The geologic record, covering 4.6 billion years, provides us with a long-term perspective of the Earth system and how it operates over time scales much longer than human history. Using Wellesley’s extensive rock and fossil collection, geologic data sets and journal articles, we will reconstruct and interpret Earth's eventful past, including periods of mountain building, dramatic climate changes, and the evolution and extinction of life on our planet. This class should give students an understanding about deep time and that we live on an ever changing planet. This version of GEOS 200 does not include a field trip to the southwestern United States in mid-May. GEOS 200 (or GEOS 200X) is a major requirement.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 12

Prerequisites: Any 100-level GEOS course.

Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences

Typical Periods Offered: Spring

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered

Notes: