Natural Science
God, by His own Word, gave to creation such order as is found therein, so that though He is by nature invisible, men might be able to know Him through His works.
It is plain then that nature is a cause, a cause that operates for a purpose.
Natural Science, like Philosophy, begins in wonder, and wonder begins in our sense perception of the natural world, which invites us to investigate the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of the things we perceive. Such investigation relies on the premise that we are able to read, at least in part, this ‘book of nature’; that the physical universe is ordered and intelligible, and the laws that govern natural phenomena are discoverable.
From Divine Revelation we know that God is the Author of this book of nature working through Christ, the Divine Logos, and so, “through the grandeur and beauty of the creatures we may, by analogy, contemplate their Author” (Wisdom 13:5). The study of the natural sciences, then, is intrinsically ordered toward fulfilling Christendom’s mission to provide a Catholic liberal arts education, grounded in natural and revealed truth. Like the other speculative sciences, natural science is a good in itself and worthy of study for its own sake. Taught according to the standards of the individual disciplines, and properly placed within the hierarchy of human knowledge, the natural sciences at Christendom contribute to students’ understanding of the created order and its ultimate cause and purpose.
From early Christianity to the present day, saints, Doctors of the Church, Popes, councils, and the example of faithful Catholic scientists have borne constant witness that faith and authentic natural science can never really be in conflict, for all truth has the same source—God, who is Truth itself. In fact, as St. John Paul II so beautifully stated in Ex Corde Ecclesiae, “A vital interaction of two distinct levels of coming to know the one truth leads to a greater love for truth itself, and contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the meaning of human life and of the purpose of God's creation.” As he wrote in his letter to Fr. George Coyne in 1987, “Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish.”
Natural Science Core
In Christendom’s core curriculum, one natural science course is required, usually taken in the junior year. Students may choose from astronomy, biology, or an introductory course highlighting the development of the methods and philosophy of science from Aristotle to modernity. The core courses give students an understanding of the methods and principles proper to the study of the natural order, and how they have changed from ancient to modern times.
Natural Science Major
Natural science majors deepen their understanding of physical reality with two courses in chemistry, and five upper division courses chosen from microbiology, anatomy & physiology, chemistry, physics, and one concerning philosophical issues in modern science. Many courses have a laboratory component, which must be taken with its companion lecture course, as an essential pedagogical element. Majors are also required to take a course in bioethics and complete a senior thesis. With a solid background in the physical sciences, placed in the context of our liberal arts core curriculum, students with a natural science major can position themselves to pursue a career in medicine, nursing, physical therapy, or other healthcare fields, as well as education.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NATURAL SCIENCE MAJOR
Required Courses:
- MATH 150 Introduction to Statistics (3 cr.) or MATH 201 Calculus I (4 cr.)
- SCIE 192 & SCIE 192L General Biology & Lab (4 cr.)
- SCIE 251 & SCIE 251 General Chemistry I & Lab (4 cr.)
- SCIE 252 & SCIE 252L General Chemistry II & Lab (4 cr.)
- Five science electives 300-level or above, three with a lab component (18-20 cr.)
- THEO 484
- Bioethics (3 cr.)
- SCIE 512 Senior Thesis (3 cr.)
Note: MATH 150/MATH 201 satisfies the core requirement for mathematics and SCIE 192 satisfies the core requirement for natural science.
The requirements for a Natural Science minor are as follows:
- Mathematics core requirement fulfilled by MATH 150 (3 cr.) or MATH 201 (4 cr.)
- Natural science core requirement fulfilled by SCIE 192 & SCIE 192L (4 cr.)
- One two-semester sequence in physics, chemistry, or biology with the accompanying lab components
- Three additional natural science courses from the following list, if not used to satisfy the previous requirement:
- General Chemistry I & Lab
- General Chemistry II & Lab
- General Physics I & Lab
- General Physics II & Lab
- Any natural science course 300-level or above (for any course with a lab component, both lecture and lab components must be taken)
Although Bioethics is highly encouraged for Natural Science minors, it is not required.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PHYSICS MINOR
Five courses in Physics are required of minors – three designated and two electives 300 level or above. The designated courses are:
SCIE 204 – 204L General Physics I & Lab
SCIE 205 – 205L General Physics II & Lab
SCIE 306 – 306L General Physics III & Lab
A mathematics major may complete the physics minor by taking a further 10 credits of physics beyond the requirements for the math major. A course grade of at least C- is necessary for a course to fulfill the department’s requirements for a minor.
FOUNDATIONAL CURRICULUM
SCIE 102 Introduction to Scientific Thought This course focuses on our changing conception of the universe, the rise of the various physical sciences, and the development of the scientific method.
SCIE 104 Descriptive Astronomy A study of astronomy beginning with its historical roots and leading to our current understanding of the universe. Major developments are placed in their historical and philosophic context by appropriate study of original works. Students also study the night sky and methods used by astronomers, by means of activities outside the classroom.
SCIE 192 General Biology Explores fundamental characteristics of living matter from the molecular level to the ecological community, with emphasis on general biological principles. Introduces basic chemistry of life, along with the diversity, structure, and function of living organisms. Examines the differences between pre-modern and modern biology and the evidence for various theories of evolution. Required for Natural Science major or minor.
SCIE 192L General Biology Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 192. Required for Natural Science major or minor.Co-requisite: SCIE 192. (1 credit)
ADVANCED COURSES
SCIE 204 General Physics I Introduction to mechanics and thermodynamics. Topics in mechanics include Newton’s laws of motion; physical concepts of mass, velocity, acceleration, motion, energy, and work; conservation laws, oscillatory motion and application of mechanics to simple problems. Required for mathematics major. Prerequisite: MATH 201 or permission of the instructor. Co-requisite: SCIE 204L.
SCIE 204L General Physics I Lab. Laboratory component of SCIE 204. Required for mathematics major. Co-requisite: SCIE 204. (1 credit)
SCIE 205 General Physics II Continuation of SCIE 204. Topics include fluids, thermodynamics, geometric optics, electricity and magnetism. Required for mathematics major. Prerequisite: SCIE 204 or permission of the instructor. Co-requisite: SCIE 205L.
SCIE 205L General Physics II Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 205. Required for mathematics major. Co-requisite: SCIE 205. (1 credit)
SCIE 251 General Chemistry I An introduction to the various principles of general chemistry. Topics include Periodic Table, States of matter, Chemical Formulae/names, stoichiometry, Acid-base & redox chemistry, Energy & the Gas Laws. Required for Natural Science major.
SCIE 251L General Chemistry I Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 251. Required for Natural Science major. Co-requisite: SCIE 251. (1 credit)
SCIE 252 General Chemistry II The second semester of general chemistry. Topics include bonding, physical properties of states of matter, solutions, kinetics, equilibrium, acid-base reactions, metathesis reactions, redox reactions, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, and chemical properties of selected classes of compounds. Required for Natural Science major.
Prerequisite: SCIE 251 & 251L. Co-requisite: SCIE 252L.
SCIE 252L General Chemistry I Lab. Laboratory component of SCIE 252. Required for Natural Science major. Co-requisite: SCIE 252. (1 credit)
SCIE 306 General Physics III Continuation of SCIE 205. Topics include wave motion, the nature of light and optical phenomena, special relativity, atomic and nuclear physics. Prerequisite: SCIE 205 or permission of the instructor. Co-requisite: SCIE 306L.
SCIE 306L General Physics III Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 306. Co-requisite: SCIE 306. (1 credit)
SCIE 351 Organic Chemistry I An introduction to the to the study of organic compounds, their structure, bonding, stereochemistry, and reactivity with emphasis on reaction mechanisms. The first semester covers the study of alkanes and cycloalkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, and aromatics. Prerequisites: SCIE 252 and SCIE 252L. Co-requisite: SCIE 351L.
SCIE 351L Organic Chemistry I Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 351. Co-requisite: SCIE 351. (1 credit)
SCIE 391 and SCIE 391L Anatomy and Physiology I First course in a two-semester sequence that satisfies an Anatomy and Physiology prerequisite for many health science programs and medical schools. Students should be prepared to commit to both semesters. Prerequisite: SCIE 192. Co-requisite: SCIE 391L.
SCIE 391L Anatomy and Physiology I Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 391. Co-requisite: SCIE 391. (1 credit)
SCIE 392 Anatomy and Physiology II Second course in a two-semester sequence that satisfies an Anatomy and Physiology prerequisite for many health science programs and medical schools. Prerequisites: SCIE 391 and SCIE 391L. Co-requisite: SCIE 392L.
SCIE 392L Anatomy and Physiology II Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 392. Co-requisite: SCIE 392. (1 credit)
SCIE 405 Microbiology Examines morphology, genetics, physiology, ecology, and control of microorganisms. Emphasizes application of microbiological techniques to selected fields. Prerequisites: SCIE 192 and SCIE 192L. Co-requisite: SCIE 405L.
SCIE 405L Microbiology Lab Laboratory component of SCIE 405. Co-requisite: SCIE 405. (1 credit)
SCIE 451 Biochemistry. Introduction to the chemistry of biological systems. Prerequisites: SCIE 192 & SCIE 192L, and SCIE 351 & SCIE 351L.
SCIE/PHIL 420 Philosophical Issues in Modern Science The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the basic scientific discoveries of the 20th century regarding the origin of the universe, the existence of a creator, and the immaterial nature of man and how they relate to the Thomistic understanding of the same issues. Topics include “Big Bang” cosmology, anthropic coincidences, human mind and the computer, quantum mechanics and reality, and philosophical issues in contemporary evolutionary biology.
SCIE 490-99 Special Topics or Directed Studies in Natural Science A topic chosen according to the interests of the students and the instructor.
SCIE 512 Senior Thesis Direction of the students with his senior thesis, a major scholarly paper on a Natural Science topic of his interest. The student receives instruction and individual assistance in development of a topic, research methods, organizing and writing a scientific paper.