Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Course credit for a weekend field trip
You can earn one or more hours of college credit by taking introductory geology field trips.
On these field trips across Texas and nearby states, you’ll see geology where it really exists – in the great outdoors! We explore extinct volcanoes, dinosaur footprints, collapsed caves, mountains of granite and much more. You’ll learn practical information about geologic hazards and discover why the Earth is so vulnerable to environmental damage.
The field trips are led by geology professors who are experts in various areas and will give you a guided tour of some of the most interesting and scenic regions of Texas and surrounding states. Part of the fun is camping out. To rent gear, visit the Student Recreation Center.
Choose from several field trips
- Hill Country Field Trip (GEOL 4171-003): On our most popular field trip, earn two credit hours for a weekend in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. This part of the state has a great diversity of rock types, fossils and land features, including Enchanted Rock.
- Galveston Field Trip (GEOL 4171-005): Earn one credit hour for a two-day field trip in the Galveston area. Learn how beaches and bays form, delve into the environmental problems associated with these fragile seashores and camp at Galveston Island State Park.
- Arkansas Field Trip (GEOL 4171-007): Earn two credit hours for a weekend of camping in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. Collect big quartz crystals and explore the folds and fractures caused by the building of the mountains.
- Nacogdoches Field Trip (GEOL 4171-006): Earn one credit hour for a one-day field trip on the SFA campus and nearby historic Nacogdoches. Learn how geology influenced the development of the city, and explore our unique environmental problems first-hand.
It’s easy to sign up
Just go to your mySFA account, and add a field trip to your course schedule. You can sign up for more than one for additional credit. There are no prerequisites, and the courses count toward upper-level general electives. Some trips may be limited to freshman and sophomores due to space constraints. Field trips fill up quickly, so sign up early.