Interdisciplinary Natural Science

All interdisciplinary science majors require a grade of 2.0 or better in all courses used to satisfy the major.
 
Administered by faculty committees drawn from the departments participating in each option.
 

Biology/Chemistry Track

Contact Persons:
Glenn Johnson, Department of Biology
207 Stowell, (315) 267-2264, johnsong@potsdam.edu

Maria Hepel, Department of Chemistry
302 Stowell, (315) 267-2267, hepelmr@potsdam.edu

42 credit hours required.

All courses are 3 credits unless noted. Credits are divided as follows:                                                                                                           


Required Courses
 Credits
28
BIOL 151 General Biology I (4 credits)
BIOL 152 General Biology II (4 credits)  
BIOL 311 Genetics (4 credits)  
CHEM 105 General Chemistry I (4 credits)  
CHEM 106 General Chemistry II (4 credits)  
CHEM 341 Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)  
CHEM 311 Quantitative Analysis (4 credits)  

Electives		  
14

Biology Electives (9 credits)

    

Chemistry Elective (3 credit)

  

Seminar (2 credits)

    


Notes about Electives

  1. Elective choices may affect credit totals required for degree completion if additional prerequisites are required.
  2. 6 credits of the Biology Electives must be at the 400 level.
  3. The Chemistry Elective must be at the 400 level and may not include Seminar. CHEM 425 Biochemistry is recommended for this track and has a prerequisite of CHEM 342 Organic Chemistry II (4 credits).
  4. The Seminar must be at the 400 level and taken in one of the two science areas. Work in that seminar must reflect individual yet interdisciplinary interests. BIOL 483 Current Topics in Biology is the biology seminar.

Recommended Coursework Outside the Major
Consult with departmental advisers.


Biology/Geology Track

Contact Persons:
Robert Badger, Department of Geology
216 Timerman, (315) 267-2624, badgerrl@potsdam.edu

Glenn Johnson, Department of Biology
207 Stowell, (315) 267-2264, johnsong@potsdam.edu

42-44 credit hours required. Plus 8 credits of cognates.

All courses are 3 credits unless noted. Credits are divided as follows:


Required Courses
 Credits
26
BIOL 151 General Biology I (4 credits)
BIOL 152 General Biology II (4 credits)  
BIOL 300 Ecology (4 credits)  
GEOL 103 Physical Geology  
GEOL 204 Historical Geology  
GEOL 301 Sedimentary Geology (4 credits)  
GEOL 311 Mineralogy (4 credits)  

Elective Courses		  
16-18
Biology Electives (8-9 credits)  
Geology Electives (6 credits)  
Seminar (2-3 credits)    
 

Notes about Electives

  1. Elective choices may affect credit totals required for degree completion if additional prerequisites are required.
  1. Six credits of the Biology Electives must be at the 300-400 level.
  1. All Geology Electives must be at the 300-400 level.
  1. The Seminar must be at the 300-400 level and taken in one of the two science areas. Work in that seminar must reflect individual yet interdisciplinary interests. BIOL 483 Current Topics in Biology is the biology seminar.

Cognate Requirements
  8
Chemistry    
CHEM 105/106 General Chemistry I and II (8 credits)

Recommended Coursework Outside the Major		  
Consult with departmental advisers.  

 

Chemistry/Geology Track

Contact Persons:
Robert Badger, Department of Geology
216 Timerman, (315) 267-2624, badgerrl@potsdam.edu

Maria Hepel, Department of Chemistry
302 Stowell, (315) 267-2267, hepelmr@potsdam.edu


41 credit hours required. 

All courses are 3 credits unless noted. Credits are divided as follows:  


Required Courses
30
CHEM 105 General Chemistry I (4 credits)
CHEM 106 General Chemistry II (4 credits)  
CHEM 311 Quantitative Analysis (4 credits)  
CHEM 341 Organic Chemistry I (4 credits)  
GEOL 103 Physical Geology  
GEOL 204 Historical Geology  
GEOL 301 Sedimentary Geology (4 credits)  
GEOL 311 Mineralogy (4 credits)  

Elective Courses		  
11
Chemistry Elective (3 credits)  
Geology Electives (6 credits)  
Seminar (2 credits)  
 

Notes about Electives

  1. Elective choices may affect credit totals required for degree completion if additional prerequisites are required.
  1. The Chemistry Elective must be at the 400 level and may not include Seminar. CHEM 451 Physical Chemistry is recommended for this track and has prerequisites of PHYS 104, 204 and MATH 151, 152.
  1. All Geology Electives must be at the 300-400 level
  1. The Seminar must be at the 400 level and taken in one of the two science areas. Work in that seminar must reflect individual and interdisciplinary interests.


Recommended Coursework Outside the Major
Consult with departmental advisers.

 

Geology/Physics Track

Contact Persons:
Robert Badger, Department of Geology
216 Timerman, (315) 267-2624, badgerrl@potsdam.edu

Biman Das, Department of Physics
212 Timerman, (315) 267-2281, dasb@potsdam.edu

44 credit hours required. Plus 16 credits of cognates. 

All courses are 3 credits unless noted. Credits are divided as follows:


Required Courses
 Credits
33
GEOL 103 Physical Geology
GEOL 204 Historical Geology  
GEOL 301 Sedimentary Geology (4 credits)  
GEOL 311 Mineralogy (4 credits)  
PHYS 103 University Physics I (4 credits)  
PHYS 204 University Physics II (4 credits)  
PHYS 305 University Physics III (4 credits)  
PHYS 306 Modern Physics (4 credits)  
GEOL 407 Environmental Geophysics  

Elective Courses		  
11
Geology Electives (6 credits)    
Physics Elective (3 credits)    
Seminar (2 credits)    
 

Notes about Electives

  1. Elective choices may affect credit totals required for degree completion if additional prerequisites are required.
  1. All Geology Electives must be at the 300-400 level
  1. The Physics Elective must be at the 300-400 level and may not include Seminar.
  1. The Seminar must be at the 400 level and taken in one of the two science areas. Work must reflect individual yet interdisciplinary interests.

Cognate Requirements
16
Geology    
CHEM 105/106 General Chemistry I and II (8 credits)  
Physics    
MATH 151/152 Calculus I and II (8 credits)  

Recommended Coursework Outside the Major		  
Consult with departmental advisers.