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CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY'S NSF HBCU-UP PROPOSAL Quality Enhancement in Science Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (QUEST) Program
GATE KEEPER COURSE SEQUENCES COMMON COURSES IMPACTING BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING AND WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT MAJORS Students find the following to be the general science courses impacting the pursuit of an education in their respective major. Students in BIO, CHM, MFE and WRM are expected to take these classes and often find themselves in need of help in learning essential concepts. Instructional delivery system improvement in these courses will contribute towards retention. The classes in chemistry and physics have laboratory components. Improvement in laboratory conditions will assist in this process. CHEMISTRY CHM 171. Chemistry I with LAB (I, II; 4) - This course will provide a foundation in the properties of matter and clarify chemistry's position amongst other sciences. Topics covered are: (1) the structure of atoms, molecules, and ions, (2) reaction stoichiometry, (3) chemical reactions-including acid-base, oxidation-reduction, and ionic reactions, (4) energy changes during chemical reactions- introduction to thermochemistry, (5) the electronic structure of atoms and their properties as summarized in the periodic table, (6) the beginning of a detailed study of the relationship of atomic structure to chemical bonding. There are three hours of lecture and a three-hour lab period each week. Laboratory exercises will be selected to reinforce the materials covered during the lecture. Prerequisite: High school math, chemistry, and physics. CHM 172. Chemistry II with LAB (I, II; 4) - This course builds on topics covered in CHM 171. Topics covered include: (1) the relationship of reactions to periodic trends - Bronsted acids and bases, reactivities of metals, etc., (2) the gas laws (real and ideal) and associated stoichiometry, (3) the structure of solids, liquids, and gases with respect to intermolecular attractions, (4) solutions and associated properties such as osmotic pressure, freezing point depression, and boiling point elevation, (5) an introduction to thermodynamics involving enthalpy, entropy, and free energy. There are three hours of lecture and a three hour lab period each week. Laboratory exercises will be selected to reinforce the materials covered during lecture. Prerequisite: CHM 171. CHM 173. Chemistry III with LAB (I, III; 4) - The final course sequence covers: (1) reaction rates, measurement of reaction rates, determining rate laws, and an introduction to reaction mechanisms and catalyst, (2) general chemical equilibrium including gaseous reactions, and heterogeneous equilibria, and equilibrium calculations, (3) acid-base equilibrium - a detailed study of strong and weak acids and bases, hydrolysis of salts, pH and buffers, and acid-base titration, (4) solubility and solubility product, (5) introduction to electrochemistry including electrolysis, stoichiometry in electrolysis, galvanic cells, reduction potentials, cell potentials and thermodynamics, and practical applications of galvanic cells, (6) complex ion equilibria and nomenclature. There are three hours of lecture and three-hour lab period each week. Laboratory exercises will be selected to reinforce the materials covered during lecture. Prerequisites: CHM 171 and CHM 172.
PHYSICS PHY 201, 203, and 205. University Physics
(I, III; 5) - An introductory course
prerequisite to all advanced courses in Physics, intended primarily
for biology, chemistry, physics and pre-engineering majors. This
course covers mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism,
optics, and atomic physics at an introductory level. Four one-hour
lecture periods and one two-hour laboratory period per week. PHY 202, 204 and 206. Laboratory (I, II, III; O) - Required Co requisite for PHY 201/202, 203/204, 205/206.
MATHEMATICS MTH 251. Elementary Functions (I, II; 5) - Algebraic functions, trigonometric functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, lines, polar coordinates, vectors in the plane, complex numbers. Prerequisite: two years of high school algebra or MTH 165 or 175. MTH 252. Calculus (I, III; 5) - The derivative techniques of differentiation, implicit differentiation, higher derivatives, graphing, maxima and minima, plane curves, motion. Prerequisite: MTH 251. MTH 253. Calculus (I, III; 5) - mean value theorem, the definite integral, techniques on integration, application of integration. Prerequisite: MTH 252. COURSES IMPACTING BIOLOGY MAJORS A fraction of the biology majors including those who aspire to pursue careers in health professions have difficulty with the early course sequence in biology given below. Improvements in instructional delivery in these courses will result in better retention rates. Development of laboratory modules and inquiry based approaches will be part of the instructional delivery system. BIO 165. Methods of Science (I;4) - This is a course for biology and science majors
that emphasizes laboratory experiences in order to acquaint students
with the scientific method. It introduces fundamental concepts
of biology and chemistry and develops critical thinking processes.
Concepts covered include characteristics of life, and cellular
structure and function. Three two-hour lecture/laboratories per
week. BIO 175. Fundamentals of Biology I (II; 4) - A continuing study of fundamental concepts in biology with emphasis placed upon cell division, genetics, reproduction, development and evolution. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period each week. Prerequisite: BIO 165. BIO 185. Fundamentals of Biology II (III; 4) - A continuation of BIO 175 with emphasis placed on tissues, homeostasis, organ system and ecology. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period each week. Prerequisite: BIO 175.
COURSES IMPACTING COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS The following courses are the gate keeper courses for computer science majors. Improvements in the computer laboratory will aid in enhancing the instructional delivery. CPS191(I,II,III;4) Number systems, computer history, time sharing, system commands, file editing, algorithms, flow-charting, pseudo-code, top-down design, branching, looping, arrays, strings, basic file input and output (I/O) operations, report writing, scientific and business applications, C++ language. CPS192 (I,II;4) Modular programming design, testing and debugging for larger programs, procedures, functions, objects, parameters, multi-dimension arrays, user defined data types, records, sets, recursion, files, dynamic variables, and link lists. Prerequisite: CPS191. COURSES IMPACTING INT, MFE AND WRM MAJORS Due to low student/teacher ratio, in general,
faculty are able to pay close attention to the students in these
programs. It may also be assumed that all required classes are
important in these majors. |
