Science Foundations Associate of Science

Program Overview:

RCTC’s Science Foundations Associate of Science degree program is designed to articulate with a four-year degree in the sciences. Transfer students will find that this degree fits well with many science programs. This two-year degree includes basic science curriculum to fulfill many requirements for preprofessional programs such as medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, veterinary, and pharmacy. Students are strongly encouraged to check with the transfer or professional school(s) of their choice to ensure that specific requirements are fulfilled.

Program Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Science Foundations program at RCTC, students will achieve the following outcomes:

• Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of fundamental scientific principles.
• Apply skills in analytical thinking and problem-solving to experimental and theoretical data.
• Demonstrate skills in laboratory operations including making measurements, preparing solutions, using a microscope, operating instrumentation, designing experiments, preparing samples for various analyses.
• Provide clear and compelling data and analysis in oral and written communications including papers, posters, or presentations.
• Work both independently and collaboratively in the classroom and in the laboratory.
• Exhibit growth in academic performance and personal and professional responsibility.

SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS AS

MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM (MnTC)/GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (35 CREDITS)

GOAL 1: COMMUNICATION (7 CREDITS)

• COMM 1114 – Fundamentals of Public Speaking (3 cr)
• ENGL 1117 – Reading and Writing Critically I (4 cr)

GOAL 3: NATURAL SCIENCES (8 CREDITS)

• BIOL 1230 – General Biology II (4 cr)
• CHEM 1127 – Chemical Principles I (4 cr)

GOAL 4: MATHEMATICS/LOGICAL REASONING (4 CREDITS)

• MATH 1090 – Statway Statistics II (4 cr) OR MATH 1117 – Precalculus (4 cr) OR MATH 1127 – Calculus I (5 cr) OR MATH 1128 – Calculus II (5 cr) OR MATH 2208 – Fundamentals of Statistics (4 cr)

GOAL 5: HISTORY AND THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES (6 CREDITS)

Must be from two different areas – Suggested Courses:

• PSYC 2618 – General Psychology (4 cr) OR PSYC 2626 – Human Growth & Development (3 cr) AND SOC 1614 – Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)

GOAL 6: HUMANITIES AND THE FINE ARTS (6 CREDITS)

• Foreign language of your choice (4 cr) OR HUM 1131 – Introduction to the Humanities (3 cr) AND PHIL 1125 – Ethics (3 cr) OR PHIL 1135 – Bioethics (3 cr)

GOAL 10: PEOPLE & THE ENVIRONMENT (4 CREDITS)

• BIOL 1220 – General Biology I (4 cr)

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (4 CREDITS)

• CHEM 1128 – Chemical Principles II (4 cr)

PROGRAM ELECTIVES (21 CREDITS)

Select courses based on transfer or professional school(s) of choice. Recommended Electives by Transfer Area can be viewed at https://www.rctc.edu/program/science-foundations/additional-information/

• BIOL 1211 – Principles of Nutrition (3 cr)
• BIOL 1217 – Anatomy & Physiology I (4 cr)
• BIOL 1218 – Anatomy & Physiology II (4 cr)
• BIOL 2000 – Ecology (4 cr)
• BIOL 2021 – General Microbiology (4 cr)
• BIOL 2200 – General Zoology (4 cr)
• BIOL 2300 – Genetics (4 cr)
• CHEM 2127 – Organic Chemistry I (4 cr)
• CHEM 2128 – Organic Chemistry II (4 cr)
• CHEM 2297 – Chemistry Research (1 cr)
• CHEM 2800 – Biochemistry (3 cr)
• ENGL 11118 – Reading/Writing Critically II (4 cr)
• ESCI 1114 – Minnesota Rocks and Waters with Lab (4 cr)
• HCOP 1610 – Medical Terminology: Body Systems (2 cr)
• MATH 1115 – College Algebra (3 cr)
• MATH 1117 – Pre-Calculus (4 cr)
• NA 1500 – Nursing Assistant Theory and Clinical (4 cr)
• PHYS 1103 – Principles of Physics (3 cr)
• PHYS 1117 – Introductory Physics I (4 cr) OR PHYS 1127 – Classical Physics I (5 cr)
• PHYS 1118 – Introductory Physics II (4 cr) OR PHYS 1128 – Classical Physics II (5 cr)

RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES

FULL-TIME (FALL START)

• Semester 1 – Fall (15 CREDITS): BIOL 1220, CHEM 1127, COMM 1114, MnTC Goal 4
• Semester 2 – Spring (15 CREDITS): BIOL 1230, CHEM 1128, ENGL 1117, MnTC Goal 5 or 6
• Semester 3 – Fall (15 CREDITS): MnTC Goal 5 or 6, Program Electives (12 credits)
• Semester 4 – Spring (15 CREDITS): MnTC Goal 5 or 6, Program Electives (9 credits)

FULL-TIME (SPRING START)

• Semester 1 – Spring (15 CREDITS): CHEM 1127, COMM 1114, MnTC Goal 4, Program Elective
• Semester 2 – Fall (15 CREDITS): BIOL 1220, CHEM 1128, ENGL 1117, MnTC Goal 5 or 6
• Semester 3 – Spring (15 CREDITS): BIOL 1230, MnTC Goal 5 or 6, Program Electives (8 credits)
• Semester 4 – Fall (15 CREDITS): MnTC Goal 5 or 6, Program Electives (9 credits)

Course descriptions can be found at: RCTC course descriptions