Online and hybrid instruction as a response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presented specific challenges in geosciences due to the role of laboratory and field activities. We carried out a research study on student learning in undergraduate mineralogy at a large public research university in the United States over a 4-year period including pre-pandemic in-person instruction and during pandemic online and hybrid instruction. A total of 94 students participated in course activities and mixed-method surveys. Survey results indicated that during the pandemic, students entered the course with lower sense of belonging relative to pre-pandemic students. Despite challenges related to instruction and student learning since 2020, the pandemic did not necessarily produce worse learning outcomes for mineralogy students as measured by course assessments. Structured course delivery and opportunities for interaction can offset challenges resulting from global emergencies.