BA in Natural and Applied Sciences
Career Options
Coordinator, College Science Lab
Science Lab Technician
Director, Hospital Laboratory Services
Water Quality Testing Lab Associate
Soil Conservationist
Science Tutor
Nurse
High School Science Teacher
Middle School Science Teacher
Service Learning Coordinator
Medical Technologist
School Nurse
Research Technician
Lab Instructor
Medical Technician
Nurse/Midwife
Physician's Assistant
Nurse Anesthetist
Environmentalist Technician
Laboratory Technician
This program provides students with a liberal arts education emphasizing basic sciences. Students may develop a concentration focusing on the biology of human health and illness or one focusing on environmental issues. Courses in this program also lead to Secondary Teaching Certification in Life Science with suitable education elective selection.
The Concentration in the Biology of Human Health and Illness is designed to provide students with a sufficient understanding of human biology to enable them to be employed in technology and research in the life sciences, to pursue careers in health education, to teach life sciences, to make wise health care decisions, to better communicate with health care providers, and/or to continue their education in health- and science-related fields (e.g., medicine, dentistry, molecular biology, immunology, public health).
The Environmental Issues Concentration provides students with a sufficient understanding of environmental issues to enable them to pursue careers in fields focused on the environment, ecology, conservation, and natural resource management, to make wise decisions concerning the use of natural resources and the preservation of natural areas and species, to communicate with regional planners, to teach life sciences, and/or to continue their education in related environmental fields including environmental health.
A critical component of this degree program is the internship, selected with the assistance of the director of field experiences. Students identify an organization that will enable them to evaluate potential career opportunities and develop workplace skills. Students must complete USM's Core curriculum.
Before taking 300-level courses, students must have completed the following prerequisite courses (9 credits) with grades of at least C: Microcomputers and Applications, College Writing, and College Algebra.
In addition to completing these specific course requirements for the major, baccalaureate degree students must meet the proficiency and residency requirements of the University of Southern Maine and complete the Core curriculum as well as a minimum of 120 credit hours of coursework.
The following courses are considered equivalent:
Pathophysiology: BIO 280 and SCI 380
Microbiology: BIO 281/282 and SCI 252
Chemistry: CHY 107 and SCI 108
Statistics: MAT 120D and LCC 150D
Major Requirements (30.5 credits)
| Credits | |
| SCI 369 Exploring Careers, Choosing Life Roles | 1.5 |
| SCI 413 Job Search Skills for the 21st Century | 1.5 |
| SCI 447 Internship | 3 |
| CHY 103/104 Organic and Biochemistry with Lab | 4 |
| MAT 108 College Algebra | 4 |
| SCI 107 Biological Principles II | 4.5 |
| SCI 113 Principles of Chemistry I | 3 |
| SCI 114 Laboratory Techniques I | 1 |
| SCI 115 Principles of Chemistry II | 3 |
| SCI 116 Laboratory Techniques II | 1 |
| SCI 315 Environmental Health with Writing Lab | 4 |
Biology of Health and Illness Concentration (26 credits)
| SCI 170/171 Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab (SE) | 4.5 |
| SCI 172/173 Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab | 4.5 |
| SCI 209 Human Genetics | 3 |
| SCI 252 Medical Microbiology | 4 |
| SCI 305 Molecular Physiology | 4 |
| SCI 380 Pathophysiology I | 3 |
| SCI 381 Pathophysiology II | 3 |
Environmental Issues Concentration (26 credits)
| SCI 105/106 Biological Principles I with Lab | 4.5 |
| SCI 240 Applied Botany with Lab | 4 |
| SCI 355 Ecology with Lab | 4.5 |
| SCI 360 Environmental Issues | 3 |
| SCI 365 Marine and Coastal Biology | 4 |
| SCI 421 Natural Resources Policy | 3 |
| Any Geographic Information Systems Course from the following: | |
| GEO 208 Cartography I | 3 |
| GEO 209 Introduction to Land Use Planning | 3 |
| GEO 210 Planning Maine Communities | 3 |
| GEO 305 Remote Sensing | 3 |
| GEO 308 GIS I | 3 |
| GEO 408 GIS II | 3 |
Lewiston Common Core (39 or 40 credits)
| Entry Phase | Credits |
| LCC 110 College Writing: Language and Literacies (CW) | 3 |
| or LCC 111 College Writing: Language and Literacies: Enrichment (CW) | 4 |
| LCC 130 The Biology of Human Health w/Lab (SE)1 | 4 |
| or LCC 230 Environmental Science, Policy, and Sustainability w/Lab (SE) | |
| LCC 150 Statistics for Informed Decision Making (QR) | 3 |
| LCC 123 College and Community I (EYE)2 | 3 |
| LCC 200 Creative Critical Inquiry into Modern Life (writing instruction) (CI) | 4 |
| LCC 220 U.S. Democracy: Origins and Development (SCA) | 3 |
| Or LCC 320 Sustaining Democracy (SCA) | |
| LCC 250 Thinking About The Arts, Thinking Through The Arts (CE) | 3 |
| Middle Phase | Credits |
| LCC Cluster3 (below) or any USM Minor | |
| LCC 401 Engaging the Future | 3 |
| LCC 310 Science, Technology and Society (SCA) | 3 |
| Or LCC 410 APDL (SCA) | |
| LCC 350 Global Past, Global Present (CI) | 3 |
| LCC 345 College and Community II2 | 3 |
| LCC 370 Toward a Global Ethics (writing instruction) (EISRC) | 4 |
| Capstone Phase | Credits |
| LCC 480 Senior Seminar (writing instruction) | 3 |
| Total | 39 or 40 |
1 LCC 130 is not required for Natural and Applied Sciences majors.
2 LCC 123 is required for entering students with less than 24 credits while LCC 345 is required only of students who were not required to take LCC 123.
3 Requirement may be met with this pending cluster of courses, or any USM Core Cluster, or with any USM minor or double major.
* Descriptions of LCC classes may be found in the introductory portion of the Lewiston-Auburn College section of this catalog.
Electives (19-20.5 credits)
Students are encouraged to take the remainder of the courses required to meet the minimum of 120 credits for the Baccalaureate degree in the areas of sciences or math with a minimum of 9 elective credits at the 300 level or above. This would include courses in SCI, MAT, CHY, BIO, PHY, GEO, and ESP or other classes in consultation with faculty advisor.
Equivalencies
BIO 105 = SCI 105 BIO 111 = SCI 170 BIO 212 = SCI 173
BIO 106 = SCI 106 BIO 112 = SCI 171 ESP 101 = LCC 230
BIO 107 = SCI 107 BIO 211 = SCI 172 SCI 100 = LCC 130
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