Natural Science Program - McPherson College Catalogs

Purpose Statement

The Department of Natural Science provides:

a career-oriented approach to pre-professional preparation in the health sciences
a liberal arts and sciences approach to environmental health and sustainability
a hands-on approach to education in the laboratory and through student research
preparation to meet the Kansas State Department of Education standards for licensure in biology and chemistry

General Education Student Learning Outcome: Students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of how the natural sciences construct knowledge of the world.

General Education Performance Indicators

Students should be able to:

Summarize the current consensus of the scientific community with regards to the structure and function of some aspect of the physical or biological world.
Illustrate their knowledge of the changing nature of the consensus of the scientific community with regards to the structure and function of some aspect of the physical or biological world, by outlining the historical changes in that consensus.
Report on their experiences with those methods and processes of the natural sciences which they conducted in the laboratory.

Biochemistry Major (Recommended for Pre-Medical Students)

Requirements

G-CH 111 College Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 112  College Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 251  Organic Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 252  Organic Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 201  Quantitative Analysis (4 hours)
CH 370  Biochemistry (4 hours)
G-BI 111  College Biology I (4 hours)
BI 112  College Biology II (4 hours)
BI/CH 310 Statistical Data Analysis (4 hours)
BI/CH 373 Cell Physiology/Biochemistry II (4 hours)

Select one from the following:

BI 283 Genetics (4 hours)
BI 384 Advanced Genetics (4 hours)
CH 390 Instrumental Analysis (3 hours)

Required Supporting Courses

G-PH 215 General Physics I (4 hours)
PH 216  General Physics II (4 hours)
*NS 300  Research Methods (1 hour)
NS 375  Junior Seminar (1 hour)
*NS 475  Senior Research (2 hours)

Biology Major

Requirements

A minimum of 32 semester hours of biological science coursework, including

G-BI 111  College Biology I (4 hours)
BI 112  College Biology II (4 hours)
BI 283  Genetics (4 hours)
BI 310  Statistical Data Analysis (4 hours)

8 credit hours chosen from among the 300 Level BI Courses

Required Supporting Courses

G-CH 111 College Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 112  College Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 251  Organic Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 252  Organic Chemistry II (5 hours)
G-PH 215 General Physics I (4 hours)
*NS 300  Research Methods (1 hour)
NS 375  Junior Seminar (1 hour)
*NS 475  Senior Research (2 hours)

Biology Major – Teaching Licensure in Biology (6-12)

Biology Major for Teacher Licensure

A minimum of 32 semester hours, including:

G-BI 111 College Biology I (4 hours)
BI 112 College Biology II (4 hours)
G-BI 201 Biodiversity (4 hours)
BI 283 Genetics (4 hours)
*NS 300 Research Methods (1 hour)
NS 375 Junior Seminar (1 hour)

12 credit hours chosen from among the remaining BI or NS courses numbered 200 of higher, including at least one organismal course and one population course.

Required Supporting Courses

G-CH 111 College Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 112  College Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 251  Organic Chemistry I (5 hours)
CI 232  Educational Technology (2 hours)
G-MA 221 Elementary Applied Statistics (4 hours)
G-PE 170  Personal and Community Health (2 hours)
G-PH 215 General Physics I (4 hours)
G-PY 101  Introduction to Psychology (3 hours)

Students pursuing this major must also meet all professional requirements for teacher licensure in the Curriculum and Instruction Department.

Biology Minor

Requirements

A minimum of 20 semester hours, including

G-BI 111  College Biology I (4 hours)
BI 112  College Biology II (4 hours)
BI 283  Genetics (4 hours)

At least eight hours of additional biology courses

Required Supporting Courses

G-CH 111 College Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 251 Organic Chemistry I (5 hours)

Chemistry Major

Requirements

A minimum of 36 semester hours including

G-CH 111  Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 112  Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 251  Organic Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 252  Organic Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 201  Quantitative Analysis (4 hours)
CH 390  Instrumental Analysis (3 hours)
CH 385  Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (4 hours)
CH 400  General Physical Chemistry (5 hours)

Required Supporting Courses

G-PH 205  College Physics I (5 hour)
PH 206  College Physics II (5 hour)
*NS 300  Research Methods (1 hour)
NS 375  Junior Seminar (1 hour)
*NS 475  Senior Research (2 hours)
G-MA 111  Calculus I (4 hours)
MA 112  Calculus II (4 hours)

Recommended Supporting Courses

G-BI 111 College Biology I (4 hours)
BI 112 College Biology II (4 hours)

Chemistry Major – Teaching Licensure in Chemistry (6-12)

Chemistry Major for Teacher Licensure

A minimum of 32 hours including:

G- CH 111 College Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 112 College Chemistry II (5 hours)
CH 251 Organic Chemistry I (5 hours)
CH 201 Quantitative Analysis (4 hours)
CH 310 Statistical Data Analysis (4 hours)
CH 385 Advanced Inorganic (4 hours)
CH 388 Lab Assisting Internship (2 hours)

Remaining hours must come from CH 252 Organic Chemistry II or CH courses 300 level or above.

Required Courses

G-BI 111 College Biology I (4 hours)
BI 112 College Biology II (4 hours)
CI 406 (ED 406) Methods for Teaching Natural Science in the Secondary School (3 hours)
G-PH 215 General Physics I (4 hours)
PH 216 General Physics II (4 hours)
*NS 300 Research Methods (1 hour)
NS 375 Junior Seminar (1 hours)

Suggested Courses

G-NS 141 Environmental Science (4 hours)
G-PC 251 Geology (4 hours)
G-PC 275 Astronomy (4 hours)
CH 252 Organic Chemistry II (5 hours)
G-MA 111 Calculus I (4 hours)
MA 112 Calculus II (4 hours)
PH 205 College Physics I (replace G-PH 215) (5 hours)
PH 206 College Physics II (replace G-PH 216) (5 hours)
*NS 475 Senior Research (2 hours)

Students pursuing this major must also meet all professional requirements for teacher licensure in the curriculum and instruction department.

Chemistry Minor

Requirements

A minimum of 24 hours including

Environmental Stewardship Major

This program achieves its purposes when its graduates:

demonstrate knowledge of contemporary theories in the natural sciences
demonstrate skill in the application of laboratory and field experimental techniques
demonstrate knowledge of contemporary theories of human social systems and behavior
demonstrate a critical understanding of their personal roles in history, culture, and community
evaluate the impacts of human society and Earth’s natural systems on one another
differentiate between their personal belief system and societal belief systems
express a personal environmental ethic

Required Natural Science Courses

G-BI 101 Principles of Biology (4 hours) or G-BI 111 College Biology I (4 hours)
G-BI 201  Biodiversity (4 hours)
G-CH 101 Principles of Chemistry (4 hours)
G-NS 141  Environmental Science (4 hours)
G-PH 215  General Physics I (4 hours)
G-PC 251  Geology (4 hours)
G-NS 245  Climatology (4 hours)
BI 325 Human Ecology, Epidemiology and Public Health (4 hours) OR
BI 365 Evolution and Ecology (4 hours)
NS 404  Environmental Ethics (2 hours)
NS 495  Field Experience (4 hours)

Electives from Humanities, Social Science, and Technology

Select at least 27 hours from the following:

CM 325 Conflict Communication (3 hours)
EC 202 Survey of Economics (3 hours)
G-ET 201 Social Entrepreneurship (3 hours)
Up to 2 courses (G-HI or HI200+) (6 hours)
G-PE 170 Personal/Community Health (2 hours)
G-PR 104 Ethics (3 hours)
G-PR 107 Critical Thinking (3 hours)
G-PR 203 Science and Religion (3 hours)
G-PR 206 Religion and Environmental Stewardship (3 hours)
G-PS 125 International Relations (3 hours)
G-PS 130 Principles of Geography (3 hours)
G-PS 215 Global Peace Studies (3 hours)
PY/SO 303 Social Psychology (3-4 hours)
G-SO 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 hours)
SO 206 Social Problems (3-4 hours)
SO 320 Urban Sociology (3 hours)
*G-TE 333 Technology and Society (3-4 hours)

Other courses as approved by both the advisor and co-advisor.

Other Course Requirements

NS 350 Stewardship Seminar1/semester (4 required)
*NS 300 Research Methods (1 hour)
NS 375 Junior Seminar (1 hour)
*NS 475 Senior Research (2 hours)

Environmental Science Minor

Requirements

G-BI 101 Principles of Biology or G-BI 111 College Biology I or G-CH 101 Principles of Chemistry (4 hours)
G-NS 141  Environmental Science (4 hours)
G-PC 251  Geology (4 hours)
G-NS 245  Climatology (4 hours)
NS 495  Field Experience (4 hours)

Environmental Stewardship Minor

Requirements

G-NS 141 Environmental Science (4 hours)
G-PC 251  Geology or
G-PC 245  Climatology (4 hours)
NS 495  Field Experience (4 hours)
NS 350  Stewardship Seminar (2 hours)

Electives from Environmental Stewardship Major Electives list (6 hours)