University of California, Merced - Natural Sciences

School of Natural Sciences Website

Biochemistry, B.S.

bwright3 — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:15:04 +0000

The pioneering geneticist Craig Venter famously stated in 2004, “If the 20th century was the century of physics, the 21st century will be the century of biology.” The wealth of genomic data that has become available in recent decades, along with parallel development of methods in biochemistry and molecular biology, has offered new opportunities for solving some of humanity's most pressing challenges, including issues related to human and environmental health. Furthermore, biochemistry is foundational to the practice of modern medicine.

Our growing knowledge of how life operates at the biochemical level has already ushered in remarkable advances in technology, including new chemical and biologic drugs, vaccines, cancer immunotherapies, sustainable catalysts and chemical synthesis approaches, genetically modified crops, and engineered biomaterials. A degree in Biochemistry opens the door to a wide variety of careers in fields where the ability to leverage the exponential growth of available biological data and to extract meaningful biochemical insights from this vast sea of information is critical, such as in medical research, biotechnology, and environmental health.

UC MERCED BIOCHEMISTRY PROGRAM

Students majoring in Biochemistry at ɫ��ӰƬ will pursue a highly interdisciplinary understanding of biology at the scale of atoms to molecules with a level of depth and rigor that is not provided by programs in either Chemical or Biological Science majors. The program develops students' fundamental knowledge of biochemical principles, and provides training in cutting edge experimental techniques, data analysis and computational methods, and effective scientific communication.

School of Natural Sciences

Data Science and Computing, B.S.

bwright3 — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:37:11 +0000

Nearly every feature of our society has been touched by the accumulation of data at different scales and, as such, data science — the analysis and extraction of knowledge and meaning from data — has become an established field with many highly sought careers. The ability to collect, model and analyze vast volumes of data has transformed scientific, commercial and humanitarian enterprises and institutions, bringing significant advances such as individualized cancer therapies and facial recognition-based security technologies. However, the abundant use and sharing of data and algorithms raise pressing ethical challenges.

The data science and computing program major and minor inclusively empower ɫ��ӰƬ undergraduates to creatively and ethically apply data science mastery to any scientific domain of study at ɫ��ӰƬ, as well as to the academic, commercial and humanitarian pursuits of their dreams. Graduates will be prepared to tackle real-world problems with foundational skills and knowledge in communication, ethics, computing, statistics, machine learning and domain applications.

Click on the link below to see a comparison chart between both Data Science programs at ɫ��ӰƬ.

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ɫ��ӰƬ Data Science and Computing Program

The data science and computing major includes domain specializations for every major program within the School of Natural Sciences as well as programs in other schools. This includes applied mathematics, biology, chemistry, environmental systems science, physics and materials science and engineering. Students also have the option to design their own custom domain specializations.

The data science and computing minor was intentionally designed to be broadly accessible. The minor provides a calculus-free path to data science education that can be flexibly combined with any other major on campus.

Data Science and Computing Careers

Graduates will be prepared to enter careers in technology, public service, research and many other fields where rigorous and ethical analysis of large data sets is crucial to success. The program’s curriculum is tailor-made for data scientists, providing the specific core skills and knowledge that are desired by employers when hiring data science graduates.

Beyond the job tracks narrowly defined as “data science,” the analytical and technical skills the major will provide, in conjunction with domain expertise, will make graduates highly employable within other fields of interest. Data scientists exist in a variety of contexts, we envision this program will prepare students for “data science” jobs in industry including:

Actuarial scientist
Bioinformatician
Computational biologist
Data scientist
High-performance computing
Machine learning engineer
Statistician

In addition, increasingly, data science competencies are sought after in fields not traditionally associated with computer science. As such, data science training improves the ability of candidates for a range of disciplinary jobs that are not explicitly “data science.”

Minor Requirements School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

Political Science Minor

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:06:37 +0000

ɫ��ӰƬ Political Science Minor

The Political Science minor offers broad coverage of the study of politics. Political science is the social scientific study of political processes involving political institutions and political behavior. The study of political institutions includes topics such as the effect of the design of electoral systems on the quality of representation in government, the formal and informal elements of the legislative process and their implications for the making of law, and the impact of domestic political institutions on the incidence of international conflict. Under the rubric of political behavior, political scientists study how and why people choose to participate in politics, the determinants of vote choice, and the nature and origins of public opinion.

Students studying political science at ɫ��ӰƬ develop a strong substantive understanding of both political institutions and behavior. Students also learn the theories that help us better understand the political world and the methods by which these theories are tested and refined.

Minor Information Minor Requirements School of Natural Sciences Website

Natural Sciences Education Minor with Teaching Credential

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:02:40 +0000

The Natural Sciences Education (NSED) minor is designed to prepare ɫ��ӰƬ students for admission to the teacher credential program or pursue graduate studies in education. Students who complete the coursework and the fieldwork associated with this program can be eligible for admission to the teacher credential programs at many local institutions. Additional support and resources for students interested in teaching careers are available through the Science and Mathematics Initiative (SMI) program with the School of Natural Sciences.

Minor Requirements School of Natural Sciences Website

Natural Sciences Education Minor

bwright3 — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 23:59:32 +0000

ɫ��ӰƬ Natural Sciences Education Program

Minor Requirements School of Natural Sciences

Chemical Sciences Minor

bwright3 — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 21:39:11 +0000

ɫ��ӰƬ Chemical Sciences Minor

Chemistry is often known as “the central science” because of the key position it occupies in modern science and engineering. Most phenomena in the biological and earth sciences can be described in terms of the chemical and physical behavior of atoms and molecules, and chemical principles also underlie much progress in medicine and engineering. For these reasons, chemistry is a natural and useful minor for students majoring in other science and engineering disciplines. The Chemical Sciences minor allows students to pursue interests in chemistry in some depth without requiring the breadth of course work and extensive laboratory time required for the Chemical Sciences major.

Minor Requirements School of Natural Sciences

Applied Mathematics Minor

bwright3 — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 21:34:40 +0000

ɫ��ӰƬ Applied Mathematics Program

Mathematics has been a central feature of humanity’s intellectual achievements over the past several centuries. It is well established that mathematics provides the underlying framework to develop theory in the physical sciences and engineering. Moreover, mathematics is becoming increasingly important in the development of new knowledge in the social sciences and life sciences. These new application areas for applied mathematical sciences are undergoing remarkable growth.

The Applied Mathematics minor gives students an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of modeling, analysis and scientific computing that make up the foundation of applied mathematics. The Applied Mathematics minor may be useful to students seeking to strengthen their educational experience in their major through building additional skills in quantitative reasoning and problem solving.

School of Natural Sciences

Physics, B.S.

bwright3 — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 20:04:22 +0000

Physics is the study of nature at its most fundamental. Its scope covers everything from the tiniest particles of matter — such as atoms, electrons and quarks — to the structure of the entire universe, encompassing innumerable galaxies and stars.

Physicists seek to understand complex phenomena in terms of simple, unifying principles. Their queries have ranged from the seemingly innocuous, like "What causes an object to fall?", to the more elemental, like "What is the true nature of light?" Such questions led to the discovery of the gravitational force, which governs the motion of planets and stars, as well as to the biggest breakthrough of the twentieth century — quantum mechanics — which governs the very small. Answers to physicists' questions have revolutionized society, not only altering our basic understanding of the universe, but also profoundly affecting our day-to-day lives, laying the foundation for numerous technological innovations such as the laser, computer, and cellular phone. And physics continues to evolve and excite us, with unanswered questions from a multitude of active and emerging fields of research, such as Quantum Computation, Superconductivity, Chaos, Biophysics and String Theory, to name a few.

ɫ��ӰƬ Physics Program

The Physics program at ɫ��ӰƬ provides a strong foundation in the fundamentals of theoretical and applied physics, while also emphasizing the increasingly interdisciplinary role played by physicists in the scientific and technological community. This is reflected in the "core plus emphasis track" model of the major. The core is a rigorous grounding in fundamental physical principles, including electricity and magnetism, quantum and classical mechanics, and thermodynamics.

The emphasis tracks consist of flexible specialization options. Possible emphases include:

Astrophysics
Atomic, Molecular, Optical, and Condensed Matter
Biophysics
Computational and Mathematical Physics

Physics students develop excellent quantitative and analytical skills, enabling them to approach new and complex problems that arise in any field. These fundamental skills are essential preparation for a wide range of careers in such fields as aerospace, biotechnology, computers, engineering, medicine, education, law, finance, business and consulting.

Department Website School of Natural Sciences

Environmental Systems Science, B.S.

bwright3 — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 19:59:07 +0000

Environmental Systems Science Degree Program

Environmental Systems Science is a major in environmental science that prepares students to understand and solve critical challenges facing our environment, such as climate change, water and soil pollution, conservation of biological diversity and management of natural resources.

Our environmental science degree integrates the study of fundamental physical, chemical and biological processes that shape our environment with practical applications to real-world problems. The major is taught by a highly interdisciplinary group of faculty members. Check out their lab websites to learn more about their research and the courses they teach.

UC MERCED ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS SCIENCE PROGRAM

The Environmental Systems Science program offers interdisciplinary and flexible coursework. Core courses in our bachelor’s degree in environmental science provide students with a firm foundation in the fundamentals of chemistry, biology, hydrology, ecology and Earth sciences, while upper-division elective courses allow students the flexibility to pursue a variety of topics related to Earth and environmental systems. These courses emphasize an integrated approach to the discipline, incorporating field studies, laboratory experiments and computations.

What Can You Do With An Environmental Science Degree?

Students pursuing a degree in environmental science will find a diverse variety of opportunities for hands-on preparation into a high demand environmental systems workforce. Environmental science degree jobs, internships, and research experiences can be found with the following ɫ��ӰƬ organizations: Sierra Nevada Research Institute, Merced Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve and Yosemite Leadership Program. The diverse and geographically significant environments that these organizations study are right in ɫ��ӰƬ’s backyard, making its environmental science college an attractive prospect for future students.

Participation and success within these organizations will open up doors to the fulfilling and ethical jobs you can get with an environmental science degree. Careers that include a front seat to the fields of climate change mitigation, the study and protection of endangered species, and managing the world’s sustainability efforts in both the production and consumption of natural resources.

What Can You Do With An Environmental Science Major After Graduation?

Is environmental science a good major to pursue in order to find rewarding and high caliber employment? If you are someone who finds satisfaction from learning about the interconnectivity of natural systems found in our diverse world, then ɫ��ӰƬ’s bachelor degree in environmental science offers exactly what you are looking for. The list of jobs include:

Atmospheric Scientist
- Operational meteorologists
- Climatologists
- Environmental meteorologists
Botanist
- Conduct scientific research on plant life as it relates to agriculture, environmental policy, nutrition, and medicine.
Ecologist
- Study relationship between living organisms and their habitat
Geophysicist
- Scientists who specialize in Earth’s physical properties and work for private companies in engineering and oil industries, environmental protection groups, and governmental geological surveys.
Oceanographer
- Study water, sea life, weather, and climates which help preserve the natural resources of oceans and coastal waters
Park Ranger
- Work for federal or state governments and are responsible for preserving woodlands, forests, and conservatories.
Seismologist
- Scientists who study earthquakes and planetary activities as well as their effects, such as tsunamis and other natural disasters.