West Virginia University

Geology

Seneca Rocks, WV

2008-2010

Graduate Program
Handbook
Department of Geology and Geography
West Virginia University
330 Brooks Hall
Morgantown, WV 26506
(304) 293-5603
http://www.geo.wvu.edu/
Revised August 2008
 Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 4

FACULTY ............................................................................................................................................... 4

RESEARCH LINKAGES AROUND MORGANTOWN .......................................................................... 5

FACILITIES ............................................................................................................................................ 6

COMPUTER FACILITIES AND NETWORK ................................................................................ 6

SOFTWARE RESOURCES......................................................................................................... 6
LABORATORY AND FIELD INSTRUMENTATION..................................................................... 7
GEOLOGICAL...................................................................................................................... 7
GEOPHYSICAL ................................................................................................................... 7
HYDROGEOLOGICAL......................................................................................................... 7
QUATERNARY GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY ..................................................... 7
REMOTE SENSING............................................................................................................. 7
THE GRADUATE PROGRAM ............................................................................................................... 7

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION .......................................................................................... 8

FINANCIAL SUPPORT................................................................................................................ 8
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS (TAs)................................................................................. 8
RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS (RAs) ............................................................................... 8
SWIGER FELLOWSHIP ...................................................................................................... 8
DUBOIS FELLOWSHIP ....................................................................................................... 8
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM LOCAL AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH UNITS............... 9
REQUIREMENTS: ALL GRADUATE PROGRAMS .................................................................... 9
ANNUAL REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 9
GEOLOGY COLLOQUIUM .................................................................................................. 9
WITHDRAWING FROM COURSES .................................................................................... 9
MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.) IN GEOLOGY ............................................................................ 9
OPTION I: M.S. IN GEOLOGY -- THESIS.......................................................................... 9
OPTION II: M.S. IN GEOLOGY -- PROFESSIONAL STUDIES ....................................... 10
M.S. COURSE SELECTION, ADVISING, AND UNDERGRADUATE COURSE
PREREQUISITES .............................................................................................................. 10
BREADTH REQUIREMENT .............................................................................................. 11
MINIMUM GRADES AND COURSE LOAD....................................................................... 11
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.) IN GEOLOGY ................................................................ 11
WVU GRADUATE CATALOG ........................................................................................... 11
PLAN OF STUDY............................................................................................................... 11
Ph.D. COMMITTEE............................................................................................................ 12
COURSEWORK................................................................................................................. 12
RESIDENCY ...................................................................................................................... 12
Ph.D. SEMINAR ................................................................................................................. 12
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION ......................................................................................... 12
DISSERTATION PROPOSAL AND ORAL CANDIDACY EXAM....................................... 13
WAIVER OF DEADLINES.................................................................................................. 13
Ph.D. DEGREE TIME LIMIT .............................................................................................. 13
EVALUATION OF EXAMINATIONS .................................................................................. 14
DISSERTATION DEFENSE............................................................................................... 14
GEOLOGY PROGRAM Ph.D. TASK DEADLINES ........................................................... 15
GRADUATE COURSES BY COURSE NUMBER............................................................................... 16

COURSE SCHEDULE FOR FALL SEMESTER ................................................................................. 20

COURSE SCHEDULE FOR SPRING SEMESTER ............................................................................. 21

FACULTY RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND ................................................................................... 22

TIMOTHY CARR..21
AMY E. HESSL.......................................................................................................................... 22
THOMAS W. KAMMER............................................................................................................. 23
J. STEVEN KITE ....................................................................................................................... 23
HELEN M. LANG....................................................................................................................... 23
HENRY W. RAUCH ................................................................................................................... 23
JOHN J. RENTON..................................................................................................................... 23
RICHARD SMOSNA.................................................................................................................. 24
JAIME TORO............................................................................................................................ 24
DOROTHY J. VESPER ............................................................................................................. 24
TIMOTHY A. WARNER ............................................................................................................. 24
THOMAS H. WILSON ............................................................................................................... 24
INTRODUCTION
Geology has been taught at West Virginia University since its founding in 1867, but the Department of
Geology was not established until 1877. From its inception the geology program focused on the natural
resources of West Virginia: coal, oil, natural gas, water, salt, and other nonmetallic deposits. Early faculty and
students of the Geology program played a key role in the development of the oil industry in the Appalachian
basin, the principal hydrocarbon province of the world at that time. Key areas of early specialization were
petrology, stratigraphy, structural geology, paleontology and paleobotany. Since 1970 Department growth has
encompassed geophysics, geomorphology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, geological education, tectonics,
remote sensing, and GIS applications (the last two areas in association with the Geography program, our
partner in the Department).

WVU Geology has remained a scientific research center with an applied focus. The job market for WVU
geologists remains strong, primarily in the petroleum industry and the environmental and hydrogeology fields.
Our M.S. graduates are well prepared to deal with job-market chanllenges, finding virtually 100% job
placement in technical fields over the last 25 years. We believe that the diversity in professional fields requires
a diverse geoscience education and that research problems we study in West Virginia provide valuable
experience.

West Virginia spans nearly the entire width of the Appalachian basin including the Appalachian fold-and-thrust
belt and high plateau. The state is ideal for regional structural and stratigraphic analysis. Recent discoveries of
large accumulations of natural gas in the western part of the state have created a gas-exploration boom which
translates into research and work opportunities for our students. The mountainous nature of West Virginia
creates great scenic beauty, as well as spectacular geologic hazards (floods and landslides) that are fertile
ground for applied environmental research. Research opportunities also abound in applied hydrogeologic and
geochemical problems related to water supply, coal mining, and acid-mine drainage. West Virginia is the
second largest coal producer in the country and has a wide variety of environmental problems studied by WVU
geoscientists.

The Geography Program (within the same department) stresses GIS applications that complement Geology
research initiatives, including economic planning for resource utilization and environmental studies. Both
programs rely heavily on state-of-the-art computer facilities as research tools, not only in quantitative fields
such as geophysics and hydrogeology but in the more traditional disciplines as well. The WVU geoscience
experience has a strong information-technology flavor.

FACULTY
There are 13 Geology professors (11 full time, 2 emeriti), and 2 joint Geology-Geography professors. Several
Geography professors also participate in the Geology graduate program. More details and links to faculty web
pages are provided at the end of this document.

Robert E. Behling (Ph.D. Ohio State, 1971), Professor Geomorphology, Geological Education.

Timothy Carr (Ph.D. Wisconsin), Marshall Miller Energy Professor of Geology Petroleum Geology.

Alan C. Donaldson (Ph.D. Penn State, 1959), Professor (Emeritus) Sedimentation, Stratigraphy.

Joseph Donovan (Ph.D. Penn State, 1992), Associate Professor Hydrogeology, Water-Rock Interaction.

Gregory A. Elmes (Ph.D. Penn State, 1987), Professor - Geographic Information Systems.
 Trevor Harris (Ph.D. Hull University, U.K, 1982), Professor and Department Chair Geographic
Information Systems.

Amy E. Hessl (Ph.D. Arizona, 2000), Associate professor Biogeography/Regional Development.

Thomas W. Kammer (Ph.D. Indiana, 1982), Centennial Professor of Geology Paleontology, Paleoecology,
Stratigraphy.

Steven Kite (Ph.D. Wisconsin, 1983), Associate Professor - Quaternary Geology, Surficial Geology,
Geomorphology, Geoarcheology.

Helen Lang (Ph.D. Oregon, 1983), Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Geology Petrology,
Mineralogy.

Henry Rauch (Ph.D. Penn State, 1972), Professor Hydrogeology, Geochemistry.

John Renton (Ph.D. WVU, 1965), Professor Coal Geology, Geochemistry.

Robert C. Shumaker (Ph.D. Cornell, 1960), Professor (Emeritus) Basin Structure, Petroleum Geology.

Richard Smosna (Ph.D. Illinois, 1973), Professor Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Petroleum Geology.

Jaime Toro (Ph.D. Stanford, 1998), Associate Professor Structural Geology, Tectonics.

Dorothy J. Vesper (Ph. D. Penn State, 2002), Assistant Professor Aqueous Geochemistry, Karst Geology,
Hydrogeology

Timothy Warner (Ph.D. Purdue, 1992), Professor Remote Sensing.

Thomas H. Wilson (Ph.D. WVU, 1980), Professor Geophysics.

RESEARCH LINKAGES AROUND

MORGANTOWN
The WV Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES), located 5 miles from Morgantown, makes available
laboratory equipment, fossil collections, cataloged drill cuttings and core, and subsurface logs from deep wells
in the region. The Survey also offers students work and thesis opportunities in coal resources and petroleum
geology. Several survey geologists are adjunct faculty.

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) of the U.S. Department of Energy laboratory located in
Morgantown carries out and funds research on fossil-fuel resources and environmental problems. NETL
projects support Geology faculty and graduate-student research.

The West Virginia Water Research Institute (WVWRI) (http://wvwri.nrce.wvu.edu/index.cfm) is the premier
water research center in West Virginia and an international leader in certain fields. The Institute is based at the
National Center for Coal and Energy at the Evansdale Campus of WVU. Geology professor Dr. Joe Donovan is
the director of the Hydrology Research Center), within the WVWRI http://hrc.nrcce.wvu.edu/mks2.htm. Dr.
Dorothy Vesper is a collaborator with the program.

Extensive mining in the Appalachian region provides an excellent opportunity for students to study the
environmental effects of coal extraction. WVU Geology faculty collaborate with the National Mine Land
Reclamation Center (NMLRC) based on the WVU Evansdale Campus. The NMLRC is the main center for
coordination of acid-mine drainage research in the U.S. WVU Geology has instrumented groundwater-research
sites in the region for training and research.

The Department houses the Statewide GIS Technical Center (http://wvgis.wvu.edu/), the central source for GIS
resources in West Virginia. The Tech Center is responsible for scanning and digitization of USGS DLGs,
DOQs, and a host of other data products. The Center provides technical-support services for the development
and operation of GIS in West Virginia. RA opportunities are available related to Center activities.

The National Geospatial Development Center is a federally-funded research center devoted to enhancing the
National Cooperative Soil Survey through the application of GIS and Remote Sensing technologies. The center
is housed in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences offering research opportunities to Geology and Geography
faculty and graduate students.

FACILITIES
COMPUTER FACILITIES AND NETWORK
Both research and teaching computing facilities are outstanding for a department of fewer than 100 grad
students. The research cluster has access to >1 terabyte of redundant networked storage based on a series of
RAID servers, as well as diverse networked printers, large-format plotters, large-format digitizers, and
scanners. The teaching cluster provides interactive computing resources for 96 students on networked Athlon-
based computers with privacy workstations. Classroom demonstration facilities are available in the teaching
labs. The research cluster includes exclusively workstation-class machines with large-format displays. All
resources are regularly-upgraded with a replacement period of 1-2 years. Ethernet cabling reaches virtually
every lab, office, and classroom in the building. The department has a Geowall 3D stereo visualization system
available to all grad studetns and faculty for teaching and research purposes, and a CAVE virtual reality room
for research.

SOFTWARE RESOURCES
The Department maintains software for instructional and research usage. A full range of common applications
software is available on all network machines. In addition, statistical packages (SAS, MiniTab, NTSYS) allow
students to undertake detailed statistical analysis, whereas graphical analysis packages (Surface III, Mapping
Contour System, TruFlite, Surfer) enable users to render both 2D and 3D surfaces. GIS licenses include ARC
GIS, IDRISI, GRASS, and SPANS, all accessible to students for integration of complex geological and
geophysical data. ERDAS IMAGINE provides a suite of image-processing tools for analyzing remotely sensed
data. AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, and other graphics design packages allow accurate rendering of
technical diagrams.

The Geophysics lab and many computers in the departments computer labs provide access to state-of-the-art
geophysical modeling and processing software are available for instructional and research use. Schlumbergers
Petrel, Landmarks Geographix Discovery Suite and Seismic Micro Technology's Kingdom Suite 2D/3D Pak
software tools help in the analysis of seismic reflection and well log data. Seismic processing is performed
using Landmarks ProMax software and includes a full suite of 2D, 3D, and VSP processing tools. Modeling of
seismic data is undertaken using Landmarks Struct and Landmarks Depth Team Express. We use Sensors and
Softwares EKKO View Deluxe software for processing and display of ground penetrating radar data.
Interpex's IXID software is available for forward and inverse modeling of resistivity and terrain conductivity
data. Northwest Geophysical Associates GM-SYS software is used in the forward and inverse modeling of
gravity and magnetic data.

Software for groundwater simulation includes aquifer characterization packages (AQTESOLV), finite-
difference flow and particle-tracking codes (MODFLOW2000, MODPATH3), solute-transport codes (MT3D,
MODFLOWT), and preprocessors (Groundwater Vistas). Streamflow-modeling capabilities includes
RIVERMORPH, HEC-2 step-backwater and peak value flood frequency software.

For structural geology studies we use 2Dmove and 3DMove (Midland Valley), in addition to standard structural
analysis software. Basin modeling and evaluation of the generation of hydrocarbons are carried out with the
GENEX (Beisip-Franlab) software.

LABORATORY AND FIELD INSTRUMENTATION

GEOLOGICAL
The department has a rock-crushing room equipped with jaw crusher and disk grinder as well as laboratories
devoted to geological sample preparation which include standard mineral separation equipment (Frantz
magnetic separator, Gemeni table, and heavy liquids set-up). For additional details contact Dr. Jaime Toro
(Jaime.Toro@mail.wvu.edu).

GEOPHYSICAL
The department owns the GEM-2, a multifrequency terrain conductivity developed by GeoPhex Ltd. We also a
Geonics very low frequency (VLF) EM meter (Phoenix and Geonics EM16) and an EM34 terrain conductivity
meter. Along with the EM16 we have the EM16R resistivity attachment. We also have a Geometrics
Magnetometer. For seismic work we have a Bison Instruments 12 Channel Seismograph. The department and
geophysics lab offers large format plotting on 24-42 inch HP plotters. For additional details contact Dr. Tom
Wilson (Tom.Wilson@mail.wvu.edu).

HYDROGEOLOGICAL
Groundwater field equipment includes an array of Global Water vented pressure transducer/datalogger
instruments, Grundfos 4 and Redi-Flo 2 pumps, peristaltic pumps and flow-through sampling cells, and analog
well recorders, as well as a variety of generators, sampling pumps, flumes, pH and conductivity meters, bailers,
and current meters. For additional details contact Dr. Joe Donovan (jdonovan@wvu.edu).

QUATERNARY GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY

Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology research is served by a particle-size analysis laboratory as well as
field instrumentation such as Garmin and Timble GPS units and a Leica TC400 electronic distance meter. For
additional details contact Dr. Steve Kite (jkite@wvu.edu).

REMOTE SENSING
The remote sensing laboratory has a comprehensive suite of computing and field equipment. The laboratory
operates two portable full-range (0.4 to 2.5 micrometer) field spectroradiometers and an aerial small format
photography system based on two Nikon cameras. The laboratory shares a digital ADAR infra-red aerial
acquisition system with the Biology and Resource Management. The ADAR system can be deployed in both
helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Remote sensing software includes site licenses for ERDAS Imagine,
ENVI/IDL, and ARC/INFO image analysis and GIS software. For additional details contact Dr. Tim Warner
(tim.warner@mail.wvu.edu).

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM

The Department offers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Geology. The
M.S. degree is intended to be completed in two to three years. The Ph.D. degree requires from three to six
years of study, depending on the candidates approach. Currently there are approximately 25 MS graduate
students in residence and 10 Ph.Ds..
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in geology or a related field. However, students with a strong
record and willingness to take additional courses to make up deficiencies in geology and related sciences are
encouraged to apply. A grade-point average of 3.0 or higher is competitive for financial assistance. All
candidates must complete both the Universitys and the Department's application form, submit general GRE
Test scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical), provide academic transcript(s) of all college courses, and
request 3 letters of recommendation. Although the admission process continues until all positions are filled,
applicants seeking financial support should apply before February 1 (for Fall admission) or before October 1
(for Spring admission).

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Support for graduate students is available from a variety of sources, including Teaching Assistantships,
Research Assistantships, and Fellowships.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS (TAs)

Approximately 8 TAs are awarded to entering Geology graduate students each year. A TA for an M.S. student
is a nine-month appointment paying about $13,3501 in addition to a waiver of full-time tuition (up to 12 credit
hours per semester). In return for this stipend, the student works about 20 hours per week teaching and/or
assisting in undergraduate labs and classes. Summer tuition is waived for students who held a TA or RA during
the preceding two semesters. Students are responsible for 1mandatory fees1 (health care, campus recreation
center, computer use, and library fees) that total about $3001 per semester. Ph.D. students receive a stipend of
$15,7001 for a nine-month appointment plus a tuition waiver.

TA awards are competitive and normally tendered only to the strongest students. Students hoping to obtain a
TA are encouraged to visit the WVU campus during fall or winter of the year prior to entry and to meet with
WVU faculty in areas of their research interests. We should receive the complete application by February 1.
Positions are normally filled by April 15. Whereas most TAs start in Fall, there is occasionally a TA vacancy
in mid-year.

International applicants desiring Teaching Assistantships for financial support must have a TOEFL score of at
least 570 (paper test) or 230 (computer test) and pass a WVU-administered SPEAK examination in oral English
(in the Intensive English program) or the TSE exam (Test of Spoken English) in their country of residence. If
interested, contact the grad program chair.

RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS (RAs)

Research Assistantships are positions that support student research under supervision of a faculty member with
funded research grants. RAs commonly provide twelve months of support and pay from $13,000-$16,000 plus
a full waiver of tuition. Normally the research performed is part of the students thesis or project. RAs are also
competitive. Students interested in obtaining RA support should contact faculty working in their field of
interest.

SWIGER FELLOWSHIP
The Swiger Fellowship provides doctoral candidates $20,000 per year with waiver of tuition and most fees for
three years. Each student is expected to study full time and to carry 12 credit hours per semester during each of
the three years. The Fellowship is very competitive. Applicants should have a good undergraduate record and
GRE scores, as well as strong letters of recommendation. For more information see
http://www.wvu.edu/~graduate/swiger.html

DUBOIS FELLOWSHIP
The W.E. Dubois Fellowship, administered by the University, provides black graduate students with $15,000

1
2008-2009
per annum for up to three years. Each student is expected to study full time and to carry 12 credit hours per
semester during each of the three years. The Fellowship is very competitive, and applicants should have a good
undergraduate record and GRE scores, as well as strong letters of recommendation. For more information see
http://www.wvu.edu/~graduate/duBois.html.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM LOCAL AND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH UNITS

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey
(WVGES), and the National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE) sponsor research-assistant
positions that provide hourly wages for some students. These positions may in some cases include tuition
waivers.

REQUIREMENTS: ALL GRADUATE PROGRAMS

ANNUAL REVIEW
Every graduate student is required to submit an annual progress report in order to enable evaluation of their
research and academic progress and to provide guidance for their activities in the coming year. The report
should include the Annual Progress Report and a concise summary of achievements in study and research for
the past year. Students are also required to give a 5-minute presentation on their research or project.

The report should be submitted to the Research Advisor (Ph.D. and Option I students) or Project Advisor
(Option II students). The deadline for the report and presentation is the end of spring semester. Failure to
submit a report will result in an unsatisfactory grade for research credits taken that semester; it can also lead
to termination of financial support for the following year.

If progress is deemed unacceptable, reports will then be reviewed by the Graduate Program Committee, which
will recommend academic and financial consequences. The student will be informed of the results of the
evaluation, and a copy will be placed in the official student file.

GEOLOGY COLLOQUIUM
All graduate students are required to complete 2 hours of Graduate Colloquium (Geol699 ) for graduation. The
graduate colloquium is taken for 1 credit per semester during two different semesters.

WITHDRAWING FROM COURSES

Graduate students are not permitted to withdraw from classes unless they have permission from their advisor or
the Graduate Program Committee. Students interested in doing so must provide a written statement explaining
the rationale for the change.

MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.) IN GEOLOGY

The M.S. degree has two study options which differ in total course load and in the research requirement. The
prospective candidate should choose an option no later than the beginning of the second semester in residence.

OPTION I: M.S. IN GEOLOGY -- THESIS

Option I is the traditional thesis model for research. The Thesis option is an intensive experience, involving
focused course work and a relatively open-ended, more challenging research project than the Professional
Studies Option. It requires fewer total courses although the course work must be carefully chosen to serve the
thesis needs. Students considering a future Ph.D. or seeking employment in geological research are advised to
choose this option.

Option I requires a minimum of 24 formal course credits plus 6 research credits (Geol 698) and 2 hours of
Graduate Colloquium (Geol699 ) for graduation. A thesis based on original research is required. The thesis is
done under supervision of a Graduate Advisor and a Research Committee of three faculty including the
Advisor.

The Option I student must write a proposal stating the research problem, methods, and time-line for their thesis,
and they must formally present this proposal to their research committee. For timely completion of the M.S.
degree, students are advised to submit their proposal by the end of their first year of residence.

Required to graduate: 32 credits including courses taught by at least five different faculty members.

OPTION II: M.S. IN GEOLOGY -- PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

This option is designed for students seeking experience in preparing and presenting problems similar to those
encountered in professional geological practice. Rather than the classic thesis, the student undertakes a project
of limited scope. This project will be proposed in one semester and completed in the following semester (see
Option II guidelines for details). The project schedule and deadlines must be met, or the project is judged
unsatisfactory and another chosen. The scope of the problem addressed should not be a open-ended research
issue, but should have outcomes that may be anticipated in advance. Students choosing this option normally
intend to seek employment in professional practice rather than continue studies for a higher degree. The
Project option is less research-intensive and more general than the Thesis option but involves more coursework.

The minimum requirement for Option II is 33 formal course credits plus 6 project credits (Geol 697) and 2
hours of Graduate Colloquium (Geo 699) for graduation. Project credits may be earned in conjunction with off-
campus work experiences by consent of the candidate's project committee.

Required to graduate: 41 credits (33 course, 6 project, 2 colloquium) including courses taught by at least five
different faculty members.

M.S. COURSE SELECTION, ADVISING, AND UNDERGRADUATE COURSE PREREQUISITES

New students are assigned to an Advising Committee with whom they develop a Plan of Study. Each student is
also assigned an Interim Advisor, one of the members of his/her Advising Committee. Advising Committees
meet twice a year, in early Fall before the beginning of classes and in late Fall before the end of the semester.
After students establish a Thesis Research Committee, that committee will replace the Advising Committee and
Interim Advisor in guiding the students Plan of Study. Students must choose their research option and identify
an Advisor (Thesis or Interim) by the end of their first year in residency.

The student will, under the direction of his/her Advisor and Advising Committee, draft a Plan of Study, to be
completed and filed by the end of the first week of classes. The M.S. Plan of Study identifies a two-year course
program as well as prospective research area(s) and advisor(s). The Plan of Study is a formal document, filed
with the College of Arts and Sciences; amendments may be made with approval of the students Advising or
Research Committee.

Option I requires 24 formal course credits; Option II requires 33 credits. Research credits, undergraduate
course credits, and credits applied for other degrees, may not be included in this total. All course work applied
towards the degree must be at the graduate level (numbered 400 or higher). A maximum of 12 hours 400-level
for Option I and 16 hours for Option II can be applied towards degree requirements. Courses fulfilling
undergraduate deficiencies or prerequisites in Geology may not count towards the M.S. degree.

Relevant graduate-level courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering,
Soil Sciences, Business, or Law may be taken as outside courses by Geology graduate students, subject to
approval by their graduate advising committee.
Students entering the Master's program must have completed or intend to complete the equivalents of all
science (geology, chemistry, physics) and mathematics (calculus, statistics) courses required for the Geology
BS at WVU. If a student did not take these courses formally, they will normally be required to make them up
while at WVU (deficiency). Specific undergraduate prerequisites include the following :

Geology 101,102: Physical Geology (4 credits)

Geology 103,104: Historical Geology (4 credits)
Geology 284: Mineralogy (3 credits)
Geology 285: Petrology (3 credits)
Geology 311: Stratigraphy/Sedimentation (3 credits)
Geology 341: Structural Geology (3 credits)
Geology 404: Geology Field Camp (6 credits)
Statistics 211 (3 credits)
Mathematics (6 credits)
Math 115 and 116 OR
two advanced statistics classes (Stat 215, Stat 231, or Stat 331)
Chemistry (6 credits): Chem 111 and 112 OR Chem 115 and 116
Physics (6 credits): Phys 101 and 102 OR Phys 111 and 112

Similar courses from other universities or relevant experiences may be substituted with approval of the
students Advising Committee.

BREADTH REQUIREMENT
To ensure that every student is exposed to a wide range of scientific problems and points of view, each M.S.
student must take courses applying to his/her graduate program from at least five different faculty members.
Courses used to make up deficiencies are excluded.

MINIMUM GRADES AND COURSE LOAD

A graduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 must be maintained by Master's students to continue their TA or
RA appointment and to qualify for graduation. Full-time students under financial support must normally
maintain a minimum load of 12 hours each semester.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.) IN GEOLOGY

WVU GRADUATE CATALOG

Ph.D. students are responsible for reviewing the specific doctoral degree requirements, including the payment
of necessary fees, found within the current electronic WVU Graduate Catalog. In the 2008-2010 catalog, this
section is on pages 43-44. This catalog is found on the WVU computer web site, at:
http://www.ia.wvu.edu:8888/gradcat.pdf .

PLAN OF STUDY

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program will have identified a prospective research area(s) and advisor(s) prior
to admission. Immediately on arriving on campus, the student will name a tentative advisor, who will convene
the student's assigned Advising Committee prior to the first week of classes. The student will, under the
direction of the Advisor and this committee, draft a Plan of Study, to be completed by the end of the second
week of classes and filed in both the student's file and with the Graduate Student Academic Advisor of the
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences (located at room 103 Woodburn Hall). The Plan of Study will identify a
preliminary dissertation topic, coursework, and areas of specialization for the Ph.D. candidate.
Ph.D. COMMITTEE

The Dissertation Committee for a Ph.D. student must consist of at least five members, the majority of whom
must have regular graduate faculty status. The committee chairperson, who is the research advisor, must be a
regular graduate faculty member and at least four members of the committee must be members of the WVU
graduate faculty. At least one member of the committee must be from outside the WVU Department of
Geology and Geography; this outside member, for example, may be from another department at WVU or at
another university or college. The Ph.D. committee should be approved by the Eberly College as early as
possible by submission of a Plan of Study listing the committee members names.

COURSEWORK

With the exception of 2 hours of Geology 796 (1-credit Ph.D. Seminar) and 2 hours of Geol699 (Graduate
Colloquium), there is no formal course requirement for the Ph.D. Ph.D. students are required to register for at
least 1 course or research credit hour per semester, especially during the semester they expect to graduate; they
are not required to register during the summer terms except if they graduate then. Also, foreign (non U.S.
citizen) students are required to maintain their Visa status in the U.S. Courses are to be selected by the Ph.D.
student in collaboration with his/her initial advising committee (if needed) and then with his/her Dissertation
Committee. The student should strive to finish coursework in the first 2 years of his/her program if they are
full-time residents at WVU. Ph.D. students are required to maintain a grade-point average in all formal (letter
grade) courses of at least 3.3 as a graduation condition.

RESIDENCY

Ph.D. students normally are required to spend at least one academic year (two semesters) in residence doing
full-time graduate studies at W.V.U. However, the W.V.U. Graduate Catalog (2008-2010) states that an
individual student or graduate committee may propose an alternative plan by which the student can gain
equivalent educational experience. For example, the plan of study may require the student to spend time in
residence at a national or foreign laboratory, institute, archive, or research center as partial fulfillment of the
residency requirement." This means, for example, that Ph.D. students employed full time at a State agency
such as the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, or at a U.S. governmental agency, like DOE or
OSM, could be exempt from the residency requirement, with the permission of their Dissertation Committee.

Ph.D. SEMINAR

Each student must enroll for Geology 796, Ph.D. seminar, for 1 credit during 2 separate semesters. The Ph.D.
student is required to take his/her first Geology 796 seminar during his/her first year of studies. The initial
seminar involves preparation and delivery of the written and oral presentation components of the Preliminary
Exam (see below). Preliminary exam preparation may be made by the student as part of the formal seminar or
may be undertaken as an informal effort by the student, if the Ph.D. seminar is not offered that year, under the
direction of his/her research advisor. The seminar will meet formally or informally, at the discretion of the
faculty seminar leader.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

The purpose of the preliminary examination is to evaluate the students ability to perform fundamental skills
necessary for completion of a doctorate: (1) writing, (2) presenting, and (3) critical thinking. The student must
demonstrate their ability to evaluate existing literature and scientific ideas, and from that, to generate testable
hypotheses.

The preliminary exam will be completed by the student at least 7 weeks prior to the end of his/her second
semester of studies, as part of the requirements for Geology 796. See paragraph above below for exceptions to
this deadline. This exam must be advertised to the Department and public (for time, date, building and room
number) at least 1 week prior to the exam date by the student, by the posting at least 6 paper notices (with a
printed font size of 20 or larger) of the exam in places of frequent public access in Brooks Hall.

The preliminary exam will involve both written and oral presentations. These will be based on a critical
evaluation of two journal articles with alternative, contrasting, or competing interpretations. The evaluation
will provide the support and rationale for an hypothesis or hypotheses to be independently developed by the
student. These articles will be selected by the Geology Graduate Program Committee in conjunction with the
students advisor and the leader of the doctoral seminar for that year. The intent is for the articles to be within
the students general area of interest and, when possible, to facilitate the development of their doctoral
proposal.

A written report (maximum 10 pages of text, doubled spaced, at least 10 point font) will accompany an oral
presentation of about 20-30 minutes. Subsequent to the talk, the student will be examined in closed session by
a Preliminary Committee of three faculty members: the student's tentative advisor plus two others assigned at
random by the Geology Graduate Program Committee. The exam (both written and oral) will be evaluated
based on the students clarity of thought and presentation, organizational ability, communication skills (oral and
written), ability to critically evaluate literature, and aptitude for developing a scientific hypothesis. It will not
be a test of comprehensive knowledge nor of geological background.

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL AND ORAL CANDIDACY EXAM

The student will present his/her formal dissertation research proposal by the end of their fourth semester of
studies. The student will circulate a publication-quality written proposal to committee members at least 2
weeks in advance of the scheduled proposal date. This exam must be advertised at least 1 week prior by email
to the Department and by posting notices in Brooks Hall. Following the oral presentation, the student will
respond to questions from the general audience, and then from the student's Dissertation Committee. After the
public session, the Committee will meet with the student in closed session to examine the research plan, the
feasibility of the proposed goals, the practicality of the work plan/scope, and the appropriateness of the
methodology. In addition, the student will answer questions that demonstrate mastery of the general area of
knowledge of his/her dissertation research. In preparation for this examination the committee will provide the
student with a list of the relevant literature. The Dissertation Proposal and Oral Examination will be graded
separately as pass/fail. In the event the student failing either section, he/she will have the option of retaking
it/them once, at a date established by the Dissertation Committee. Even if the student passes the proposal, the
committee may determine that additional work is required to make it acceptable.

Students who began the Ph.D. program before this revision in the process are not required to re-take
milestones which they have already passed (e.g., preliminary exam, proposal defense). They may elect to either
continue their progress on the previous rules or switch to the rules in this document (revised August 2008).

Upon the successful completion of this exam the student becomes a Ph.D. Candidate.

WAIVER OF DEADLINES

Students who for reasons related to health, financial support, or other circumstances cannot meet any of these
deadlines may petition the Geology Graduate Program Committee in advance of the deadline for its
postponement. The request should indicate the circumstances, the proposed new deadline, and the student's
modified Plan of Study thereafter. The request must have the support of the student's Ph.D. advisor. Students
are reminded that postponement of deadlines may delay their graduation.

Ph.D. DEGREE TIME LIMIT

Ph.D. students have a maximum of 5 years since completion of their Oral Exams to complete their other degree
requirements and graduate.
EVALUATION OF EXAMINATIONS

All exams will be judged as pass or fail, based on a closed vote of the respective committees. Passing votes
must be unanimous for the Prelim Committee test (3 out of 3), and unanimous or nearly unanimous (with only 1
dissenting vote allowed) for the Dissertation Committee tests (for the proposal and oral test, and the final
dissertation defense). One retake only is allowed for each exam or defense. Students retaking an exam need to
do that before any time deadlines stated for the original exam. Students must pass all examinations to meet
requirements for award of the Ph.D. degree. In the event of a failed exam or defense, the Committee will
provide the student with a written statement explaining the reasons for failure.

DISSERTATION DEFENSE

The dissertation defense before the Dissertation Committee must occur after both the oral examination has been
passed and all other requirements for the degree have been met. Following preparation and circulation of the
final (defensible) draft of the dissertation, the student and his/her advisor will schedule the dissertation defense
meeting. Then they will complete a shuttle-sheet application available from the Graduate Student Academic
Advisor for the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, located in 103 Woodburn Hall. The student must provide
the dissertation draft to all Committee members at least 2 weeks prior to obtaining shuttle-sheet application
signatures (unless this rule is waived by all members of the Committee). The dissertation defense is to be
scheduled no sooner than 2 weeks following shuttle sheet approval by the College Graduate Student Academic
Advisor. This defense exam must be advertised to the Department and public (for time, date, building and
room number) at least 1 week prior to the exam date by the student, by the posting at least 6 paper notices (with
a printed font size of 20 or larger) of the exam event on walls of Brooks Hall (by the elevator and at places of
frequent public access).

The oral defense presentation by the student will normally last 30 to 60 minutes, outlining highlights of
research results. After the presentation, the student will respond to questions from the general audience and
then to questions from the Dissertation Committee, pertaining to the research results and the defensibility of the
conclusions drawn. Upon completion of the defense, a shuttle sheet (which will have been prepared by the
College Graduate Student Academic Advisor on the basis of the shuttle sheet application and mailed to the
student's advisor) will be signed and completed by the Dissertation Committee and returned by the student to
the College Graduate Student Academic Advisor within 24 hours after the defense.

Following the dissertation defense, final revisions of the dissertation will be made by the student according to
committee comments. After final approval by all Dissertation Committee members, the dissertation is to be
submitted on a computer line to the WVU Charles C. Wise Jr. Library, Archive Section, as an Electronic ETD
PDF copy. Also to be submitted to the Wise Library is a completed ETD submission packet with original
Ph.D. Dissertation Committee signatures and payment for required fees. See the following library web site for
information on dissertation submission instructions:
http://www.libraries.wvu.edu/theses/forms/Doctoral_Submission_Info_Packet.pdf

The Completed Plan of Study is then prepared by the student's advisor, allowing award of the degree, and this
is to be filed with the College Graduate Student Academic Advisor (103 Woodburn Hall). It is required that the
Ph.D. student also prepare and deliver two hard (book) copies of his/her dissertation, one to his/her research
advisor, and one to the Department of Geology and Geography Library (which is in room 330 Brooks Hall).
Other Ph.D. Committee members must also be provided a dissertation copy (in a format of their choosing) if
they request it.
GEOLOGY PROGRAM Ph.D. TASK DEADLINES

Requirement Purpose Format Evaluated By Task Deadlines

File Plan of Study Outline program goals, Advisory Advisor 2 weeks into Year
courses, potential Committee product 1, first semester of
advisor(s) studies

Ph.D. Seminar (to be Develop Research Acumen Seminar/ Faculty leader First seminar taken
taken twice) Colloquium in 1st year of
studies

Preliminary Exam Test communication/ Preparation of Preliminary By 7 weeks before

reasoning ability written paper, with Committee of end of 2nd
oral presentation 3 faculty, semester of studies
and defense selected by the
GGPC

Formulate Research Start dissertation research, File Research Plan Advisor By end of Year 1
Plan; Assemble initiate search for funding of studies
Research Committee

Dissertation Proposal Present detailed research Written proposal; Dissertation By end of Year 2
and Oral Candidacy goals and methods; Test oral presentation Committee of studies,
Exam background knowledge and defense normally

Dissertation Defense Present research results Oral presentation Dissertation By 5 years after
and defense Committee successful
completion of Oral
Exam
GRADUATE COURSES BY COURSE NUMBER
Geol/Geog 452: GIS Applications. I. 3 hr. (PR: GEOG 200 and GEOG 250) Operational and management
issues in planning management analysis, locational decision making, and design implementation of
GIS. Lab project emphasizes students specialization (2 hr. lec, 2 hr lab; alternate years)

Geol 454: Environ. & Exploration Geophysics 1. I. 3 hr. PR: PHYS 102, and either MATH 156 or GEOL 351.
Basic theory, computer modeling, and use of gravitational, magnetic, resistivity, and
electromagnetic methods in the evaluation of shallow targets of interest to environmental,
hydrological, and hazardous waste site investigations.

Geol/Geog 455: Introduction to Remote Sensing. I. 3 hr. Theory, technology and applications of photo-
interpretation and digital image analysis of aerial photography and multispectral images. (2 hr lec.,1
hr lab)

Geol 463: Physical Hydrogeology. II. 3 hr. PR: GEOL 101, 102, or Geol 110, 111; MATH 126, or consent.
Principles of ground-water hydrology, emphasizing the occurrence and movement of ground water.
Topics include aquifer properties, Darcys law, flow net analysis, and hydraulic aquifer testing.
Includes problem sets.

Geol 470: Mineral Resources. II. 3 hr. PR: Geol 284. Description, mode of occurrence, and principles
governing the formation of ore deposits. Offered on demand.

Geol 472: Petroleum Geology. II. 3 hr. PR: Geol 341. Origin, geologic distribution, methods of exploration
and exploitation, uses and future reserves of petroleum and natural gas in the world.

Geol 484: Minerals and the Environment. II. 3 hr. PR: Geol. 284 or 200. Study of the importance of minerals in
human health and the environment. Includes examples of environmental problems that are caused
by minerals and solutions to environmental problems that involve minerals.

Geol 488: Environmental Geochemistry. I. 3 hr. PR: Chem 116. Basic review of physical and aqueous
chemistry, discussion of basic geochemical processes; calcium carbonate chemistry, diagenetic
processes, weathering, the silicate and iron system.

Geol 493: Rivers, Floods, and Landslides. I. 3 hr. PR: Geol 101 or 110, or Geog 107 or 110, or consent.
Introduction to principles of stream flow and sediment transport in watersheds, focusing on fluvial
geomorphologys impact on society and ecosystems. Weekend field trips required.

Geol 493A: Introductory Hydrogeology. I. 3 hr. PR: Geol 101, 102 or Geol 110, 111; Math 126; Chem 110,
111 or Chem 115, 116; or consent. Introductory ground-water hydrology, emphasizing hydrologic
budgets, stream and ground-water interactions, vadose-zone hydrology, water well geologic siting,
and ground-water chemistry, pollution and restoration. Includes problem sets.

Geol 493V: Reading the Rocks. I. 3 hr. Develop expertise and knowledge of subsurface log analysis
techniques to better understand rocks and fluids.

Geol511: Stratigraphy in Ireland. II. 2 hr. PR: Geol 311. Field course to Dingle, Ireland. Ten days long,
offered during spring vacation in March.

Geol 525: Problems in Geomorphology. I, II. 1-4 hr.

Geol 543: Tectonics. II. 3 hr.(Alternate years). PR: GEOL 341 and 311. Study of the plate tectonic processes
 that shape the earth's crust, and of large-scale intraplate deformation. Taught on alternate years.

Geol 554: Environmental and Exploration Geophysics 2. I. 3 hr. PR: PHYS 102, and either MATH 116 or
GEOL 351, or consent. Basic and applied studies of reflection and refraction seismology and ground
penetrating radar methods will be covered with an emphasis on the use of computers in modeling
and interpretation of seismic data.

Geol 562: Quantitative Hydrogeology. II. 3 hr. PR: MATH 16, GEOL 463 or permission. Mathematical and
computer analysis of groundwater flow. Aquifer systems. Radial-flow solutions. Well/aquifer test
methods. Superposition, boundaries. Dispersive/advective transport.

Geol 564: Environmental Hydrogeology. II. 4 hr. PR: GEOL 101, 102, 463, or 493A; or consent. Seminar
reviewing groundwater occurrence, flow, quality, and exploration in various geologic terrains;
groundwater pollution and dewatering; and groundwater technology. Includes topical literature
review, student seminar talks, class discussion, and problem sets.

Geol 565: Groundwater Modeling. I. 4 hr. PR: GEOL 562 or consent. Theory and application of groundwater
flow modeling, focusing on MODFLOW. Numerical methods. Discretization and boundaries.
Parameterization and calibration. Problems and case histories.

Geol 580: Organic Contaminant Geochemistry II (Alternate years). 3 hrs. PR: CHEM 111-112 or equivalent to
one-year of general college chemistry. This course focuses on fundamental chemical properties and
structures of organic contaminants that control their functionality, fate, and transport in the
environment. Natural organic matter and inorganic phases are discussed relative to contaminant
mobility.

Geol 585: Optical Mineralogy and Petrology. II. 3 hr. PR: GEOL 285. Introduction to the optical properties
of minerals and the use of the petrographic microscope. Interpretation of sedimentary, igneous and
metamorphic rocks based on microscopic examination of thin sections. (Offered alternate years.)

Geol 587: Physical Geochemistry. I. 3 hr. PR: GEOL 101, 285; CHEM 116. Introduction to thermodynamics
and its application to geologic systems. Equilibrium calculations involving pure phases and
solutions in the gaseous, liquid and solid states. (Offered in Fall of even years.)

Geol 588: Aqueous Geochemistry. I. 3 hr. PR: GEOL 101, CHEM 111 or 116, or consent. Review of basic
chemical principles as they apply to aqueous geochemical environments. Properties of water and
the types, sources and controls of the common and environmentally significant chemical species
dissolved in water.

Geol 591 Advanced Topics. I or II. 1-6 hrs. Courses not having formal number and readings courses.

Geol 591: Applied Geochemistry. II. (Alternate years). 3 hrs. PR: GEOL 488, GEOL 588 or equivalent. This
course provides an opportunity for students to collect and use geochemical data to interpret natural
systems. This class is a hands-on learning experience that incorporates reading, lab work, project
planning, and presentation. Students will learn laboratory safety, develop sampling and analysis skills,
and present their data and interpretation in oral and written forms.

Geol 591: Advanced Paleontology. On demand. 3 hr. PR: Geol 331.

Geol 591: Groundwater Science Using GIS. I. 3 hrs. PR: calculus 2, GIS experience.

Geol 591: Reservoir Characterization. II. 3 hrs. Class will use subsurface data and techniques to characterize a
petroleum reservoir. Work with petroleum engineers to present a recommendation to the operating
company for improved management.
Geol 591: Imperial Barrel Competition. II. 1-3 hr. Teams of 5 students participate in the AAPG global
competition for the best analysis and presentation of the petroleum geology and exploration strategy
of a frontier basin using real seismic and well data. Three sections of this class are available:
Seismic Lab, Reservoir Lab and Basin analysis Lab.

Geol 594: Hydrogeology Seminar. I. 1 hr. PR: consent of instructor.

Geol 611: Carbonate Sedimentology. I (Alternate years). 4 hr. PR: GEOL 311, 331. Seminar on the origin and
distribution of modern marine carbonate sediments as models for interpretation of ancient limestone
and dolomite facies.

Geol 615: Stratigraphy of Porous Media. I (Alternate years). 3 hr. PR: GEOL 311. Seminar on the deposition of
clastic sediments, sequence stratigraphy, and porosity development in sandstones.

Geol 619: Advanced Petroleum Geology. On demand. 3 hr. PR: Geol 311, Chem 112/116. Source rocks,
maturation, primary and secondary migration, reservoir rocks.

Geol 621: Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology. I. 4 hr. PR: GEOL321 or consent. Analysis of stream processes,
landforms, deposits, including paleohydrology and Appalachian surficial geology. (Fall semester of
even-numbered years; required weekend field trips at student's expense; also listed as GEOG 621.)

Geol 622: Surficial and Glacial Geology. I. 4 hr. PR: GEOL 321 or consent; also listed as GEOG 322).
Analysis of late Cenozoic landscapes, especially those caused by glaciers or otherwise influenced by
global climate change. (Fall semester of odd-numbered years; required weekend field trips)

Geol 632: Paleoecology. II. 3 hr. PR: Geol. 331 and 311 or consent. Methods of paleoecologic analysis in
sedimentary geology. Topics include trace fossil analysis, shell biogeochemistry, community
paleoecology, biofacies analysis of basins, and Precambrian paleoecology.

Geol 642: Advanced Structural Geology. II. 3 hr.(On demand) . PR: GEOL 341; Theoretical and observational
aspects of the development of geological structures. Problems ranging from the microstructural to
the orogenic scale will be addressed.

Geol 645: Basin Structures. II. 4 hr. (Alternate years). PR: Geol. 341, 311. Seminar on the origin of basins
and their distribution around the world. With emphasis on the geodynamic process of basin
formation, the structures within basins, and the occurrence of hydrocarbons and mineral resources.

Geol 659: Quantitative Methods in Geoscience. I. 3 hr. PR: Stat. 212, 311, or consent. Brief review and
introduction to multivariate quantitative techniques as applied to Geology and Geography.

Geol 666: Karst Geology. I. 3 hr. PR: consent. Review of karst terrain hydrogeology and geomorphology,
emphasizing origins and nature of caves, sinkholes and other karst landforms, environmental
problems of karst, and its water and mineral/petroleum resources.

Geol 692: Master's Option II Project Research. I, II, S. 4 hr. Supervised non-thesis research for M.S. Option 2.
Report required by arranged deadline.

Geol 697: Research. I, II, S. 1-15 hr. Research activity leading to an M.S. thesis.

Geol 698: Thesis. I, II, S. 2-4 hr.

Geol 699: Graduate Colloquium. I, II, 1 hr. Attendance at the Geology Colloquium. A satisfactory grade
requires attendance of 80% or better.
Geol/Geog 755: Advanced Remote Sensing. II. 3 hr. PR: GEOG 455, GEOL 455, or consent. Collection,
processing and classification of remotely sensed data, including optical, thermal, radar, and
topographic information. (2 hr. lec., 1 hr. lab)

Geol 796: Ph.D. Seminar. I, II, 1 hr. Preparation and delivery of the written and oral presentation components
of the Preliminary Exam. The seminar will meet formally or informally, at the discretion of the
faculty seminar leader.

Geol 798: Ph.D. Dissertation Research. I, II, S. 2-4 hr.

COURSE SCHEDULE FOR FALL SEMESTER
Course Title Instructor(s) Credits
Geol 454 Env. & Exploration Geophysics 1 Wilson 3
Geol 554 Env. & Exploration Geophysics 2 * Wilson 3
Geol 455 Introduction to Remote Sensing Warner 3
Geol 470 Mineral Resources * Lang 3
Geol 488 Environmental Geochemistry Vesper 3
Geol 493 Rivers, Floods, and Landslides Kite 3
Geol 493A Introductory Hydrology Rauch 3
Geol 493V Reading the Rocks Carr 3
Geol 562 Quantitative Hydrogeology * Donovan 3
Geol 585 Optical Mineral & Petrol * Lang 3
Geol 588 Aqueous Geochemistry Vesper, 3
Donovan
Geol 591 Groundwater modeling & GIS * Donovan 3
Geol 594 Hydrogeology Seminar Vesper 1
Geol 611 Carbonate Sedimentology * Smosna 4
Geol 615 Stratigraphy of Porous Media * Smosna 3
Geol 619 Advanced Petroleum Geology ** Smosna 3
Geol 621 Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology * Kite 4
Geol 622 Surficial & Quaternary Geology * Kite 4
Geol 659 Quantitative Methods in Geoscience * Wilson 3
Geol 666 Karst Geology * Rauch 3
Geol 687 Physical Geochemistry ** Lang 3
Geol 699 Graduate Colloquium Lang 1
Geol 796 Ph.D. Seminar Lang 1
Geog 350 Introduction to GIS Elmes 4
Geog 496H Exploratory Data Analysis Harris 3
Geog 752 Advanced GIS Harris 3

* offered in alternate years only

** offered on demand
COURSE SCHEDULE FOR SPRING SEMESTER
Course Title Instructor(s) Credit
s
Geol 463 Physical Hydrogeology Rauch 3
Geol 472 Petroleum Geology Toro 4
Geol 484 Minerals and the Environment Lang 3
Geol 543 Tectonics * Toro 2
Geol 564 Environmental Hydrogeology Rauch 3
Geol 565 Groundwater Modeling Donovan 4
Geol 580 Organic Contaminant Geochemistry * Vesper 3
Geol 591 Applied Geochemistry* Vesper 3
Geol 591 Advanced Paleontology * Kammer 3
Geol 591 Reservoir Characterization Carr 3
Geol 591 Imperial Barrel labs Carr/Toro/Wilson 1 to 3
Geol 511 Stratigraphy in Ireland Smosna 2
Geol 632 Paleoecology ** Kammer 3
Geol 642 Adv. Structural Geology ** Toro 3
Geol 645 Basin Structures * Toro 3
Geol 666 Karst Geology * Rauch 3
Geol 699 Graduate Colloquium Lang 1
Geol 755 Adv Remote Sensing * Warner 3
Geol 796 Ph.D. Seminar Lang 1

Geog 450 Introduction to GIS Staff 4

Geog 451 GIS Technical Issues Elmes 3
Geog 453 GIS Design and Interpretation Elmes 3
Geog 454 GIS Applications Harris 3
Geog 696 Seminar in GIS Elmes/Harris 3

* offered in alternate years only

** offered on demand
FACULTY RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND
Name and Contact information
ROBERT E. BEHLING
Professor of Geology
rbehling@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~behling/
TIMOTHY R. CARR
Marshall Miller Energy Professor of
Geology
JOSEPH J. DONOVAN
Associate Professor of Geology
jdonovan@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~donovan/
GREGORY A. ELMES
Professor of Geography
gelmes@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~elmes/
TREVOR M. HARRIS
Professor of Geography,
Department Chair
Tharris2@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~tmh/
AMY E. HESSL
Associate Professor of Geography
amy.hessl@mail.wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~ahessl/
Specialization Background
Geomorphology, Earth Ph.D., Ohio State, 1971
Science Education M.S., Miami (Ohio), 1965
B.S., Wisconsin-Milwaukee,
1963
Petroleum Geology, Ph.D. Wisconsin, 1981
Energy M.S., Texas Tech, 1977
B.S., Wisconsin, 1973
Hydrogeology. Low-temp Ph.D. Penn State, 1992
geochemistry. Hydrology M.Sc. McGill, 1977
of coal mines aquifers. B.S. Penn State, 1974
Paleohydrology of
groundwater in saline
lakes.
Geographic Information M.S., Edinburgh, 1987
Systems Ph.D., Penn State, 1979
M.S., Penn State, 1974
B.S., Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
(U.K.), 1972
Geographic Information Ph.D., Hull (U.K.), 1982
Systems BA, Hull (U.K.), 1974
Biogeography, Ph.D. Arizona, 2000
dendrochronology, M.A. Wyoming, 1996
vegetation and climate B.A. Berkeley, 1992
FACULTY RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND
Name and Contact information
THOMAS W. KAMMER
Centennial Professor of Geology
tkammer@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~kammer/
J. STEVEN KITE
Associate Professor of Geology and
Geography
jkite@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~kite/
HELEN M. LANG
Associate Professor of Geology and
Associate Chair for Geology
Helen.Lang@mail.wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~lang/
HENRY W. RAUCH
Professor of Geology
Henry.rauch@mail.wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~rauch/
JOHN J. RENTON
Eberly Family Distinguished
Professor of Geology
jrenton@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~renton/
Specialization Background
Paleontology, Ph.D., Indiana, 1982
Paleoecology, Stratigraphy M.A., Indiana, 1978
B.S., Kent State, 1975
Quaternary Geology, Ph.D., Wisconsin, 1983
Surficial Geology, Fluvial M.S., Maine, 1979
Geomorphology, Slope B.S., James Madison, 1976
Processes, Floods;
Paleoflood Hydrology;
Geoarcheology; Stream
Restoration
Mineralogy, metamorphic Ph.D., Oregon, 1983
petrology, thermodynamic B.S., Washington 1977
geochemistry, minerals B.A., Willamette, 1969
and the environment.
Hydrogeology, Aqueous Ph.D., Penn State, 1972
Geochemistry, Karst BA, Alfred, 1965
Geology
Coal Geology, Ph.D., WVU, 1965
Geochemistry, Earth M.S., WVU, 1959
Science Education BS, Waynesburg, 1956
2000 Eberly College of Arts and
Sciences Teacher of the Year
Award
2001 WVU Foundation Award
for Outstanding Teaching
2001 CASE Professor of the
Year
FACULTY RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND
Name and Contact information
RICHARD SMOSNA
Professor of Geology
rsmosna@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~smosna/
JAIME TORO
Associate Professor of Geology
jtoro@wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~jtoro/welcome.
htm
DOROTHY J. VESPER
Assistant Professor of Geology
djvesper@mail.wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~dvesper/
TIMOTHY A. WARNER
Professor of Geology and
Geography
Tim.warner@mail.wvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~warner/
THOMAS H. WILSON
Professor of Geology
Tom.Wilson@mailwvu.edu
www.geo.wvu.edu/~wilson/
Specialization Background
Sedimentation and Ph.D., Illinois, 1973
Stratigraphy; Petroleum M.S., Illinois, 1970
Geology BS, Michigan State, 1967
Outstanding Teacher, WVU
College of Arts & Sciences,
1985.
Outstanding Teacher, WVU
College of Arts & Sciences,
1993.
Structural Geology, Ph.D. Stanford, 1998
Tectonics, and Petroleum M.Sc. Univ. of Arizona,1991
Geology. B.S. Yale, 1985
Outstanding Teacher, WVU
College of Arts & Sciences,
2004
Aqueous geochemistry, Ph.D., Penn State, 2002
trace elements, karst, M.S. Penn State, 1988
contaminant chemistry, B.S. Juniata College, 1986
hydrogeology
Remote Sensing Ph.D., Purdue, 1992
BS (Hon.) Cape Town, 1982
BS Cape Town, 1981
Outstanding Teacher, WVU
College of Arts & Sciences,
1999
Geophysics Ph.D., WVU, 1980
M.S., WVU, Physics, 1980