Faulkner’s science programs are growing. The Department of Natural and Physical Sciences offers an assortment of tracks for our biology majors, including the ability to custom tailor a track that best suits your needs. A new chemistry major emphasizing biochemistry is now in the works that may make you especially attractive to pre-professional graduate programs nationwide. Our upper-division lecture and lab classes are small which means you will get all the attention you need to succeed in your advanced course materials.
Courses offered in this department will provide you with preparation for employment, research and advanced training in many of the areas of biological sciences. They also contribute to the background you may need for entering pre-professional fields such as medicine, dentistry, ophthalmology, physical therapy, nutrition, pharmacy and other health-science fields. Similarly, these courses can prepare you to enter applied fields such as teaching, animal science, agronomy, food science, natural resources management, veterinary medicine and other interesting career fields such as anthropology, archaeology, forensic science and mortuary science.
If you become a student of the natural and physical sciences, you will learn to reason well and deeply, to sharpen your capacity for inquiry, analysis and critical thinking and to develop a keen awareness for both the physical and biological components of the environment.
Degrees offered by the Department of Natural and Physical Sciences:
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Students who wish to pursue careers in one of the many areas of the biological arena will earn the BS degree in General Biology. This degree prepares a student for a scientific or research career. Through strategic choices of our offerings students may tailor a curriculum to specifically suit their needs according to their future career and educational goals.
Bachelor of Arts in Biology
Students often choose the General Biology Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree because of the flexibility it offers them for curriculum planning. Students who want to earn a special minor while studying biology have over 30 elective hours to dedicate as they wish.
Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry
- General biochemistry
- Pre-medicine, pre-dentistry
- Pre-veterinary medicine
- Other related preparation: for example, pre-pharmacy
Science Education
All secondary school teachers in Alabama public schools are required to earn a degree in their major field of teaching to become certified to teach in that area. Through a link with the Faulkner College of Education, the Science Department provides the science training for certification in teaching biology and other sciences at middle and secondary schools.
Requirements
For specific information regarding education courses and details about current teacher certification requirements see the College of Education. Students planning to become biology and general science teachers should consult with that college as soon as they have decided to pursue the teaching profession.
Certification
Students seeking Certification in Secondary Education Biology (6-12) will follow the basic curriculum for the BA in General Biology with a specialized set of education classes as specified. Similarly, students seeking the opportunity to teach science subjects in addition to biology will meet the requirements for teaching biology and general science by following the BS in General Biology curriculum with additional coursework in the physical sciences, language and a specialized set of education classes as specified.
Pre-engineering
Students interested in pursuing a career in an engineering field can get a great start at Faulkner University. The requirements for the first two years of a typical engineering program may be earned by taking an appropriate combination of core, mathematics and science courses.
Example
A future engineering major may transfer the following course work from Faulkner University into Auburn University’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering program:
English Composition I/II; Western Civilization I/II; General Psychology; Principles of Microeconomics; Ethics and Society (Bible); Appreciation of Music, Art, or Theater; Computer Applications; Calculus I/II/III; Literature I/II; Differential Equations; and Physics I/II
Additional Opportunities
Depending upon the specific engineering subfield of interest students may also take substantial additional course work toward their degree requirements at this institution;
- Aerospace Engineering: General Chemistry I; Linear Algebra
- Biosystems Engineering: General Chemistry I/II (Forest option – only Chemistry I); Principles of Biology I/II,
- Chemical Engineering: General Chemistry I/II; Organic Chemistry I/II; Intro. Psychology
- Civil Engineering: General Chemistry I/ II
- Electrical Engineering: General Chemistry I; Linear Algebra; C++ Programming; Java Programming
- Forest Engineering: General Chemistry I; Principles of Biology I
- Industrial Systems Engineering: General Chemistry I; Linear Algebra
- Materials Engineering: General Chemistry I/II, Linear Algebra, C++ Programming
- Mechanical Engineering: General Chemistry I; Linear Algebra
- Software Engineering: Linear Algebra; Java Programming
- Textile Engineering: General Chemistry I/II; C++ Programming
- Wireless Engineering: General Chemistry I; Linear Algebra; C++ Programming; Java Programming
Pre-Nursing and Allied Health
Pre-nursing Requirements
Pre-nursing at Faulkner is usually a two year program which leads to an application and transfer to a regional school of nursing (e.g. AUM, UAB, Troy, USA). Pre-nursing does not lead to a degree from Faulkner. However, many students decide to earn the BA/BS degree in biology and admission to nursing school to earn the BSN and RN follows.
Some nursing programs (e.g. UAB) allow students with the Biology Baccalaureate degree to enter their MSN programs directly without the RN requirement. Requirements for nursing school vary from one institution to another and also sometimes among the programs at the same institution. Students must communicate with the nursing schools of their choice for specific transfer requirements before scheduling classes at Faulkner.
Allied Health Requirements
Faulkner University provides training for students who wish to enroll in other allied health programs at a number of institutions in the Southeast. There students receive specialized paramedical training for careers in Child Development, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Dental Assisting and Hygiene, Emergency Medical Services, Health Information Technology, Medical Transcription, Human Services, Medical Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapy Assistant, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Sonography, and Sports Medicine.
Example Requirements
Faulkner University Science Department has a cooperative Linkage program with Wallace State College (WSC) at Hanceville, AL. Our program links with their many Associate of Applied Science degree programs. To prepare for this a student would take the first year of general education and additional prerequisite courses here at Faulkner and then apply for acceptance into WSC or a similar institution. A student then transfers to the new institution at the appropriate program starting date to complete their coursework and clinical experiences in one of the specialized programs through this arrangement.
Planning and Advising
Students interested in pursuing a linkage program should contact advisors in the Science Department at the earliest possible opportunity. This is important because the student must plan the appropriate course of study here at Faulkner to ensure they meet the entrance requirements and obtain special application materials for admission to WSC or other institutions. To make applications to these institutions students must have completed the prescribed courses for their specific program and must possess an academic grade average of “C” or better, as well as a “C” or better in each course for their specific program.