Volcanism is one of the most important processes that shape our earth.
The process is driven by movements within the interior of the earth and is intimately linked to the mechanism of convection and the process of plate tectonics. Understanding volcanism involves understanding how magma is generated, how it moves, what controls the movement of magma both within and on the earth. It therefore affords the student an opportunity to address fundamental issues in geology. In studying volcanic processes the student has to use the many fundamental principles of geology learnt in earlier courses to help understand a process, thereby completing a very important aspect of scientific training - using and applying basic tenets to understand or solve natural processes or problems. Many geologic processes operate at such a slow pace that they remain abstract and remote from everyday life.