Preparation in Natural Science

Statement on Preparation in Natural Science Expected of Entering Freshman

July 1986

"Natural Science: Statement on Preparation in Natural Science Expected of Entering Freshman"(July 1986) assesses the scientific educational needs of entering freshmen.

The report recognizes that since not every student will choose to major in science, and therefore will likely have limited contact with the sciences, students’ high school educations should complement their college ones. Therefore, the report recommends that future baccalaureate students take at least one year of Biology, one year of Chemistry, and one year of Physics. Furthermore, the report notes that even science majors will sometimes lack these three basic skills in their collegiate education as they become hyper-specialized and ultimately will lack other elements of a rounded scientific education. The report also recommends that there be only one version of each of these courses offered to each student; that is to say, that a course not become more or less in depth depending on whether or not a future student thinks he or she may want to major in as they pursue a Baccalaureate degree. Instead, by offering a baseline course where all students can succeed, it will provide a much more even baseline from which faculty can build from.