What is Differential Tuition for Students in the College of Geosciences?
Differential tuition is an additional charge that is currently used to pay for:
- Enhancements and upgrades to undergraduate teaching laboratories and classes with a focus on updating technology
- Additional instructors to support course offerings and undergraduate participation in high impact learning experiences
- Support for field experiences such as Field Camp for Geology and Geophysics
The College of Geosciences is proposing to increase the differential tuition to $244.39 per semester to ensure that allgeoscience undergraduate majors have an opportunity to participate in a field experience in addition to continuing support for classroom and laboratory enhancements, and additional instructors for undergraduate courses. Even with the proposed increase the tuition and fees paid by students in the College of Geosciences will be less than is paid by students in comparable geoscience programs across the country.
Examples of the field experiences that will be supported by the increase in differential tuition include shipboard measurements in the Gulf of Mexico, hydrologic measurements in the rainforests of Costa Rica, launching of weather balloons and mapping the geology of the western UnitedStates as part of field camp.
Why does the College of Geosciences want to increase differential tuition?
Field experiences for undergraduate majors in the College of Geosciences, whether they takeplace in Texas, the western United States, abroad or at sea, are an essential element of a highquality education in the Geosciences.
In the field, students reinforce their classroom learningand emulate the activities of professional geoscientists by conducting all aspects of a project. The projects alsostimulate deeper interest in the subject matter as well as complex reasoning skills, and arestructured to develop strong teamwork and communication skills among students.
Prospectiveemployers expect Texas A&M Geosciences students to graduate with these skills andknowledge.The increase in differential tuition will ensure thatallgeoscience majors will have an opportunity to participate in a field experience before graduating.
Who pays Differential Tuition?
Each semester all undergraduate students in the College of Geosciences are charged a differential tuition rate of $107.45. We are proposing to increase the differential tuition to $244.39 per semester to ensure that allgeoscience majors will be able to participate in a field experience.
How will the increase in differential tuition be spent?
Funds raised through the increase in differential tuition will be used to support the following field experiences:
- METL majors participating in the Student Operational Aggie Doppler Radar Project(SOAP) program each year
- GEOG and GIST majors participating in a common field experience in the first yearat Texas A&M University along the Texas Coast, mountains of Colorado and CostaRica
- GEOL and GEOP students to participate in field experiences in each of year of theprogram
- Students completing an OCNG minor to gain scientific cruise experience in the Gulf of Mexico throughout their time in College Station
- ENGS and ENST students will be able to participate in any of the field and studyabroad programs listed above
These programs are in addition to the other numerous field, research and study abroad opportunities also available to students in the College of Geosciences. As noted, these programs will ensure that allgeoscience majors will have an opportunity to participate in a field experience.
How do I provide input regarding differential tuition?
We would like to hear your input regarding differential tuition. Please send your comments to and come to our differential tuition hearing on Monday November 9, 2015 between 4 and 5 pm in O&M 203.