- Faculty
- Field Description
- The Majors
- The Minors
- Natural Sciences Laboratory Equipment
- Courses
- Department of Natural Sciences Web Site
Field Description
The Department of Natural Sciences is an integrated department offering a wide selection of courses in biology, chemistry, environmental studies, and physics. The mission of the department is threefold: (1) to engage all students in the scientific enterprise through hands-on learning, enabling them to become scientifically literate citizens who are able to make informed decisions about public policy issues; (2) to prepare students for admission to and success in graduate and professional schools and for entry into the scientific workforce; and (3) to provide research opportunities for Baruch College students.
The Majors
Biological Sciences
Arts And Sciences Ad Hoc Major in Natural Science Areas
Biological Sciences
Whether you’re a new student interested in the sciences, or a returning student planning a career change, the Department of Natural Sciences at Baruch’s Weissman School of Arts and Sciences offers you flexible programs that can be tailored to suit your interests and to help you achieve your career goals. The Biological Sciences Major offers a rich variety of courses in biology, chemistry, and environmental studies. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, may design programs that prepare them for careers or advanced studies in many science and health-related fields.
In small classes, students receive personal attention from faculty, who are recognized experts in their fields. Advanced students can participate in faculty research projects on campus or at institutions where Baruch professors have collaborative arrangements. These research activities not only provide a unique learning experience, but students can earn academic credit as independent study and honors courses. One semester (4 credits) of independent study or honors research may be included in the major elective courses for students planning on professional education in health care fields. Two semesters (8 credits) ma be approved by the department for students planning on graduate education toward careers in research.
Interested students should contact the Department of Natural Sciences at 646 660-6250.
| Biological Sciences | ||
Base Curriculum Courses No credit toward the major/specialization | ||
| Principles of Biology I | 4.5 credits | |
| General Chemistry I | 4 credits | |
| Pre-calculus and Elements of Calculus * | 3 credits | |
| or | ||
| A more advanced calculus course | 3-4 credits | |
| * Please note: Students with credit for MTH 2000 or 2001 must complete a calculus course. | ||
| Program Prerequisites 16.5 – 17.5 credits | ||
| Principles of Biology II | 4.5 credits | |
| General Chemistry II | 4 credits | |
| Principles of Organic Chemistry I | 4 credits | |
| General Physics I | 4 credits | |
| or | ||
| Quantitative Physics I | 5 credits | |
| Required Courses 7 credits | ||
| Statistics for Social Sciences | 3 credits | |
| or | ||
| Business Statistics | 3 credits | |
| or | ||
| Biostatistics () | 3 credits | |
| Principles of Genetics | 4 credits | |
Electives 19 – 20.5 credits Electives are based on students' interests and future goals, and are chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor. The major includes five elective courses, at least two of which must be at the 4000-level or higher, chosen from the following list: | ||
| Molecular and Cellular Biology | 4 credits | |
| Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development () | 4.5 credits | |
| Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 4 credits | |
| Endocrinology | 4 credits | |
| Biology of Invertebrates | 4 credits | |
Introduction to Molecular Biotechnology | 4 credits | |
| Plants in Action | 4 credits | |
| Microbiology | 4 credits | |
| Human Physiology | 4 credits | |
| Developmental Biology | 4 credits | |
| Independent Study | 3-4 credits | |
| Honors | 4 credits | |
| Medicinal Chemistry | 4 credits | |
| Biochemistry | 4 credits | |
| Independent Study | 3-4 credits | |
| Honors | 4 credits | |
| Introduction to Environmental Science | 4 credits | |
| Energy Conservation | 4 credits | |
| Human Conservation | 4 credits | |
| Economic and Legal Aspects of Ecology | 4 credits | |
| Global Ecology | 4 credits | |
| Air and Water Pollution | 4 credits | |
| Tropical Reef Ecology (plus lab ) | 3 credits | |
| Freshwater Ecology (BIO 3050) | 4 credits | |
| Ecosystem Sustainability | 4 credits | |
| Microbial Ecology | 4 credits | |
| Topics in Environmental Science | 4 credits | |
| Independent Study | 3-4 credits | |
| Honors | 4 credits | |
Arts And Sciences Ad Hoc Major in Natural Science Areas
When a student's educational objectives cannot be fully attained solely by study within an existing department, program, or school, he or she is given the option of devising an ad hoc pattern of courses in an area of concentration of his or her own choosing. A student may embark upon an ad hoc major following preparation and acceptance of a proposal outlining the area of study, the desired outcomes, and the educational values of the program. The program must be approved by the Office of the Associate Dean, Weissman School of Arts and Sciences.
The Department of Natural Sciences offers a pre-professional specialization that enables students to include chemistry and physics courses as part of an arts and sciences ad hoc major. Students prepare for entry into professional schools of medicine, dentistry, and other health care fields; graduate study in biological sciences; and teaching of biology, chemistry, and general sciences. Students combine basic courses in chemistry and physics with advanced electives.
The department also offers a specialization in environmental studies as part of an arts and sciences ad hoc major. This major includes a variety of courses in the sciences and additional courses from the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, the Zicklin School of Business, and the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. This ad hoc major integrates ecological principles in the dual context of science and society.
Prospective students are urged to register with the office of the Department of Natural Sciences early in their college careers. Each student will be assigned an individual advisor who will assist in formulating the specific ad hoc major program designed to attain the desired educational objectives. The department can be contacted at 646-660-6200.
The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences ad hoc major requires 30 – 33 credits.
The Minors
Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Sustainability
Chemistry
Students may wish to minor in chemistry in order to pursue general intellectual interests or specific career objectives. For example, students can complete the chemistry courses required for admission to medical school by doing a minor in chemistry. The chemistry minor will consist of two chemistry courses at the 3000-level or above, followed by a capstone course at the 4000-level. The capstone course must be taken at Baruch College. All chemistry courses at the 4000-level or above (including independent study and honors) offered by the Department of Natural Sciences may serve as the capstone. Interested students should contact the department.
Examples of possible course sequences in the chemistry minor:
Biochemistry
General Chemistry II Principles of Organic Chemistry I Biochemistry (co-requisite of CHM 3006—Principles of Organic Chemistry II)Medicinal Chemistry
General Chemistry II Principles of Organic Chemistry I Medicinal Chemistry (co-requisite of CHM 3006—Principles of Organic Chemistry II)Natural Sciences Minor
Students may wish to minor in natural sciences in order to pursue general intellectual interests or specific career objectives. For example, students can complete some of the science courses required for admission to medical school by doing a minor in natural sciences. For the natural sciences minor, students take two natural sciences courses at the 3000 level or above, followed by a capstone course at the 4000 level. The capstone course must be taken at Baruch College. All 4000- level courses offered by the Department of Natural Sciences or an independent studies course may serve as the capstone. Interested students should contact the department.
Interdisciplinary Minor in Environmental Sustainability
The Department of Natural Sciences, the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, and the Zicklin School of Business offer a joint interdisciplinary program in environmental sustainability. This minor is suitable for both business and liberal arts students who have an interest in developing a critical understanding of interactions between human society and the broader global ecosystem. The program emphasizes economic, legal, and philosophical issues of environmental sustainability.
The prerequisite to this minor is completion of one of the following options: 1) ENV 1020; or 2) ENV 1003L and ENV 1004; or 3) BIO 1003; or 4) BIO 1015 and BIO 1016; or 5) BIO 3001.
To complete the minor in environmental sustainability (11--12 credits) students must take one course at the 3000-level or above in environmental studies (ENV) offered by the Department of Natural Sciences, any other course from the electives listed below, and a required capstone course (ENV 4005 or 4900).
Program Prerequisite
Principles of Ecology | 4 credits | |
| or | ||
| Fundamentals of Ecology | 3 credits | |
| Fundamentals of Ecological Research | 3 credits | |
| or | ||
| Survey of the Living World | 4 credits | |
| or | ||
| Fundamentals of Biology - Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 3 credits | |
| Fundamentals of Biology - Laboratory Research in Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 3 credits | |
| or | ||
| Principles of Biology II | 4.5 credits |
Required Capstone Course
Ecosystem Sustainability | 4 credits |
or
Topics in Environmental Science | 4 credits |
Electives
Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development ( ) | 4.5 credits | |
| Environmental Modeling () | 4 credits | |
Biology of Invertebrates | 4 credits | |
Plants in Action | 4 credits | |
Freshwater Ecology ( ) | 4 credits | |
Green IT | 3 credits | |
Introduction to Environmental Science | 4 credits | |
Energy Conservation | 4 credits | |
Human Conservation | 4 credits | |
Economic and Legal Aspects of Ecology | 4 credits | |
Air and Water Pollution | 4 credits | |
| / | Tropical Reef Ecology (Lecture and Lab) | 4 credits |
Contemporary Economic Development | 3 credits | |
Introduction to Human Geography ( ) | 3 credits | |
World Regional Geography ( ) | 3 credits | |
Environmental Reporting | 3 credits | |
Law and the Environment | 3 credits | |
Law, Business and Sustainability | 3 credits | |
| The Environment, Political Choices, and Public Policy | 3 credits | |
Environmental Ethics | 3 credits | |
The Politics of Energy and the Environment | 3 credits | |
| Environmental Psychology | 3 credits |
Physics
The physics minor is suitable for students with an interest in the application of mathematical tools to fundamental scientific laws. The program emphasizes both mathematical ideas and classic experiments. Students with no previous exposure to physics are encouraged to take
Concepts in Physics, before beginning the minor.| To satisfy this minor, students must take three courses, two at the 3000-level or above, and a capstone at the 4000-level or above, from among the following list: | |
| General Physics II (Not open to students who have completed and/or ) | |
| Physics on the Computer with Python | |
| Quantitative Physics I [recommended] (Not open to students who have completed and/or ) | |
| Quantitative Physics II [recommended] (Not open to students who have completed ) | |
| Methods of Theoretical Physics | |
| Modern Physics | |
| Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics | |
| Astrophysics | |
| Independent Study | |
| Honors | |
| |
| Calculus I | |
| Elementary Calculus II | |
| Intermediate Calculus | |
Natural Sciences Laboratory Equipment
Facilities for advanced studies in biology, chemistry, and physics are available on the Baruch campus. In addition to equipment standard to biology research, the Department of Natural Sciences has laboratories equipped for microbiology and microbial ecology, cell biology, ecology, and physiology.
A student research lab offers incubators, microscopes, balances, centrifuges, growth chambers, and water baths to permit a wide range of research. Computers for data analysis and presentation design are also available. Faculty research labs are dedicated to specific areas of inquiry: cell-cell communication, molecular systematics and evolutionary biology, and microbial ecology. Research facilities are available for prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell culture, growth and maintenance of various plant and invertebrate animal species, histology, video microscopy, DNA amplification, cell fractionation, and various standard biochemical techniques, including UV/visible spectroscopy, electrophoresis, and chromatography.
Laboratories in chemistry are equipped for specific areas of experimentation: general chemistry, environmental chemistry, organic chemistry, and organic synthesis (electrochemistry apparatus, dissolved oxygen meters, atomic absorption apparatus, and instruments for nuclear magnetic resonance, gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, UV/visible spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy).
The physics area has a special computer lab for student research and a faculty laser optics research lab.
Courses
Courses in Biology (BIO)
Survey of the Living World | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
General Biology - Structure and Function - A Human Orientation | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Fundamentals of Biology: Human Biology Lecture | 2 lecture, 1 recitation; 3 credits | |
Fundamentals of Biology: Human Biology Laboratory | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Fundamentals of Biology - Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 2 lecture, 1 recitation; 3 credits | |
Fundamentals of Biology - Laboratory Research in Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Principles of Biology I | 2 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 3 lab hours; 4.5 credits | |
Population Biology: Evolution Ecology | 2 lecture hours; 3 lab. hours; 1 recitation hour; 4.5 credits | |
| Biostatistics () | 2 lecture hours; 2 lab hours; 3 credits | |
Principles of Biology II | 6 hours; 4.5 credits | |
Reading Science | 1 hour; 1 credit | |
Molecular and Cellular Biology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development ( ) | 2 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 3 lab hours; 4.5 credits | |
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Developmental Biology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Endocrinology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Principles of Genetics | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
| Environmental Modeling () | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Biology of Invertebrates | 4 hours; 4 credits | |
Human Physiology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
History and Evolution of Life | 2 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
| Introduction to Molecular Biotechnology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours | |
Plants in Action | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Freshwater Ecology ( ) | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Microbiology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Human Physiology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Development Biology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Independent Study I | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study II | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Special Problems | 4 hours; 4 credits | |
Special Problems | 4 hours; 4 credits | |
Biology Honors I | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Biology Honors II | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Biology Honors III | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester |
Courses in Chemistry (CHM)
Chemistry and the Environment | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Fundamentals of Chemistry | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Fundamentals of Chemical Laboratory Techniques | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Select Topics in Chemistry | 1 hour; 1 credit | |
General Chemistry I | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
General Chemistry II | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Principles of Organic Chemistry I | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Principles of Organic Chemistry II | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Physical Chemistry I | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Physical Chemistry II | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Medicinal Chemistry | 3 lecture hours; 3 lab hours; 4.5 credits | |
Biochemistry | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Independent Study I | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Independent Study II | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Independent Study III | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Honors Chemistry I | 4 hours; 4 credits | |
Honors Chemistry II | 4 hours; 4 credits | |
Honors Chemistry III | 4 hours; 4 credits |
Courses in Environmental Science (ENV)
Fundamentals of Ecology | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Fundamentals of Ecological Research | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Principles of Ecology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. and field hours; 4 credits | |
Environmental Conservation | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. and field hours; 4 credits | |
| Biostatistics () | 2 lecture hours; 2 lab hours; 3 credits | |
Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Energy Conservation | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Human Conservation | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Economic and Legal Aspects of Ecology | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Global Ecology | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Air and Water Pollution | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development ( ) | 2 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 3 lab hours; 4.5 credits | |
Tropical Reef Ecology Laboratory | 4 lab hours; 0 credits | |
Tropical Reef Ecology | 3 credits; 1 lecture hour | |
| Environmental Modeling () | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
History and Evolution of Life | 2 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Freshwater Ecology ( ) | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Ecosystem Sustainability | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Microbial Ecology | 2 lecture hours; 4 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Topics in Environmental Science | 3 lecture hours; 2 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Independent Study I | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study II | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study III | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Tropical Reef Ecology Laboratory | 4 lab hours; 0 credits | |
Hon Env Stud I | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Hon Env Stud II | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester |
Courses in Physics (PHY)
Concepts in Physics | 3 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 2 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Fundamentals of Experimental Physics | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Fundamentals of Physics: Theory and Practice | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
General Physics I | 3 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
Hyper complex Numbers with Applications in Physics | 2 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 2 computer workshop hours; 4 credits | |
General Physics II | 3 lecture hours; 1 recitation hour; 2 lab. hours; 4 credits | |
| Physics on the Computer with Python | 3 lecture courses; 3 lab hours; 4 credits | |
Quantitative Physics I | 4 lecture hours; 2 lab hours; 5 credits | |
Quantitative Physics II | 4 lecture hours; 2 lab hours; 5 credits | |
| Methods of Theoretical Physics | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Biological Applications of Physics | 6 hours; 4 credits | |
Modern Physics | 3 lecture hours; 3 lab hours; 4 credits | |
| Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Astrophysics | 3 lecture hours; 1.5 lab hours; 1.5 field excursion hours; 4 credits | |
Independent Study I | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study II | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study III | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Honors Physics I | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester | |
Honors Physics II | Hours to be arranged; usually 4 credits per semester |