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The Bachelor of Science in Natural Sciences

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Major Academic Plans page or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

Courses in this program may complete more than one graduation requirement.

The BS in Natural Sciences degree with the Option in Science Education is designed for students preparing to be middle school science teachers, or seeking a career as an informal science educator in a museum or outdoor setting such as state parks, environmental camps, or nature centers. Successful completion of the program fulfills one of the requirements for admission into a single subject teaching credential program.

Those students who plan to enter the single-subject credential program should consider following a Foundational Level General Science (FLGS) cluster of courses (BIOL 151, BIOL 152, GEOS 102, GEOS 300W, CHEM 111, CHEM 112, PHYS 202A, PHYS 202B) as part of the regular degree requirements. See major advisor for additional information.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement.
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement; CHEM 107 or CHEM 111; PHYS 202A or PHYS 204A or PHYS 341.

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Course Requirements for the Major: 69-73 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Additional required courses, depending upon the selected option are outlined following the major core program requirements.

Students who plan to enter the single-subject credential program should consider following a FLGS cluster of courses (BIOL 151, BIOL 152, GEOS 102, GEOS 300W, CHEM 111, CHEM 112, PHYS 202A, PHYS 202B).

Lower-Division Requirements: 30 units

6 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: Recommend CHEM 111 or concurrent enrollment.
Prerequisite: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready.
Prerequisites: High school physics or faculty permission. High school trigonometry and second-year high school algebra or equivalent (MATH 051 and MATH 118 at CSU, Chico).
Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in or prior completion of MATH 110 recommended.
Prerequisite: SCED141 or faculty permission.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready, Intermediate Algebra.
Prerequisites: GE Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Ready; second-year high school algebra; one year high school chemistry. (One year of high school physics and one year of high school mathematics past Algebra II are recommended.)

2 courses selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: High school chemistry or physics is recommended; students with no previous science courses are advised to enroll in GEOS 101. No college credit for those who have passed GEOS 101.
Prerequisite: GEOS 165 or SCED 343 (or equivalent).

Upper-Division Requirements: 24 units

6 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement, SCED 141, SCED 142.
Prerequisites: SCED 141, SCED 142, or faculty permission.
Prerequisites: SCED 141, SCED 142, or faculty permission.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: One biological sciences course.
Prerequisites: One biological sciences course.
Prerequisites: One biological sciences course.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: Completion of GE Written Communication (A2) requirement; CHEM 107 or CHEM 111; PHYS 202A or PHYS 204A or PHYS 341.
Prerequisites: One course from GE Pathway Foundation Physical Sciences and one course from GE Pathway Foundation Life Sciences.

Major Option Course Requirements: 15-19 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required dependent upon the option chosen. Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.  Use the links below to jump to your chosen option.

Students who plan to enter the single-subject credential program should consider following a FLGS cluster of courses (BIOL 151, BIOL 152, GEOS 102, GEOS 300W, CHEM 111, CHEM 112, PHYS 202A, PHYS 202B).



Science Education Option: 15-19 units

2 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisite: Senior standing.
Prerequisite: SCED 490.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: GE Foundation Areas Physical Science and Life Science.
Prerequisites: PHYS 202A with a grade of C- or higher.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: BIOL 151 or faculty permission; recommend CHEM 112 or concurrent enrollment.
Prerequisites: GE Written Communication (A2) requirement; GEOS 170; PHYS 202A or PHYS 204A.

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: Necessary background for the specific internship.
Prerequisite: Acceptance as a Learning Assistant.
Prerequisite: SCED 342 or SCED 343 (may be taken concurrently).
Prerequisites: SCED 142; SCED 342 or SCED 343 (may be taken concurrently).

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
Prerequisites: CHEM 111 with a grade of C- or better.
Prerequisites: GEOS 102 or course in Biology.

Electives Requirement:

To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Catalog Cycle:20