Science Requirement
Science Requirement
General Information: Office of the Dean, 208 Hamilton; (212) 854-2441
The objective of the science component of Columbia College’s Core Curriculum is identical to that of its humanities and social science counterparts, namely to help students “to understand the civilization of their own day and to participate effectively in it.” The science component is intended specifically to provide students with the opportunity to learn what kinds of questions are asked about nature, how hypotheses are tested against experimental or observational evidence, how results of tests are evaluated, and what knowledge has been accumulated about the workings of the natural world.
Three courses (at least 10 points) must be completed to meet this portion of the Core Curriculum.
Students normally take SCNC C1000 Frontiers of science in their first-year in the term in which they are not taking ENGL C1010 University writing.
For the remainder of the requirement students may choose any two courses from the list of approved courses below. These courses may be taken in the same department or in different departments. However, at least one course must be taken in the Departments of Astronomy; Biological Sciences; Chemistry; Earth and Environmental Sciences; Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Physics; or Psychology.
Prospective science majors who in their first-year are enrolled in:
- Literature Humanities,
- A mathematics course,
- A language course at the elementary II level or above (i.e. CHNS C1112 , GERM V1102 , SWHL W3302 , etc),
- And one of the following science major sequences:
may petition the Committee on Science Instruction to be allowed to postpone taking Frontiers of science until their sophomore year. Students wishing to petition should do so in 208 Hamilton Hall.
Courses Approved for the Science Requirement
Any courses not included on the list below require the approval of the Committee on Science Instruction in order to satisfy the science requirement. Likewise, exceptions to the general policy of the science requirement may be granted through appeal to the Committee on Science Instruction (208 Hamilton). While students are not required to complete a two-term sequence, students may choose to do so. For this reason, the Committee on Science Instruction has indicated recommended sequences below.
Students should pay careful attention to the prerequisites and instructor approvals required for certain courses. Prerequisite and instructor approval requirements can be found in the course descriptions for each course located in specific departments' sections of this bulletin.
NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, students may not use Barnard College courses to fulfill the Columbia College science requirement.
Frontiers of Science
Co-Chair of Frontiers of Science: David Helfand, 1020 Pupin Hall; 854-2150
Co-Chair of Frontiers of Science: Darcy Kelley, 913 Fairchild; 854-5108
SCNC C1000 and C1100: Frontiers of Science
Frontiers of Science is
a one-semester course that integrates modern science into the Core
Curriculum. The course includes lectures and seminar sections. On
Mondays throughout the semester, each of Columbia’s leading scientists
present a mini-series of lectures. During the rest of the week, senior
faculty and Columbia post-doctoral science fellows (research scientists
selected for their teaching abilities) lead seminar sections limited to
twenty-two students to discuss the lecture and its associated readings,
and debate the implications of the most recent scientific discoveries. Frontiers of Science satisfies one of the three required courses of the science requirement for Columbia College.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURE
All information concerning registration in SCNC C1000 is included in the registration materials sent to students. All first-year students are preregistered in Frontiers of Science (one half of the alphabet in each semester).
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
SCNC C1001 or SCNC C1001 Frontiers of science
4 pts. Members of the natural science departments and Columbia post-doctoral science fellows. Corequisite: SCNC C1101 Frontiers of science discussion. Lecture and discussion. The principal objectives of Frontiers of science are to engage students in the process of discovery by exploring topics at the forefront of science and to inculcate or reinforce the specific habits of mind that inform a scientific perspective on the world. Sample topics include the evolution of human language, brain dynamics, global climate change, the nanoworld, and biodiversity, among others.
Courses Designed for Nonscience Majors:
Astronomy [ASTR]:
ASTR C1234 The universal timekeeper: an introduction to scientific habits of mind, I (forms the first half of a recommended sequence with, and is a recommended prerequisite for ASTR C1235)
ASTR C1235 The universal timekeeper: an introduction to scientific habits of mind, II (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with ASTR C1234. NOTE: ASTR C1234 is a recommended prerequisite for ASTR C1235)
ASTR C1403 Earth, moon, and planets (forms the first half of a recommended sequence with either ASTR C1404 or ASTR C1420 or ASTR BC1754 or ASTR C1836)
ASTR C1404 Beyond the solar system (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with either ASTR C1403 or ASTR BC1753 )
ASTR C1420 Galaxies and cosmology (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with ASTR ASTR C1403)
ASTR C1610 Theories of the universe: from Babylon to the big bang
ASTR BC1753 Introduction to astronomy, I (forms the first half of a recommended sequence with either ASTR C1404 or ASTR BC1754 )
ASTR BC1754 Introduction to astronomy, II (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with either ASTR C1403 or ASTR BC1753 )
ASTR C1836 Stars and atoms (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with ASTR C1403 )
Biology [BIOL]:
BIOL C1002 Theory and practice of science: biology
BIOL C1015 Molecular biology and evolution for nonscientists
Computer Science [COMS]:
COMS W1001, Introduction to computers
Earth and Environmental Engineering [EAEE]:
EAEE E1100, A better planet by design
Earth and Environmental Sciences [EESC]:
EESC V1001 Dinosaurs and the history of life: lectures and lab
EESC V1003 Science and society
EESC V1011 Introduction to Earth sciences, I: lectures and lab (forms a recommended sequence with EESC V1012)
EESC V1012 Introduction to Earth sciences, II: lectures and lab (forms a recommended sequence with EESC V1011)
NOTE: Students electing to take EESC V1011 and EESC V1012 as a sequence may begin the sequence with either course.
EESC V1201 Environmental risks and disasters
EESC V1401 Dinosaurs and the history of life: lectures
EESC V1411 Introduction to Earth sciences, I: lectures (forms a recommended sequence with either EESC V1012 or EESC V1412)
EESC V1412 Introduction to Earth sciences, II: lectures (forms a recommended sequence with either EESC V1011 or EESC V1411)
NOTE: Students electing to take EESC V1411 and EESC V1412 as a sequence may begin the sequence with either course.
EESC V1030 Oceanography
EESC V1053 Planet Earth
EESC W3018 Weapons of mass destruction
Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology [EEEB]:
EEEB W1001 Biodiversity (forms the first half of a recommended sequence with EEEB W3087 see Courses Not Designed Specifically for Nonscience Majors)
EEEB V1010 Human species (forms recommended sequence with EEEB V1011)
EEEB V1011 Behavioral biology of the living primates (forms a recommended sequence with EEEB V1010)
NOTE: For students electing to take EEEB V1010 and EEEB V1011 as a sequence it is recommended, but not required, that EEEB V1010 be taken before EEEB V1011.
Electrical Engineering [ELEN]:
ELEN E1101 The digital information age
Mathematics [MATH]:
NOTE: For descriptions of the following courses, which may be used as courses in mathematics in partial fulfillment of the science requirement, see Departments of Instruction-Philosophy.
MATH V3411 Symbolic logic
MATH W4431 Introduction to set theory
MATH G4424 Modal logic
Physics [PHYS]:
PHYS C1001 Physics for poets, I (forms the first half of a recommended sequence with PHYS C1002)
PHYS C1002 Physics for poets, II (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with PHYS C1001)
Psychology [PSYC]:
PSYC W1001 The science of psychology (forms a recommended sequence with PSYCH W1010 or any PSYC course numbered 22xx or 24xx).
PSYC W1010 Mind, brain, and behavior (forms a recommended sequence with PSYCH W1001 or any PSYC course numbered 22xx or 24xx).
NOTE: PSYC W1001 or PSYC W1010 must be taken as a prerequisite to any psychology course numbered 22xx or 24xx.
NOTE: 2600-level psychology courses may not be used to fulfill the science requirement.
Statistics [STAT]:
STAT W1001 Introduction to statistical reasoning
Additional Courses Approved for the Science Requirement:
Most of the following courses have required prerequisites and/or require instructor approval. Prerequisite and instructor approval requirements can be found in the course descriptions for each course located in specific departments' sections of this bulletin.
Astronomy [ASTR]:
Any 3 point course numbered 2000 or higher
Biology [BIOL]:
Any 3 point course numbered 2000 or higher
Chemistry [CHEM]:
CHEM C1403 General chemistry, I
CHEM C1404 General chemistry, II
CHEM C1500 General chemistry: laboratory
CHEM BC1601 General chemistry, I
CHEM BC1602 General chemistry, II
CHEM C2407 Intensive general chemistry: lecture
CHEM C2507 Intensive general chemistry: laboratory
Any course numbered 3000 or higher
Computer Science [COMP]:
COMP W1003 Introduction to computer science and programming in C
COMP W1004 Introduction to computer science and programming in JAVA
COMP W1005 Introduction to computer science and programming in MATLAB
COMP W1007 Object-oriented programming and design in JAVA
COMP W1009 Honors introduction to computer science
Any 3-point course numbered 3000 or higher
Earth and Environmental Sciences [EESC]:
EESC V2100 Earth’s environmental systems: the climate system
EESC V2200 Earth’s environmental systems: the solid Earth system
EESC V2300 Earth’s environmental systems: the life system
Any course numbered 3000 or higher
Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology [EEEB]:
EEEB W2001 Environmental biology, I
EEEB W2002 Environmental biology, II
EEEB W3087 Conservation biology (forms the second half of a recommended sequence with EEEB W1001, see Courses Designed for Nonscience Majors)
Any course numbered 3000 or higher except W4700.
Mathematics [MATH]:
Any 3-point course numbered 1100 or higher
NOTE: For descriptions of the following courses, which may be used as courses in mathematics in partial fulfillment of the science requirement, see Departments of Instruction-Philosophy.
MATH G4801 Mathematical logic, I: the completeness result
MATH G4802 The incompleteness results in logic
Physics [PHYS]:
PHYS F1201/PHYS V1201/PHYS W1201 General physics: without calculus
PHYS F1202/PHYS V1202/PHYS W1202 General physics: without calculus
PHYS V1301 Honors general physics: with calculus
PHYS V1302 Honors general physics: with calculus
PHYS C1401 Introduction to mechanics and thermodynamics
PHYS C1402 Introduction to electricity, magnetism, and optics
PHYS C1403 , Introduction to classical and quantum waves
PHYS C1601 Physics I: mechanics and relativity
PHYS C1602 Physics II: thermodynamics, electricity, and magnetism
Any 3-point course numbered 2000 or higher
Psychology [PSYC]:
Any 3-point course numbered 32xx, 34xx, 42xx, or 44xx
NOTE: These courses may serve as a second term of a recommended sequence starting with PSYC W1010 or PSYC W1001, see Courses Designed for Nonscience Majors).
NOTE: 2600-level psychology courses may not be used to fulfill the science requirement.
Statistics [STAT]:
Any 3-point course except STAT C3997
Special Summer Program:
The following special program fulfills two of the three terms of the science requirement.
Center for Environmental Research and Conversation [CERC]:
Summer ecosystem experience for undergraduates: locations change yearly. Check with the center in the spring semester for details.