Introduction to our distance learning courses
In Autumn and Winter we run distance learning courses that commence in Autumn and will be completed after a Christmas and New Year break in late January.
In addition, our popular introductory course “Steps Towards the Rockface” can be started at any time to suit you.
This page is subject to change as new courses are added so please bookmark and revisit or keep up to date with our popular quarterly earth science magazine "Down to Earth".
Steps towards the rock face. Introduction (11-weeks)
How and where do we start out on our journey of discovery about planet Earth? To some it will begin with the materials, the rocks, minerals and fossils. To others it begins with the landscape; what we see around us as we walk, cycle or motor through the countryside. In this course we embrace both of these, but there’s an even more fundamental fact about Earth - deep time, 4,650 million years of it to be precise and that’s where we will begin. In just 11 weeks we’ll give you an introduction to all the main aspects of planet Earth with just enough detail to leave you wanting to know more. Beyond this course, we already have several second level course modules, with more in the pipeline.
Course fee £50.00 by Moodle/email or £75.00 by post.
There are no Zoom meetings with this course and tutorial help is available by email. You can start this course at any time to suit your requirements.
Mass Extinction. Introduction (6-weeks)
Mondays at 2pm or 6.30pm commencing November 6th for 6-weeks, hour-long live Zoom sessions
The course is primarily aimed at adults who want to know more about the ups and downs of the fossil record, focussing on the major mass extinction events that have occurred.
Course timetable...
Listed below are the topics, that will be presented in the order shown.
- November 6 The ups and downs of the fossil record
- November 13 The Precambrian/Cambrian boundary
- November 20 The end Ordovician & late Devonian
- November 27 The end Permian & end Triassic events
- December 4 The Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary
- December 11 The present day climate emergency & extinctions
Course participants can access supporting materials in print form, or by Moodle and Email.
The course fee is £50.00 for one person, or for two people studying together it is £70.00, which
includes all of the above. If you would like the additional materials in printed form, this is £15.00
extra.
Simply Minerals! Introduction (6-weeks)
6 hour-long live Zoom sessions plus specimens & materials
LEVEL: The course is primarily aimed at adults who want to know more about minerals and how to identify them. It would also be useful to keen school/college students
DATES: The course is on Tuesdays at 2pm commencing November 7th for 6-weeks
What’s included in the course fee...
- Six hour long Zoom sessions
- A set of 20+ mineral specimens to get you going
- Brief notes to accompany the specimens
- Field Studies Council mineral identification chart
Listed below are the topics, that will be presented in the order shown.
- November 7 The Earth’s chemical store
- November 14 How we study minerals
- November 21 The rock forming minerals
- November 28 Ore minerals
- December 5 Gangue minerals
- December 12 Evaporite minerals
Course participants can access supporting materials in print form, or by Moodle and Email.
The course fee is £60.00 for one person, or for two people studying together it is £80.00*, which
includes all of the above. If you would like the additional materials in printed form, this is £15.00
extra. (* Covers for one set of specimens and accompanying materials.)
General information
- Have these courses your way! You can have them electronically, by email or Moodle or you can have printed sheets sent by mail.
- Everyone is invited to a weekly live Zoom meeting for a presentation.
- All courses are supported by a tutor, who is available online.
- You can enroll via our online shop or by ringing us on 0114 245 5746.
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