Dec 30, 2024  
Rensselaer Catalog 2023-2024 
    
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Rensselaer Catalog 2023-2024 [Archived Catalog]

Interdisciplinary Science

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The core course requirements of the Interdisciplinary Science curriculum are 20 science courses, each carrying 3 or more credits, chosen from offerings in the fields of astronomy, biology, biochemistry and biophysics, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, geology, mathematical sciences (course codes MATH and MATP), and physics. Each curriulum must include 8 credit hours of mathematics including MATH 1010  Calculus I; BIOL 1010 (Intro to Biology) and BIOL 1015/1016 (Intro to Biology Lab); and PHYS 1100 , Physics I. Each curriculum must include courses in at least six science disciplines. For this purpose, course codes MATH and MATP are a single discipline as are course codes ASTR and PHYS. In order to ensure depth and breadth, the curriculum must consist of at least eight courses in one discipline and four courses in each of two other disciplines.The remaining four courses are to be chosen from at least three other disciplines. The eight-course concentration must include two or more courses at the 4000 level. Other Institute-wide requirements for graduation such as the humanities, arts, and social sciences core requirements must also be met.

The student’s specific objectives will determine the balance of the curriculum to yield a total of 124 credits needed for graduation.

This curriculum leads to the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Science.

Outcomes of the Undergraduate Curriculum

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to demonstrate:

  • an advanced level of expertise in one science discipline.
  • a breadth of scientific knowledge across multiple science disciplines.
  • an ability to identify, formulate, and solve problems across multiple science disciplines.

First Year

Fall

  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Spring

  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Second Year

Fall

  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnote 3 below)

Spring

  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 3
    (See footnote 3 below)

Third Year

The Arch Summer Semester*

*For students who have applied for and been granted an exception, the Summer Arch courses would be taken during the fall semester. For listing of the exception process go to: http://info.rpi.edu/arch/students/#ExceptionProcess.

  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Fall OR Spring

  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • HASS Core Elective Credit Hours: 4
    (See footnote 3 below)

Fourth Year

Fall

  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Culminating Experience
    (See footnote 4 below)
  • Elective Credit Hours: 3-4
  • Elective Credit Hours: 3-4

Spring

  • Science Option Credit Hours: 3-4
    (See footnotes 1 and 2 below)
  • Elective Credit Hours: 3-4
  • Elective Credit Hours: 3-4
  • Elective Credit Hours: 3-4

Footnotes

  1. Science Options are chosen from among the offerings of the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics. ERTH 1030  and ERTH 1040 , Natural Science I and II do not satisfy the Science Options. MATH and MATP are a single discipline. ASTR and PHYS are a single discipline. BIOL and BCBP are a single discipline.
  2. Science Option: All six science options must be fulfilled. (a) Eight courses from a single discipline; (b) Four courses from a second discipline; (c) Four courses from a third discipline; and (d) One course from each of the three disciplines not represented in (a), (b), or (c). Two or more of the courses in the eight-course sequence must be at the 4000 level. These include the required courses listed above.
  3. Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences courses shall total 24 and meet distribution requirements in the catalog.
  4. All students must successfully complete at least one culminating experience carrying 3 or more credits. Some examples are Thesis Research, Project, Software Development, and Critical Assessment of Literature.
  5. The sequencing of courses may be rearranged to meet students’ needs as long as prerequisites are met, i.e. Biology may be moved to the first, third, or fourth year if desired.

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