Course starts: 14 December 2015
Open to: everyone with an interest in a topic
Certificates: Audit Track for free, Certificate Track – EUR 49
Description
Rocks and minerals. Precious and semi-precious stones. Decorative and ornamental stones. All of this is steeped in myths and legends embracing and treasuring many secrets. Unravel the mystic veil of secrets in this course. The course embraces the following aspects:
- Understanding the key geological concepts, including crystal, mineral and rock;
- Applying basic methods to determine the properties of minerals and structure and texture of rocks;
- Identifying the composition, formation conditions, characteristic features of naturally-occurring and urban environment stone material and to determine its practical significance;
- Identifying rocks and minerals so as to understand their specific application in such areas as building construction, civil engineering, as well as distinguishing ornamental stones or gemstones in the collections;
- Obtaining theoretical background to further one’s ability to observe and determine the practical value of rocks.
In general, this course provides an overview of some aspects of our world from a geological point of view. The duration of the course is 7 weeks with a workload of 3-4 hours per week. The course has a following structure:
- Chapter 1: Crystallography and symmetry around us. Morphology of natural geological formations;
- Chapter 2: Physical properties of minerals;
- Chapter 3: Mineral Classification;
- Chapter 4: Ores. Gems and ornamental stones;
- Chapter 5: Igneous rocks;
- Chapter 6: Sedimentary rocks;
- Chapter 7: Metamorphic rocks.
Eligibility
Everyone is welcome to join the course and discover the rock and mineral environment the surrounds us. Particular groups that would be interested in the course topic include:
- Students interested in the world environment – minerals and rocks;
- Future applicants in geological specialty;
- Undergraduates studying the Earth’s crust, including geology, mineralogy and petrology;
- Technical specialists and engineers in the field of geological engineering survey;
- Naturalists interested in the surrounding world and its rock components.
No specific skills or prior knowledge, only self-interest, motivation and desire for self-development.
What will you learn?
The aim of the course is to understand and appreciate the surrounding inanimate nature (the Earth surface), consisting of minerals and rocks. This course will also teach you how to identify the practical importance and value of the rocks surrounding you.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish crystals, minerals and rocks;
- Identify the most common minerals and rocks;
- Know their practical value and their influence on the environment.
How to enroll?
You can enroll for FREE at the iversity platform HERE. You can certify your learning by choosing the certificate track or simply audit the course without a certificate – Audit Track for free, Certificate Track – EUR 49.
For more information please visit the official website.