Santa Clara University

7. Natural Science

PURPOSE: The purpose of the natural science requirement is to enable students to become active participants and to assume leadership roles in the increasingly scientific and technological world in which they live. The requirement will provide students with the intellectual skills needed to deal effectively with science in their personal, professional, and public lives.

STUDENT OUTCOMES: Students should attain an ability to analyze scientific problems, generate logical hypotheses, evaluate evidence, and tolerate ambiguity. Through an introduction to the scientific method based as much as feasible on actual laboratory exercises, students should demonstrate the ability to raise questions about science and technology in their own lives, as well as in the society in which they live.

COURSES: Students must complete at least one laboratory science course as part of their Core Curriculum.

Some of the courses listed on page 14 have prerequisites; see the Under-graduate Bulletin listings for detailed information on prerequisites. Normally, students not majoring in science-related disciplines do not take science courses with prerequisites.

BUSINESS students must take one of the laboratory natural science courses from the list below.

ENGINEERING students, as part of their school’s program, are required to take three physics courses and at least one chemistry course depending on their particular major. These courses fulfill the one-course requirement in laboratory natural science.

ARTS AND SCIENCES students may be required to take specific courses in natural science as part of their major program. Requirements for arts and humanities students and for social science, natural science, and mathematics majors are covered below:

Students majoring in the social sciences, natural sciences, or mathematics (B.S.) must select two natural science courses from the list below, including at least one laboratory science course. Mathematics and computer science (mathematics) majors fulfill their laboratory science requirement by taking Physics 32. Students in all of the science-related majors should consult the Undergraduate Bulletin or their academic advisor for the details of this requirement. The minimum of two natural science courses, including one laboratory science, that mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, and combined sciences majors are required to take is fulfilled through courses in the major program.

Those who major in humanities or arts (B.A.) must select either two mathematics and one laboratory science course, or one mathematics and two natural science courses (including at least one laboratory science course) from the following list.

LABORATORY SCIENCE

Anthropology

1 Introduction to Physical Anthropology

Biology

3 Fitness Physiology
4 Light and Life
5 Endangered Ecosystems
6 The Oceans
7 Heart and Body
8 Ecosystems of the San Francisco Bay Area
16 The Biology of Music
17 The Biology of Language
18 Exploring Biotechnology

Chemistry

1 Chemistry and the Environment
3 Chemistry in the Ancient World
4 Everyday Organic Chemistry
11 General Chemistry I
19 Chemistry for Teachers

Dance

4 The Physics of Dance

Environmental Studies

13 Soil, Water, and Air

Physics

1 Hands-on Physics
2 Introduction to Astronomy: the Solar System
3 Introduction to Astronomy: the Universe
4 The Physics of Dance

Psychology

65 Foundations of Behavioral Neuroscience (NOTE: Psychology 65 and 165 cannot both be taken for Natural Science Credit)

The quarterly Schedule of Classes provides a comprehensive list of those courses offered in a particular quarter that meet this requirement.

(NON-LABORATORY) NATURAL SCIENCE

Anthropology

130 Primate Behavioral Ecology
132 Human Evolution
133 Human Nutrition and Culture
134 Health, Disease, and Culture
135 Human Development and Sexuality
136 Forensics
142 Environmental Archaeology

Biology

1 Genetics, Evolution, Humankind
2 Human Health/Human Disease
9 Cancer
19 Biology for Teachers
21 Physiology
28 Human Sexuality

Chemistry

2 Chemistry in the Modern World
7 Energy and the Environment
8 An Organic View of the World

Environmental Studies

2 Energy and the Environment
10 Joy of Garbage
11 Introduction to Environmental Science
141 Environmental Biology in the Tropics
143 Applied Chemistry in Less Developed Countries: Environmental Issues and Concerns

Physics

8 Introduction to Space Science
9 Introduction to Earth Science
11 General Physics I
12 General Physics II
13 General Physics III
31 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I
32 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II
33 Physics for Scientists and Engineers III

Psychology

165 Physiological Psychology (NOTE: Psychology 65 and 165 cannot both be taken for
Natural Science Credit)

The quarterly Schedule of Classes provides a comprehensive list of those courses offered in a particular quarter that meet this requirement.