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Courses in the Scientific Inquiry (SI) domain are designed to provide students with an opportunity to learn the methods of modern science and its impact in understanding the world around us. Courses are designed to help students develop a more complete perspective about science and the scientific process, including:

  • an understanding of the major principles guiding modern scientific thought;
  • a comprehension of the varying approaches and aspects of science;
  • an appreciation of the connection among the sciences;
  • an awareness of the roles and limitations of theories and models in interpreting, understanding, and predicting natural phenomena; and
  • a realization of how these theories and models change or are supplanted as our knowledge increases.

Where required, Quantitative Reasoning (MAT 120) is a prerequisite for SI Domain courses. Generally, two SI courses are required; depending on their program of study students may be required to take a designated SI Science as a Way of Knowing (SWK) or SI Lab, or both. The QR and MCD waiver cannot be applied to the SI Domain.

Learning Outcomes

Scientific Inquiry: Science as a Way of Knowing

​Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate understanding of the natural science content that is the focus of the course.
  • Interpret and create multiple representations of data (e.g. graphical, mathematical, pictorial/diagrammatic, and/or descriptive).
  • Use scientific evidence to support or refute predictions made by scientific hypotheses, state the limitations of the scientific method, and identify unsubstantiated claims, such as those based on pseudoscience.
  • Describe the process of scientific research, including aspects such as skepticism, ethics, collaboration, diversity of community, disparate impacts, funding, peer review, or the dissemination of results.
  • Substantiate the claim that scientific knowledge inherently evolves over time as previous understandings are revised with new evidence and perspectives.

Scientific Inquiry: Lab

​Students will be able to:

  • Pose meaningful scientific questions and generate testable scientific hypotheses.
  • Plan, design and conduct scientific investigations in a collaborative environment using appropriate tools and techniques to gather relevant data in order to test and revise scientific hypotheses.
  • Develop and use scientific models (conceptual, physical, and mathematical) to make predictions and develop explanations of natural phenomena.
  • Address variability in the data and recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.
  • Communicate scientific procedures, results, and explanations and engage in arguments based on scientific evidence.

Courses

Below please find examples of courses previously offered for scientific inquiry credit. For information on current offerings, please consult Campus Connection.

Scientific Inquiry: Science as a Way of Knowing Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Anthropology
ANT 130SCIENCE AND PSEUDOSCIENCE IN ARCHAEOLOGY4
ANT 270HUMAN EVOLUTION4
Asian Studies, Global
AAS 230INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION4
Biology
BIO 104EVOLUTION AND SOCIETY4
BIO 105THE SCIENCE BEHIND HUMAN HEALTH4
BIO 110EVOLUTION IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE4
BIO 115INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY4
BIO 118MARINE BIOLOGY4
BIO 119FROM MUSIC TO MIND: THE NEUROSCIENCE OF MUSIC4
BIO 120THE SCIENCE AND ART OF VISION4
BIO 121INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND IMMUNITY4
BIO 122INTRODUCTION TO PALEOBIOLOGY4
BIO 126BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR4
BIO 134HOW THE HUMAN BODY WORKS4
BIO 140THE SCIENCE OF BEEKEEPING4
Chemistry
CHE 102MOLECULES THAT SHAPED THE WORLD4
CHE 104CHEMICALS, DRUGS AND LIVING SYSTEMS4
Education
EDU 125THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN COGNITION4
Environmental Science
ENV 101INTRO TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE WITHOUT LAB4
ENV 116GEOLOGY OF THE ENVIRONMENT4
ENV 118EARTH THROUGH TIME4
ENV 200CITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT4
ENV 202RESOURCES, POPULATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT4
ENV 204ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT4
ENV 230GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE4
Geography
GEO 101ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY4
GEO 210INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION4
GEO 219WOMEN AND SCIENCE4
GEO 243EARTH OBSERVATION4
Health Sciences
HLTH 150DISCOVERING DISEASE: SMALL POX, HIV, AND ZIKA4
Neuroscience
NEU 120THE BRAIN THROUGH SCIENCE FICTION4
NEU 121YOUR CHANGING BRAIN: THE SCIENCE AND APPLICATION OF NEURAL PLASTICITY4
Physics
ID 104HAPTICS4
PHY 104THE SUN & ITS PLANETS4
PHY 120HOW THINGS WORK4
PHY 200LIGHT AND ATOMS4
PHY 204FRONTIERS OF THE UNIVERSE4
PHY 205EINSTEIN'S PECULIAR IDEAS4
Public Health
MPH 101THE SCIENCE OF PROTECTING THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH4
School of Continuing and Professional Studies
SNC 209EXPLORING EARTH'S PHYSICAL FEATURES4
SNC 210PREHISTORIC LIFE4
SNC 225BIODIVERSITY4
Women's and Gender Studies
WGS 219WOMEN AND SCIENCE4

 Scientific Inquiry: Lab Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Anthropology
ANT 104INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY4
ANT 120SCIENCE OF ARCHAEOLOGY4
The Art School
ART 223LIGHT, COLOR, AND PHOTOGRAPHY4
Biological Sciences
BIO 155INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGY WITH LABORATORY4
BIO 156FOOD, FUEL FOR LIFE4
BIO 160MARINE BIOLOGY WITH LAB4
BIO 161INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND IMMUNITY WITH LABORATORY4
BIO 162THE BRAIN: BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR4
BIO 166INTRODUCTION TO PLANT BIOLOGY WITH LAB4
BIO 191GENERAL BIOLOGY I FOR SCIENCE MAJORS4
BIO 192GENERAL BIOLOGY II FOR SCIENCE MAJORS4
BIO 193GENERAL BIOLOGY III FOR SCIENCE MAJORS4
BIO 202HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY4
Chemistry
CHE 103ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY4
CHE 105EXPLORING NUTRIENTS/SCIENCE OF NUTRITION4
CHE 107PROTEINS AND THEIR GENES4
CHE 109FORENSIC CHEMISTRY4
CHE 130GENERAL CHEMISTRY I3
CHE 131GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY1
CHE 132GENERAL CHEMISTRY II3
CHE 133GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II1
CHE 134GENERAL CHEMISTRY III3
CHE 135GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III1
Environmental Science
ENV 102INTRO TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE WITH LAB4
ENV 115ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY4
ENV 117EARTH THROUGH TIME WITH LABORATORY4
Film and Television Production
FILM 254IMAGE, OPTICS AND CINEMATIC MOTION4
Nursing
NSG 230WOMEN'S HEALTH: THE PHYSICAL SELF4
NSG 232MEN'S HEALTH: THE PHYSICAL SELF4
Physics
PHY 110BASIC ELECTRONICS: PRINCIPLES & TECHNIQUES4
PHY 114EXPLORING OTHER WORLDS4
PHY 150GENERAL PHYSICS I4
PHY 151GENERAL PHYSICS II4
PHY 152GENERAL PHYSICS III4
PHY 155GENERAL PHYSICS6
PHY 156GENERAL PHYSICS6
PHY 170UNIVERSITY PHYSICS I4
PHY 171UNIVERSITY PHYSICS II4
PHY 172UNIVERSITY PHYSICS III4
PHY 206SOUND AND ACOUSTICS4
PHY 232INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL ELECTRONICS4
School of Continuing and Professional Studies
SNC 320MAMMALOGY4