Master in Stratigraphy and Paleontology

Faculty of Science - Department of Geology

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Description

The Department of Geology offered this program to obtain a high degree (Master's) in the field of stratigraphy and paleontology within a period of three years (six semesters) during which the student can choose courses according to the time rate that suits his capabilities and abilities. 

This program has been developed to be scientifically distinguished (according to the curricula of North American universities) and through which the student learns the details of the origin and classification of fossils of vertebrates and invertebrates - the origin and classification of chordates - methods of studying vertebrate fossils - basic vertebrate and invertebrate families and their appearance during the geological record - fish and amphibians - the age of dinosaurs - birds.

This program requires the student to possess (51) study units.

Objectives

The Department of Geology aims in general to achieve outputs that the graduate is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the educational program through the following:

1. Preparing and qualifying students in the field of stratigraphic geology and fossils at the master's level through advanced scientific curricula to provide the needs of the labor market in public and private institutions in the state, especially the oil, water and mining sectors.

2. Providing the appropriate scientific climate for master's students through the scientific material of the courses approved theoretically and laboratory and applying them in the field with field work courses in order to refine students academically, scientifically and technically.

3. Taking advantage of the important geological sites in Libya scientifically and creating distinguished research projects at the local and international levels.

4. Contribute to environmental studies and research through joint work with the competent authorities to preserve the environment and its safety, track various sources of pollution, reduce the environmental effects resulting from natural disasters and the overexploitation of natural resources. 

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the educational program, the student should have acquired the skills that enable him to use what he studied in professional applications, the most important of which are the following: 

1. The ability to research and predict natural resources and wealth (oil, gas, minerals and water) and evaluate them quantitatively and qualitatively through the study of stratigraphic sequences and rock formations  

2. The ability to measure the dimensions of rock layers, determine their relative ages, and put data in different forms  

3. The ability to use laboratories and field equipment safely to collect geological information and harness it to carry out scientific research of local and international interest.

4. The graduate of this program should have the ability to know the means related to the sustainability of natural resources, environmental protection, and natural disaster risk reduction 

Certificate Rewarded

Master's degree in Geology (specializing in Stratigraphy and Paleontology)

Entry Reuirements

Students are admitted to graduate studies in the Department of Geology according to the following requirements and conditions:

1. The student applying to study in the department must have a certificate of completion of the university education stage (bachelor's) or its equivalent in accordance with the procedures and controls issued by the Ministry of Education and in force in Libyan universities.

2. The documents required for admission are determined by the competent scientific committee at the College of Science.

 3. The scientific program accepts students transferred from the corresponding departments in other colleges, provided that the transferred student submits documents showing the courses he studied, the scientific content of each of them, the number of units for each course, and a transcript of grades, and the academic file is referred to the coordinator of the academic program in the department to complete the equivalency procedures.

4. The capacity of the department is estimated at twenty new students per semester and can be increased if the appropriate capabilities are available.

5. The ratio of students enrolled in the study to the percentage of students admitted to 100%. 

Study Plan

The Master in Stratigraphy and Paleontology prepares students to qualify for Master in Stratigraphy and Paleontology. The student studies several subjects which have been carefully chosen in this major to cover its different aspects.

It comprises 6 Semesters of study, in which the student will study a total of 51 units, which include 0 units of general subjects, and 0 major units

Study plan for this program is shown below:

1st Semester

Code Title Credits Course Type Prerequisite
GE611 Advanced Sedimentology 03 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successful completion of the course, as follows:· Study of sedimentary facies and their vertical and horizontal changes.· Study of depositional environments.· Study and identify sequences of basic sedimentary rocks in the field and analyze them.

GE612 Advanced Stratigraphy 03 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire when successfully completing the course, as follows:Study the foundations of rock stratigraphy.Study the analysis of basins from a stratified perspective.· Evaluate surface and subsurface information.Study and evaluate local and international examples

GE615 Advanced Igneous Petrology 03 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows:A quantitative study of the chemical processes controlling the formation of magma.Study the chemical composition of igneous rocks.A study of determining the age of rocks by radioactive elements and fixed isotopes as an indicator of the origin and diversity of igneous rocks.Study of the petrographic composition of the main clans of igneous rocks.

2nd Semester

Code Title Credits Course Type Prerequisite
GE616 Geotectonics 03 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows:Study the theoretical and practical foundations of structural geology.Study of rock deformation and its relationship to plate tectonics.Study the emergence and development of oceanic basins and mountain belts in the world.Tectonic study of the formation of sedimentary basins.

GE617 Technical Writing 02 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows: The ability to organize and coordinate the research program (graduation project).Writing in a smooth and harmonious manner and in a scientific context.Organizing and arranging ideas.Preparing a research proposal and writing scientific reports according to the requirements of the plan.Describe and analyze tables and figuresWriting the graduation project.

GE618 Geology of Libya 03 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows:A study of the emergence and development of the African continent and the Mediterranean basin.· Studying the tectonic movements affecting the emergence of local sedimentary basins.· Studying the relationship between tectonics and the diversity of stratigraphic sequences vertically and horizontally in the Libyan sedimentary basins.Accumulations of hydrocarbons, water and economic minerals and their relationship to stratification in Libya.

GE620 Data Analysis in Geology 03 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows:Understanding the foundations of geological data, its sources and classifications.Methods of processing geological data mathematically and statistically. It includes measures and numbers in geology; distribution of geological data; univariate statistic Bivariate statistics and analysis of data with spatial distributionKnow how to use geographical statistics programs such as Excel, Surfer, and others

3rd Semester

Code Title Credits Course Type Prerequisite
GE633 Sedimentation and Tectonics 03 Compulsory +

Tectonic control on sedimentation, major orogenic events through time, effect of orogenies on the evolution of the sedimentary basins. Sedimentological data base, correlation, mapping, facies models, classification, and evolution of sedimentary basins of Libya. Study of international key examples.

GE636 Depositional Environments 03 Compulsory +

Geomorphology of channels, slopes, and drainage systems. Fluvial system, aeolian system, transitional coastal environments, marine environments. Turbidites and puma section. Examination of modern fluvial and costal environments and ancient analogues. Field applications.

GE638 Paleontology 03 Compulsory +

Preservation of fossils, classification of fossils, description of fossils, hierarchal nomenclature of fossils, identification of species, fossil groups, morphology, use of fossils in stratigraphy and exploration, biostratigraphy and paleoecology. Selected readings.

4th Semester

Code Title Credits Course Type Prerequisite
GE634 Sequence Stratigraphy 03 Compulsory GE611 +

Concepts of dynamic stratigraphy, Principles of sequences stratigraphy, study of sedimentary basins and sedimentary environment, vertical diastrophism and lateral facies change. Application to petroleum exploration. Field study.

GE640 Micropaleontology 03 Compulsory GE638 +

Kingdom of life, geological time scale, taxonomical hierarchy, identification of species, review of major microfossil groups, applications and interpretations in terms of age and biostratigraphical aspects, use of microfossil in oil exploration, sampling and processing techniques.

GE641 Palynology 03 Compulsory +

Fundamentals of paleobotany and palynology, taxonomy, fossil species, palynostratigraphical charts, interpretation of maturation from pollen spores, major playnomorphic groups, sampling and processing of palynomorphs, age determination and biostigraphical attributes, environmental and source rock studies.

GE643 Topics in Paleontology and Stratigraphy 03 Elective +

Advanced topics in paleontology and/or stratigraphy focusing on new developments, directed studies, case studies of topical nature.

5th Semester

Code Title Credits Course Type Prerequisite
GE688 Field Seminar 04 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows:Provide comprehensive education in field geology on the basis of research excellence under the supervision of a group of distinguished professors and with the help of technicians, laboratories, as well as field facilities and tools.Enable students to understand the foundations, theories and field methods in the field of geology.Training students to record field information using modern electronic technologies.Writing geological reports.

GE699 Thesis 06 Compulsory +

This course is designed to achieve the general objectives in the form of outputs that the student is supposed to acquire after successfully completing the course, as follows:Doing the necessary applications to write a master's thesis.The ability to understand the research content in the context of the problem being studied by the student.The ability to identify and define the questions that should be answered through the research results.