STUDENT SUCCESS PATHWAYS: CURRICULA STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT COLLEGE AND WORKFORCE READINESS

Intentionally designed curricula that center student success have the potential to facilitate collaboration, foster community and networking, and empower students to be engaged members of their departmental, institutional, and disciplinary communities. In support of this, the Dept. of Geology & Environmental Earth Science at Miami University offers courses for students at a variety of levels in both undergraduate and graduate programs (GLG x47). Since 2016, first-year undergraduate majors enroll in a 1-credit Introductory Seminar (GLG 147) that helps students engage with on-campus resources (e.g., libraries, advising, health and wellness) in addition to faculty-mentored research opportunities within the department. Beginning in Fall 2024, the department offers a 1-credit hour Geoscience Career Readiness course (GLG 347), a professional development course that aims to 1) support undergraduate students as they navigate their degree programs, 2) communicate opportunities (e.g., internships, fellowships), and 3) prepare students for their career post-graduation. Since Fall 2021, all incoming graduate students enroll in a 1-credit Graduate Onboarding course (GLG 647). This course is designed for new students to build self-efficacy, and promote equity and inclusion by helping all students develop the skills needed to succeed in graduate school. This course focuses on the informal “hidden curriculum” that can complement formal student learning to help individuals lead successful graduate-level pathways and careers. From student feedback, a writing-focused offering of GLG 647 was offered in Spring 2024. The design of this was informed by a semester-long certificate program: Supporting Graduate Learning Through Writing offered by the on-campus Writing Center, student survey data, and qualitative feedback from our alumni (including those in non-academic professions).

In this presentation, the approaches, dialogue, changes, and challenges that have been encountered will be shared. As our department continues to embed these course sequences throughout the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, surveys and focus groups will be conducted, and alumni interviewed in order to continue to implement student-centered, research-based best practices which prioritize student success.