Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course deals with the origin and evolution of the igneous and metamorphic rocks as revealed through textural, mineralogical, and chemical studies. The lecture and laboratory parts of the course are closely linked since all the fancy chemical and isotopic techniques utilized by present-day petrologists are only as good as their basic understanding of the physical constraints imposed by the rocks. The lecture part of the course has a strong physics and chemistry component, and the student who has only a vague memory of his/her introductory physics and chemistry courses would be well advised to review this material.

GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION:

Attendance is mandatory for all exams. Except in the case of personal illness or a death in the immediate family, both of which must be substantiated, the student MUST seek prior approval from the instructor for an exam absence. Ski trips, hunting, extended weekends, two exams on the same day, etc. are NOT legitimate excuses for missing an exam. Any special pleading must be done before the exam, not after. Any un-excused absence will result in a grade of zero for the exam which is missed.

The student's attention is called to the definitions and regulations regarding cheating and plagiarism. The instructor shall assign a grade of zero to any portion of an exam on which he determines cheating has occurred. Likewise a grade of zero will be assigned to any portion of a laboratory exercise that has been plagiarized.

TEXT: 

J. D. Winter (2010) Principles of Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology, 2nd Ed. Prentice Hall.

GRADING POLICY:

Your grade will be determined as follows:

Three Hour Exams @ 20% each = 60%

         Final Exam = 40%

The Hour Exams are tentatively scheduled for February 22, March 30, and April 30. The Hour Exams will not be cumulative but the Final Exam will be inclusive.

PROBLEMS:

During the semester various problems and exercises will be handed out. The problems and exercises will not be collected and the student is responsible for their completion. As appropriate, time will be set aside in the laboratory to discuss the problems. This discussion will be in the form of a recitation, i.e., its your responsibility to do the problems, I'll simply serve as the ring master.

FIELD TRIP:

It is anticipated that there will be one all-day field trip to Mount Pawtuckaway in southern New Hampshire. The exact date of this field trip will be arranged during the semester, but it will most likely be on a Sunday in late April or early May. The field trip is a mandatory component of the course.

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR:

The instructor's Office Hours are M-W-F from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM. The instructor's office is Room 302b in the Olney building. Additional hours are available by appointment. If you have problems, or want to make an appointment, you can reach me either by telephone, 978-934-3907 (I have voice mail) or better yet by e-mail, Nelson_Eby@uml.edu. I log on to my e-mail account when I come in each day and thus will get your message first thing in the morning.