Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences

EENS Courses

Courses with Web Links

• COLQ 412, Grand Canyon Colloquium

• EENS 113, Physical Geology Laboratory

• EENS 223, Introduction to Oceanography
  

• Prof. Dawers' EENS 111, Course Syllabus

• Prof. Allison's EENS 111, Course Syllabus
  

• Prof. Nelson's EENS 111, Physical Geology

• Prof. Nelson's EENS 204, Natural Disasters
  

• Prof. Nelson's EENS 211, Earth Materials
  

• Prof. Nelson's EENS 212, Petrology

• Prof. Dawers' EENS 340, Structural Geology

• Prof. Dawers' EENS 632 Subsurface Geology Syllabus

• Prof. Nelson's EENS 634 The Earth

Course Descriptions

EENS111 Physical Geology (3)

Staff. Co-requisite: 113. The nature and material of the Earth and the moon; the development of their surficial features; and the results of the interaction of chemical, physical, and biological factors upon them. Lectures.

EENS 112 Historical Geology (3)

Mr. Parsley, Mr. McKee. Co requisite: 114. The physical evolution of the Earth with particular attention to North America. Also, the evolution of life through geological time.

EENS 113 Physical Geology Laboratory (1)

Staff. Co-requisite: 111. A laboratory to accompany Geology 111. Includes the study of rocks and minerals, landforms, structural geology, topographic maps, and aerial photographs.

EENS 114 Historical Geology Laboratory (1)

Staff. Co requisite: 112. A laboratory to accompany Geology 112. Includes the study of fossils, geologic time, geologic maps.

EENS 120 Earth Systems (3)

Mr. Törnqvist. An introductory examination of the origins of and interactions between the hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere that together make up the Earth Systems. This course presents an integrated view of our planet, how it evolved during the past ~ 4.5 billion years, why it has changed (and continues to change) and what makes Earth a habitable planet.

EENS 202 Environmental Geology (3)

Mr. Flowers. The interaction of humans and their geologic environment. A study of Earth processes and their action on rocks, soil, fluids, and life in ways that either affect or control the human environment. The effect of humans on their environment through the action of these processes. This course requires a term project which includes both an oral component and a written component.

EENS 204 Natural Disasters (3)

Mr. Nelson. An examination of the causes, effects, and options available to mitigate natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, subsidence, coastal erosion, flooding, severe weather, and meteorite impacts.

EENS 206 Introductory Geography (3)

Staff. An introduction to the basic facts concerning the physical environment: landforms, climates, vegetation and soils, followed by a comprehensive survey of the relationship between the physical environment and human activity in the major geographic regions of the world. The geography of Louisiana is considered in its relation to the region. Recommended to students working for Louisiana certification in elementary education. Lectures.

EENS 207 Weather and Climate (3)

Mr. Flowers. An introduction to the earth’s atmosphere with particular emphasis on weather and climate. Topics covered include: heating and cooling of the atmosphere; atmospheric circulation and wind; air masses and cyclonic storms; tropical weather and hurricanes; and global climates and climatic change.

EENS 208 National Parks: Geology and Environmental Changes (3)

Staff.   Introduction to basic geological concepts, processes, and materilas through examples from U.S. National Parks.

EENS 211 Earth Materials (4)

Mr. Flowers, Mr. Nelson. Prerequisites: EENS 111. Corequisites: CHEM 108/118. An introduction to earth materials, including minerals and rocks. Crystallography, mineralogy, the origin of rocks, and hand specimen identification of minerals and rocks. Lectures and two laboratories per week.

EENS 212 Petrology (4)

Mr. Nelson. Prerequisite: EENS 211. The study of igneous and metamorphic rocks including their nature and origin, and identification which the petrographic microscope. Lectures and two laboratories per week.

EENS 223 Introduction to  Oceanography (3)

Staff. A broad survey of chemical, physical, and geological oceanography with a brief historical overview and a consideration of current concepts. Same as EEOB 223.

EENS 288 Writing Practicum (1)

Staff. Writing practicum. Fulfills the college writing requirement.

EENS 306 Dinosaurs (3)

Mr. Parsley. Evolution of the dinosaurs and their ancestors. An examination of their classification, morphology, and modes of life. Emphasis on their fossil record and manŐs concept about dinosaurs. Meets the college science requirements. Does not count toward the requirements for a major in geology.

EENS 310 Geomorphology (3)

Ms. Gasparini. Prerequisite: EENS 111/113. The study of processes leading to landform creation and development in response to climate and tectonics.  Overview of fundamental and applied activities undertaken by geomorphologits.

Staff. Prerequisite: EENS 211. Composition, primary textures, and structures of sediments in major sedimentary environments. Environmental interpretation of ancient sedimentary sequences. The basic principles utilized in interpretation of the stratigraphic column. Lectures and laboratory which focuses primarily on methods of sedimentary analysis.

EENS 388 Writing Practicum (1)

Staff. Writing practicum. Fulfills the college writing requirement.

EENS 398 Environmental Field Study (4-6)

Staff. Prerequisites: EENS 327, approval of undergraduate advisor before enrollment. The application of basic field methods to proactical problems in environmental science. Students typically complete this course at an approved summer field camp offered by another college or university. Students may pursue opportunities in groundwater hydrology, oceanography, remote sensing, environmental field methods, or environmental internships. Offered summer session only.

EENS 399 Field Geology (3)

Staff. Prerequisites: EENS 212 and 340. The application of basic field methods to practical problems in field geology. When not offered by Tulane, students are required to complete this course at another college or university. Offered in the summer session only.

EENS 422 Advanced Oceanography (3)

Staff. A broad survey of biological, chemical, physical, and geological oceanography with a brief historical overview and consideration of current concepts. There will also be an examination of biogeochemical relationships at macroscales, mesoscales, and microscales in the ocean. Same as EEOB 422.

EENS 456, 457 Internship Studies (1-3, 1-3)

Staff. An experiential learning process coupled with pertinent academic course work. Details of the internship experience and the academic course work are to be arranged and described on an Internship Prospectus within one week of the end of the add period. A synopsis of the internship (including both the academic and experiential components) is to be completed, approved by the supervising professor and the appropriate departmental chair, and filed with the Office of the Dean prior to the end of the final examination period. Open only to juniors and seniors in good standing. (Note: A maximum of three credits may be earned in one or two courses. Only one internship may be completed per semester.)

EENS 491, 492 Independent Studies (1 or 3, 1 or 3) Staff.

EENS H499-H500 Honors Thesis (3, 4) Staff.

EENS 603 Environmental Methods (3)

Mr. Flowers. Prerequisites:  Chemistry 108 or approval of instructor. A course to introduce laboratory and field methods necessary to the student interested in working in Environmental Geology. Lectures, laboratory, and field applications.

EENS 604 Coastal Marine Geology (3)

Staff. Prerequisites: EENS 111, 112, and college chemistry. Geomorphic features of estuarine, coastal, and continental shelf environments: erosional, depositional, and geochemical processes; field and laboratory methods; emphasis on dynamic coastal environments of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Offered summers only.

EENS 605 Natural Disasters (3)

Mr. Nelson. Prerequisite: approval of instructor. An examination of the causes, effects, and options available to mitigate natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, subsidence, coastal erosion, flooding, severe weather, and meteorite impacts.

EENS 607 Geological Problems (3)

Staff. For qualified students with departmental approval provided appropriate faculty director is available.

EENS 608 Special Topics (3)

Staff. A special course taught by Tulane faculty or visiting faculty. The topic will be listed in the Schedule of Classes.

EENS 609 Invertebrate Paleontology (4)

Mr. Parsley. Prerequisite: EENS 112, Ecology, EEOB 614, or approval of instructor. Principles of invertebrate paleontology; a systematic treatment of the fossil invertebrates and their living relatives. Emphasis on functional morphology, ontogeny, and paleoecology. Lectures, laboratory, field trip. Same as EEOB 609.

EENS 610 Micropaleontology (3)

Staff. Prerequisite: EENS 609 or elementary biology. The foraminifera, ostracoda, nannofossils, conodonts and other groups of microfossils. Lectures and laboratory. Same as EEOB 610.

EENS 613 Principles of Paleobiology (3)

Staff. Prerequisites: EEOB 101, EENS 112, EENS 609 and approval of instructor. Selected topics on macroevolutionary theories; Phylogeny and the fossil records of metazoans; Major events in the history of life; Patterns of biodiversity through geologic time; Taphonomy Paleoecology.  Same as EEOB 613.

EENS 614 Igneous Petrology (3)

Mr. Nelson. Prerequisites: EENS 212 and approval of instructor. An in-depth study of the origins of igneous rocks from the standpoint of experimental investigations, thermodynamics, trace elements, radiogenic isotopes, and field investigations. Lectures and laboratory.

EENS 616 Fluvial Responses to Allogenic Controls (3)

Staff. Prerequisites: EENS 310 and approval of instructor. Study of the geomorphological and sedimentological responses of rivers to tectonics, climate and sea-level changes.  Discussion of recent publications on river changes and associated strtigraphic records over time scales of 10⁰ to 10⁶ years.

EENS 619 Marine Geology (3)

Staff. Prerequisite: EENS 111 or 121. Survey of marine plate boundaries, ocean floor morphology, and paleooceanology and sedimentary history of the ocean basins and the ocean margins. Lectures

EENS 621 Global Biogeochemical Cycles (3)

Staff. Prerequisite: one year of Organic Chemistry. An introduction to the global biogeochemical cycles in fresh water, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. Emphasis will be placed on key environmental issues as they relate to perturbations of these global cycles. Open only to seniors and graduate students. Same as EEOB 621.

EENS 622 Major World River Systems: Sedimentary and Biogeochemical Processes  (3)

Staff.  Prerequisite: EENS 629 or approval of instructor.  Major world rivers are arguably the single most important environmental features on the surface of the Earth in terms of their direct impact on humans and their vulnerability to negative impact by human activities.  They also play an important role in global change especially with regards to the global carbon cycle.  The dominant sedimentary and biogeochemical processes are examined for whole river systems (drainage basin to receiving basin) with emphasis given to those that influence global change.

EENS 625 Isotopes in the Environment (3)

Staff. The use of isotopes as tools to trace the movement of air, water, and sediments through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere. Same as Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology 625.

EENS 626 Paleoclimatology (3)

Staff. Prerequisite: approval of the instructor. Understanding past climate variation is necessary to fully comprehend present and model future climates.  The focus will be on climate change during the late Quaternary Period, with special emphasis on climate reconstruction methods.  Same as EEB 626.

EENS 628 Coastal Strata Formation (3)

Staff. An examination of the petrology of major terrigenous and carbonate coastal settings including fluvio-deltaic, nearshore, and continental shelf with a focus on the transition from modern sediments to lithified rocks.  The course will combine lectures and discussions of pertinent recent literature with laboratory and field examination of sediment grains, thin-sections, and core intervals.

EENS 629 Sedimentary Geochemistry (3)

Staff. Prerequisite: senior standing or approval of the instructor.  Quantitative aspects of early sediment diagenesis.  The topics examined include: sediment deposition, resuspension, bioturbation, and accumulation; redox reactions, diffusion and desorption of dissolved species, and organic matter decomposition and storage.  Three basic concepts will be used to examine early diagenesis in a range of sedimentary environments.

EENS 630 Groundwater Hydrology (3)

Mr. Flowers. Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Chemistry 107, 108, Mathematics 121, 122, or equivalent. Occurrence of water in the near-surface environment; saturated and unsaturated flow in aquifers; aquifer characterization; well hydraulics; and groundwater chemistry.

EENS 634 The Earth (3)

Mr. Flowers, Mr. Nelson. Prerequisites: Mathematics 121 and 122, or equivalent, Physics 121 and 122 or 131 and 132, and approval of instructor. Earth as seen in the light of solid-earth geophysics: age and origin; seismology and structure of the interior; gravity, geodesy, and the geoid; heat budget; generation of the magnetic field and paleomagnetism; and geophysical constraints on plate tectonics. Lectures.

EENS 668 Volcanology (3)

Mr. Nelson. Prerequisite: approval of instructor. The study of volcanoes including volcanic landforms, eruptive mechanisms, and tectonic environments. Lectures.

EENS 669 Biochemistry of Estuaries (3)

Staff. Prerequisites: CHEM 242 and MATH 122 or 131. Physico-chemical and biological aspects of the zone interfacing fresh water and marine environments. Emphasis will be place on the biogeochemical cycles of this highly dynamic ecosystem. Field trips to estuarine regions along the Gulf Coast will be required although this is not a laboratory-field course. Same as EEOB 669.

EENS 688 Writing Practicum (1)

Staff. Writing practicum. Fulfills the college writing requirement.

EENS 703,704 SEMINAR IN PALEONTOLOGY AND/OR STRATIGRAPHY (3, 3) Staff.

 

EENS 710 SEMINAR IN GEOLOGY (1-3)

 

EENS 715 ADVANCED TOPICS IN SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY (3) Staff.

 

EENS 716 CARBONATE PETROLOGY (3) Staff. Prerequisites 618, 620.

 

EENS 720 INTRODUCTION TO THEORETICAL GEOCHEMISTRY (3) Flowers.

 

EENS 723 PALEOECOLOGY OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES (3) Staff.

 

EENS 724 STUDIES IN STRATIGRAPHIC MICROPALEONTOLOGY (3) Staff.

 

EENS 750 ADVANCED FIELD GEOLOGY (4) Staff.

 

EENS  797 RESEARCH IN PALEONTOLOGY (1-3).

 

EENS  799 RESEARCH IN GEOSCIENCES (1-3).

 

EENS  998 MASTER’S RESEARCH

 

EENS  999 DISSERTATION RESEARCH

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