Yellowstone Field Study: More Information
University Honors College Ecology Summer Field Course
(BIOSC 0740)
Summer four-week field course
Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Session one: June 13–July 12
Session two: July 12–August 10
General Information
Director
University of Pittsburgh
University Honors College
Edward McCord, PhD, JD
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
412-624-6886
Location
K-Z Ranch (pronounced "K bar Z")
The field program is held at the K-Z Ranch, located on the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (State Route 296) that follows the Clarks Fork Yellowstone River, Wyoming's only National Wild and Scenic River. The northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park is only 25 miles away. The ranch offers excellent living accommodations and is perfectly situated to provide a starting point for the program's field trips to Yellowstone, the Beartooth Mountains, Sunlight Basin, the Clarks Fork Canyon, and other destinations.
Photos from previous sessions:
Yellowstone 2001 session one (photos by Steve Anderson, prior years' geology instructor)
Yellowstone 2001 session two (photos by Steve Anderson)
K-Z Guest Ranch
P.O. Box 2167
Cody, WY 82414
307-587-4410
Teaching faculty
University of Pittsburgh
William Harbert, PhD
Professor of Geology and Planetary Science
200 SRCC Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
University of Wyoming
Gary Beauvais, PhD
Director, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database
216 Old Biochemistry
Laramie, WY 82071-3381
307-766-3027
University of Pittsburgh
University Honors College
Edward McCord, PhD, JD
3500 Cathedral of Learning
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
General description
This course is team taught by three consecutive faculty members. Classes meet six days a week (Monday through Saturday), beginning immediately after breakfast and ending at dinner. There is ample free time for recreation and contemplation, and this course is designed to provide students with profound aesthetic, physical, and spiritual as well as intellectual adventures. Field studies are emphasized and comprise at least 50 percent of the student contact hours. These field experiences include part-day and full-day trips by van, overnight backpacking trips, and part-day horse trips to higher elevations. There is extensive hiking, often strenuous and at altitudes above 10,000 feet.
Course content
The three consecutive faculty members of this course cover three subjects: (1) the physical origins of the Yellowstone National Park region; (2) the organization and function of the major Yellowstone ecosystems; and (3) philosophical, economic, political, and legal issues that arise in contemplating the future of the Yellowstone region.
Field trips
Students are expected to attend all field trips. At least 50 percent of the course time is spent in the field, i.e., areas within or adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. Field trips consist of visits to prepared exhibits within and outside the park, to museums within and outside the park, to the Yellowstone Institute in the Lamar Valley, and to events such as the Cody Rodeo. Field trips also include hiking, often strenuous, at altitudes above 10,000 feet. Students are expected to fully appreciate both the physical and intellectual dimensions of this course and should be physically prepared for these types of challenging activities.
Students
This course should appeal to a wide range of able and motivated students. Future politicians, historians, writers, and philosophers as well as biologists, geologists, and anthropologists would benefit from this interdisciplinary exploration of a region having unparalleled environmental interest and significance.
Prerequisites
Because students from many different departments are encouraged to take this course, there are no prerequisites. It is anticipated that capable students will rapidly acquire the limited amount of background knowledge needed in the course.
Cost
In addition to the cost of tuition (four credits), a further fee of $2,050 covers all room, board, books, ground transportation, and park and event fees for the month. There is also an additional charge for airfare to and from Billings, Mont. We make the four-hour round trip to and from the Billings airport once to gather students on the date of class arrival and once to deliver students on the date of class departure.
Class size
Ten students per section; two sections per summer (June–July and July–August)
Texts
Each of the three sections of this field course requires you to read specific background material. The texts will be distributed to you at least six weeks prior to the start of your session. It is imperative that you read the material before your session begins. Most of your course time will be spent either in the field or discussing the application of the basic material to your observations. A small library of readings is available at the K-Z Ranch, which can be used to expand your understanding of course topics beyond the basic level presented in your assigned readings.
Exams/grading
There will be three examinations given at the end of each of the three sections of the course. The first exam will focus primarily upon the geology of the greater Yellowstone region. The second exam will test your knowledge of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The third exam will focus upon your understanding of a range of prominent philosophical, legal, political, and economic issues that have arisen for environmentalism in the Yellowstone area. The ecology and geology exams may involve oral or written field practicums. The issues exam will involve written essays.