Data-Informed Decisions

Curriculum Changes due to student exit interviews and assessments, Regent's external review, and input from our Advisory Board and Industry Council.

New Environmental Geosciences major and certificate
To provide interdisciplinary educational options in the environmental aspects of geosciences, we launched a new BS/BA degree program. This replaced the Applied Environmental Geosciences emphasis under the Geology major. The AEG emphasis was not distinct enough to serve student interests and had low enrollment. This new degree combines aspects of the traditional geology degree with course offerings in biology, ecology, and natural resources, and a flexible capstone experience. An Environmental Geosciences Certificate program was launched at the same time. Effective Fall 2025.

Field Methods course
In response to time-to-completion concerns, GEO 4700 Field Methods was changed to a lower division course (GEO 3900 Field Methods). The prior course required Structural Geology as a prerequisite and this resulted in delays for some students with a cascading impact to when they could take Field Camp (that has a Field Methods prerequisite). Now this course is taught in the Fall semester, prior to Structural Geology, aimed at building more foundational skills in geologic field methods. This change will enable students to take summer Field Camp as early as their Junior year, improving time to completion. Effective Fall 2024.

Paleontology Certificate program
In response to student exit interviews and stated interest, a Paleontology Certificate program was developed, which leverages connections to the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum, our Museum of Geology, and the USU Museum Studies program. Effective Fall 2024

Professional degree emphasis
In response to student feedback and interest in more practical training toward employment with a bachelor’s degree, we developed the Professional emphasis in the Geology major with an increased focus on professional skill development. This included development of three new courses:  Geology 3800 Geoscience Workforce Techniques, Geology 5210 Geoprofessional Practicum, and Geology 5570 Engineering Geology. Effective Fall 2021

Prerequisite changes for Geology 3550 and Geology 3700
Students indicated that prerequisites for Geology 3550, Sedimentation & Stratigraphy, and Geology 3700, Structural Geology, impacted their scheduling and delayed graduation. Prerequisites for these courses were modified accordingly.  Effective Fall 2018

Splitting the Geology 3200 (now 2200) laboratory section from the lecture section
In response to the expansion of our Statewide programs and student exit interviews, the laboratory section of Geology 3200 (now 2200), Earth through Time, was split from the lecture section. This provides students with flexibility to complete the laboratory in a later semester at the Logan campus if they become Geology majors.  Effective Spring 2017.

Development of new course, Geology 3400
In response to student and faculty assessment results, a new course, Geology 3400, Communicating Geoscience, was added to help our students refine their communications skill set.  Course was first taught in Spring 2016.  This became a required course for all Geology majors starting Fall 2017.