The content and emphasis of the program focus on the broad unifying concepts that undergird the structure of science and the evidence on which scientific views are based and, therefore, serve as a basis for the decisions that members of a free society are asked to make. The implications of these concepts are considered as we examine the diverse disciplines embodied in the fields of natural science.

This approach to science is made on an interdisciplinary level because many students in college have taken specialized science courses without ever seeing the interrelationships among the sciences. The faculty in this division believe that this approach is important to students, whether or not they plan to continue to study science. Covering some of the unifying principles early helps students approach the study of science with more sophisticated knowledge of the nature and methods of science, the kinds of problems science can address, and the limitations that scientific study imposes.

Science: Objectives
The Division of Natural Science attempts to develop critical thinking through the study of scientists, their problems, and their methods, and to show the relationship of this study to other fields. The purpose of this activity is to build mature judgment and a real sense of social and scientific responsibility that allow students to accept their place in society as participating citizens.

The science program should be viewed as a four-semester continuum. The freshman year investigates the physical sciences, and the sophomore year examines the biological sciences. Each of the four courses meets four hours per week and includes a laboratory. For most students, this program represents the only formal study of science they will undertake at the college level. The faculty consider the program to be an integrated exploration of the natural sciences, which is enhanced by the courses' being taken consecutively within the two-year period. It is expected that students who complete this program will understand the major concepts of science and the integration of science in society.

The science courses are designed to encourage students' recognition that science is progressive with no absolute truths — it is a process in constant search of further understanding about the natural world. The division's courses expose students to the idea that science is not an independent human venture, but one integral to society. Through the courses students come to appreciate that modern science is very much directed by the needs of society rather than divorced from societal input. Students also become aware that scientific methodology, while providing a mechanism for solving problems, also imposes limitations on the types of problems that science can address.

The science courses focus on allowing students to appreciate and understand that humans are part of an intricately interwoven ecological system. Students come to view themselves as biological animals that play a key role in ecological activities within our biosphere. This is especially important in light of the fact that many of the problems currently facing our society have a scientific basis. These problems require sound scientific understanding, critical analysis, and responsible solutions. Through our courses, students become well prepared to discuss, analyze, and propose solutions to the many serious scientific problems facing our species and all other species on our planet.

The four-semester sequence of science courses provides the sound foundation that is necessary for a scientifically literate citizen in the twenty-first century.

• Science: Instruction