University Catalog 2024-2025

GEP Natural Sciences

Requirement  (7 credit hours)

  • A total of seven credit hours from the university approved GEP Natural Sciences course list including at least one laboratory course or course with a laboratory.
  • Special Note:  If a student changes a General Education course except for HES courses from a letter grade to credit-only (S/U), then the course will not satisfy the GEP requirements.  Consult your academic advisor if you have questions.

Double-counting

  • A course taken to satisfy a Major requirement may also satisfy this requirement if the course is on the approved GEP Natural Sciences course list.
  • A course that satisfies the Natural Sciences requirement may also satisfy the Global Knowledge or U.S. Diversity co-requisite if the course also exists on either university approved GEP co-requisite course list.
    • Note: Double-counting with U.S. Diversity applies to students matriculated prior to Fall 2023. Students matriculated after Fall 2023 may only double-count Global Knowledge.

Rationale

The natural sciences pursue basic questions about the workings of the universe, and the richness, variety and interconnectedness of the world around us. Students today are exposed to an increasing volume of information, from a large variety of sources, in diverse and changing formats. Training in the natural sciences is essential to help students develop skills to distinguish between testable and un-testable ideas, recognize scientifically valid tests of theories, and understand how information relates to those tests. By studying the natural sciences, students learn to reason both inductively and deductively, develop and test scientific hypotheses, and understand the value and limitations of scientific studies. The development and application of new technologies require scientifically literate citizens who can understand technological issues and evaluate the role of science in society’s debate of those issues.

Category Objectives

Each course in the Natural Sciences will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:

  1. use the methods and processes of science in testing hypotheses, solving problems and making decisions; and
  2. make inferences from and articulate, scientific concepts, principles, laws, and theories, and apply this knowledge to problem solving.
AEC 203An Introduction to the Honey Bee and Beekeeping3
ANS 105Introduction to Companion Animal Science3
ANS 110Introduction to Equine Science3
ANS 215Agricultural Genetics3
BIO 105Biology in the Modern World3
BIO 106Biology in the Modern World Laboratory1
BIO 181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity4
BIO 183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology4
BIO 227Understanding Structural Diversity through Biological Illustration3IP
BIO 230The Science of Studying Dinosaurs3IP
BIT 100Current Topics in Biotechnology4IP
BIT 200Early Research in Biotechnology4
BIT 210Phage Hunters3
BIT 211Phage Genomics2
CH 100Chemistry and Society4
CH 101Chemistry - A Molecular Science3
CH 102General Chemistry Laboratory1
CH 103General Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences3
CH 104General Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences1
CH 111Preparatory Chemistry3
CH 201Chemistry - A Quantitative Science3
CH 202Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory1
CH 203General Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences3
CH 204General Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences1
CS 210Lawns and Sports Turf3
CS 213Crop Science3
ENT 201Insects and People3IP
ENT 207Insects and Human Disease3IP, GK
ENT 305Introduction to Forensic Entomology3
ENT 402Forest Entomology3
ENT 425General Entomology3
ES 113Earth from Space3GK
FOR 318Forest Pathology3
FOR 402Forest Entomology3
FS 201Introduction to Food Science3
FS 221Discover: Chocolate, Coffee and Tea3
FS 222Discover: Conventional, Organic and Genetically Engineered Foods3
FS 301Introduction to Human Nutrition3
FW 221Conservation of Natural Resources3GK, IP
GN 301Genetics in Human Affairs3IP
HON 292Honors Special Topics-Natural Sciences3
HS 200Home Horticulture3
HS 201The World of Horticulture: Principles and Practices3
HS 203Home Plant Propagation3
HS 204Home Landscape Maintenance3
HS 215Agricultural Genetics3
HS 303Ornamental Plant Identification I3
HS 304Ornamental Plant Identification II3
MB 200The Fourth Horseman: Plagues that Changed the World3IP
MB 210Phage Hunters3
MB 211Phage Genomics2
MEA 100Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections4GK, IP
MEA 101Geology I: Physical3
MEA 110Geology I Laboratory1
MEA 130Introduction to Weather and Climate3
MEA 135Introduction to Weather and Climate Laboratory1
MEA 150Environmental Issues in Water Resources4
MEA 200Introduction to Oceanography3
MEA 202Geology II: Historical3
MEA 210Oceanography Lab1
MEA 211Geology II Laboratory1
MEA 220Marine Biology3
MEA 240The Planets of Our Solar System3
MEA 250Introduction to Coastal Environments3
NE 290Introduction to Health Physics3IP
NE 291Introduction to Health Physics Laboratory1IP
NSGK 295Natural Sciences and Global Knowledge Special Topics3GK
NTR 301Introduction to Human Nutrition3
PB 200Plant Life4
PB 205Our Green World3
PB 220Local Flora3
PB 277Space Biology3
PO 201Poultry Science and Production3
PO 201APoultry Science and Production3
PO 202Poultry Science and Production Laboratory1
PO 202APoultry Science and Production Laboratory1
PP 222Kingdom of Fungi3
PP 318Forest Pathology3
PY 123Stellar and Galactic Astronomy3
PY 124Solar System Astronomy3
PY 125Astronomy Laboratory1
PY 131Conceptual Physics4
PY 205Physics for Engineers and Scientists I3
PY 206Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory1
PY 208Physics for Engineers and Scientists II3
PY 209Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory1
PY 211College Physics I4
PY 212College Physics II4
SMT 202Anatomy and Properties of Renewable Materials3
SSC 200Soil Science3
SSC 201Soil Science Laboratory1
TMS 211Introduction to Fiber Science3
TOX 201Poisons, People and the Environment3