Skip to main content
A total of 18 courses have been found.

Human Origins 3 s.h.

Processes, products of human evolution from perspectives of heredity and genetics, evolutionary theory, human biological characteristics, fossil record, artifactual evidence, biocultural behaviors.

Human evolutionary history began 5-7 million years ago in Africa and continues today around the world.   What were the lives of our earliest ancestors like? What were the processes that led to modern human diversity? How accurate are media depictions of human evolution?   What is the place of humans in the natural world?  How does the behavior of other primates inform us about ourselves? Who were the Neanderthals and what is our relationship to them?  These are among the topics that we will survey from the perspectives of evolutionary theory, comparative anatomy, genetics, and the fossil record.   The course incorporates information and current interpretations gleaned from the most recent fossil discoveries.

The course format includes two lectures per week and one discussion section. In discussion sections, students learn the methods of biological anthropology and paleoanthropology through a variety of activities including hands-on study of cast fossil material and artifacts. Requirements include two midterm exams, one final exam, and discussion section quizzes and assignments. This course satisfies the GER non-laboratory requirement in natural sciences. There are no prerequisites.

Natural Sciences without Lab
Students survey topics including the Sun; life cycles of stars including black holes and pulsars; diversity of galaxies including the Milky Way and distant quasars; cosmology—the history, structure, and fate of the universe; current results from recent astronomical observations; for non-science majors.

This course duplicates the former ASTR:1070 Modern Astronomy. It is a survey of the Solar System, stars, galaxies, and the Universe; life cycles of stars, including black holes and pulsars; diversity of galaxies, including the Milky Way and distant quasars; cosmology (the history, structure, and fate of the universe); current results from recent astronomical observations and night sky observations. High school algebra and geometry are used, but this is not a mathematically intensive course.

Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab
Survey of the solar system; topics include physical properties of the planets, comets, and asteroids; origin of the solar system; search for extrasolar planetary systems; search for life in the universe; current results of recent planetary space missions; night sky observation; for non-science majors.

This course is a survey of the solar system: physical properties of the planets, comets, and asteroids; origin of the solar system; search for extrasolar planetary systems; search for life in the universe; current results of recent planetary space missions; night sky observation.  High school algebra and geometry are used, but this is not a mathematically intensive course.

Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab
Introduction to a wide range of genetic disorders affecting notable celebrities; relevant genetic pathways in easy-to-understand language; exploration of mechanisms of disease and treatments.

Our DNA is made up of 3 billion pairs of building blocks called nucleotides. How is it that alteration of one single pair can cause a devastating genetic disorder like spina bifida?  This introductory course, taught by a faculty member who studies human genetic disorders, will demystify the genetic pathways behind such disorders in easy-to-understand language, in the context of celebrities affected by them including Michael J. Fox, Peyton Manning, and Selena Gomez. For example, what is it about the genetic alteration carried by Michael J. Fox that led to Parkinson’s Disease, and what is it like to live with this disorder?  We’ll also explore how we might be able to cure genetic disorders.

All course materials will be available through ICON.

Natural Sciences without Lab
Relationships between plate tectonics, geologic time, and the rock cycle with volcanoes and igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic rocks; fossils; radioactive isotopes; landscape evolution; mountain building; natural resources; their impacts on civilization. Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab
Atomic structure, chemical bonds, mole relations, stoichiometry, states of matter, acids and bases, reaction rates, electrochemistry, nuclear chemistry.

 

CHEM:1070 provides students with an introduction to chemistry and is designed for students who have not had an advanced chemistry course in high school or for student who plan to take only one year of chemistry.Students will develop concepts and learn specific chemical information that will be applied within the context of a variety of chemistry related problems and applications. Through participation in course activities, each student should expect to improve her/his knowledge of chemistry, to develop improved qualitative and quantitative problem-solving skills, and to learn the attitudes and practices of scientific investigators. The course comprises three 50-minute lectures or two 75-minute lectures (faculty instructors) and a 50- minute discussion session (TA). The course requires a significant time commitment (an average of 4 hours in-class and 6-9 hours out of class per week).  Grades are based on exams (three 1.5-hour exams and a 2-hour final exam), homework/quizzes, and completion of lecture/discussion activities. Student who plan to take more than one year of chemistry and who score greater than 15 on The Chemistry Diagnostic Test should take CHEM:1110 Principles of Chemistry I.  

**Electronic homework and e-textbooks will be registered to all students. It is not necessary to purchase the Mastering Chemistry student access kit. ALEKS is an online homework system and is not a textbook.



Requirements:

elementary algebra

Natural Sciences without Lab
Organic chemistry and biochemistry.

This course is not intended for students following the pre-medical, pre-physical therapy, pre-dental, or pre-veterinary curricula.  This course deals with elementary organic chemistry and biochemistry.  There are three lectures a week by a professor and one weekly discussion led by a TA.

 

Requirements:

CHEM:1070 or high school chemistry

Natural Sciences without Lab
Atomic structure, chemical bonding, acid and bases, polymers, pharmaceutics, DNA, proteins, and basic economics.

Food, medicine, energy, materials, agriculture, and more are all part of a chemical industry that is responsible for nearly $4 trillion dollars of materials manufactured and transported worldwide each year. The chemical industry employs nearly 800,000 people within the U.S. and every one job in the chemistry industry generates 7.6 jobs elsewhere, totaling almost 6 million jobs for the U.S. economy. The business of chemistry is essential to the economy and health of every industrialized nation and developing countries. In this course we will cover the principles of chemistry and how the basic concepts and reactions of chemistry impact the business world and the global economy.

This course is designed for those who need a general education course and have not taken a chemistry course since high school (or may not have taken chemistry in high school!). I will assume a basic working knowledge of mathematics and an ability to use a calculator. I will assume that everyone knows that there is a periodic table and that we are made of atoms, the rest we will explore together. What I expect out of students is willingness and eagerness to learn about something that may be out of their area of expertise, but that will apply to many different parts of their lives. I am constantly amazed at the beauty of chemistry, and I hope you will be too. You will be given homework – it is important to do homework to learn the material – and you will have exams to test your knowledge. You will also have a chance to write a final paper to demonstrate a deep knowledge of a particular area of chemistry.

Requirements:

non-science major

Natural Sciences without Lab
Biological and physical character of the Earth; interaction of humans with the environment, including impacts on ecosystems, climate, natural processes, resources; alternative options, including sustainability, waste management, energy, land reform.

With human population growth and resource consumption growing exponentially, the impact of human interaction with the rest of our environment is increasingly relevant in many fields of study. Environmental Science is the interdisciplinary study of how Earth's natural systems interact, how these systems affect society, and how they respond to human activity. Environmental Science has the applied goal of solving environmental problems, drawing upon knowledge in disciplines as diverse as ecology, anthropology, economics, and political science. The specific student learning outcomes for the overall course are:

  • Ability to critically evaluate popular media articles related to Environmental Science;
  • Ability to locate and interpret data relevant to Environmental Science and interpret it;
  • Understanding the relationship between their day-to-day life and Environmental Science, particularly in the context of sustainability;
  • Recognize the multi-faceted nature of Environmental Science.

This course is taught in a blended environment, including traditional lectures, discussion periods in TILE classrooms, online learning, and both individual and group projects.

Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab
How earth-atmosphere-hydrosphere-space systems produce events catastrophic to humans on the scale of individual lives to civilizations; root causes of earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, hurricanes, tsunami, tornadoes, and asteroid impact, and their local, national, and global impact; spatial and temporal occurrences of these hazards; methods and processes for hazard preparedness, response, and recovery; social, economic, and policy aspects that affect and compound the magnitude of disasters associated with natural phenomena; case studies drawn from contemporary and ancient societies.

One or more sections may be assigned to a TILE classroom.

Natural Sciences without Lab
Underlying processes driving human/environment interaction, including climate change, deforestation, and natural disasters; environmental challenges, including declining biological diversity; human response to more frequent severe climate events; production of a more sustainable future.

We currently need 1.6 earths to sustain our use of natural resources.  Where we live, what we eat, and our day-to-day activities modify the local environment. In turn, we are intricately connected to one another and to the environment on which our livelihoods depend. Understanding the global environment and the role people play within the earth system is essential to understanding current debates, policies, and their potential ramifications.  This course introduces students to the natural processes, ranging from microscopic to global, and explores how the science of the global environment helps us understand the connections between people and environment.  Students will learn how the earth's systems interact and the importance of these systems to people.  The processes of observation, analysis, and inference underlying the science will be discussed throughout.  This course provides an important foundation for future study of topics such as environmental studies, business, public health, journalism, and many other fields.

Natural Sciences without Lab

Human Anatomy 3 s.h.

General human anatomy covering most systems of the body. Natural Sciences without Lab
Introduction to function and regulation of the human body. This introductory course is designed to cover the fundamentals of human physiology, and is appropriate for students majoring or minoring in areas where a human physiology course is required or desirable, or as an introductory human physiology course for students planning on careers in the various health professions.  Normally, three unit exams and a final exam are given. Natural Sciences without Lab
Physiology, biochemistry of human nutrition; appropriate food sources; qualitative and quantitative evaluation of diets using standard references.

This course details the physiology and biochemistry of human nutrition, and the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of diets with regard to appropriate food choices. The course requires simple arithmetic operations. Grades are based on four exams, two computer-based diet assignments, quizzes, and participation activities.

Natural Sciences without Lab
Principles of drug action, toxicity, sedatives, stimulants, hallucinogens, narcotics, over-the-counter agents, antibiotics, and oral contraceptives. Offered spring semesters.
Requirements: closed to students enrolled in the Pharm.D. program
Natural Sciences without Lab
Principles of physics; basic motion, behavior of fluids, waves, temperature and heat, gravity and planetary motion, electricity and magnetism, optics, nuclear energy, radioactivity, and medical imaging technology; examples from everyday experience; for non-science majors.

Why does a ball bounce? Why do planes stay aloft? The answers to these questions and many more are explored in this course, which uses examples from everyday experience to introduce the basic principles of physics. Designed for students not majoring in the sciences, lectures will focus on topics such as the basic physics of motion, the behavior of fluids, waves, temperature and heat, gravity and planetary motion, electricity and magnetism, optics, nuclear energy, and radioactivity. Students’ grades will be determined through quizzes, midterm exams, and a final examination.

Natural Sciences without Lab

Basic Physics 3, 4 s.h.

Quantitative treatment of mechanics, electricity, heat, liquids, gases, and atomic, nuclear, and elementary particle physics.

This course introduces selected topics in physics covering mechanics, fluids, heat, electrical circuits, and modern physics. It does not meet the requirements for the pre-medical and pre-dental majors, but is commonly taken by students to meet preprofessional requirements in pharmacy, medical technology, nursing, and speech pathology.  Most of the necessary math is developed in this course.  Exams, homework, and quizzes are used (along with lab work for the 4 s.h. option) in determining grades.  TA's conduct the on campus three hour lab session each week (4 s.h. option).  NO LABS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES. 

Requirements:

must have completed high school trigonometry or achieved a minimum ALEKS score of 75%

Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab
Continuation of PHYS:1611; calculus-based treatment of electricity, magnetism, and light.

This course is intended for students in engineering and the physical sciences who desire a calculus-based physics course. The emphasis in this course is on the rigorous structure of classical physics and the development of the ability to solve problems. Topics include mechanics, heat, and sound. Grades are determined by homework, midterm exams, a final exam, and performance in lab sessions and discussion. The lecture section is conducted by the course instructor. The lab sessions are directed by a teaching assistant. The discussion section is a problem-solving session conducted by the teaching assistant.

Prerequisites: PHYS:1611
Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab