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College of Natural Sciences

The college includes the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Nutrition and Food Science, Science Education, and Physics; the School of Nursing; the Rural California Nursing Preceptorship Program; the Center for Water and the Environment (CWE); the Center for Mathematics and Science Education (CMSE); the Center for Healthy Communities (CHC); the Northern California Rural Simulation Center (SIM Center); and the Gateway Science Museum.

Our Mission

The mission of the College of Natural Sciences is to serve as an anchor institution in Northern California for mathematics, the sciences, and nursing, providing diverse educational services and opportunities to our students and the larger community. Our undergraduate, pre-professional, and graduate programs give students the rigorous theoretical and practical training required for professional and personal success. We provide the cornerstones for a wide variety of technical disciplines beyond our college through foundational service courses. We instill in the wider campus community an understanding of the nature of science and its importance in modern society.  We support an increasingly diverse student body and affirm the importance of serving the community beyond our campus as a resource for mathematics and science expertise.

The college offers baccalaureate programs in biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, environmental science, geology, geosciences, mathematics, microbiology, natural sciences (preparatory for future science educators), nutrition and food science, nursing and  physics; and master’s programs in biological sciences, nursing, nutrition and food science, environmental science, geosciences, mathematics education, and science teaching. In addition to excellent classes using state-of-the-art equipment, professors encourage students to participate in activities that complement their academic career choices, including research projects, internships, and field experiences. Our discipline-based and pre-professional student organizations sponsor programs and events that support scholarship and community service. Our outreach to the University and the local community includes seminars and colloquia series featuring speakers who are making breakthroughs at the leading edge of mathematical, scientific, and nursing research.

The College of Natural Sciences is committed to improving the scientific literacy of the public and to addressing the nationwide shortage of mathematics and science teachers. Our subject matter preparation programs develop the strong understanding of content needed to be an effective teacher of science or mathematics. Our collaborations with our local K–12 colleagues allow us to provide a wide variety of field experiences for future teachers.

Catalog Cycle:20