Integrated Sciences and Math Major Requirements

The Integrated Sciences and Math (ISM) major (formally the Integrated Sciences major) is designed primarily as a second major for students in the CLAES School of Education interested in teaching science or math at the middle school level. The program is tailored to meet the New Jersey certification requirements for middle school science or math teachers and to facilitate the timely completion of the dual graduation requirements for education majors in the School of Education and the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This program is not designed to prepare students for further study in science or math disciplines at the graduate or professional level, or to teach science or math at the high school level.

Although placed in GEMS for administrative purposes, the Integrated Sciences and Math major is truly interdisciplinary in nature, both in its curriculum and faculty. ISM Faculty Advisors are Dr. Jonathan Husch (GEMS Chair), Dr. Sylvia Bulgar (Teacher Education; education advisor to ISM majors with a Mathematics concentration), Dr. Alex Grushow (Chemistry and Physics Chair; advisor to ISM majors with a Physical Sciences concentration), Dr. Peter Hester (Teacher Education; education advisor to ISM majors with an Earth, Life, or Physical Sciences concentration), Dr. Jonathan Karp (Biology; advisor to ISM majors with a Life Sciences concentration), Dr. Gary Pajer (Chemistry and Physics; advisor to ISM majors with a Physical Sciences concentration), Dr. Charles Schwartz (Mathematics Chair; advisor to ISM majors with a Mathematics concentration), and Dr. Reed Schwimmer (GEMS; advisor to ISM majors with an Earth Sciences concentration).

PLEASE NOTE: The course requirements for the Life Sciences concentration were changed as of June 1, 2009. All students enrolled in that concentration after this date, including all Fall 2009 incoming students, must satisfy the new requirements listed here. Students enrolled in the Life Sciences concentration prior to June1, 2009 may elect to satisfy the new or previous requirements. The requirements for the Earth Sciences, Mathematics, or Physical Sciences concentration have not been changed. Please see your ISM and/or education academic advsiors for details.

 

SUBJECT AREA	COURSE NUMBER	COURSE NAME	CREDITS
Integrated Sciences (7 Credits)
	ISM-100	Introduction to the Integrated Sciences	4
	ISM-410	Seminar in the Integrated Sciences	3
Inquiry-Based Science Courses (8 Credits) Select two courses (with labs), one each from two categories (A, B, or C) that are not the selected area of concentration (see below):
Category A. Life Sciences (4 Credits)  Select one course from the following:
	BIO-110	Life Science: Inquiry Approach	4
	BIO-250	Field Natural History	4
Categroy B. Earth Sciences (4 Credits)  Select one course from the following:
	GEO-100+102	Earth Systems Science and Earth Materials and Processes Lab	4
	MAR-120+121	Oceanography and Inquiry-Based Introductory Oceanography Lab	4
Category C. Physical Sciences (4 Credits)  Select one course from the following:
	CHE-118	Exploration of Chemical Principles	4
	PHY-105	Matter, Forces, and Energy: An Exploration of Physics Concepts	4
General Mathematics (15-16 Credits)  Select four courses from the following; MTH-210 and MTH-230 are required; MTH-211 and MTH-212 cannot be applied toward both these General Mathematics requirements and those of the Mathematics Concentration (see below):
	MTH-102	Elements of Finite Mathematics (inquiry section)	3
	MTH-105	Algebra and Trigonometry	4
	MTH-210	Calculus I (REQUIRED)	4
	MTH-211	Calculus II	4
	MTH-212	Calculus III	4
	MTH-230	Discrete Mathematics (REQUIRED)	4
Concentration Area  Select one area of concentration from either Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences, or Mathematics:
Area A. Life Sciences (20 Credits)  Select five courses (with labs) from the following; BIO-115 and BIO-116 are required; one of the three electives must be at 300-level:
	BIO-115	Principles of Biology: Evolution, Diversity, and Biology of Animals (REQUIRED)	4
	BIO-116	Principles of Biology: Evolution, Diversity, and Biology of Plants (REQUIRED)	4
	BIO-117	Principles of Biology: Evolution, Diversity, and Biology of Cells	4
	BIO-250	Field Natural History	4
	BIO-265	Genetics	4
	BIO-272+272L	Introduction to Marine Biology and Lab	4
	BIO-305	Vertebrate Physiology	4
	BIO-315	Medical Microbiology	4
	BIO-321	Environmental Microbiology	4
	BIO-340	Evolutionary Biology	4
	BIO-350	General Ecology	4
	BIO-370	Immunology	4
	BIO-372	Behavior of Marine Organisms: An Evolutionary Approach	4
	BNS-310	Neurobiology	4
	BNS-375	Neuroethology	4
	MAR-325	Marine Vertebrates: Fish to Mammals	4
Area B. Earth Sciences (20 Credits)   Select five courses (with labs) from the following; GEO-100, GEO-102, MAR-120, and MAR-121 are required:
	ENV-200	Statistical and Computer Applications in the Natural Sciences	4
	GEO-100+102	Earth Systems Science and Earth Materials and Processes Lab (REQUIRED)	4
	GEO-306	Sedimentology	4
	GEO-407	Hydrology and Water Resources	4
	MAR-120+121	Oceanography and Inquiry-Based Introductory Oceanography Lab (REQUIRED)	4
	MAR-210	Marine Life Through Time	4
	MAR-380/580	The Learning and Teaching of Marine Science1	4
Area C. Physical Sciences (20 Credits)  CHE-120, CHE-121, CHE-122, CHE-123, and PHY-200 are required; select either CHE-211, CHE-213, and PHY-105, or CHE-118 and PHY-201:
	CHE-118	Exploration of Chemical Principles (with PHY-201)	4
	CHE-120+121	Principles of Chemistry and Lab (REQUIRED)	4
	CHE-122+123	Introduction to Chemical Systems and Quantitative Methods Lab (REQUIRED)	4
	CHE-211+213	Organic Chemistry I and Lab (with PHY-105)	4
	PHY-105	Matter, Forces, and Energy: An Exploration of Physics Concepts (with CHE-211 and CHE-213)	4
	PHY-200	General Physics I and Lab (REQUIRED)	4
	PHY-201	General Physics II and Lab (with CHE-118)	4
Area D. Mathematics (18-20 Credits)  Select six courses from the following; MTH-211, MTH-212, and MTH-240 are required; MTH-211 and MTH-212 cannot be applied toward both these Mathematics Concentration requirements and those of the General Mathematics requirement (see above):
	MTH-211	Calculus II (REQUIRED)	4
	MTH-212	Calculus III (REQUIRED)	4
	MTH-240	Linear Algebra (REQUIRED)	3
	MTH-250	Differential Equations	3
	MTH-308	Advanced Calculus	3
	MTH-315	Modern Geometry	3
	MTH-340	Probability and Statistical Analysis I	3
	MTH-341	Probability and Statistical Analysis II	3
	MTH-401	Modern Algebra	3
	MTH-410	Complex Analysis	3
	MTH-420	Number Theory	3
	MTH-430	Introduction to Topology	3
	MTH-440	Real Analysis	3

TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED: 49-51 (In addition to CLAES core requirements)

¹MAR-380/580, The Learning and Teaching of Marine Science, is taught on a rotating basis during the Summer I or Summer II terms. MAR-580 can be used for graduate credit.

HONORS PROGRAM IN INTEGRATED SCIENCES AND MATH

Graduation with Honors in Integrated Sciences and Math is awarded in recognition of majors who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in the program is by invitation of the GEMS faculty. Eligibility requirements include a minimum GPA of 3.5 in courses required for the major and the satisfactory completion of a three- or four-credit Independent Research and Study course. In addition, an honors candidate must maintain an overall minimum GPA of 3.0.

 

Please see the Academic Catalogs for more information, including course descriptions.

Disclaimer: This information is taken from a recent published version of a Rider University academic catalog or manual, though not necessarily the most recent. Please be aware that, while the University makes reasonable efforts to keep website material current and correct, this information is subject to the University's academic policy committees, relevant accreditation organizations, and (in some instances) state and federal laws and regulations. For this and other reasons it may be subject to change at any time without notice and without being immediately reflected on the Web site.