Students in lab.

Scientific Literacy and Inquiry Sequence

This interdisciplinary sequence promotes scientific literacy through a basic understanding of the sciences covered, along with an active exploration of how scientific discoveries are made, how they are subject to forms of manipulation, how they have impacted society in the short and longer terms, and their ethical and cultural implications. Students complete two three-credit lectures plus one credit of lab.

Learning Outcomes

Having completed the Scientific Literacy and Inquiry sequence, you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge in three domains of the natural and/or physical sciences.
  • Understand and employ the scientific method.
  • Analyze how the understanding of scientific phenomena has changed through time, demonstrate that science is a continuous process and identify different factors that may contribute to scientific discoveries while recognizing a path of a scientific discovery (or a set of discoveries) through history.
  • Examine the role science plays in everyday life.
  • Identify key ethical issues in scientific research.
  • Distinguish scientific information from pseudo-scientific information, evaluate the role of pseudo-science on public opinion, and assess the effect of society (or historical pressures) on discovery.
  • Question specific interpretations of data and debate current scientific controversies.
  • Utilize the ePortfolio to compile work that demonstrates this learning.

 

Approved Scientific Literacy & Inquiry Combinations

For an approved list of SLI courses and combinations visit the Undergraduate Catalog.