Introductory geology covering Earth's structure, history, plate tectonics, minerals, rocks, landforms, maps, and climate change on geologic and human timescales.
The course was low stakes; one student noted it was possible to earn an A by completing assignments without attending lectures, though lectures were described as interactive.
What you’ll be able to do
Describe the plate tectonic paradigm and how it relates to phenomena like earthquakes and volcanoes.
Recognize landscape features and how they form.
Describe the concept of geologic time.
Recognize how water shapes Earth.
Describe how life interacts with and shapes Earth.
“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may
have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the
catalog requirements above.
Raw average: 4.81/5 from 58
quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average
(3.66/5), weighted as 20
additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each
captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who
chooses to leave a review.
For this course: 4.8/5 raw quality · 1.6/5 difficulty · 43
reviews
RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.
Past student reviews · Stephen Meyers
Stephen Meyers taught a low-stakes course featuring a 50-minute lab, 20-question quizzes, and an open-note final. Students found the material accessible and noted he provided lecture slides and roadmap study guides online. He allowed students to miss up to eight lectures and used interactive formats to keep the class engaging.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2023: 3.87 GPA, 95.0% A/AB (n=298 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.81 GPA, 91.2% A/AB (n=442 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.76 GPA, 88.0% A/AB (n=425 letter grades).
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
Past student reviews · Chloe Bonamici
Historical students described Chloe Bonamici's lectures as well-organized and entertaining. The course included online quizzes and weekly labs, with one student noting that labs were easy and supported by TAs. Another student found the class easy and recommended it for physical science credit.
ALAN ROBERT CARROLL is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ANDREA DUTTON is recorded teaching in Fall 2021, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
BENJAMIN LINZMEIER is recorded teaching in Fall 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
CHLOE BONAMICI is recorded teaching in Fall 2019, Fall 2022, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
HAROLD TOBIN is recorded teaching in Spring 2016, Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JOHN W VALLEY is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
KURT FEIGL is recorded teaching in Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
STEPHEN MEYERS is recorded teaching in Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future
schedule.
Calendar & sections
Spring 2027
Schedule loads here as you scroll.
Section
Mode
Enrolled / capacity
Waitlist
LEC 001
Classroom Instruction
0 / 444
0
DIS 301
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 302
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 303
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 304
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 305
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 306
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 312
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 313
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 314
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 311
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 308
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 310
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 315
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 316
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 317
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 321
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 322
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 323
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 324
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
DIS 326
Classroom Instruction
0 / 23
0
Times are Central. Select a meeting for
details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Students describe Professor Meyers as passionate and accessible, making this a fun and engaging general education science course.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.81 GPA, 91.2% A/AB (n=442 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.77 GPA, 89.4% A/AB (n=359 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.76 GPA, 88.0% A/AB (n=425 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
Past student reviews · Stephen Meyers
The course was low stakes; one student noted it was possible to earn an A by completing assignments without attending lectures, though lectures were described as interactive.
Past student reviews · Stephen Meyers
One student appreciated that they were allowed to miss up to eight lectures, which made the class manageable for them.
Topics
Geologic processes, structure, and history of the Earth
Earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, groundwater, minerals, rocks, deserts, and fossils
Topographic and geologic mapping
Climate change on geologic and human time scales
Skills
Describe the plate tectonic paradigm and its relation to earthquakes and volcanoes.
Describe the concept of geologic time.
Recognize key minerals and rocks.
Read topographic and geologic maps.
Grades
Historical instructor
Spring 2027 · Projected
Before grades are released
3.333.33–4.004.00average GPA
Approximate 80% prediction interval
0.04.0
About this estimate
The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade.
The center uses 5
same-season terms, weighted toward
recent results.
The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors
from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from
earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded
outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing
instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.
8 earlier forecasts · 0.24 GPA average error.
Grades over time
Through Spring 2027
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Where this course fits relative to
Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels
3.763.76GPA
Higher than 5858% of other courses in this group.
Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range
425425letter grades
More recorded grades than 9595% of other courses in this group.
Typical course in this group: 66.066.0 letter grades.
About this comparison
1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded
letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure
of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by
recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade
counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section
size.
Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20
higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median
recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+.
Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.
Sources & history
UW–Madison
Catalog & offerings
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Catalog observation history
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.