GeoJourney
Department
of Geology, 190 Overman Hall
http://www.geojourney.org
Overview
GeoJourney is a nine-week field trip/camping
trip across the United States offered Fall Semester.
Students have the opportunity to study geology,
American culture studies, and environmental
studies in an "open-air" outdoor environment
that combines aspects of social, biological,
and geological sciences into an integrated learning
experience.
During
the 63-day excursion, the program travels from
coast to coast across the U.S. and uses many
parklands in the western U.S. as settings to
conduct interdisciplinary field investigations.
The itinerary is designed to give students first-hand
experience in a wide range of geographic environments
and to give them an opportunity to study each
of the subjects in a holistic framework.
GeoJourney
travels to 24 states across the US and visits
29 national parklands, including: Yellowstone,
Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Great Smoky
Mountains, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Mesa
Verde, Chaco Canyon, and Mt. St. Helens. There
are 7 days off during the nine weeks, which
occur on days when the program visits cities
such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, and New Orleans.
The
program travels by van, moving every few days
to new camp sites. Participants provide their
own essential camping equipment. During the
day, students will carry out field investigations
in a variety of geographic environments, including
some day hikes at high elevation. Some projects
require several days of field work and project
reports or maps. At night, campfire lectures
and discussions, along with reading assignments
and written exams, enhance the educational experience.
Course
Credit
Students successfully completing GeoJourney
receive 18 hours of BG Perspective credit in
five courses:
- GEOL
250: Field-based
Physical Geology (5 hrs.)
- GEOL
251: Field-based
Historical Geology (5 hrs.)
- ACS
252: Indigenous
Cultures of North America (3 hrs.)
- ENVS
253: Environments
in Context (3 hrs.)
- HNRS
300: GeoJourney
Critical Thinking
The
courses are corequisite and satisfy the BG Perspective
Requirements in Natural Science, Cultural Diversity
in the U.S., and Social and Behavioral Science,
International Perspectives. Honors credit is
optional for all five courses. Students can
only register for the courses by permission
of instructor after they have been accepted
to the program.
Participation
and Application
Application to GeoJourney is competitive due
to the academically, physically, and emotionally
intense nature of field work. Undergraduates
with any major and at any point in their academic
careers can participate. Applications from high
school seniors who are entering the University
in the fall are encouraged. Applications are
evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Class size
is limited to 24 students.
Students
should apply to participate in GeoJourney prior
to and during pre-registration for Fall Semester.
We recommend that students register for class
on-campus in order to insure that they get the
classes they want for Fall Semester in the event
they are not selected for the GeoJourney program.
Dates
The program departs from BGSU around the middle
of August, before classes begin on campus, and
returns to BGSU around the middle of October.
Participants are finished with academic coursework
for the semester at the end of the program and
are free to pursue other opportunities. Participants
do not sign a housing contract for fall semester
but need to make housing arrangements for their
return. A GeoJourney reunion event will be held
prior to Thanksgiving break. Many students may
opt for temporary full-time employment upon
returning from the trip.
Contact
Information
More information can be found on-line at http://www.geojourney.org;
by calling Nikki Elkins, the Director of GeoJourney,
at 419-372-6540; by visiting the program office
in room 279 of Overman Hall; or contacting the
BGSU Honors Program. Applications can be found
on-line at http://www.geojourney.org/aponline.htm.
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