Bachelor of Science in Natural Science

General Education Curriculum

All degree programs require completion of the General Education Curriculum. A complete description of the gen ed and its requirements are available in the General Education Curriculum section of the Daemen catalog. Courses that satisfy a portion or complete a core requirement will have such designation indicated after the course title.

BS, Natural Science – Environmental Science Specialization

  1. Major: 63 CREDITS

    • The following courses require C or better:
    • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
    • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
    • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
    • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
    • CHE311/L Contemporary Chemical Analysis (4/0)
    • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
    • NSC331 Natural Science Literature Survey* (2)
    • NSC443 Natural Science Research Seminar (2)
    • CHE301/L-302/L Organic Chemistry I-II (3/1-3/1) OR BCH 317/L Bioorganic Chemistry (3) AND Additional Science Elective Credit (5)
    • *With department chair approval, students may petition for an Environmental Research Project in a Study Abroad program combined with NSC 443 to meet Research and Presentation competency.
    • Select one sequence (8 credits):
      • PHY201/L-202/L Physics I-II (3/1-3/1)
      • PHY151/L-152/L General Physics I-II (4/0-4/0)
    • Science Electives: 20 (or 25 if chose BCH 317/L above) credits to be selected:
    • CMP101 Composition I (3) (This does not require min. grade C)

  2. Specialization: 22 CREDITS

    • The following courses require C or better:
    • BIO302/L General Ecology (3/1) OR BIO/SUST304 Conservation Biology (3) with an additional Specialization Elective Credit (1)
    • ENS201 Introduction to Environmental Science (3)
    • ENS304/L Environmental Chemistry (3/1)
    • Specialization Electives: 11 (or 12 if chose BIO/SUST304 above) credits to be selected:
      • Choose from:
        • BIO302/L General Ecology* (3/1)
        • BIO/SUST304 Conservation Biology* (3)
        • ENS205 Planet Earth I: Physical Features (3)
        • ENS/NSC303 Environmental Toxicology (3)
        • ENS/NSC310 Global Water Issues (3)
        • ENS Study Abroad courses
        • SUST300 level courses
        • NOTE: Maximum 6 credits in SUST courses not cross-listed with BIO.  International environmental courses should be at 300 level.

          *if not taken above

  3. General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS

  • First Year Seminar (3)
  • Learning Communities (6)
  • Depth – Discovery (9)
  • Breadth – Exploration:
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
      • MTH134 Pre-Calculus (3)*
      • HPR308 Environmental Health (3)
    • Social Sciences:
      • Choose two courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Psychology, Linguistics, Political Science, and Sociology. (6)
    • Humanities:
      • Choose two courses from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (6)

Note: *Minimum grade C required

4. Free Electives: 3 CREDITS:

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS = 127 CREDITS

BS, Natural Science – Forensic Science Specialization

  • Major: 73 CREDITS
    • The following courses require C or better:
    • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
    • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
    • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
    • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
    • CHE337/L Forensic Chemistry (3/1)
    • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
    • PHY125/L Forensic Physics (3/1)
    • Select one:
      • BCH317 Bio-Organic Chemistry (3)
      • CHE301 Organic Chemistry I (3) NOTE: CHE301 is the preferred course
    • Science Electives: 40 credits to be selected from recommended Science courses.
    • CMP101 English Composition (3) (This does not require min. grade C)

    • SPECIALIZATION: 12 CREDITS

    • The following courses require C or better:
    • FOR101 Introduction to Forensic Science (3)
    • PSC117 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)
    • PSY306 Forensic Psychology (3)
    • Select one:
      • NSC310 Biostatistics (3)
      • PSY333 Statistics for Psychology & Social Sciences (3)
  • General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS
  • First Year Seminar (3)
  • Learning Communities (6)
  • Depth – Discovery (9)
  • Breadth – Exploration:
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
      • MTH134 Pre-Calculus OR MTH144 Calculus & Analytic Geometry I (3)*
      • Choose one course from: Math and Computer Science. (3)
    • Social Sciences:
      • PSY103 Introduction to Psychological Sciences (3) 
      • Choose one course from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Psychology, Linguistics, Political Science, and Sociology. (3)
    • Humanities:
      • CMP311 Advanced English Composition OR CMP315 Advanced Composition for Health Professionals (3)
      • Choose one course from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (3)

Note: *Minimum grade C required

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS = 124 CREDITS

BS, Natural Science – Health Sciences Specialization

  1. Major & Specialization: 70 CREDITS

    • The following courses require C or better:
    • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
    • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
    • BCH317 Bio-organic Chemistry (3)
      • One of the following courses recommended for pre-pharmacy and pre-vet track: CHE301/L, CHE302/L, BCH313/L, PHY-201/L
      • BIO315 General Microbiology recommended for pre-pharmacy track
    • BIO330/L General Anatomy (4/0) & BIO340/L General Physiology (4/0)
      • BIO-207/L Anatomy & Physiology I (4/0) & BIO-208/L Anatomy & Physiology II (4/0) recommended for pre-pharmacy track
    • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
    • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
    • NSC1XX Natural Science Freshman Seminar (1) & NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (2)
      • NSC121 (1), NSC 221 (1) & NSC231 (1) for pre-vet students
    • CMP311 Advanced English Composition OR CMP315 Advanced Composition for Health Professionals (3)
    • CMP101 Composition I (3) (This does not require min. grade C)
    • Science and Health Science Electives: 20-22 credits to be selected from recommended Science courses or from any 200-level or higher BIO, BCH, CHE, ENS*, NSC**, PHY courses designated for Science majors. *ENS courses cross-listed as GVT are not acceptable.
      • If you complete 12 credits in the specialization, 22 credits are required in science electives; if you complete 13 credits in the specialization, 21 credits are required in science electives; if you complete 14 credits in the specialization, 20 credits are required in science electives.
      • Some course options in science/health science electives and in the specialization have overlapping content and therefore credit for only one course in each of the following pairs may be counted as a required or elective health science course: HPR301 and PT508; HPR317 and PT504 and/or PT505; HPR317 and PT506 and/or PT507; HPR320 and PT517; BCH 317 and CHE 301; BCH 313 and BCH 317.
      • **Students in the Pre-Vet 3+4 program with Lincoln Memorial will be advised to take: NSC121 (1), NSC221 (1) and NSC321 (1) as part of your major Science and Health electives requirement.
      • 33 Credits will be taken at UB or D’Youville for pre-pharmacy students only (20 credits will be Science Electives and 13 credits will be Health Science Specialization)
    • SPECIALIZATION: SELECT 12-14 CREDITS FROM THE FOLLOWING AND IN CONSULTATION WITH ONE’S ADVISOR:
      • HPR301/L Physiology of Exercise & Cardiopulmonary Assessment (3/0)
      • HPR305 Communicating Health (3)
      • HPR308 Environmental Health (3)
      • HPR208 Health Promotion and Education (3)
      • HPR313 Principles of Health Behavior Change (3)
      • HPR317/L Human Motion: Principles & Perspectives (4/0)
      • HPR320 Community Health Education & Disease Prevention (3)
      • HPR335 Critical Issues in Global Health (3)
      • HPR338 Social Determinants of Health (3)
      • HPR340 Musculoskeletal Fitness Assessment (3)
      • HPR353 Introduction to Epidemiology (3)
      • PAS511 Clinical Microbiology/Immunology (3)
      • PT504/L-505/L Clinical Functional Anatomy I-II (3/0-2/0)
      • PT506/L-507/L Kinesiology & Biomechanics I-II (3/0-2/0)
      • PT508/L Physiology of Exercise (3/0)
      • PT517 Clinical Medicine I (3)

  2. Pre-Pharmacy Track Required Courses **

    • BCH313/L Biochemistry (3/1)
    • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
    • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
    • BIO207/L Anatomy and Physiology I (4/0)
    • BIO208/L Anatomy and Physiology II (4/0)
    • BIO315/L General Microbiology (3/1)
    • BIO340/L General Physiology (4/0)
    • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
    • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
    • CHE301/L Organic Chemistry I(3/1)
    • CHE302/L Organic Chemistry II (3/1)
    • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
    • NSC310 Biostatistics (3)
    • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
    • Science Electives (20)
      • Courses will be taken at University at Buffalo (UB)
    • Specialization (17)
      • Courses will be taken at UB
    • Breadth Required Courses
      • MTH144 Calculus I

  3. General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS

  • First Year Seminar (3)
  • Learning Communities (6)
  • Depth – Discovery (9)
  • Breadth – Exploration:
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
      • MTH134 Precalculus or MTH144 Calculus and Analytical Geometry I (3)*
      • Choose one course from: Math and Computer Science. (3) MTH104 or NSC310 recommended for pre-pharmacy students
    • Social Sciences:
      • Choose two courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Psychology, Linguistics, Political Science, and Sociology. (6) ECO201 recommended for pre-pharmacy students
    • Humanities:
      • Choose two courses from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (6)

  • Free Electives: 15 CREDITS:

    No courses in the major/specialization allowed (science courses determined by the Natural Science chair to be non-major courses are allowed).
  • Note: *Minimum grade C required

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS = 121 CREDITS

NOTE: ** Consult with your Advisor and your Program Evaluation regarding courses taken at UB. Total program requirements: 128.

BS, Natural Science – Individualized Studies Track

1. Major: 73 CREDITS:

  • The following courses require C or better:
  • BIO109/L General Biology I (3/1)
  • BIO110L General Biology II (3/1)
  • CHE110/L Chemistry I (4/0)
  • CHE111/L Chemistry II (4/0)
  • NSC231 Natural Science: Scientific Language and Literacy (3)
  • *NSC331 Natural Science Literature Survey (2)
    • *NSC331 may be replaced with an off-campus research experience (e.g., internship or scientific study abroad experience) approved by the Natural Science Department Chair prior to registration.
  • NSC443 Natural Science Research Seminar (2)
  • 8 credits in 300-level Biology courses
  • CHE301/L-302/L Organic Chemistry I-II (3/1-3/1) OR BCH317/L Bio-Organic Chemistry (3/1) and 4 credits in a 300-level Chemistry course
  • Science and Health Science Electives: 31 credits to be selected from recommended Science courses or from any 200-level or higher BIO, BCH, CHE, ENS*, NSC, PHY courses designated for Science majors.  A minimum of 10 of the 31 credits must be at the 300-level or higher.
  • CMP101 Composition I (3) (This does not require min. grade C)

*ENS courses cross-listed as PSC are not acceptable.

2. General Education Curriculum: 36 CREDITS

  • First Year Seminar (3)
  • Learning Communities (6)
  • Depth – Discovery (9)
  • Breadth – Exploration:
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics:
      • MTH144 Calculus and Analytical Geometry I (3)* 
      • Choose one course from: Math and Computer Science. (3)
    • Social Sciences:
      • Choose two courses from: Anthropology, Economics, History, Psychology, Linguistics, Political Science, and Sociology. (6)
    • Humanities:
      • Choose two courses from: Art, English, Language (French or Spanish), Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Theater. (6)

3. Free Electives: 12 CREDITS:

Courses offered in the major are not allowed (science courses determined by the Natural Science chair to be non-major courses are allowed).

Note: *Minimum grade C required

TOTAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS = 121 CREDITS

Requirements for Biology, Biochemistry, Natural Sciences Programs: Admission, Admission to Upper Division, Graduation – consult the Natural Sciences department section of the catalog or the Program Plans option on the Registrar’s web page.

Suggested Course Sequence

Access the suggested course sequences for: BS, Natural Science-Environmental Science specialization, Natural Science-Forensic Science specialization, Natural Science-Health Sciences specialization, Natural Science-Individualized Studies track, from the Natural Sciences Department web page or the Program Plans site on the Registrar’s web page.