Introduction to Geology Lab Online Course

Students learn about rock and mineral specimens, maps and illustrations. 

This introductory geology lab course is designed to compliment GEOL101: Introduction to Geology.

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What will I learn in the Introduction to Geology Lab online course?

Most Geology 101 lab courses engage students with actually hand specimens of minerals and rocks. Since the onset of online labs where students can’t share the specimen kits, the world’s supply of teaching specimens has dwindled to the point where it is difficult for suppliers to provide good specimens or in some cases even any specimen at all. This course includes a comprehensive suite of videos of specimens and their properties, which means students do not have to purchase a sample kit. This video format can be effective for your learning of minerals and rocks and how to identify them by name.

You will have 3 to 9 months to complete this course, which has 11 lessons and no exams.

• Lab 1. Minerals
• Lab 2. Igneous rocks
• Lab 3. Sedimentary rocks
• Lab 4. Metamorphic rocks
• Lab 5. Geologic time
• Lab 6. Topographic maps
• Lab 7. Streams
• Lab 8. Groundwater
• Lab 9. Glaciers
• Lab 10. Crustal structures
• Lab 11. Earthquakes and plate tectonics

The labs include samples, maps and diagrams for you to work with to gain some personal experience in geologic inquiry. This course is designed to complement GEOL101: Introduction to Geology.

Required Materials for GEOL 101L

The best text resource for this course is Tarbuck, E. J., & Lutgens, F. K. (2011). Earth: An introduction to Physical Geology 10th or 11th ed.

You may have used a different text in your Geology course, and normally that should be acceptable for what you'll encounter in these lab lessons.

How will the course appear on my transcript?

You may enroll at any time and have up to 9 months to complete this online course. The credits earned will be recorded on your UND transcript based on the date you registered for the course. It will appear on your transcript in the same way as a course taken during a regular semester. There is no indication that the course was taken online or that you completed it at your own pace. 

Why Take Online Classes at UND?

Here are a few reasons why you should take an online enroll anytime course at UND:

• Great customer service – Our registration team is ready to answer questions quickly so you can focus on your coursework.
• Affordable – UND's enroll anytime courses are priced at North Dakota's affordable, in-state tuition rate.
• Accredited – UND is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
• Easily transfer credits – Transferring credits is always at the discretion of the institution to which the credits are being transferred. In general, credits from schools/universities that are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission transfer to other regionally accredited institutions. UND's online courses appear on your UND transcript in the same way as other courses.

Flexible 100% Online Course

You'll take this online course at your own pace. Some students thrive in this environment, while other students may struggle with setting their own deadlines. If you have successfully taken an independent study or correspondence course previously, UND’s enroll anytime courses may be right for you. Still not sure? Take our online quiz to help determine if online enroll anytime courses are right for you.

Course information including tuition, technology requirements, textbooks, lessons and exams is subject to change without notice.