Geology BS
Program Purpose
This program prepares graduates for professional employment in industry or government or for advanced studies in geological sciences, related fields, business, or law. The underlying core values and philosophies of this program are those espoused in the BYU Mission and AIMS.
The most significant co-curricular activities that support program goals include University Devotionals and Forums, service opportunities such as the Geology Club, travel to professional meetings, mentored experiences, and internships. Perhaps the most significant of these are mentored experiences focused on research with faculty members and graduate students. Exit interviews with our students also reveal that field trips and field experiences contribute greatly to their understanding of principles learned in classroom settings and build enthusiasm for the science that will be passed along to others.
Curricular Structure
Learning Outcomes
Effective Inquiry and Communication
Demonstrate competence in scientific inquiry, writing, and oral presentation.
Be employable in geology-related fields, or able to further their education in graduate programs.
Demonstrate competence in relevant computer applications, laboratory methods, and field methods.
Demonstrate the ability to critically discuss issues related to geology that impact society and planet Earth.
Demonstrate the ability to critically discuss the relationship between science and religion.
Evidence of Learning
Specific courses in the core curriculum are tailored to fulfill particular program learning outcomes. Both direct and indirect measures are used to evaluate how well our students meet these criteria.
Direct Measures
1. Grade distributions of the required major courses are also used as direct measures of student learning, since the topics discussed in these courses are aligned with the program objectives. Some of these courses (GEOL 210, 230, 410) are project oriented, and the entire grade is based on how well students perform at particular tasks involving data collection, lab analysis, computerized mapping, and written/oral presentation. No D-credit is allowed in any of the major courses.
2. The Alumni Questionnaire (AQ), and department exit surveys and alumni surveys are also used as direct measures of student employability and ability to go on to graduate studies. These data permit us to assess how well the program prepares students to compete for jobs and admittance to graduate programs.
Indirect Measures
1. The AQ and department surveys of alumni employers, graduate advisors, and graduates give us an indirect measure of how well the program has fulfilled the learning outcomes.
2. The undergraduate mentoring program is an important avenue for developing scientific inquiry skills among students. Therefore, we encourage students to participate in this program and to present their research at the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Student Research Conferences, as well as at national and international scientific meetings.
3. We continue to bring in career-oriented seminars and to host recruiters.
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
Assessment and Improvement of Teaching
Teaching performance is assessed with a combination of student evaluations, peer reviews and annual stewardship interviews with the department chair. Student evaluations are collected for each course taught in the department. Although these online evaluations are not direct measures of either teaching or learning, they are effective gauges of student attitudes and their perceptions of the value that a course has added to their education. Numerical scores and student comments for each faculty member are reviewed at least annually by the department chair. Peer reviews of teaching play a critical role in rank and status reviews and complement student evaluations in providing an assessment of teaching performance.
Department Assessment Committee
Brooks Britt, Dept. Chair; John McBride, Associate Chair; Greg Carling, Associate Chair