Composition, structure and natural processes of the earth and other planets; mineralogy and petrology (e.g., igneous rocks); the geological history of Earth; the evolution of life; the characteristics and habitats of fossil animals and plants; understanding past and present major geological global events (e.g., tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes); analysis of sedimentary deposits and geologic time; exploration and extraction of natural resources (e.g., ground water, petroleum & metals); environmental contamination and clean up; fundamental scientific concepts; fieldwork techniques and geologic mapping. Skills Interpret data about the earth; describe earth materials in thin section, hand specimen, outcrop and core; analyze complex geological and environmental problems (e.g., subsurface geology, climate change); apply fundamental scientific concepts; identify the location of natural resources (e.g., petroleum); conduct scientific field and lab research; construct models of geologic events and processes; produce detailed geological maps, cross-sections and reports; think analytically and work independent Sample Courses Environmental Geology, Internal Processes of the Earth, Mineralogy, Paleontology, Earth System History.