HELP 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog College of Natural Sciences Print-Friendly Page (opens a new window) Facebook this Page (opens a new window) Tweet this Page (opens a new window)

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Senthil Subramanian, Interim Dean
Greg Heiberger, Associate Dean for Academics and Student Success
College of Natural Sciences
Avera Health and Science Center 131
605-688-4420

Overview

The College of Natural Sciences provides degree programs in natural and physical sciences which are foundational to all professional, applied, and technical fields. A degree in physics explores the fundamental physical characteristics of matter, its motion and behavior through space and time through concepts of energy and force. Chemistry and biochemistry provide a study of the composition, structure, behavior and change of atoms, molecules, and macromolecules. A degree in the biological sciences provides a fundamental understanding of physiological mechanisms and development, providing a framework describing the processes of life and living organisms. Geography studies Earth’s environments, landscapes, peoples, and places, including natural science (physical geography), social science (human geography), and geospatial science (GIScience), to understand how human and natural complexities have changed over time and how they have come to exist in their current form. Students of the College of Natural Sciences are well-prepared for the scientific workforce as well as for advanced studies in professional and graduate school. Due to this broad, comprehensive education, our graduates have excelled not only in their chosen field but also in engineering, business, human science, and the social sciences.

Departments

• Department of Biology and Microbiology  
• Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics  
• Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences  

Degrees Offered

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Science
• Master of Science*
• Doctor of Philosophy*

* Graduate degrees are offered in collaboration with the Graduate School. For details, see the Graduate Catalog.

Secondary Education Courses

Students planning to teach at the middle or high school level will take EDFN 101  as a prerequisite for admission to the Pre-Residency program, which will typically start in the fall of the junior year. Students must then apply for a Residency placement for the senior year. (See the College of Education and Human Sciences  and the School of Education, Counseling and Human Development  for further details.)

Accreditations and Certification

• The Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and certified by the American Chemical Society.

Programs

Department of Biology and Microbiology

Programs

Majors

• Biology (B.S.)  
• Biology (B.S.) - Secondary Education Specialization  
• Biotechnology (B.S.)  
• Human Biology (B.S.)  
• Microbiology (B.S.)  

Minors

• Biology Minor  
• Microbiology Minor  

Pre-Professional Interest Areas

• Pre-Chiropractic  
• Pre-Dental  
• Pre-Genetic Counseling  
• Pre-Medicine  
• Pre-Mortuary  
• Pre-Optometry  
• Pre-Physician Assistant  

Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics

Programs

Majors

• Biochemistry (B.S.)  
• Chemistry - ACS Certified (B.S.)  
• Chemistry Education (B.S.)  
• Physics (B.S.)  
• Physics (B.S.) - Science Teaching Specialization  

Minors

• Chemistry Minor  
• Nuclear Engineering Minor  
• Physics Minor  

Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences

Programs

Majors

• Community and Regional Planning (B.S.)  
• Geographic Information Sciences (B.S.)  
• Geography (B.A./B.S.)  

Minors

• Geographic Information Sciences Minor  
• Geography Minor  
• Geospatial Intelligence Minor  
• Sustainability Minor  
• Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Minor  

Certificates

• Geographic Information Sciences Certificate  
• Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Certificate  

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