Postgraduate course “Geology and Geo-environment”

Specialization: Depositional environments, Ecosystems and Geo-Bioresourses

This postgraduate course targets the most important issues in Stratigraphy, Sedimentology and Palaeontology. State or the art methodologies are taught and applied, such as high-resolution stratigraphic logging, chemostratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. Sedimentary basin analysis is used in a multidisciplinary approach to the study of basin evolution and extent of mineral resources such as hydrocarbons. Fossils, apart from biostratigraphic indicators, are used to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment, palaeoclimate and palaeogeography, through palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology. Mass extinctions and their causes are examined as well as species’ evolution through geologic time.

First year
1st semester

Mandatory courses

  1. Laboratory methods, 10 ECTS.
  2. Biometry - Geo-bio-indices, 10 ECTS . 
  3. Informatics applications in geosciences, 10 ECTS.

 

2nd semester
Mandatory courses

  1. Stratigraphic – Palaeontologic – Sedimentologic applications in the field, 10 ECTS.
  2. Marine ecosystems, 10 ECTS.
  3. Terrestrial ecosystems, 10 ECTS.

 

 

Optional courses (four courses are required)

  1. Statistics - Biometry, 5 ECTS: Quantitative morphometric analysis. Species identification and morphotypes. Palaeoecologic – palaeoenvironmental statistical analysis methods. Case studies.
  2. Macropalaeontology, 5 ECTS: Foraminifera and Calcareous nannofossils. Modern systematic taxonomy. Bio-events and geologic time. High – resolution biostratigraphy and biochronology. Uses in applied geosciences. Global biostratigraphic correlations.
  3. Macrofauna evolution in geologic time and space, 5 ECTS: Fossil biocommunities’s structure and evolution in geologic time. Inter-population interactions. Biotic and abiotic conditions, environmental limitations (climate, substratum etc), internal dynamic parameters – biotic interations, distribution limitations (geographic parameters analysis, mobility). 
  4. Plant evolution in geologic time and space, 5 ECTS: Plant evolution record, representations and chronology. The first plant forms and primal environments, the first woods, mass extinctions, biogeographic distribution and plant distribution through geologic time.

 

Second year
3rd semester

General Optional courses (1 is required)

  1. Environmental managment, 10 ECTS
  2. Economy of theEnvironment , 10 ECTS.
  3. Environmental and engineering Geophysics, 10 ECTS.
  4. Aggregates and building blocks – Geomology, 10 ECTS
  5. Mineral analytical methods-Special chapters in Geochemistry, 10 ECTS.
  6. Applied Geosciences, 10 ECTS.
  7. Managment tools of Geological and Environmental studies , 10 ECTS.
  8. Marine Geodynamics, 10 ECTS.
  9. Tectonics and Hydrocarbon research, 10 ECTS.
  10. Tectonics and subsurface water, 10 ECTS.
  11. Landslides – slope stability, 10 ECTS.

Optional courses (2 are required)

  1. Sedimentary basin research and hydrocarbons, 10 ECTS.
  2. Seismic stratigraphy, 10 ECTS
  3. Carbonate facies analysis, 10 ECTS
  4. Palaeoclimate indices, 10 ECTS
  5. Palaeobiology, Palaeoanthropology ans phylogeny, 10 ECTS.
  6. Geoarchaeology, 10 ECTS.
  7. Biosphere and Geoenvironmental applications, 10 ECTS.

4st semester: Master’ s Thesis: 30 ECTS