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 | |
| ASTR 110IN--Intro to Astronomy: Mysteries of the Sky or ASTR 371--Solar System Astronomy or ASTR 373--Stars, Galaxies, and Universe |
3 or 4 | |
| BIOB 170IN--Principles of Biological Diversity or BIOB 258--Intro Biology: Organism to Populations |
4 | |
| CHMY 102CS--Applying Chemistry to Society or CHMY 121IN--Intro to General Chemistry or CHMY 141--College Chemistry I |
3 or 4 | |
| CHMY 350--Astrobiology | 3 | |
| ERTH 101IN--Earth System Science | 4 | |
| GEO 211--Earth History and Evolution | 3 | |
| PHL 278CS--Origins of Life | 3 | |
| BIOL 3xx, CHMY 3xx, or, PHYS 3XX | 4 | |
| Elective Courses (6 cr.) | ||
| ASTR 371 --Solar System Astronomy | ||
| ASTR 373 --Stars, Galaxies & the Universe | ||
| 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 | ||
| BIOB 420--Evolution | ||
| BIOE 370--General Ecology | ||
| BIOM 360 --General Microbiology | ||
| ERTH 505 --Geomicrobiology | ||
| HSTR 207CS --Science & Technology in World History | ||
| HSTR 282CS --Darwinian Revolution | ||
| HSTR 417 --Sci Tech Soc 1500-1800 | ||
| HSTR 419 --Modern Science | ||
| PHL 242CS --Science, Psuedo-Science & Subjectivity | ||
| PHL 345 --Philosophy of Science | ||
| RLST 402 --Natural, Unnatural, Supernatural |
Note: At least one elective course must be at the 300 level or higher.
