Course Descriptions

GEO 200 - Geology of the National Parks

4 Credits

This lecture and laboratory course explores the geological processes and earth history responsible for the development of the iconic landscapes found within the National Parks System, including Arches, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Great Smokies, Mammoth Cave, Shenandoah, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion National Parks, and others.

Prerequisite: GEO 101 or permission of instructor.

New SUNY General Education: SUNY - Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning)

Retiring SUNY General Education: SUNY-NS - Natural Sciences (SNSC)

MCC General Education: MCC-CT - Critical Thinking (MCT), MCC-SCI - Scientific Reasoning (MSCI)

Course Learning Outcomes
1. Summarize the purposes of creating national parks.
2. Identify iconic features preserved within national parks discussed in this course.
3. Identify rock and mineral samples present in some national parks.
4. Interpret data collected from topographic or geologic maps or geospatial imagery of national parks discussed in this course.
5. Explain the relationships among plate tectonics, the rock cycle, and landscapes preserved within parks covered by this course.
6. Predict how surficial processes will influence geologic features in the future based on observations.
7. Explain ways that human activities influence the preservation of the national parks.

Course Offered Fall

Use links below to see if this course is offered:
Intersession 2025
Spring Semester 2025