Kazi Nazrul University
National Curriculum Course Framework (NCCF)
For
Eight Semester Course Under
Choice Based Credit System (CBCS)
Syllabus for [Link]. (Hons.)
in Geology
2023
FIRST SEMESTER
Department Specific Major (and Minor) Course
Course Name: EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE
Course Code: BSCGELMJ101
(CREDITS: Theory 4, Practical 1)
THEORY
Unit 1: Introduction (Credit Hours – 10)
Earth System Science – Definition, history of evolution of Earth Sciences, and its different
branches;
Brief idea about the origin of the Universe, Solar System and its planets; the Terrestrial and
Jovian planets; Meteorites and Asteroids; Earth: origin, size, shape, mass, density, rotational and
revolution parameters.
Unit 2: Solid Earth and its fluid cover (Credit Hours – 10)
Internal constitution - its recognition vis-à-vis solid earth geophysics: crust, mantle, core,
evidence from seismic waves and rocks, lithosphere and asthenosphere; Elementary idea about
the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere:
Nature of Earth's magnetic field
Unit 3: Crust and the supracrustal materials (Credit Hours – 10)
Major constituents of the crust; Minerals - definition and classification; Rocks – Types, rock
cycle, brief idea about their origin, general classification; Fossil: Definition, broad idea about
different types.
Unit 4: Tectonics (Credit Hours – 10)
Brief idea about the Continental Drift Theory, Sea-floor Spreading and Plate Tectonics
Unit 5: Earth surface processes (Credit Hours – 10)
Rock weathering; Formation of soil, soil profile and soil types; Erosion; mass wasting;
Geological work of wind, river and glacier; coastal processes, oceanic current system and effect
of Coriolis force; Concepts of eustasy
Unit 6: Introduction to the concept of deep time in geological studies (Credit Hours – 10)
Stratigraphy: definition and scope
Brief history of development of stratigraphic principles; concepts of Neptunism, Plutonism and
Uniformitarianism
Geological Time Table, introduction to geochronological methods and their application in
geological studies
Fundamental laws of stratigraphy: Superposition, Faunal succession and correlation
PRACTICAL
Study of major geomorphic features and their relationships with outcrops through
physiographic maps; Principles of Topographic Sheet indexing; Detailed study of topographic
sheets and preparation of physiographic description of an area, Preparation of topographic
profile.
SUGGESTED READINGS:
1. Duff, P. M. D., & Duff, D (Eds.),1993. Holmes' principles of physical geology. Taylor &
Francis.
2. Emiliani, C.,1992. Planet earth: cosmology, geology, and the evolution of life and environment.
Cambridge University Press.
3. Gross, M. G. ,1977. Oceanography: A view of the earth.
4. Robert S. Anderson and Suzzane P. Anderson, 2010. Geomorphology - The Mechanics and
Chemistry of Landscapes. Cambridge University Press.
5. Faure, Gunter. 1986. "Principles of isotope geology". Wiley International.
Skill Enhancement Course
Course Name: GEOLOGICAL FIELD WORK
Course Code: BSCGELSE101
(CREDITS: Practical 3)
Unit 1: Basic idea about field geology (10 Credit Hours)
Field work ethics: dos and don’ts in field; Determination of topographic sheet number; Study of
topographic sheets; Comparison of topographic sheet of a specific area with satellite imagery
(Google Earth); Basic principles of clinometer compass and Brunton compass
Unit 2: Field work (At least of five days duration; 35 Credit Hours)
Field reconnaissance and identification of reference unit; Basic techniques of fixation of location
on the reference toposheet or satellite imagery; study of different types of outcrops, rock types
and their disposition; acquisition of basic field data; collection of samples (including oriented
samples); basic principles of field photography.
OR
SEMINAR
Identification of a topic related to Earth System Science, related to but beyond the topics
being covered under theory; preparation of a write up and a power point presentation to
be presented in an open-house seminar.
SECOND SEMESTER
Department Specific Major (and Minor) Course
Course Name: MINERAL SCIENCE
Course Code: BSCGELMJ201
(CREDITS: THEORY-3, PRACTICAL-2)
THEORY
Unit 1: Crystallography (15 Credit Hours)
Elementary ideas about crystal morphology in relation to internal structures; Crystal
parameters and indices; Crystal symmetry and classification of crystals into point groups, space
groups; Stereographic projections of symmetry elements and forms; Characteristics of crystal
systems; Crystal defects; X-ray crystallography.
Unit 2: Rock forming minerals (15 Credit Hours)
Physical and chemical properties; Substitution principles – Goldschmidt’s rule of substitution of
elements; partitioning of elements between coexisting phases; Brief idea about Isomorphism,
Solid solution, Pseudomorphism and Polymorphism: elementary concept on principle types –
common polymorphic forms of C, SiO2 and Al2SiO5; Crystal structure and its controls: bonding
and coordination principles.
Classification of silicate groups based on structure and derivation of structural formulae based
on composition with example of common rock-forming minerals from each group, Non-silicate
structures; CCP and HCP structures
Unit 3: Optical mineralogy (15 Credit Hours)
Optical behaviour of crystals – Isotropic and anisotropic minerals; Nicol prism and its principle
of construction; Polaroid; Refractive index of minerals; Uniaxial & Biaxial minerals; Optical
indicatrix of uniaxial and biaxial minerals; Birefringence, Interference colour and use of
interference colour chart; Relation between crystallographic and optical axes of crystals;
Pleochroism and pleochroic scheme; Extinction; Study of interference figures; Optic sign of
uniaxial and biaxial minerals
PRACTICAL
Unit 1: Study of physical properties of common rock-forming minerals in hand specimen
Unit 2: Study of the symmetry of crystals in hand specimen; Solution of crystallographic problems
through stereographic projection
Unit 3: Study of optical properties of common rock-forming minerals: quartz, orthoclase,
microcline, plagioclase, perthite, nepheline, olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, hornblende,
staurolite, garnet, muscovite, biotite, calcite
Unit 4: Determination of extinction angle and pleochroic scheme; Determination of optic sign
from interference figures
SUGGESTED READINGS:
1. Klein, C., Dutrow, B., Dwight, J., & Klein, C., 2007. The 23rd Edition of the Manual of
Mineral Science (after James D. Dana). J. Wiley & Sons.
2. Kerr, P. F., 1959. Optical Mineralogy. McGraw-Hill.
3. Verma, P. K., 2010. Optical Mineralogy (Four Colour). Ane Books Pvt Ltd.
4. Deer, W. A., Howie, R. A., and Zussman, J., 1992. An introduction to the rock-forming
minerals. London, Longman.
Skill Enhancement Course
Course Name: FIELD GEOLOGY
Course Code: BSCGELSE201
(CREDITS: Practical 3)
Unit 1: Field work (At least of five days duration; 35 Credit Hours)
Usage of topographic sheet and satellite imagery in the field; Usage of GPS
Study of different types of rock outcrop; study of different rock types (Igneous, Metamorphic
and Sedimentary) in the field; Acquisition of different field data and collection of samples
including oriented ones; field photography.
Unit 3: Sample processing (10 Credit Hours)
Preparation of thin sections of collected samples and study under microscope; Sampling
protocol, recovery and restoration of fossil samples.
