GEOJOURNEY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPEDITIONARY FIELD TRIP ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

Four introductory-level courses were developed at BGSU and are taught concurrently in an interdisciplinary format as part of a nine-week, 13,000 mile expeditionary field trip to 29 national and state parklands across the US during fall semester. The expedition is called “GeoJourney” and was inspired by our experience with and the long-term success of the UGA-IFP (Lyle et al., 2002). GeoJourney offers students the opportunity to study geology, American Indian studies, and environmental studies in an outdoor environment. During the day, students carry out field investigations in a variety of environments, including day hikes and geologic mapping projects at high elevation. At night, campfire lectures and discussions, reading assignments, and written exams enhance the educational experience. The expedition travels by van, moving every few days to new campsites across the US to national parklands including: Badlands, Yellowstone, Glacier, Mt. St. Helens, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains. The itinerary is designed to give students first-hand experience in a wide range of geographic environments and an opportunity to study each subject in a holistic framework. Undergraduates with any major and at any point in their academic careers can participate. Class size is limited to 24 students. Students completing GeoJourney receive 16 hours of credit in: Geology 250- Field-based Physical Geology (5hrs), Geology 251- Field-based Historical Geology (5hrs), American Culture Studies 252- Indigenous Cultures of North America (3hrs), and Environmental Studies 253- Environments in Context (3hrs). Because these courses are taught in an interdisciplinary format, students must enroll in all four classes. The courses fulfill the BGSU general education requirements in natural science and two social science requirements: cultural diversity in America and international perspectives. Honors credit is optional for all four courses. The cost of the program, including all food, travel, camping, and entrance fees is $1,700 in addition to BGSU tuition. The cost does not include books or personal camping equipment. The cost of this program and a full semester of general education course credit which can by applied to any major make this field experience a viable alternative to campus-based education.