GEOL 417: Geological Perspectives on Climate Change

Geology · 4 credits

This course considers the basic physics governing Earth’s climate system, how a series of complicated feedbacks can influence the climatic response to greenhouse gases and what past greenhouse climates can tell us about future change. Specific topics covered include Earth’s energy balance, climate sensitivity, feedbacks in the climate system, the role of the carbon cycle, how geologic archives record climate and case studies from Cenozoic greenhouse climates. Concepts from geology, chemistry and physics are used to explore these complex, multidisciplinary topics through discussion, debate, and data analysis.

Offered in 2 of the 26 listed terms (Spring 2026 to Winter 2027).

Catalog entry Browse Classes Textbooks (WWU Bookstore)

Prerequisites

GEOL 211 and CHEM 162 and (PHYS 116 or PHYS 163)

Prerequisite tree

Each course's own prerequisites, down to the first courses in the chain.

GEOL 211 Physical Geology
requires MATH 114 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or MATH 156 or MATH 157 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
- MATH 114 Precalculus I
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
    - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
      requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
    - MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
      requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
    - MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
      requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
- MATH 115 Precalculus II
  requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
- MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
  requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
    requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
  requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
- MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
  requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
- MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 148 or MATH 156 or MATH 114 or MATH 118 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 2.3 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 2.3 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
CHEM 162 General Chemistry II
requires CHEM 121 or CHEM 161
- CHEM 161 General Chemistry I
  requires MATH 114 or MATH 156 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or MATH 115 or MATH 157 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
PHYS 116 Principles of Physics III
requires PHYS 115
- PHYS 115 Principles of Physics II
  requires PHYS 114
  - PHYS 114 Principles of Physics I
    requires MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or MATH 157 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
    - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
PHYS 163 Physics with Calculus III
requires PHYS 162 and ((MATH 124 and MATH 125) or (MATH 134 and MATH 135) or MATH 138)
- PHYS 162 Physics with Calculus II
  requires (PHYS 161 or HNRS 211) and ((MATH 124 and MATH 125) or (MATH 134 and MATH 135) or MATH 138)
  - PHYS 161 Physics with Calculus I
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - HNRS 211 Colloquium in Physics
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
- MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
- MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
- MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
- MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)

From Banner's catalog for Spring 2027. Banner lists only the requisites it enforces, so check the catalog entry too.

Required by (0)

No course lists it as a prerequisite.

Syllabi and course websites

None listed yet.

Suggest a syllabus link

Instructors

Instructor	Sections	Terms
Saenger, Casey	2	Spring 2026 to Winter 2027

Every offering in the listed terms (2 sections)

Term	Sec	CRN	Type	Meets	Instructor	Enrolled	Delivery
Winter 2027	0	13469	Lecture	MW 11:00am-12:50pm · ES 223	Saenger, Casey	0/15	Face to Face Instruction
Spring 2026	0	23312	Lecture	MW 11:00am-12:50pm · ES 223	Saenger, Casey	19/15	Face to Face Instruction