I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 1/27/11)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change existing
gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be
submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status.
Group
III. Language
VII: Social Sciences
(submit
III Exception: Symbolic Systems * VIII: Ethics & Human Values
separate forms
IV: Expressive Arts
IX: American & European
if requesting
V: Literary & Artistic Studies
X: Indigenous & Global
more than one
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies
XI: Natural Sciences
X
general
w/ lab X w/out lab 
education
group
*Courses proposed for this designation must be standing requirements of
designation)
majors that qualify for exceptions to the modern and classical language
requirement
Dept/Program College of Forestry & Conservation
Course #
ENSC 245
Course Title
Prerequisite
Soils
CHMY 121N
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
3
Date
12/11/12
Instructor
Cory C. Cleveland
12/11/12
Phone / Email 243-6018; cory.cleveland@umontana.edu
12/11/12
Program Chair Laurie Yung
12/11/12
Dean
Michael Patterson
III. Type of request
New
One-time Only
Renew X
Change
Remove
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Renewal
Description of change
N/A
IV. Description and purpose of new general education course: General Education courses
must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/archives/minutes/gened/GE_preamble.aspx
Soils have been described as the Earth’s Final Frontier. In many ways the ground beneath our
feet is as alien as a distant planet. Processes that occur in the in the top few centimeters of the
Earth’s surface provide the basis for all life on dry land, and yet we, as creatures of the aerial
world, have an incomplete and distorted view of soil. The purpose of this course is to provide
students with a "hands-on" introduction to the soil resource, its ecology, and its management,
and to provide you with an introduction to the techniques used to study the amazing
“underworld.” The lab component of this class allows students get their hands dirty, and
hopefully, delving deeper into the hidden world of soils will reveal some surprising connections
to our more familiar, above ground environment, and make subterraneana a far less alien
experience.
Over the course of the semester, students will practice the art of observing and describing soil,
the geomorphology of soils, and the relationship between plant communities and the soil
mosaic on the landscape. Students will be introduced to the mechanics of water movement in
soil, the dynamics of ion movement in soil, the basics of soil classification, some important
aspects of soil biology, and the role of soil and soil processes in "waste" management (i.e., the
human enterprise). The field labs in this course are organized to demonstrate how climate,
parent material, slope, biological activity, and time (the state factors) all influence soil
formation, and the lectures provide additional, critical detail about these phenomena.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
This course uses the scientific method to
This course has a lecture component, in
explore how soils are formed (through analysis which the basic principles and language of
of the state factors of soil formation), how they soil science are covered, and the lectures are
provide the basis for critical above- and
complemented with a laboratory component
belowground ecosystem function, and how their that reinforces those concepts and allows the
management should be carefully considered to
students to actually observe soils in the
sustain both natural and managed ecosystems.
natural environment.
Each week, we begin with a set of simple
The laboratory component of the course
questions (hypotheses) and use the lecture and
culminates in an all day field trip in which
laboratory components of the course to make
the students apply the knowledge gained
observations, collect and analyze data, and
over the course of the semester. Students
make conclusions about how soils form and
design and conduct independent projects,
function.
collect and analyze data, and prepare
rigorous reports akin to those submitted by
professionals to peer reviewed journals.
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
This course meets many of the established
learning goals. Through both lecture and
laboratory classes, we first explore the
fundamental principles of soil science. We
begin with the most basic scientific process:
Observation. We then use simple observations to
guide the students through the process of
forming questions that lead to tangible, testable
hypotheses.
Each week, we travel to a new site and ask to
students to use their knowledge to analyze soil
pits and vegetation characteristics. Following
data collection, we ask the students to assemble
and analyze those data, and to calculate and
understand the inherent variability that is part of
doing science, to understand significance and
uncertainty, and to use that information to make
appropriate conclusions.
After students have had an opportunity to
observe how soils vary in both space and
time, we provide them with the tools they
need to collect data to interpret that
variation over the landscape.
By the end of the term, students should have
the ability to understand the scientific
process, the ability to form testable
hypotheses, a firm grasp of the methods
necessary to test a number of soil and
ecosystem characteristics, and the
knowledge to analyze and interpret those
data to make sound conclusions based on
robust results.
VII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry
at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level. If the course has more than one
pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200
level), provide rationale for exception(s).
N/A
VIII. 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
See attached.
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and
corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.