Overview
The School of Science offers undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students for a variety of careers. As part of its instructional mission, the school also provides non-science majors with the scientific background to help them become more aware and better-informed consumers and citizens. Scientists advance the boundaries of our knowledge of the natural world through applied and basic research. Science benefits society by providing fundamental knowledge and technical advances in such areas as health, ecology, computer and software design, mathematical modeling, and chemistry. Science informs the social sciences with scientific understanding of psychology, applications of statistics, and an understanding of environmental issues. Science contributes to the arts and humanities by offering knowledge of the physical universe and the symmetry and wonder of nature. In addition to preparing students for science-related careers and for advanced study in graduate school, an undergraduate program in one of the sciences is an excellent background for professional study in medicine (including veterinary medicine), dentistry, business administration, law, and areas of the social sciences where quantitative methods are important. An education in the sciences also opens the door to employment in the high-tech industry in sales and management.
Over 140 faculty members, with ranks ranging from lecturer through full professor, are dedicated to helping students take steps toward reaching their educational, professional, and career goals. Our average student to faculty ratio is 17:1. We pride ourselves on our interdisciplinary approach, extensive undergraduate research opportunities, professional school placements, and service to our students. An education from the School of Science pays off: our students go on to top graduate programs, medical schools, and careers in academia, research, and the private sector.
Last Updated: April 2018
