General Information

• Name: Rocks & Minerals
• Discipline: Geology (GEOL)
• Units (Credits): 3
• Schedule History: See when this course was offered over the last three years.
• Transfer Information: Courses with numbers 100 to 299: This course is designed to apply toward a WNC degree and/or transfer to other schools within the Nevada System of Higher Education, depending on the degree chosen and other courses completed. It may transfer to colleges and universities outside Nevada. For information about how this course can transfer and apply to your program of study, please contact a counselor.
• Academic Division: Science, Mathematics & Engineering
• Prerequisites: None

Course Outline

I: Catalog Course Description

Focuses on the identification of rocks and minerals. Includes an introduction to the crystallography and chemistry of minerals as well as the petrology of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Concludes with an overview of ore deposits.

II: Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the successful student will have:

• Gained factual knowledge (terminology, classifications, methods, trends) about Rocks and Minerals.
• Learned fundamental principles, generalizations or theories of Rocks and Minerals.

III: Course Linkage

Linkage of course to educational program mission and at least one educational program outcome.

General Education The mission of general education at WNC is to provide students who complete degrees and certificates of achievement with critical life skills that will benefit them in their personal and professional endeavors. Specifically, GEOL 132: ROCKS AND MINERALS addresses the general education student learning outcome: •understand the methods of science and the role of science and technology in the modern world. Program GEOL 132 is a program elective for the Associate of Science with Geoscience emphasis. The mission of the Associate of Science-Geoscience emphasis is to provide a strong foundation in earth and physical sciences, and prepare students for transfer into many disciplines, including geology, geography, environmental science, and science teaching. GEOL 132 addresses the program student learning outcome: •have gained a basic understanding of physical processes operating on and within the Earth, including formation of rocks and minerals. •have gained a basic understanding of common rocks and minerals identification.