Course code GEO210

GEO210 Quaternary Geology

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Showing course contents for the educational year 2021 - 2022 .

Course responsible: Mona Henriksen
Teachers: Danni Pearce
ECTS credits: 10
Faculty: Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management
Teaching language: NO
(NO=norsk, EN=Engelsk)
Limits of class size:
-
Teaching exam periods:
This course starts in Spring parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in Spring parallel.
Course frequency: Annually
First time: Study year 2004-2005
Preferential right:
-
Course contents:
Knowledge of our surficial deposits is important in connection with land-use planning, assessment of geohazards, and utilization of natural resources for various purposes, such as agriculture, forestry, building of roads, groundwater usage etc. The course deals with the natural climate changes and processes that have controlled the development of the Norwegian landscape through the Quaternary period. Emphasis is placed on how climate, ice ages and sea level changes have determined the properties and distribution of typical Norwegian surficial deposits such as glacial, marine, glacial river and river deposits. The theoretical teaching is supported by exercises where the student works with Quaternary geological problems, the use of Quaternary geological maps and profiles and the interpretation and understanding of various observations.
Learning outcome:

After completing the course, you should have the following learning outcome:

Knowledge:

  • describe the development of the natural climate changes in the Quaternary period and how they have contributed to the landscape and the surficial deposits in Norway
  • explain the properties of the different sediments and interpret their properties against different land use and geohazards
  • be able to account for the regional distribution of the different types of surficial deposits
  • have knowledge of how sediments, landforms and a selection of palaeodata can be used to reconstruct environmental, sea-level and climatic changes

Skills:

  • be able to retrieve and interpret relevant information related to Quaternary environmental changes
  • summarise and synthesise relevant information of Quaternary environmental change
  • be able to develop and put forward reasoned arguments in written form

General competence:

  • be able to communicate key issues and Quaternary geology’s relevance to ongoing climate change.
Learning activities:
Lectures, exercises/group work, seminars, excursions, semester assignment.
Teaching support:
Through the course website on Canvas. The teacher will be available for questions during the office hours, and will supervise the group projects/term paper when inquired.
Syllabus:

Selected articles and lecture notes. Selected chapters of:

Jørgensen et al. 1997: Kvartærgeologi. Landbruksforlaget. Jørgensen et al. 2014: Norske jordarter. E-book. Nesje 2012: Brelære. Bre, landskap, klimaendringer og datering. (2nd ed.). Høyskoleforlaget. Ramberg, Bryhni, Nøttvedt & Rangnes (2013): Landet blir til. Norges geologi. Norsk geologisk forening.

Prerequisites:
GEO100 Geology.
Recommended prerequisites:
Mandatory activity:
Excursion. Submissions with approval of excursion report and weekly exercises.
Assessment:

Total assessment:

  • Final written examination (3.5 hours) counts 70%.
  • Semester assignment in group counts 30%.

Both parts must be passed. Grading system A-E / Not passed.

Nominal workload:
250 hours.
Entrance requirements:
Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)
Reduction of credits:
-
Type of course:
Lectures/exercises/seminars: 21 x 2 hours. Excursion: 2 x 10 hours.
Note:
The course is followed up by GEO211 Quaternary Geology - Field Course. 
Examiner:
The examiner, who comes from the same subject field at another Norwegian university, will be used actively for determining the course level and for approving the examination. The external examiner will also take part in the assessment of the examinations.
Allowed examination aids: A1 No calculator, no other aids
Examination details: Combined assessment: Letter grades