Overview of our courses
We teach basic Earth surface processes and dynamics in the 1st semester for a range of study programs at the department of geosciences. In the higher semesters, contents of (clastic) sedimentology are taught in four consecutive modules dealing with different scales, from sand grains to sedimentary systems.
Students learn a wide range of methods, e.g., how to approach sedimentary rocks in the handpiece and under the polarizing microscope, lithofacial analysis of sedimentary rocks in the field, laboratory methods such as grain size analysis and heavy mineral separation, and statistical methods for data analysis.
Bachelor of Science
- Lecture Grundlagen der Geowissenschaften (winter term), with Prof. Ralf Hetzel, Dr. Reinhard Wolff und Prof.in Ute Hamer
- Lecture Einführung in die Sedimentologie (winter term)
- Lecture Sedimentäre Becken (winter term)
- Field course Sedimentologische Geländeübung (winter term)
- Lab course Sedimentologische Labormethoden (winter term)
- Lecture and lab Geoforensics (September/October, with Dr. Barbara von der Lühe)
Master of Science
- Lecture Sedimentpetrographie (winter term)
- Lab Mikroskopie klastischer Sedimentgesteine (winter term)
- Lecture Sedimentäre Systemanalyse (summer term)
- Field course Quelle-Senke-Beziehungen (summer term)
- Block course Automated mineralogy (February/March, with Dr. Joachim Krause and Sabine Gilbricht)
Final theses
Possible topics
- AI-supported particle classification (MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
- Developing a database of Alpine pebble types (BSc or MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
- Detrital K-Feldspar Pb isotope analysis in European Rivers: An alternative provenance tool for tracing recycling (MSc thesis, contact: Paula Castillo)
- Provenance and age constraints of the early Palaeozoic (?) lower Heritage Group from the Ellsworth Mountains in West Antarctica (MSc thesis, contact: Paula Castillo)
- Investigation of the textural and mineralogical relationship between rocks and their abrasion products: Results from flume experiments using automated mineralogy (MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
- Spatial variability of granulometry and composition of modern river sediments in Chile (BSc or MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker and Paula Castillo)
- Influence of grain size, lithology, and sediment mixing on the geochemical composition of fluvial sands: The Escrita River in the central Pyrenees, Spain (BSc or MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker and Paula Castillo)
- Provenance of Cretaceous to Eocene flysch deposits in the Alps (MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
- Isotope geochemistry as a provenance proxy for detrital carbonate (BSc or MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
- Heavy mineral analysis on beach sands from the North and Baltic seas (BSc or MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
- Building sandstones in Hesse (BSc or MSc thesis, contact: Laura Stutenbecker)
Completed theses
- Y. Kettrup: Provenienzanalyse an pliozänen und pleistozänen fluviatilen Sedimenten der Forschunsgbohrung Riedstadt-Erfelden. BSc thesis, 2025
- J. Weitzing: Provenienzanalyse an pliozänen fluviatilen Sedimenten der Forschungsbohrung Heidelberg UniNord. BSc thesis, 2025
- H. Groß: Zwischen Flusseintrag, glazialer Dynamik und litoralen Strömungen: Textur und Schwermineralspektren von Nord- und Ostseestrandsanden. BSc thesis, 2025
- L. Michel: Effects of source rock composition, weathering and transport on sediment petrography in the Lluta and Valdivia rivers, Chile. MSc thesis, 2025
- L. Weist: Lithologische und klimatische Effekte auf die geochemische Zusammensetzung von Flusssedimenten: Río Mataquito, Chile. BSc thesis, 2025
- C. Engesser: Assessment of the Precision and Reproducibility of Optical-Digital Methods for the Quantification of Grain Size and Shape. BSc thesis, 2025
- E. Rosemann: Provenance of Detrital Zircons in the Cambrian Heritage Group: A Stratigraphic Review of the Ellsworth Mountains Strata, West Antarctica. MSc thesis, 2024
YouTube-Tutorials
On my YouTube channel you can find videos on the identification of heavy minerals under the polarizing microscope.