ESCI 411/511: Principles of Geomorphology

3 credits

Course Content: Geomorphology is the study of landforms and the processes involved in their formation and evolution through time. Climatic and tectonic controls on landform evolution will be emphasized in this class. Goals of this class include: 1) understand the processes that build and transform landscapes, 2) identify landforms in the field and on imagery, 3) map landforms in the field and using imagery.

Lab: The two-hour block of class time on Fridays will be reserved primarily for lab activities. I will occasionally use this time to lecture as needed. For the labs, you will need graph paper, colored pencils, ruler, and a calculator. Computer applications will be necessary for some labs and must be completed outside lab time (Microsoft Excel, Google Earth, and others).

Textbook: Montgomery & Bierman, Key Concepts in Geomorphology

Field Trips: Field trips will be planned for the second half of the semester. These will focus on glacial, soil, fluvial, and eolian geomorphology. Please plan on attending field trips – geomorphology is a field-based science, and the field trips will reinforce what we learn in the classroom.