Department of Natural Sciences

Dr. Alvin Bopp, Chair

Office: Natural Science Building, Room 462

Phone: (504) 286-5245

Department Office: Natural Science Building, Room 360

Department Phone: (504) 286-5245

The Department of Natural Sciences (DNS) consists of five units, namely Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Southern University at New Orleans – University of New Orleans (SUNO-UNO) Dual Engineering. It serves to provide instruction for students planning to acquire degrees in these specific content areas, as well as offering support courses in the above named subjects to satisfy criteria for graduation in other disciplines. Among these five units, the department offers two Bachelor of Science (BS) degree programs in the areas of Biology and Mathematics.

The individual units in the Department share the following goals: (1) to enable students, through fulfillment of the University requirements, to understand more fully the nature of the universe and the world around them; (2) to provide areas of concentrated study for students who contemplate careers as professionals in the sciences; (3) give students a well-balanced training in the application of scientific method, techniques, and mathematics to solve contemporary problems and well prepared to meet challenges in life; and (4) to prepare students for admission to schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, forensic science, and engineering, as well as graduate and professional schools in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Students who contemplate majoring in a unit of the Department are advised to consult with the Department Chair to schedule a meeting with one of the unit’s faculty before the end of the freshman year. In this meeting, a comprehensive plan of study should be worked out to go into effect with the attainment of sophomore standing. Description of a degree requirement is found with each unit's course offerings (students must request for and properly update a course audit form which together with unofficial transcript copies are recommended to be carried by students in all meetings with Chair and assigned academic advisor). Variations of these programs must be approved by the Department Chair and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The starting levels of credit courses for students who are interested in majoring in mathematics and sciences are as follows:

Biology 124, 125

Mathematics 161, 162

Students who take courses with lower numbers will not be able to use those courses to satisfy their degree requirements. All courses in major must be passed with a grade of “C” or better.

Admission Policies and Procedures

Students will be admitted to the Department of Natural Sciences when they satisfy all University requirements. Students cannot receive the baccalaureate degree in the Department unless they are admitted and remain students in good standing.

A student will be admitted to a baccalaureate degree program in the Department when the following criteria are satisfied:
1. The student successfully completes at least 30 hours of course credits (excluding developmental courses).
2. The student possesses a 2.0 GPA.
3. The student applies for admission to the Department and requests the academic unit in which he/she is currently enrolled to forward all records to the Department.
Transfer students must meet the same admission standards as resident students. Transfer credit for courses comparable to those offered by the University and or as listed in Statewide Common Course Articulation Matrix will be accepted, when approved by the Registrar. However, credit will not be transferred for courses for which the student has earned a grade below “C.”