Syllabus for EAS-101
GENERAL EARTH SCIENCE
In General Earth Science students will discover how science has investigated the origin, structure, and operation of planet Earth. Beginning with the big bang 13.7 billion years ago, the course will chronicle how the solar system and Earth were formed, the physical makeup of the planet, and the processes that result in its continuous transformation. Topics of particular emphasis will include the role and structure of the atmosphere, the movement of tectonic plates, earthquakes, volcanism, the formation and topography of ocean basins, the forms of erosion, and causes and impact of climate change.
After completing this course, students should be able to:
CO 1 Describe the formation, history, and structure of the solar system and Earth’s internal structure.
CO 2 Describe plate tectonics and their relationship to Earth’s geologic features and processes.
CO 3 Explain the hydrologic cycle.
CO 4 Explain how the relationship between the atmosphere, ocean circulation, and solar energy creates weather and climate.
CO 5 Discuss how surface erosion and mass wasting modify Earth’s surface.
CO 6 Examine the natural and anthropological causes of global climate change.
CO 7 Describe the actions of water, wind, ice, and gravity that create and shape landforms.
You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.
General Earth Science is a three-credit online course consisting of seven modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.
For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete written assignments, take module quizzes, and take proctored midterm and final examinations. See below for details.
Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.
One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in SafeAssign.
You are required to complete six discussion forums. The discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. A grading rubric for the discussion forums can be found within the Evaluation Rubrics folder.
You are required to complete seven written assignments. The written assignments are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. A grading rubric for each of the written assignments can be found within the Evaluation Rubrics folder.
You are required to complete seven quizzes. The quizzes consist of multiple-choice questions on a variety of topics associated with each course module. Quizzes are open-book and unproctored with no time limit. You are encouraged to take each quiz multiple times for additional practice; you will see some different questions each time. The score from your most recent attempt will appear in the gradebook.
For lists of key concepts that may appear on your exams, refer to the study guides available in the Examinations section of the course website.
You are required to take two proctored online examinations: a midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams require that you use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the Examinations and Proctors section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course website) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exam within the first week of the semester.
Online exams are administered through the course website. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.
The midterm exam covers material from Modules 1, 2, and 3, and the final exam covers material from Modules 4, 5, 6, and 7. Both exams are closed-book and proctored with a 2-hour time limit. They contain multiple-choice and essay questions.
You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:
If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.
Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:
All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:
A | = | 93–100 | C+ | = | 78–79 | |
A– | = | 90–92 | C | = | 73–77 | |
B+ | = | 88–89 | C– | = | 70–72 | |
B | = | 83–87 | D | = | 60–69 | |
B– | = | 80–82 | F | = | Below 60 |
To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings).
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:
Consider the following study tips for success:
To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.
For more, see:
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