I. ASCRC General Education Form
Group
XI: Natural Science
Dept/Program
Geosciences
Course Title
Prerequisite
Course #
Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Natural Hazards
None
Credits
103
3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Instructor
Dr. Michael Sperazza
Phone / Email
sperazza@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair
Dr. William Woessner
Dean
III. Description and purpose of the course: General Education courses must be introductory
and foundational. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
Examination of volcanism, earthquakes, landslides, floods, coastal erosion, hurricanes, and
asteroid impacts. Emphasis on processes, recognition and consequences of catastrophic events,
and how to minimize their societal impacts.
IV. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Criteria 1: Course explores a discipline in the
Course explores the scientific study of
natural sciences and demonstrates how the
earthquakes, volcanoes and natural hazards,
scientific method is used within the discipline
including analysis of the application of the
to draw scientific conclusions.
scientific method to these studies.
Criteria 2: Courses address the concept of
analytic uncertainty and the rigorous process
required to take an idea to a hypothesis and then
to a validated scientific theory.
Discussions and independent reading
assignments regarding the geoscientific
processes used to study earthquakes,
volcanoes, landslides, floods, coastal
erosion, hurricanes, and asteroid impacts
includes considerable analysis of methods
and uncertainties involved.
Criteria 3: Labs engage students in inquirybased learning activities where they formulate a
hypothesis, design an experiment to test the
hypothesis, and collect, interpret, and present
the data to support their conclusions.
Exercises geared to test hypotheses
regarding earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides,
floods, coastal erosion, hurricanes, and
asteroid impacts involve inquiry-based
analysis through experimental design and the
collection, interpretation, and presentation of
data.
V. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Learning Goal 1: Understand general principles Addressed through lectures, independent
associated with the discipline studied
reading, and laboratory assignments
involving analysis of earthquakes,
volcanoes, landslides, floods, coastal
erosion, hurricanes, and asteroid impacts.
Lectures, laboratories, and independent
Learning Goal 2: Understand the methodology
and activities scientists use to gather, validate,
assignments will involve analysis of the
and interpret data related to natural processes
methods and activities used to study
earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods,
coastal erosion, hurricanes, and asteroid
impacts.
Learning Goals 3 and 4: Detect patterns, draw
Laboratory assignments will focus directly
conclusions, develop conjectures and
on the use of the scientific method
hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means (development of hypotheses, experimental
and experiments. 4. Understand how scientific
design, detection of patterns and
laws and theories are verified by quantitative
formulation of conclusions) to study and
measurement, scientific observation, and
verify hypotheses regarding earthquakes,
logical/critical reasoning
volcanoes, landslides, floods, coastal
erosion, hurricanes, and asteroid impacts.
Learning Goal 5: Understand the means by
Lecture and laboratory activities involving
which analytic uncertainty is quantified and
the analysis of earthquakes, volcanoes,
expressed in the natural sciences
landslides, floods, coastal erosion,
hurricanes, and asteroid impacts will
specifically consider the quantification of
analytic uncertainty and its expression in
relevant data sets.
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. ⇓ The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
Current syllabus attached.
*Please note: As an instructor of a general education course, you will be expected to provide
sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.