Course title: Introduction to Geology （地质学入门）
Total hours: 32（Theoretical teaching 24 hours + Practical work 8 hours
Teaching activities: Classroom teaching + specimen observation + practical work
Assessment and grading system: Class performance + practical assignments + final assessment
Course lecturer: Dr. MENG Jiannan & Dr. NING Wenbin, Postdoctoral Researchers, China University of Geosciences
Course Introduction
The course Introduction to Geology is a fundamental course designed primarily for international pre-university students who intend to major in geology, geosciences, or related disciplines at China University of Geosciences. The course introduces the basic concepts, fundamental principles, major research fields, and basic methods of geology in a concise and accessible manner.
The course mainly covers the structure and evolution of the Earth, minerals and rocks, geological time, plate tectonics, geological structures, earthquakes and volcanoes, weathering and erosion, surface geological processes, fossils and Earth history, geological resources, geological maps, and basic geological field observations.
By combining classroom instruction with geological photographs, diagrams, rock and mineral specimens, maps, videos, and simple practical exercises, the course helps students establish a preliminary framework of geological knowledge and develop basic geological observation and spatial-thinking skills.
As the course is mainly designed for international pre-university students, Chinese and English geological terminology will be introduced simultaneously throughout the teaching process. This bilingual approach will help students become familiar with the basic academic vocabulary commonly used in geology-related courses in China and prepare them for subsequent undergraduate study at China University of Geosciences.
Teaching Objectives
This course is designed to provide international pre-university students with fundamental geological knowledge and help them develop a basic understanding of the Earth, geological materials, geological processes, and geological evolution.
It aims to enable students to understand the basic concepts and principles of geology, recognize common minerals, rocks, and geological structures, and develop preliminary skills in observing and describing geological phenomena. Through bilingual teaching in Chinese and English, students will become familiar with commonly used geological terminology and basic academic expressions, thereby reducing the linguistic and disciplinary difficulties they may encounter when entering undergraduate geoscience programs.
After completing this course, students will have a basic geological knowledge framework and be better prepared for subsequent professional courses such as Physical Geology, Mineralogy, Petrology, Structural Geology, Paleontology, Historical Geology, Geochemistry, and Geophysics.
Course Objective 1: Master the basic concepts, fundamental principles, and major research fields of geology.
Course Objective 2: Understand the basic characteristics of minerals, rocks, geological structures, and major geological processes, and develop preliminary geological observation skills.
Course Objective 3: Become familiar with basic geological terminology in both Chinese and English and establish a foundation for subsequent geology-related professional courses.
Teaching Arrangement
Chapter 1: Introduction to Geology（2 hours）
1.1 What is Geology?
1.2 Research Objects and Major Branches of Geology
1.3 Basic Methods of Geological Research
Chapter 2: The Earth and Its Internal Structure（2 hours）
2.1 Basic Characteristics of the Earth
2.2 Internal Structure of the Earth
2.3 Crust, Mantle and Core
Chapter 3: Minerals（2 hours）
3.1 Basic Concepts of Minerals
3.2 Physical Properties of Minerals
3.3 Common Rock-forming Minerals
Chapter 4: Rocks and the Rock Cycle（2 hours）
4.1 Igneous Rocks
4.2 Sedimentary Rocks
4.3 Metamorphic Rocks
4.4 The Rock Cycle
Chapter 5: Geological Time and Earth History（2 hours）
5.1 Concept of Geological Time
5.2 Relative and Absolute Geological Dating
5.3 Geological Time Scale
Chapter 6: Plate Tectonics（2 hours）
6.1 Continental Drift
6.2 Basic Theory of Plate Tectonics
6.3 Major Types of Plate Boundaries
Chapter 7: Geological Structures（2 hours）
7.1 Basic Concepts of Rock Deformation
7.2 Folds
7.3 Faults and Joints
Chapter 8: Earthquakes and Volcanoes（2 hours）
8.1 Basic Principles of Earthquakes
8.2 Earthquake Magnitude and Intensity
8.3 Volcanoes and Volcanic Activities
Chapter 9: Weathering, Erosion and Sedimentation（2 hours）
9.1 Weathering
9.2 Erosion and Transportation
9.3 Sedimentation
Chapter 10: Surface Geological Processes and Landforms（2 hours）
10.1 Geological Processes of Rivers
10.2 Groundwater and Karst Processes
10.3 Basic Landform Types
Chapter 11: Fossils and Evolution of Life（2 hours）
11.1 Basic Concepts of Fossils
11.2 Formation and Preservation of Fossils
11.3 Fossils and the Evolution of Life
Chapter 12: Geological Resources, Hazards and Human Society（2 hours）
12.1 Mineral and Energy Resources
12.2 Geological Hazards
12.3 Geology and Sustainable Development
Practical Work
Practice 1: Mineral specimen observation and identification（2 hours）
Observation of common minerals and understanding of basic identification characteristics such as color, luster, hardness, cleavage and fracture.
Practice 2: Rock specimen observation and identification（2 hours）
Observation and preliminary identification of common igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
Practice 3: Basic geological map reading（2 hours）
Introduction to topographic maps, contour lines, geological maps, basic geological symbols and simple spatial relationships.
Practice 4: Geological observation and comprehensive discussion（2 hours）
Basic geological observation on or near campus, description of geological phenomena, geological photography, and comprehensive discussion of the knowledge introduced in the course.
Instructor Profile
Dr. MENG Jiannan is a postdoctoral researcher at China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). His research focuses on structural geology, active tectonics and earthquake geology, UAV-based remote sensing, and three-dimensional geological modeling. In recent years, he has participated in field investigations of the 2023 Türkiye earthquake surface ruptures, geological fieldwork in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and digital outcrop reconstruction projects. He has developed substantial research and practical experience in geological field investigation, high-resolution UAV mapping, digital geological modeling, and geological visualization. In teaching, Dr. Meng emphasizes the integration of fundamental geological theory with representative case studies, field observations, and visual learning approaches. He also pays particular attention to the accurate use of geological terminology in both Chinese and English, helping international students build a solid foundation in geology and prepare for subsequent geoscience courses.
Dr. NING Wenbin is a postdoctoral researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Prediction, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). His research interests primarily focus on the tectonic, metamorphic, and deformational history of ophiolitic melanges in early Precambrian subduction-collision orogenic belts. He is proficient in conducting detailed, large-scale structural mapping in ancient metamorphic terranes, delineating tectonic facies, and reconstructing the regional tectonic evolution. To date, he has published five first-author papers in PNAS, Earth-Science Reviews, Precambrian Research, and the Journal of Earth Science. His key findings include: 1. Identification of Neoarchean Zunhua SSZ-type and Shangying MOR-type ophiolitic melanges in eastern Hebei Complex, North China Craton; 2. Discovery of Late Neoarchean (~2.5 Ga) orogenic eclogite-facies metamorphic relict oceanic crust exposed within the Shangying ophiolitic melange. This relict oceanic crust occurs as garnet pyroxenite blocks within a metasedimentary matrix, with estimated peak metamorphic conditions of 792–890°C / 1.98–2.45 GPa. This work was published in 2022 in PNAS, a top-tier international comprehensive journal. Following publication, it was featured on the PNAS website homepage, ranking in the top 5% in terms of attention among articles published in the same period.
