DSST Introduction to Geology study guide
DSST Introduction to Geology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The DSST Introduction to Geology is a standardized credit-by-examination option in the Physical Sciences subject area, listed at Level 3 Baccalaureate and worth 3 Semester Hours of credit at institutions that recognize it. It was developed to enable schools to award credit to students for knowledge equivalent to what students learn in a comparable college course, so it suits independent learners, adult students, and service members who already know the material and want credit without seat time. The published exam description spans igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, weathering, groundwater, glaciers, oceanic systems, deserts, winds, the hydrologic cycle, internal Earth processes, mineral and energy resources, and environmental geology. The exam is organized into four content areas: core knowledge, surface processes, tectonic earth processes, and applications. The DSST Introduction to Geology study guide has 4 sections and about 1,416 words.
01Core Knowledge: Earth Materials, Time, and Structure
Core knowledge covers the vocabulary and organizing principles behind the rest of geology: mineral definition and identification, the three rock classes and the rock cycle, relative and absolute dating, the geologic time scale, and Earth's layered interior. Questions often ask you to identify a material or infer a process from a short description.
340 words, about 2 min02Surface Processes: Weathering, Erosion, and Landscapes
Surface processes explain how rock is broken down, moved, and deposited at Earth's surface. Expect questions on weathering, soils, mass wasting, streams, groundwater, glaciers, wind, and coasts, with emphasis on linking a process to its landform or sediment.
359 words, about 2 min03Tectonic Earth Processes: Plates, Quakes, and Mountains
This domain covers plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, deformation, and mountain building. Questions ask you to relate boundary types to earthquake depth, volcano style, faulting, and topographic features.
358 words, about 2 min04Applications: Resources, Hazards, and Environmental Geology
Applications asks you to use geology in practical settings: mineral and energy resources, groundwater supply and contamination, geologic hazards, engineering decisions, climate proxies, and map interpretation. Expect straightforward calculations and scenario-based reasoning.
359 words, about 2 min