Geological Sciences

Educational objectives

Educational goals
Knowledge of the structure and the behavior of atoms and molecules. Knowledge of basic concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics. The student will be able to describe the proprerties of the gases, liquids and solutions.

Learning outcomes
Knowledge of basic concepts of chemistry. 

Educational objectives

Educational goals
Knowledge of the structure and the behavior of atoms and molecules. Knowledge of basic concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics. The student will be able to describe the proprerties of the gases, liquids and solutions.

Learning outcomes
Knowledge of basic concepts of chemistry. 

Educational objectives

Educational goals
Knowledge of the structure and the behavior of atoms and molecules. Knowledge of basic concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics. The student will be able to describe the proprerties of the gases, liquids and solutions.

Learning outcomes
Knowledge of basic concepts of chemistry. 

Educational objectives

Educational goals:
- basic knowledge on the use of the digital cartographic datasets on GIS environment with special reference to Earth Sciences.

Educational objectives

Educational goals:
- basic knowledge on the use of the digital cartographic datasets on GIS environment with special reference to Earth Sciences.

Educational objectives

Educational goals:
- provide a systemic “vision” of the Earth planet;
- introduce the basic knowledge to comprehend the physical phenomena acting on the Earth surface and the causes of their geographical distribution;
- comprehend the principles of the geodesy and cartography;

Educational objectives

Educational goals:
Basic knowledge of linear algebra (vectors, matrices, vector spaces, linear transformations and solution of linear systems), differential and integral calculus with one variable, first order linear differential equations. Basic knowledge of probability and statistics.

Learning outcomes:
Capacity to solve simple exercises of applied mathematics. Ability to use spreadsheet software to elaborate and interpret geological data using statistics.

Educational objectives

Educational goals :
The correct recognition of sedimentary rocks
- Analysis of sedimentary processes
- Use of different methods of analysis in the study of stratigraphic sequences
- providing the tools for measuring the geometry of the rock bodies and for the reading of geological maps

Learning ouctomes:
The student, at the end of the course, must have acquired a basic understanding of the stratigraphic geology and a capacity for analysis, utilization and synthesis of stratigraphic data for proper analysis of sedimentary systems.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course will teach to the students the basics of field mapping.

Learning ouctomes: The student will learn how to use the geological compass, to recognize the most common rocks and to map them.

Educational objectives

Educational goals :
The correct recognition of sedimentary rocks
- Analysis of sedimentary processes
- Use of different methods of analysis in the study of stratigraphic sequences
- providing the tools for measuring the geometry of the rock bodies and for the reading of geological maps

Learning ouctomes:
The student, at the end of the course, must have acquired a basic understanding of the stratigraphic geology and a capacity for analysis, utilization and synthesis of stratigraphic data for proper analysis of sedimentary systems.

Educational objectives

Objectives
The course provides a general background on classical mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics and wave propagation
Results:
General knowledge of classical mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, thermodynamics, dynamics of fluids, and wave propagation
Acquired expertise:

Students will know the fundamental laws of classical physics and will be able to apply them to solve simple problems.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course aims to give the student a basic knowledge of the materials constituting the solid Earth, the way atoms aggregate to form minerals, the physical properties that allows identification of minerals as well as of the basic rules for mineral classification and nomenclature. The course is taught through lectures, practice laboratory work using the analytical instruments available at the Earth Sciences Department. Course assessment will be by a combined written and oral examination at the end of the second semester.

Learning outcomes: On successful completion of this course students will be able to understand the basic principles of mineralogy, to read the specific literature; they will be able to describe the optical properties of the major rock-forming minerals, to state their symmetry, chemistry, crystal structure, and geological occurrence. Students will be able to identify minerals and write a detailed technical report.
Successful students will have acquired the capacity to recognize the most common minerals on the basis of their physical properties, to use the polarizing microscope to determine the main optical properties of rock forming minerals, to read and interpret an X-ray powder diffractogram and recalculate a chemical analysis.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: the purpose of the course is to provide the basic knowledge of the physical fields associated to the solid earth, introducing the relationship between geophysical observations and geological structures.

Learning ouctomes: The student might know the physical properties of the Earth and the related concepts of anomaly (for gravity, magnetic fields and for the velocity structure traveled by seismic waves). Furthermore, the student might be able to suggest geological interpretations of the geophysical anomalies.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge for the recognition, classification and analysis of fossils and for their use in biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental analysis.

Learning outcomes:
Acquired knowledge: Successful students will acquire basic elements of general paleontology, zoological nomenclature and systematics (in particular, phylogenetic systematics), species concepts, extinction and evolution. They also will acquire basic knowledge on the identification of various systematic groups of protists and invertebrates, their paleoecology, evolution and stratigraphic distribution, with particular reference to the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. They will also possess basic knowledge of taphonomy (biostratinomy, fossilization, fossil diagenesis) and biostratigraphy.
Acquired skills: Students who have passed the exam will be able to use fossils of invertebrates and microfossils for geological, paleontological and biostratigraphic purposes; use the Linnaean nomenclature and apply classification systems; transmit the acquired biostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental and evolutionary knowledge, including the historical development of the discipline.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge for the recognition, classification and analysis of fossils and for their use in biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental analysis.

Learning outcomes:
Acquired knowledge: Successful students will acquire basic elements of general paleontology, zoological nomenclature and systematics (in particular, phylogenetic systematics), species concepts, extinction and evolution. They also will acquire basic knowledge on the identification of various systematic groups of protists and invertebrates, their paleoecology, evolution and stratigraphic distribution, with particular reference to the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. They will also possess basic knowledge of taphonomy (biostratinomy, fossilization, fossil diagenesis) and biostratigraphy.
Acquired skills: Students who have passed the exam will be able to use fossils of invertebrates and microfossils for geological, paleontological and biostratigraphic purposes; use the Linnaean nomenclature and apply classification systems; transmit the acquired biostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental and evolutionary knowledge, including the historical development of the discipline.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge for the recognition, classification and analysis of fossils and for their use in biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental analysis.

Learning outcomes:
Acquired knowledge: After successfully completing this course, students will acquire basic elements of general paleontology, zoological nomenclature and systematics (in particular, phylogenetic systematics), species concepts, extinction and evolution. They also will acquire basic knowledge on the identification of various systematic groups of protists and invertebrates, their paleoecology, evolution and stratigraphic distribution, with particular reference to the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. They will also possess basic knowledge of taphonomy (biostratinomy, fossilization, fossil diagenesis) and biostratigraphy.
Acquired skills: After successfully completing this course, students will be able to: use invertebrates fossils and microfossils for geological, paleontological and biostratigraphic purposes; use the Linnaean nomenclature and apply classification systems; transmit the acquired biostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental and evolutionary knowledge, including the historical development of the discipline.

Educational objectives

Educational goals:
A) Knowledge and understanding - In-depth knowledge of the Earth surface processes and
landforms;
B) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding - Be able to apply the knowledge acquired in a
competent and thoughtful way; possess adequate skills to support arguments and reasoning
relating to cause/effect relationships in the landscape evolution in different morphoclimatic
environments; be able to read and interpret geomorphological maps at different scales of
representation;
C) Autonomy of judgment - Collect and interpret the data useful for determining judgments in an
autonomous form, including reflection on issues relating to the geomorphological hazard,
connected with the Earth surface processes operated by exogenous agents;
D) Communication skills - Communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialist
and non-specialist interlocutors also through the use of digital technologies;
E) Learning skills - Developing the skills necessary to undertake subsequent studies with a high
degree of autonomy.

Educational objectives

Educational goals:

The course aims to give students a basic understanding of the processes controlling the petrogenesis of plutonic, volcanic and metamorphic rocks also in relation to different tectonic settings in which they form. Furthermore, fundamental goal of the course is to develop skills for the description, identifications and classification of different igneous and metamorphic rock types from hand specimens and thin sections.

Learning ouctomes:

Knowledge and Understanding: On successful completion of the course, students should be able to understand processes controlling the genesis and the evolution of igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Skills and Attributes: Students should be able to: identify and describe the most common igneous and metamorphic rocks in hand specimen and thin sections; assign a name to an igneous or metamorphic rock on the basis of its textural characteristics or its mineral and chemical composition.

Educational objectives

The optional courses aim at providing to the students further notions and capabilities in different fields of Earth Sciences

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course will offer to the students a synthetic description of the geological characters of the Earth and of the processes controlling its tectonic and geodynamic evolution. The course will also provide the tools necessary for the interpretation of geological maps.

Learning ouctomes: The student will learn the principal mechanisms of deformation of crustal rocks and the geodynamic processes inducing those deformations. Knowledge of basic concepts of seismic risk. Capability of construction of geological cross sections.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course will offer to the students a synthetic description of the geological characters of the Earth and of the processes controlling its tectonic and geodynamic evolution. The course will also provide the tools necessary for the interpretation of geological maps.

Learning ouctomes: The student will learn the principal mechanisms of deformation of crustal rocks and the geodynamic processes inducing those deformations. Knowledge of basic concepts of seismic risk. Capability of construction of geological cross sections.

Educational objectives

Educational goals: The course will offer to the students a synthetic description of the geological characters of the Earth and of the processes controlling its tectonic and geodynamic evolution. The course will also provide the tools necessary for the interpretation of geological maps.

Learning ouctomes: The student will learn the principal mechanisms of deformation of crustal rocks and the geodynamic processes inducing those deformations. Knowledge of basic concepts of seismic risk. Capability of construction of geological cross sections.

Educational objectives

Developing competences
Basic information about technical and hydraulic properties in order to solve geological-technical issues. Rock properties will be briefly introduced.

Learning outcomes
Classification of rocks and soils, correct definition of physical and hydraulic properties of soils, analysis of stresses under geostatic conditions, capillarity, deformability, graphical solution for stress distribution in soil media and site investigation; discussion on stresses induced by 1D groundwater flow in soil columns.

Educational objectives

Developing competences
Basic information about technical and hydraulic properties in order to solve geological-technical issues. Rock properties will be briefly introduced.

Learning outcomes
Classification of rocks and soils, correct definition of physical and hydraulic properties of soils, analysis of stresses under geostatic conditions, capillarity, deformability, graphical solution for stress distribution in soil media and site investigation; discussion on stresses induced by 1D groundwater flow in soil columns.

Educational objectives

Developing competences
Basic information about technical and hydraulic properties in order to solve geological-technical issues. Rock properties will be briefly introduced.

Learning outcomes
Classification of rocks and soils, correct definition of physical and hydraulic properties of soils, analysis of stresses under geostatic conditions, capillarity, deformability, graphical solution for stress distribution in soil media and site investigation; discussion on stresses induced by 1D groundwater flow in soil columns.

Educational objectives

Developing competences and learning outcomes
The course is addressed to students for acquiring the basic principles of elemental and isotopic Geochemistry and applications to Geology. As a whole, students will be thought with the basic learning on the distribution, combination, and migration of chemical elements in the different spheres of the Earth and will be ready to get deeper knowledge of Geochemistry provided by advanced courses. At the end of the course, students will have gained sufficient knowledge to use simple sets of geochemical data, to read geochemical literature, and to acquire practical skills in order to apply geochemical principles and methodologies to solve common geological problems.

Educational objectives

Students will develop the skills instrumental for: describing and interpreting the features and significance of rocks and geological structures object of mapping; measuring the attitudes of beds and faults, and rendering them on map; tracing geological surfaces on map, and inferring the continuation of geological objects in the subsurface; interpreting, and putting into a regional geologic context, the stratigraphic succession, and the paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of a given area.

Educational objectives

The student will learn how to plan and perform a geological field mapping project, following the official National Geological Survey guidelines, producing a geological map on the 1:10.000 scale, complete with geological cross-sections, legend, and explanatory notes, in a geologically complex mountain-chain area.

Educational objectives

The optional courses aim at providing to the students further notions and capabilities in different fields of Earth Sciences

Educational objectives

The final exam provides the opportunity to deepen knowledge on a specific field of Earth Sciences and to acquire analysis, elaboration and comunication capabilities.