List of Free Online Geology Courses
See our list of the top free online geology courses. Learn about what courses are available, what topics they cover and whether you can use them to get college credit.
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Online Geology Course Information
Online classes about geology can teach students about rock formation, geological impacts on the environment and procedures for conducting research in the field. In general, students can access course materials that include lectures, labs, handouts and assignments. Students are unable to earn college credit by taking most of these classes. Rather, the classes allow students to work at their own pace and download course materials as part of their personal studies.
Education Portal
Education Portal gives students the opportunity to earn college credit by studying its courses and then taking the corresponding College Board CLEP exams. Students should check with their institutions to ensure that they accept the exam.
Introduction to Natural Sciences - Geology offers two lessons on geology that cover the theory and mechanisms of continental drift. Each of the two videos offer animations that help explain the geology lessons and a quiz follows each lesson so that students can test their knowledge. Students would need to study the rest of the natural sciences course before taking the CLEP exam.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Introduction to Geology
- Special Topics in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences: The Environment of the Earth's Surface
- Basics of Impact Cratering & Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Environmental Studies of Some Impact Craters of the Earth
- Geobiology
- Medical Geology/Geochemistry: An Exposure
- Structural Geology
- Sedimentary Geology
- Field Geology
- Mechanical Properties of Rocks
- Crosby Lectures in Geology: History of Africa
- Groundwater Hydrology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers numerous undergraduate and graduate classes that provide an overview of geology, its role in history and its connections to the environment, chemistry, health and more. In Introduction to Geology, students learn about concepts like erosion, rock formation and the elements. Students can download lab instructions to access additional educational materials, and they may be able to work on some projects independently. The undergraduate course Special Topics in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences: The Environment of the Earth's Surface includes online lectures about glaciers, deserts, groundwater and landscapes. Students can also download exams to test their knowledge, though answers aren't provided.
Basics of Impact Cratering & Geological, Geophysical, Geochemical, Environmental Studies of Some Impact Craters of the Earth is another undergraduate class that explores craters and current research studies through lecture notes. Students can learn procedures for analyzing craters as well as the environmental effects that result from impacts.
Geobiology teaches students about how life is shaped by biological and geological earth processes. Lecture notes can be downloaded and cover concepts that include aquatic chemistry, evolution, mass extinctions and fossil fuels. There are also 6 assignments offered through the online course that help students understand geobiology. Medical Geology/Geochemistry: An Exposure is a study of elements and isotopes and how they relate to the health of humans and plants. Students can download lecture notes to learn about specific techniques and theories. Another undergraduate class, Structural Geology, analyzes the process of rock formation. Students gain an overview of tectonics, faults and folds. The class also includes online downloads of lecture notes, labs and exams, complete with numerous images and diagrams.
Sedimentary Geology includes lecture notes that focus on topics like different types of rocks, fossil fuels and particles. Field Geology helps students understand geology, rock formation and geological theories. Although the class is offered online and students can't actually participate in practical learning, they can download laboratory exercises and online tutorials about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and geological mapping.
The graduate-level class Mechanical Properties of Rocks explores rock deformation and how rocks behave in various situations. Lecture notes focus on geological occurrences and concepts like friction in rocks. Students can test their knowledge by downloading problem sets and labs.
Another graduate-level course, Crosby Lectures in Geology: History of Africa, gives students access to lectures by William Otis Crosby. The lectures focus on Africa's geological history (which goes back 600 million years), the Wilson cycle and Paleozoic history. The additional study materials include historic maps of Africa and its geology. Groundwater Hydrology is another graduate level course that centers on the role of groundwater in the hydrologic cycle and geologic structure. Students can download videos of field studies in Cape Cod and Bangladesh. There are also 15 lecture notes that can be downloaded in addition to the assignments.
The Open University
The intermediate class known as Geological Processes in the British Isles explores how the British Isles have changed geologically and how these changes affect geology across the globe. Students learn about tectonic plates, geological theories and the formation of the British Isles. The class also includes a summary and questions to help students understand geology.
Mountain Building in Scotland is an advanced class that focuses on the geological history of the Scottish Highlands. Students can download lectures online that cover specific theories and findings about plates, continental break up and arc-continent collision.
Earn Real Credit from Free Courses
While the free courses above don't award credit directly, you can earn credit by passing an exam and transferring credit to your college. There are two widely recognized and affordable options for exams that award credit.
Option #1: CLEP Exams
The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of colleges and universities in the U.S.
Option #2: Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam
Excelsior College offers over 40 exams that lead to transferable credit. You can also earn three full degrees by taking free online courses and earning your credit by exam.
Learn how Education Portal Academy will pay you to earn credit!
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4 Popular Schools
The schools in the listing below are not free but are popular choices among our users. Tuition and costs will vary across programs and locations. Be sure to always request tuition information before starting a program.
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
Online Programs
- Bachelor
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 17 years of age or older
Online Programs
- Non-Degree
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
Distance Learning Programs
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Non-Degree
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- Certificate in Holistic Planet
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- Certificate in Feeding the Family
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or higher
Online Programs
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Master
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- MA in Teaching - Secondary Science
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Other Popular Schools:
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Areas of study you may find at Iowa State University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Agriculture
- Architecture
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at University of Michigan include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Legal
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at New England Institute of Technology include:
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- Non-Degree: Coursework
- Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Engineering
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies
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Areas of study you may find at Golden Gate University include:
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- Graduate: First Professional Degree, Master
- Non-Degree: Certificate, Coursework
- Post Degree Certificate: Postbaccalaureate Certificate
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Business
- Computer Sciences
- Legal
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Medical and Health Professions
- Psychology
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Areas of study you may find at University of South Florida include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
- Architecture
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at Texas Tech University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Agriculture
- Architecture
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Legal
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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