Above: Lake Whatcom from Stewart Mountain.    Click on the images for a better view.

"Geology underlies everything: it founds the landscape, dictates the agriculture, determines the character of villages." 
             Richard Fortey, Earth: An Intimate History

Take this quiz: What on Earth Made This?

The Big Ideas  These 18 concepts are key to any study of Earth.

Before going any further, read this if you intend to enroll or are already enrolled in a  course at Whatcom Community College. We take this stuff seriously around here!

According to the WCC Student Rights and Responsibilities (WAC 132U-120-010): 

Students and college personnel share the responsibility for contributing to a learning environment that promotes social justice, understanding, civility, and non-violence within a safe and supportive college community.  Enrollment in Whatcom Community College carries with it the obligation to be a responsible citizen of the college community and to treat others with respect and dignity.  Students shall be subject to disciplinary action for interfering with the personal rights or privileges of others or the educational process of the college.  Students are prohibited from engaging in any unlawful conduct.  Grounds for disciplinary action include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.   Disorderly, abusive, or bothersome conduct. Disorderly or abusive behavior that interferes with the rights of others or obstructs or disrupts teaching, research, or administrative functions.

2.   Failure to follow instructions.  Inattentiveness, inability, or failure of student to follow the instructions of a college official, thereby infringing upon the rights and privileges of others.

3.   Academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, and facilitating academic dishonesty.

Now for something completely different.....

Humor in Earth Science

And now for something still different....

 The benefits of a geology course to YOU!

Many if not most of you wonder why the heck you have to take a science class,  which any geology class is. After all, few of you want to become scientists and as far as you are concerned, science has nothing to do with your life.  You may think that "science" is what people in white lab coats do, and that doesn't directly affect you. You're just here for the credit and because college transfer requirements demand that you take a a few  science classes, right?

Well, if you'll open your mind for a moment and if you will at least try to see past this short-sighted notion, you might discover that this course has everything to do with your life, regardless of whether you are pursuing a scientific career and regardless of what the four-year colleges state as their reasons.

By taking a geology course, not only will you be smarter and wiser about the planet we live on but you will develop a better appreciation for your relationship with the earth and you will learn some real-world skills to boot. A geology course may even help you get a better job, help you get along better with others, and help you appreciate life in all its grandeur and beauty.

Approach a geology course with the attitude that it can teach you something valuable about life and you'll be a lot more motivated to succeed.

The benefits you can expect to derive from a geology course are called learning outcomes in the education business. Broadly defined, learning outcomes are the knowledge, understandings and analytic-synthetic-evaluative skills that you will master as a result of your studies. Learning outcomes establish targets towards which your academic studies are aimed. Nonetheless, learning, as a lifelong process, continually refines and redefines these outcomes. If you are successful in a geology course, you will be well on your way towards achieving these goals and expanding the horizon of what is possible in your life.   ...Please click this link for MORE....

I have enjoyed working with students and colleagues here at Whatcom Community College since 1971. You can access information about current classes by navigating to the current quarter, then on the page that appears, click on your specific class in the left border. Take a look at the Registration Calendar to find starting and ending dates, official holidays, and critical dates such as last day to drop a class. Consult a current Annual Schedule to see which classes I teach each quarter.   Or you can find out many other details about all classes by going to Online Access to Student Information and Services.  

Below you will find information about  all of the geology courses we currently offer.

Explanation for All Geology Courses
If you are interested in majoring in Geology at a university, go to Bernie Dougan's webpage where he gives a recommended course of study.

Distribution Courses

All courses listed as distribution meet all three of the provisions:

1) provide broad knowledge of the subject matter of the discipline;

2) introduce students to the methods and techniques of the discipline; and

3) have 50% or more of the demonstration statements under three of the five Abilities.

This is an introduction to earth science and includes general topics from geology, meteorology, and oceanography.

2.Geology 101: Introduction to Geology 5 credits

Although including many similar topics, Introduction to Geology is narrower in scope than Geology 100 in that it does not cover meteorology or much ocean science. Not open for credit to students who have taken Geology 211.

3. Geology 110: Environmental Geology 5 credits

The same coverage of geological hazards as in Geology 120 but with the addition of natural resources and the omission of meteorologically linked hazards such as hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, and fires.

Satisfies Global Studies requirement.

4. Geology 120: Natural Disasters  5 credits

Environmental hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, but unlike Geology 110, no direct treatment of natural resources. Satisfies Global Studies requirement. Spring Quarter.

5. Geology 135: Introduction to Oceanography 5 credits

This is a more detailed treatment of ocean science than the brief overview in Geology 100, and covers the basics of physical, chemical, geological, and biological oceanography. Spring Quarter.

6. Geology 150: Introduction to Weather 5 credits

This is similar to Geology 135 in scope in that it covers in more breadth and depth the science of meteorology compared to the more limited treatment in Geology 100. Prerequisite: Math. 98 recommended. Winter Quarter.

7. Geology 211: Physical Geology 5 credits

This is a course designed for science majors or others wishing a more rigorous treatment of the topics covered in 101.

Geology 212: Historical Geology 5 credits

This is a companion course to Geology 211 intended for science majors and when taken after 211, provides a student with the basic core courses in geology for students transferring to major in geology. Prerequisite is Geology 101 or 211 and English 100 or ESL 117 or placement in English 101. Satisfies Writing requirement. Offered in Spring in odd-numbered years.

Listed Electives

Each of the following courses is more limited in breadth than the distribution courses. These courses are intended for students who desire more depth in a more specific branch of geology. The first  course has laboratory activities but because it is not  a Distribution courses in Math/Science, it does NOT satisfy the Laboratory requirement.  

 Fall Quarter.

Geology 295: Honors   2 credits

For students who are in the Honors program.  In-depth study of selected topics.   Offered once a year, usually in Spring.

Top of Page