Spring 2027

Structural Geology

Structural Geology covers rock deformation principles, structures in layered rocks, and intrusive structures, with lab work on 3D problems and a field trip.

offering recorded4 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Basil Tikoff4.0/5

Summary

1 / 3

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.42 GPA, 50.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.73 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.10 GPA, 40.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades).

What you’ll be able to do

  • Use conceptual models as a foundation for quantitative analysis of physical processes of interest to geologists and engineers.

  • Summarize and articulate parameters influencing the geometries and types of geologic structures resulting from deformation in different tectonic environments.

  • Recognize common geological structures and determine their kinematic, dynamic, and rheologic significance.

  • Characterize rock deformation quantitatively.

  • Utilize a range of common approaches to documenting, representing, and manipulating structural data.

  • Recognize patterns formed from isolated data points to construct an appropriate conceptual model of a 3D geologic structure.

  • Extract and convey three-dimensional information using two-dimensional diagrams.

  • Analyze kinematic, dynamic, and rheological approaches to specific field settings.

Source: UW Guide 1 UW Guide 2

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

GEOSCI 202, 204, and (G L E/​GEOSCI 370 or concurrent enrollment), graduate/professional standing, or member of Engineering Guest Students

GEOSCI/GLE 455 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.23/5 from 26 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.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.43 GPA, 47.6% A/AB (n=21 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.44 GPA, 72.2% A/AB (n=18 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.42 GPA, 50.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

BASIL TIKOFF is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024. 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.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 360
LAB 301Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 360
LAB 301Classroom Instruction0 / 180

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.42 GPA, 50.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.73 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.10 GPA, 40.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

No workload feedback recorded.

Topics

  • Rock deformation
  • Structures in layered rocks
  • Intrusive structures
  • Three-dimensional structural concepts

Skills

  • Quantitative analysis of physical processes using conceptual models
  • Conveying 3D information using 2D diagrams
  • Analyzing kinematic, dynamic, and rheological approaches in field settings

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.

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.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
GEOSCI/GLE 455 · Spring 2027

Structural Geology

Recorded 2026-10-14
GEOSCI/GLE 455 · Spring 2027

Structural Geology

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:418:008527",
    "course_id": "GEOSCI/GLE 455",
    "course_uid": "course_d50591a20e805e0ba07609bb",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "008527",
    "source_subject_id": "418",
    "title": "Structural Geology",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:420:008527",
    "course_id": "GEOSCI/GLE 455",
    "course_uid": "course_d50591a20e805e0ba07609bb",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "008527",
    "source_subject_id": "420",
    "title": "Structural Geology",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews

No records available.

Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "2b1ad5e9e1c47d75d8824ed377e0a5546945eca846f3d421f5024a695aaea76e",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}