LAS-SciM Requirements

The associate degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences (A.A.) requires the completion of 60 credits. Refer to course descriptions for information on pre-requisites and/or co-requisites.

College Requirements

  • Two Writing Intensive courses
  • A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA

CUNY Common Core Requirements (32 cr.)

  • BIOL 211: General Biology I (4 cr.)
  • CHEM 211: General Chemistry I (4 cr.)
  • ENGL 103+: Composition I (3 cr.)
  • ENGL 203^: Composition II (3 cr.)
  • LASC 101: City Seminar I (3 cr.)
  • LASC 102: City Seminar II (3 cr.)
  • LASC 200: The Arts in New York City (3 cr.)
  • MATH 103: Statistics (3 cr.) OR MATH 103A: Statistics A (1.5 cr.) AND MATH 103B: Statistics B (1.5 cr.) OR MATH 120: College Algebra & Trigonometry (3 cr.)
  • SOSC 111: Ethnographies of Work I (3 cr.)
  • SOSC 113: Ethnographies of Work II (3 cr.)

Science and Math Track Requirements (21-22 cr.)

  • BIOL 221: General Biology II (4 cr.)
  • CHEM 221: General Chemistry II (4 cr.)
  • BIOL 251: Genetics (4 cr.) OR CHEM 241: Quantitative Analysis (4 cr.)
  • MATH 120: College Algebra & Trigonometry (3 cr.) OR MATH 120.5: College Algebra & Trigonometry with Lab (3 cr.)
  • MATH 201: Pre-Calculus (3 cr.)
  • BIOL 231^: Microbiology (4 cr.) OR LASC 254: Capstone Seminar in the Liberal Arts & Sciences (3 cr.)

Science and Math Track Electives (7 cr.)

  • BIOL 122: Introduction to Earth & Environmental Science (3 cr.)
  • BIOL 251: Genetics (4 cr.)
  • BIOL 231: Microbiology (4 cr.)
  • CHEM 110: Introduction to Chemistry (3 cr.)
  • CHEM 120: Introduction to Biological Chemistry (3 cr.)
  • CHEM 241: Analytical Chemistry (4 cr.)
  • INFT 102: Hardware & Software (3 cr.)
  • SCI 215: Science & Society (3 cr.)
  • LASC 298: Independent Study (1-3 cr.)
  • MATH 210: Calculus (4 cr.)

+Students determined to be non-proficient in reading and writing by CUNY will be enrolled in ENGL 103 AND in a co-requisite, non-credit bearing support class, ENGL 103A.
^Writing Intensive Course

Featured Course

Student cutting a raw fish in a science labBIOL 251 (Credits: 4, Hours: 3 Lecture, 3 Lab)
Genetics

Did you know that the white rhinoceros was saved from extinction last year by in vitro fertilization? Did you know that scientists can use a virus to cure cancer? Do you know plants have been genetically modifying themselves since the beginning of time? Genetics is the underlying science used to study and address these kinds of issues. In this fascinating course, students attend lectures to learn concepts and theories and then apply these in the lab through a semester-long research project. Past projects have included genetic analysis of fish from local fish markets (spoiler alert – lots of fish are mislabeled!) and designing insulin-producing bacteria as a highly efficient way to create a new medication to treat diabetes.

There are so many new and exciting mainstream applications of genetics right now – DNA-based ancestry testing, the rise of personalized medicine, genetically modified food production, and the eradication of disease. This course challenges students to look beyond the headlines and understand the science responsible for the support and sustenance of human life on our planet.​

  Catalog Description

BIOL 251 (Credits: 4, Hours: 3 Lecture, 3 Lab)
Genetics

This course is recommended for students who wish to pursue a degree in the biological sciences and/or professional school (i.e. medical school, pharmacy school). Students who take this course will gain an understanding of the principles of heredity, including gene transmission, mutation, recombination and function. The course will use current issues in genetics research to explore ethical issues related to the use of genetics in modern medicine.

Pre-requisites: MATH 103 OR MATH 103A and MATH 103B; a ‘C’ grade or higher in BIOL 211, and a ‘C’ grade or higher in CHEM 211