May. The course is taught by Dr. William Hammer and can be taken for one or three credits which can be applied to Augustana's natural science requirement. The course is highly recommended for geology majors, but can be taken by any interested students who receive the permission of the instructor. All food, transportation and tuition costs are included in the cost of the program. In addition to fossil cllection, a geologic overview of the area is presented and studied. Because the students are not in a classroom, they have the chance to directly observe the topics they are studying, both while in the field on the ranch, and during a tour of Badlands National Park.
Students learn to plaster up a large fossil so that it can be safely moved.
While on site at the ranch, participants stay in tents and cook meals in teams for the entire group. Days are spent in the field collecting fossils and observing the local geology. In the evening after dinner, there is time for questions to be addressed about the days finds. The rest of the evening is spent in relaxation and fun preparing for the next day. Homes away from homes.