GEOL 545: Planetary Geology

Geology · 4 credits

This course examines the formation and evolution of the planets and small bodies in the solar system. Topics include planetary interiors, volcanism, tectonic activity, impacts, meteorites, surface processes, habitability, and solar system exploration.

Offered in 1 of the 26 listed terms (Winter 2027).

Catalog entry Browse Classes Textbooks (WWU Bookstore)

Prerequisites

(GEOL 211 or GEOL 211A) and (GEOL 352 or ASTR 315)

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)
GEOL 211A Physical Geology Review
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 - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 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 (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65) and (GEOL 101 (minimum grade B-) or HNRS 158 or HNRS 212 or SCED 202 (minimum grade B-))
- MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
- MATH 115 Precalculus II (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 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
- MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
- GEOL 101 Introduction to Geology
  requires MATH 107 or MATH 108 or MATH 112 or 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 - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Statistics AP Exam, score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
  - MATH 107 Mathematical Reasoning and Its Applications
    requires MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or MATH 112 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 145 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 25 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2
    - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra (shown above)
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
  - MATH 108 Math Applications & Reasoning
    requires MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or MATH 112 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 145 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 25 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2
    - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra (shown above)
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (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 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
- HNRS 212 Colloquium in 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 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 Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (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 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
  - MATH 157 Calculus with Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
- SCED 202 Matter and Energy in Earth Systems
GEOL 352 Introduction to Geophysics
requires (GEOL 211 or HNRS 212 or GEOL 211A) and (PHYS 163 or PHYS 123)
- GEOL 211 Physical Geology (shown above)
- HNRS 212 Colloquium in Geology (shown above)
- GEOL 211A Physical Geology Review (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)
ASTR 315 The Solar System
requires (PHYS 161 or HNRS 211) and PHYS 162 and PHYS 163
- 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)
- 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 (shown above)
  - HNRS 211 Colloquium in Physics (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)
- PHYS 163 Physics with Calculus III (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
Rice, Melissa	1	Winter 2027

Every offering in the listed terms (1 section)

Term	Sec	CRN	Type	Meets	Instructor	Enrolled	Delivery
Winter 2027	01	13472	Lecture/Lab	TR 2:00pm-3:50pm · ES 218	Rice, Melissa	0/5	Face to Face Instruction