General Education Outcomes for Natural Sciences

Goal: The goal of the Natural Sciences requirement is to foster or improve a scientific view of the world. People are confronted increasingly with questions in their lives that require scientific information and the scientific way of thinking for informed decision making. The collective judgment of people will determine how we manage shared resources such as air, water, and national forests. Scientific understanding and ability will enhance the capability of all students to hold meaningful and productive jobs in the future, providing the business community with entry-level workers who have the ability to learn, reason, think creatively, make decisions, and solve problems.

Students will demonstrate the ability to…..

Design an experiment, collect and analyze data, and interpret results in a laboratory setting.
Analyze, evaluate and test a scientific theory.
Become familiar with basic scientific language and processes, which includes being able to distinguish between scientific explanations—hypotheses, theories, and natural laws.
Perceive unifying principles of life, repeatable patterns in nature, and the values of natural diversity.
Analyze and discuss (a) landmarks in the history of science and its application to the needs of human civilization, (b) the impact of scientific discovery on human thought, (c) the interrelationship between applied science and the natural and social environment (e.g., as expressed in public debates, funding priorities, environmental concerns, and scientific issues), and (d) ethical issues raised by contemporary science.