103-12 What’s the Difference?: An Evaluation of the Differences in Course Requirements Between BS and BA Degrees in Geology Within the United States

Session: Balancing Tradition and Innovation: Evolving Geoscience Curricula for a Changing World (Posters)

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While pursuing undergraduate degrees, students may be offered to complete a Bachelor’s in Arts or Science within the same major. Across Geology departments in the United States, there has been no standard difference between the two options, meaning a geology BS or BA degree could vary vastly between schools. Furthermore, there are certain assumptions, whether true or not, associated with the degree options that may impact students’ decision-making and how the degree may be perceived by post-graduate career opportunities. It is important to concretely identify the structure of each degree option within Geology degrees and identify any existing differences between the two.  

Here we present the findings from a systematic evaluation of 67 BA Geology degrees and compare them to the data on BS Geology degrees from Klyce & Ryker, 2022. In addition to the core required classes offered by Geology departments, the required cognate science courses, including chemistry, physics, math and biology, were reviewed and analyzed for both degree options. A key finding of this research was that the BS degree pathway requires more field work than the BA, which in turn has more flexibility and options for interdisciplinary work for the required core geology courses. Additionally, data indicates that the BS degree path requires significantly more cognate science courses than the BA degree, impacting the preparation of students for upper level geology courses and certain geoscience careers. Finally, the types of core required courses and the frequency of their requirement in both degree options were compared to the Association of State Boards of Geology (ASBOG) Field Geologist Test Blueprint (ASBOG, 2023) to understand how the Geology degrees’ topical material compares to the professional license’s expectations. There were significant differences between the test and both degree types. More research is needed to understand the implications of the mismatch. The findings from this research suggest that there are subtle differences between the two options for Geology degrees. Understanding such differences are important to empower students to make informed decisions on their degree paths, and for departments to thoughtfully curate curriculum for their students. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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