Introduction to geophysics covering methods for earth structure and plate tectonics, including seismology, gravity, geodesy, magnetism, and heat flow.
Past student reviews · Ken Ferrier
The workload consisted of one homework assignment per week and a final group project that allowed plenty of time for completion.
Recognize at least three factors to consider during the design of a geophysical survey.
Show how the travel times, amplitudes, and polarities of different kinds of seismic waves can be used to locate earthquakes, determine their focal mechanisms, and estimate their size.
Describe how the thicknesses and seismic velocities of geologic units can be estimated from seismic refractions and reflections.
Describe the factors that cause variations in gravitational acceleration across Earth’s surface, and explain how gravity anomalies can be used to estimate variations in mass at depth.
Draw Earth's magnetic field lines, describe how rocks record information about Earth's paleomagnetic field, and describe how paleomagnetic measurements can be used to infer movement of Earth’s tectonic plates through time.
Define the concept of "magnetic anomaly", describe how magnetic surveys can be used for local studies of the subsurface, and describe circumstances in which magnetic surveys may be useful.
Define geotherm and describe why temperatures increase with depth below Earth's surface.
State the theory of plate tectonics and describe at least three kinds of supporting evidence, enumerate the major types of tectonic plate boundaries and the type of movement that occurs at each, and describe what drives the movements of the plates.
Explain the relationship between gravitational force and mass.
Describe the factors that cause variations in gravitational acceleration across Earth’s surface.
Explain how gravity anomalies are used to estimate variations in mass at depth.
Source: UW Guide 1· UW Guide 2
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MATH 217, 221, graduate/professional standing, or member of Engineering Guest Students
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Raw average: 3.48/5 from 23 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: 4.0/5 raw quality · 2.0/5 difficulty · 1 reviews
RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.
Past student reviews · Ken Ferrier
Ken Ferrier's course included one weekly homework assignment and a year-end group project with ample completion time. While the lectures could be heavy, he occasionally used experiments to boost engagement and remained accessible outside of class.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.67 GPA, 83.3% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.53 GPA, 73.7% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.38 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=8 letter grades).
KEN FERRIER is recorded teaching in Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, 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.
Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 0 / 35 | 0 |
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 0 / 30 | 0 |
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Past student reviews · Ken Ferrier
Students found the lectures somewhat heavy but engaging due to integrated experiments. Ken Ferrier was described as nice and accessible outside of class.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.67 GPA, 83.3% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.53 GPA, 73.7% A/AB (n=19 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.38 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=8 letter grades).
Past student reviews · Ken Ferrier
The workload consisted of one homework assignment per week and a final group project that allowed plenty of time for completion.
Past student reviews · Ken Ferrier
The student appreciated the instructor's accessibility and the occasional use of fun experiments to keep the heavy lecture material engaging.
Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Through Spring 2026
Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Introduction to Geophysics: The Dynamic Earth
Recorded 2026-10-14Introduction to Geophysics: The Dynamic Earth
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]Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
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