CRITERIA FOR LIBERAL STUDIES AREA V:
NATURAL SCIENCES

SCOPE

The Natural Sciences cover a wide area of human experience, with a common ground of observations, hypothesis or model construction, and the use of experiment as a test against nature. Some sciences have detailed tested models, which have been extensively confirmed, while other disciplines rely heavily on observation and experiment to construct such models. In either case the area deals with the observed natural world, and with the evidence available for construction, testing and verification of models.

SPECIFIC CRITERIA

• Courses should deal with basic scientific constructs, including the role of observation and experiment in arriving at conclusions, and with the (economy to be observed) organization of thought and effort to be obtained in the construction of models.
• Courses should include more conceptual and theoretical material than applied material, should deal with broad perspectives of a discipline as opposed to narrow areas of specialized knowledge, and might serve as a foundation for further work in the area.
• Courses should examine a significant segment of material in the discipline, either as an introduction to the subject area or by a survey of outstanding examples in the area.
• Each course should include a significant component of methods of analysis and experiment or observation, so that mastery of content will also carry with it an increase in increased understanding and appreciation of critical evaluation skills.

The following statement must be included in the course syllabus:

The Liberal Studies Program at Florida State University has been designed to provide a perspective on the qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations of human beings, the past and present civilizations we have created, and the natural and technological world we inhabit. This course has been approved as meeting the requirements for Liberal Studies Area V, Natural Science, and in combination with your other Liberal Studies courses, provides an important foundation for your lifelong quest for knowledge.

Revised: 11/07