The Astrobiology Minor is designed to educate students in this interdisciplinary field covering the varied scientific disciplines that contribute to our general understanding of life, the origin of life, the past history of life on Earth, possible futures for life on Earth, and the possible existence of life on other planetary environments.
The principal goal of the minor is to develop students’ literacy in astrobiology so they can critically evaluate claims related to this field that they encounter well after their college education has ended.
| Required Courses (22 cr.) | Credits | |
| BIOB 170 or 258 | 4 | |
| GEO 101IN | 4 | |
| GEO 211 | 3 | |
| PHL 278 | 3 | |
| ASTR 110IN or ASTR 371, or ASTR 373 | 3 or 4 | |
| CHMY 102CS or CHMY 121IN or CHMY 141 | 3 or 4 | |
| BIOL, PHYS, or CHMY 3XX | 4 | |
| Elective Courses (6 cr.) | ||
| BCH 380--Biochemistry | ||
| BCH 441--Biochemistry of Macromolecules | ||
| BCH 442--Metabolic Regulation | ||
| BIOB 256--Introductory Biology:Cells to Organisms | ||
| BIOB 260--Cellular & Molecular Biology | ||
| BIOB 375--General Genetics | ||
| BIOE 370--General Ecology | ||
| BIOB 420--Evolution | ||
| ERTH 505 --Geomicrobiology | ||
| HSTR 282CS --Darwinian Revolution | ||
| HSTR 207CS --Science & Technology in World History | ||
| HSTR 417 --Sci Tech Soc 1500-1800 | ||
| HSTR 419 --Modern Science | ||
| BIOM 360 --General Microbiology | ||
| PHL 242CS --Science, Psuedo-Science & Subjectivity | ||
| PHL 345 --Philosophy of Science | ||
| ASTR 371 --Solar System Astronomy | ||
| ASTR 373 --Stars, Galaxies & the Universe | ||
| RLST 402 --Natural, Unnatural, Supernatural |
Note: At least one elective course must be at the 300 level or higher.
