changing?’. You’ll learn about Earth’s past, the possibilities of its future, how it was formed and how it continues to change.
Course Features
- Lectures 0
- Quizzes 0
- Duration 10 weeks
- Skill level All levels
- Language English
- Students 77
- Assessments Yes
