Bachelor of Science in Natural Science
The BS Natural Sciences Degree is designed for students seeking an interdisciplinary background in the life, physical, and general science. The major consists of a comprehensive core of biological and physical science foundation courses combined with a variety of science and laboratory course electives. Students intending to earn a graduate degree in one of the sciences should pursue a BS degree in the discipline in which they are interested. This program is not designed to prepare students for graduate programs in Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
Requirements (56-78 units)
Total units required for graduation: 120
| Lower-Division Requirements (35-41) | ||
| Introduction to the Natural Science | ||
| NSCI 2300 | Introduction to the Natural Science | 1 |
| Statistics (select one course below) | 3 | |
| Introduction to Statistical Thinking | ||
| Introduction to Statistics in Health Sciences | ||
| Statistics with Applications | ||
| Statistics in Kinesiology | ||
| Calculus (Select one course) | 3-4 | |
| Modeling with Calculus | ||
| Calculus I Required to meet prerequisites in the Physics concentration. | ||
| Biology Series I (Select Group A or B) Group B is required to meet prerequisites in the Biology concentration. | 4-5 | |
| Group A | ||
| Introduction to Biology and Introduction to Biology Lab | ||
| Group B | ||
| Principles of Biology I | ||
| Biology Series II (Select Group C, D, or E) Group E is required to meet prerequisites in the Biology concentration. | 5-8 | |
| Group C | ||
| Microbiology for Allied Health Majors | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I for Allied Health Majors | ||
| Group D | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology I for Allied Health Majors | ||
| Human Anatomy and Physiology II for Allied Health Majors | ||
| Group E | ||
| Principles of Biology II | ||
| Chemistry Series (Select Group A or B) Group B is required to meet prerequisites in the Biology and Chemistry concentration. | 9-10 | |
| Group A | ||
| Survey of General Chemistry and Survey of General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Survey of Organic and Biochemistry and Survey of Organic and Biochemistry Lab | ||
| Group B | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Physics Series (Select Group A or B) Group B is required to meet prerequistes in the Physics concentration. | 10 | |
| Group A | ||
| Introduction to Physics I and Introduction to Physics I Lab | ||
| Introduction to Physics II and Introduction to Physics II Lab | ||
| Group B | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Lab | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Lab | ||
| Upper-division requirements (9) | ||
| NSCI 3300 | Natural Science Mid-Program Assessment | 1 |
| NSCI 4300 | Natural Science Capstone | 2 |
| Choose one of the following Geology courses (meets GE B5 requirement) | 3 | |
| Natural Disasters | ||
| Energy and the Environment | ||
| Minimum of 3 upper-division general science electives from below: Cannot also be used in concentration | 3 | |
Any biology labeled BIOL 3100 or higher. | ||
| Quantitative Analysis | ||
or CHEM 3400 | Principles of Organic Chemistry I | |
or CHEM 3500 | Principles of Organic Chemistry II | |
or CHEM 5100 | Polymer Science | |
or CHEM 5150 | Materials Chemistry | |
or CHEM 5200 | Instrumental Analysis | |
or CHEM 5300 | Environmental Chemistry | |
or CHEM 5320 | Atmospheric Chemistry | |
or CHEM 5400 | Chemistry of the Elements | |
or CHEM 5420 | Pyrotechnics | |
or CHEM 5500 | Medicinal Chemistry | |
| Principles of Environmental Health | ||
or HSCI 3067 | Human Diseases and Disorders | |
or HSCI 3067 | Human Diseases and Disorders | |
or HSCI 4023 | Health and Wellness of Older Adults | |
| Principles of Human Movement | ||
or KINE 3250 | Exercise Techniques for Resistance Training | |
or KINE 3500 | Motor Development Across the Lifespan | |
or KINE 3600 | Physical Activity and Aging | |
or KINE 3810 | Sport and Exercise Nutrition | |
or KINE 4100 | Motor Learning and Control | |
| Students must complete one of the concentrations (12-28) | 12-28 | |
| Total Units | 56-78 | |
Biology Concentration (16-17)
(Program Code: NSBI)
| Lower-Division Requirements (4-5) | ||
| The following courses are prerequisites to other courses in the Biology concentration and should be taken as part of the core requirements. | ||
| Principles of Biology I (counts toward core) | ||
| Principles of Biology II | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory (counts toward core) | ||
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry (choose Group A, B, or C) | 4-5 | |
| Group A | ||
| Organic Chemistry for Life Sciences and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory ( 5 units total) | ||
| Group B | ||
| Organic Chemistry I Lecture and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory (4 units total) | ||
| Group C | ||
| Principles of Organic Chemistry I (5 units) | ||
| Upper-Division Requirements (12) | 12 | |
| A minimum of 12 upper-division units in biology, excluding courses numbered BIOL 3000-3099 | ||
| Total Units | 16-17 | |
Chemistry Concentration (20-22)
(Program Code: NSCH)
| Lower-Division Requirements (8-10) | ||
| The following courses are prerequisites to other courses in the Chemistry concentration and should be taken as part of the core. | ||
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory (counts toward core) | ||
| General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry (choose from Group A or B) | 8-10 | |
| Group A | ||
| Organic Chemistry I Lecture and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory | ||
| Group B | ||
| Principles of Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Principles of Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Upper-Division Requirements (12) | 12 | |
| Total Units | 20-22 | |
Physics Concentration (28)
(Program Code: NSPH)
| Lower-Division Requirements (16) | ||
| The following courses are prerequisites to other courses in the Physics concentration and should be taken as part of the core. | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics I Lab | ||
| General Physics II and General Physics II Lab | ||
| MATH 2220 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 2310 | Applied Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 2320 | Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| PHYS 2600L | Introduction to Electronics | 1 |
| PHYS 2700 | Modern Physics | 3 |
| Upper-Division Requirements (12) | ||
| PHYS 3100 | Mathematical Methods of Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 3300 | Computational Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 3800 | Intermediate Physics Laboratory | 2 |
| 3 units of upper-division coursework in PHYS or ASTR, chosen in consultation with a Physics department adviser. | 3 | |
| Total Units | 28 | |
Science and Society (12)
(Program Code: NSSS)
| General Science | 6 | |
A minimum of 6 units of upper-division general science electives selected from the list below. Courses that were used to meet a core requirement may not be used. | ||
a. Any upper-division units in biology labeled BIOL 3100 or higher. | ||
| General Education Upper Division Scientific Inquiry | 6 | |
A minimum of 6 Upper-Division Scientific Inquiry Electives (from GE category B-5 that do not duplicate a course taken to meet the Geology requirement) | ||
| Total Units | 12 | |