Accreditation and Assessment

A full description of our undergraduate programs are available here: Geology BS, Geological Engineering BS.
 

Find additional information, including Objectives and Outcomes for each program below.

Learn more about Accreditation at South Dakota Mines.

Geology BS

The Geology (BS) is accredited by the Applied Natural Sciences Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Geology, Geological Science and Similarly Named Programs.

Program Educational Objectives

Program educational objectives are broad statements that describe what graduates are expected to attain within a few years after graduation. Program educational objectives are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies. The program educational objectives of the South Dakota Mines geology bachelor’s degree program are to produce graduates who can:

1. Pursue productive careers as geoscientists and/or succeed in graduate or professional educational programs
2. Continue professional growth, including -- but not limited to -- becoming leaders in professional organizations and/or earning licensures or certifications
3. Become advocates for science through effective communication to broad audiences

Student Outcomes for Geology are:

Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know or be able to do by the time of graduation from the geology program. These outcomes relate to the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program.

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve broadly defined technical or scientific problems by applying knowledge of mathematics and science and/or technical topics to areas relevant to the discipline.
   
2. An ability to formulate or design a system, process, procedure or program to meet desired needs.
   
3. An ability to develop and conduct experiments or test hypotheses, analyze and interpret data and use scientific judgment to draw conclusions.
   
4. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
   
5. An ability to understand ethical and professional responsibilities and the impact of technical and/or scientific solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
   
6. An ability to function effectively on teams that establish goals, plan tasks, meet deadlines, and analyze risk and uncertainty.

Geological Engineering BS

The Geological Engineering (BS) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria of the Program Criteria for Geological and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Program Educational Objectives

These program educational objectives describe what graduates of the geological engineering program are expected to attain within a few years after graduation. These objectives are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies.

1. Graduates of the geological engineering program will perform competently in professional practice in the areas of:

• groundwater
• environmental site planning and natural hazards
• geomechanics and geotechnics
• fuels or minerals

2. Graduates will successfully achieve continued professional development and/or licensure.

Student Outcomes for Geological Engineering are:

These student outcomes describe what students are expected to know or be able to do by the time of graduation from the geological engineering program. These relate to the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the program.

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
8. An ability to apply geological engineering principles to field problems.