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A total of 21 courses have been found.
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. 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
Quantitative introduction to physical principles needed to understand astronomical phenomena (e.g., laws of motion, gravitation, radiation), astronomical instrumentation, properties structure, and evolution of solar system bodies, exoplanets, and the search for life.

This course is designed for astronomy majors and undergraduates who wish to learn basic astrophysics from a quantitative perspective. The course includes an introduction to the physical principles needed to understand astronomical phenomena, such as laws of motion, gravitation, and radiation; astronomical instruments; the structure and evolution of the Solar System bodies; properties of exoplanets; and the search for life. Both lectures and laboratory session emphasize active, team-based learning and problem-solving techniques. The lecture is given by the course instructor. In the associated lab sections, taught by teaching assistants, students use research-grade optical telescopes both on campus and the Iowa Robotic Observatory in Arizona and develop some basic skills in scientific programming.  Course grades are typically based on weekly homework assignments, in-class activities and participation, midterm exams, a final exam and laboratory work (including a final observing project).

Requirements:

four years of high school math

Natural Sciences with Lab
Overview of molecular and cellular basis of human life; structure, function of human tissues, organs, organ systems; evolution, reproduction, genetics, impact of molecular biology and genetic engineering; integration of humans and the biosphere; lecture, laboratory.

This course is designed for non-science majors and aims to help students achieve a basic understanding of human biology: cellular, genetic, physiological, and evolutionary. The course may be taken only with a lecture and a lab. There are two lectures per week delivered by a faculty member and one lab per week taught by a TA. Requirements for the lab include attendance, quizzes, and participation in laboratory activities. A laboratory manual (for the lab) is required. This course may NOT be used as a pre-requisite for upper level majors courses in Biology.

 

 

Natural Sciences with Lab
Molecular and cellular basis of human life; structure, function of human tissues, organs, organ systems; evolution, reproduction, genetics, impact of molecular biology and genetic engineering; integration of humans and the biosphere; lecture, laboratory.

This course is primarily intended for pre-health professionals (e.g. pre-nursing and speech pathology students). It aims to help students achieve an understanding of human biology: cellular, genetic, physiological, and evolutionary. The course may be taken only with a lecture and a lab. There are two lectures per week delivered by a faculty member and one lab per week taught by a TA. Requirements for the lab include attendance, quizzes, and participation in laboratory activities. A laboratory manual is required. This course may NOT be used as a pre-requisite for upper level majors courses in Biology.

Requirements:

one year of high school chemistry

Natural Sciences with Lab
Unifying concepts of living systems; emphasis on common properties and processes; chemical and cellular basis of life, genetics, and evolution.

Foundations of Biology will examine the unifying concepts that apply to living things. The course is organized into three main conceptual units: Molecules & Cells, Genetics, and Evolution. An integrated combination of readings, lectures and activities will facilitate your learning about contemporary biological knowledge and its scientific underpinnings.

Goals of the Course:
Foundations of Biology will advance your understanding of the following general properties of living things and of the scientific process that led to their discovery:
• Life is based on molecular interactions and obeys the universal laws of chemistry and physics.
• Organisms have common cellular make-up and metabolic processes, including exchange of molecules with the extracellular environment, energy extraction, cell division, and cell-cell signaling mechanisms.
• Organisms have a common form of genetic information that is used to specify all the proteins of each organism as well as their correct expression in time and space.
• Organisms have a mechanism of transmission of genetic information that allows for both stability and change in the encoded information.
• All known living organisms are evolved from a single common ancestor, and the features of each have been shaped by natural selection.
• Changes in the planet’s biota are reflected in the relationships among extant organisms, and this history is defined by chance and opportunity.

Prerequisites: CHEM:1110 with a minimum grade of C- or CHEM:1070 with a minimum grade of A-
Natural Sciences with Lab
Underlying unifying concepts of life; emphasis on diversity of living systems; the tree of life, cellular evolution, prokaryotic and eukaryotic diversity, plant and animal form and function; interactions among diverse forms of life and their environment.

Diversity of Form and Function will emphasize the wide array of features of living systems. The course is organized into four conceptual units. The first unit will discuss the diversity of all organisms and their organization into the phylogenic tree of life. The next two units will discuss the anatomy and physiology of the organ systems of animals and plants. The final unit will focus on ecology and the interactions organisms have with each and with their physical environment in an ecosystem. The course will have an accompanying weekly laboratory in which students carry out exercises in these conceptual areas. Course grades will be based on online quizzes, clicker quizzes during lecture, three midterm exams, a final exam, laboratory quizzes, laboratory reports and/or assignments.

Prerequisites: BIOL:1411 with a minimum grade of C-
Natural Sciences with 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
Chemical bonding and chemical reactions; atomic and molecular structure, chemical equations, stoichiometry, gases, liquids, thermodynamics of phase changes, solutions, equilibrium, acids, bases, pH, elementary organic chemistry; the solid state, including modern materials; lecture, discussion, laboratory.

This course covers the principles of chemistry which serve as an organizing basis for the whole of chemistry: atomic structure, chemical bonding, the periodic table, chemical reactions, gases, liquids, solids, changes in state, modern materials (natural and synthetic polymers, inorganic ceramics, and electronic materials), and an introduction to equilibrium. The course is divided into units, each of which concludes with a multiple-choice exam. There is also a comprehensive final. As many as three professors share the teaching duties for these lecture content units and an additional instructor is responsible for material in the laboratory. The course comprises three 50-minute lectures (faculty instructors), a 50- minute discussion session (TA), laboratory case studies (80 minutes in alternate weeks; faculty instructor) and laboratory experiments (170 minutes in alternate weeks; TA). The course requires a significant time commitment (an average of 6 hours in-class and 8-10 hours out of class per week). This course is intended for engineering, science, and pre-professional majors or anyone planning to take two years of chemistry. Students who have not had high school chemistry or who do not have a strong math and/or chemistry preparation should consider taking CHEM:1070 first. The Chemistry Diagnostic Test should provide guidance concerning an adequate chemistry background.

Please note, the D lecture is primarily for Honors students.

Note: The required course fee includes access to the electronic homework system and an on-line textbook for six months. It is not necessary to separately purchase a license for the electronic homework system. Optionally, students may also purchase a hard copy of the textbook but this is not required.

 

Prerequisites: ALEKS score of 55 or higher or MPT Level 3 score of 9 or higher or MATH:1005 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1010 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1020 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1340 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1380 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1440 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1460 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1550 with a minimum grade of C- or MATH:1850 with a minimum grade of C-
Natural Sciences with Lab

Continuation of CHEM:1110; colligative properties of solutions, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, chemical bonding, aspects of industrial chemistry, nuclear chemistry; lecture, discussion, laboratory.

This course is a continuation of CHEM:1110. Course content includes solution properties which depend on concentration, chemical equilibrium and the rules governing solubility and acid/base chemistry, thermodynamics, rates of chemical reactions, a more sophisticated view of atomic and molecular structure and bonding, oxidation-reduction reactions, electrochemistry, coordination compounds, nuclear chemistry, and a survey of the production and use of inorganic and organic chemicals produced in the U.S. Course format consists of three weekly lectures by a professor, one discussion a week led by a TA, and a laboratory component comprised of case-study and laboratory experiment sessions meeting in alternate weeks. The lecture/discussion/exam format is similar to CHEM:1110. The final exam is generally comprehensive over CHEM:1120 topics. This course is intended for science and pre-professional major or anyone planning to take two years of chemistry.

Note: The required course fee includes access to the electronic homework system and an on-line textbook for six months. It is not necessary to separately purchase a license for the electronic homework system. Optionally, students may also purchase a hard copy of the textbook but this is not required.

 

 

 

Prerequisites: CHEM:1110 with a minimum grade of C-
Natural Sciences with Lab
Fossils over the past 3.5 billion years, origin and evolution of life, evolutionary radiations and mass extinctions, the invasion of land, dinosaurs, the age of mammals, relationship between biological systems and environmental change in earth history. Natural Sciences with Lab Natural Sciences without Lab
Minerals, rocks, and rock-forming processes (including volcanoes and sedimentary environments); surface processes (rivers, groundwater, glaciers, deserts, ocean shorelines), major earth processes (continental drift, plate tectonics, earthquakes, mountain building); impact on civilization. Offered fall semesters. This course is intended for science majors, honor students, and others with a strong interest in geology. It presents the fundamental principles of geology. The course includes five major topic areas: (1) earth materials including minerals and rocks; (2) earth-surface processes involving running water, groundwater, ice, wind, waves, and their resulting land forms; (3) the physical and chemical systems of the planet including earthquakes, volcanism, plate tectonics, and mountain building; (4) energy and mineral resources; and (5) geological time as deduced from the rock record. Course format consists of three lectures and one lab period per week. Labs involve hands-on experience with minerals, rocks, topographic and geologic maps, and geologic cross-sections. Grades are based on several class quizzes, a midterm, and a comprehensive final exam (60% of the grade); and the lab (40%). Quizzes and exams may include essay questions. A text and lab manual are required. The lectures are taught by a professor and labs are taught by select TAs. Natural Sciences with Lab
Origin and evolutionary history of dinosaurs; diversity of dinosaurian groups, their geographic distributions and paleoecology; origins of flight among dinosaurs; environmental context, including other animals and plants that lived alongside dinosaurs; the so-called extinction of dinosaurs and radiation of modern forms; the role dinosaurs play in the interaction between science and the popular media. Offered fall semesters. This course treats the origin and evolutionary history of dinosaurs. Topics include the diversity of dinosaurian groups, with discussion of their geographic distributions and paleoecology; the origins of flight among dinosaurs; environmental context, including other animals and plants that lived alongside dinosaurs; the so-called extinction of dinosaurs and radiation of modern forms; and the role dinosaurs play in the interaction between science and the popular media. Readings are drawn from recent publications. Grades are based on lab assignments, lecture quizzes, midterms, and a final exam. Students are expected to attend three lectures and one lab session per week. The lectures are taught by a professor and labs are taught by TAs. Natural Sciences with 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. GE: Sustainability.

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 Sustainability
Interdisciplinary study of how Earth's natural systems interact, how these systems affect society, and how they respond to human activity; how environmental problems can be solved and avoided by drawing upon knowledge in disciplines as diverse as ecology, anthropology, economics, chemistry, and political science; blended instructional environment, including traditional lectures, discussions in TILE classrooms, laboratory, online learning, peer-reviewed writing exercises, and service learning. Offered fall semesters. GE: Sustainability.

Fundamentals of Environmental Science (ENVS:1085) is an interdisciplinary exploration of how Earth's natural systems interact, how these systems affect society, and how they respond to human activity. The course challenges students to explore how environmental problems can be solved and avoided by drawing upon knowledge in disciplines as diverse as ecology, anthropology, economics, chemistry, and political science. The course is delivered in a blended instructional environment, which includes traditional lectures, discussions and activity sessions in TILE classrooms, laboratory, online learning, peer-reviewed writing exercises, and service learning. The course is required for Environmental Science majors*, who are strongly encouraged to take this course during their first year. Other motivated students seeking a student-centered introduction to environmental science are also encouraged to enroll.  Offered fall semesters.

* exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis by contacting the ES Program Coordinator, Andrew Forbes andrew-forbes@uiowa.edu.  Situations for an exception include if the student has transferred a 3sh environmental science course from another institution  or 3sh of Environmental Science AP credit.  In these situations the student enrolled in a 1sh laboratory course (ENVS:1090) to fulfill the requirement.  Another exception is if the student has previously received credit in ENVS:1080.  However, students considering majoring in Environmental Science are strongly encouraged to take ENVS:1085 rather than ENVS:1080.

Natural Sciences with Lab Sustainability

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
Algebra-based treatment of mechanics, waves, thermodynamics, and special relativity.
Requirements:

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

Natural Sciences with Lab
Continuation of PHYS:1511; algebra-based treatment of electricity, magnetism, light, and modern physics.

This course is intended for pre-medical, pre-dental, and other students who desire an algebra-based physics course (without calculus). This is a continuation of PHYS:1511 covering optics, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics. Numerical examples and lab experiments are chosen to illustrate basic physical principles. Course grades are based on mid-term exams, a final exam, lab performance, and class participation. Each week three lectures are given by the course instructor and one three-hour lab is conducted by a teaching assistant. The Discussion Section is a problem-solving session conducted by a teaching assistant.

Prerequisites: PHYS:1611 or PHYS:1511
Natural Sciences with Lab
Calculus-based treatment of mechanics, waves, and thermodynamics. Natural Sciences with Lab
Continuation of PHYS:1611; calculus-based treatment of electricity, magnetism, and light.
Prerequisites: PHYS:1611
Natural Sciences with Lab

Physics I 4 s.h.

Introduction to physics; calculus-based treatment of Newtonian mechanics for point particles and rigid bodies; conservation laws. Offered fall semesters.

This calculus-based physics course is part of a four-semester sequence intended primarily for physics and astronomy majors and other physical science or engineering majors who seek an in-depth introduction to physics (PHYS:1701, PHYS:1702, PHYS:2703, and PHYS:2704).  Topics include Newtonian mechanics for point particles and rigid bodies and conservation laws. Grades are determined by homework, midterm exams, a final exam, and performance in lab sessions. The three weekly lectures and one-hour discussion (problem solving) are given by the course instructor, and the weekly lab is conducted by a teaching assistant. Taught only during fall semester.

Requirements:

physics or astronomy major

Natural Sciences with Lab