First Steps

Students walking on steps at Wells Library

Step 3: Choose Your Courses

Bloomington General Education

Natural and Mathematical Sciences (N&M) Spring 2013

  • Natural and Mathematical Science General Education: Studying Human Inquiry

    Natural and Mathematical Science (N&M) courses enable you to learn how to participate in a unique human achievement: the development and practice of a method of inquiring about how our world works. You will better understand how scientific inquiry distinguishes fact from falsehood, how to learn scientific knowledge about the world in areas you choose of interest to you, and how you might contribute to those ever-growing bodies of knowledge.

    What you will do in Natural and Mathematical Science Gen Ed courses:

    --Constructing and testing hypotheses

    --Practicing rigorous analytical thinking

    --Collecting, interpreting and evaluating data

    --Engaging in active problem-solving

    The General Education Bulletin explains more about what Natural and Mathematical Sciences courses can help you do.

Requirement: At least 2 courses (including at least one Natural Sciences course) for at least 5 credit hours, or one 5-credit hour laboratory course

NOTE: The list of Natural and Mathematical Science (N&M) Gen Ed courses below includes only the courses offered in the coming term. For the complete list of N&M General Education course options, see the Bloomington General Education web site.


  • ANAT-A 215 Basic Human Anatomy*#
  • ANTH-A 211 Anthropology Topics in the Natural and Mathematical Sciences*
  • ANTH-B 200 Bioanthropology*
  • AST-A 100 The Solar System*
  • AST-A 103 The Search for Life in the Universe*AST-A 105 Stars and Galaxies*
  • AST-A 222 General Astronomy II*
  • BIOL-L 104 Introductory Biology Lectures*
  • BIOL-L 111 Introduction to Biology: Evolution and Diversity*
  • BIOL-L 112 Introduction to Biology: Biological Mechanisms*
  • CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry I*
  • CHEM-C 102 Elementary Chemistry II*
  • CHEM-C 103 Introduction to Chemical Principles*#
  • CHEM-C 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry*#
  • CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory I*
  • CHEM-C 122 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory II*
  • CLLC-L 130 Collins Seminar: Science and the Universe*
  • COLL-C 105 Critical Approaches to the Natural and Mathematical Sciences*
  • CSCI-A 110 Introduction to Computers and Computing
  • CSCI-A 201 Introduction to Programming I
  • CSCI-C 211 Introduction to Computer Science
  • CSCI-C 212 Introduction to Software Systems
  • CSCI-H 212 Introduction to Software Systems, Honors
  • GEOG-G 107 Physical Systems of the Environment*
  • GEOG-G 109 Weather and Climate*
  • GEOL-G 103 Earth Science: Materials and Processes*
  • GEOL-G 104 Evolution of the Earth*
  • GEOL-G 105 Earth: Our Habitable Planet*
  • GEOL-G 112 Historical Geology*
  • GEOL-G 116 Our Planet and Its Future*
  • GEOL-G 121 Meteorites and Geological Processes in Planets*
  • GEOL-G 131 Oceans and Our Global Environment*
  • GEOL-G 141 Earthquakes and Volcanoes*
  • HON-H 241 Scientific Uncertainty and Discovery *HPER-N 231 Human Nutrition*
  • HPSC-X 200 Scientific Reasoning
  • INFO-I 101 Introduction to Informatics
  • MATH-D 116 and D 117 Introduction to Finite Mathematics I and II (2 cr. + 2 cr.)1
  • MATH-J 113 Introduction to Calculus with Applications
  • MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics
  • MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus I
  • MATH-M 120 Brief Survey of Calculus II
  • MATH-M 211 Calculus I
  • MATH-M 212 Calculus II
  • MATH-V 118 Finite Mathematics with Applications: Finite Mathematics for the Social and Biological Sciences
  • MSCI-M 216 Medical Science of Psychoactive Drugs*
  • PHIL-P 250 Introductory Symbolic Logic
  • PHIL-P 251 Intermediate Symbolic Logic
  • PHSL-P 215 Basic Human Physiology*#
  • PHYS-P 101 Physics in the Modern World*
  • PHYS-P 105 Basic Physics of Sound*
  • PHYS-P 109 Introductory Acoustics Laboratory*
  • PHYS-P 150 How Things Work*
  • PHYS-P 199 Physical Science through Inquiry*
  • PHYS-P 201 General Physics I*#
  • PHYS-P 202 General Physics II*#
  • PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology I*
  • PSY-P 155 Introduction to Psychological and Brain Sciences*
  • SOC-S 110 Charts, Graphs, and Tables
  • SPEA-E 272 Introduction to Environmental Sciences*
  • SPEA-S 272 Honors--Introduction to Environmental Sciences*
  • STAT-S 100 Statistical Literacy
  • VSCI-V 250 The Miracle of Sight*

    1 Note: MATH-D 116–D 117 is a two-course sequence. Credit is not given for D 116 until D 116 is completed with a minimum grade of C– and D 117 is completed with a passing grade.

    *Natural Science course
    #5-credit hour laboratory course