USE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE BOARDS OF GEOLOGY‘S FUNDAMENTALS OF GEOLOGY EXAMINATION AS A GEOLOGY PROGRAM ASSESSMENT TOOL

The Mississippi State University (MSU) Department of Geosciences (Department) uses the National Association of State Boards of Geology‘s (ASBOG) Fundamentals of Geology (FG) examination as an assessment tool for its undergraduate geology program. Although the Department recognizes that not all geologists will be, or need to be registered, it requires that all of its students majoring in geology take the FG exam as an exit exam. The Department uses the results of those examinations in assessment of its undergraduate geology program is several ways. The department looks at the overall score in relation to the national pass rate on the FG exam as the department wants to provide enough content for the bachelor's degree that the graduate would have a reasonable chance to pass the “examination of their profession.” In addition, the Department looks at the trend of the average score of all students over time. Assessments from looking at the overall scores have resulted in changes in our curriculum. Aside from the more broad use of the overall scores, specific areas are also assessed. The Department receives data on each of the domains of the FG exam. Assessment of the domain specific data has shown more specific strengths and weaknesses in the program. Once identified, changes have been made in the program to address weaknesses. Those changes have included change in instructors, changes in course content, and changes in curriculum. The resulting curriculum contains a few specified departmental courses, but many choices among upper level departmental courses. Because the geology curriculum does not require totally specified coursework the Department has had success in using the ASBOG FG exam as an assessment tool for its undergraduate geology program while maintaining a relatively flexible curriculum.