Natural Sciences

Operational Definition

Natural sciences are academic disciplines that collectively use empirical evidence to comprehend and explain the physical world. At Ferris State University, these disciplines include Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Geology, and Physics.

Hallmark of a Bulldog

Ferris graduates use empirical evidence to make informed decisions about scientific issues.

Relevance

Scientific investigation is how we come to a deeper understanding of the natural world, make discoveries that affect humankind, and develop solutions to many problems.   Well-informed citizens need to both comprehend the scientific process and critically evaluate information presented in the popular media.

Ferris Learning Outcomes

The observable activities or abilities that will be evaluated as evidence of student learning for this Core Competency are described below. The icons to the left of each outcome are linked to holistic scoring rubrics. A complete matrix of all 40 scoring rubrics is available on this page.

	SCI1: Utilize concepts – Students correctly apply, analyze, or evaluate information using discipline-specific facts and concepts.
	SCI2: Design experiments – Given a problem, students formulate a potential solution or hypothesis and design a valid experiment to test it.
	SCI3: Analyze issues – Students use scientific concepts and principles to critically analyze historical or contemporary issues or policies.
	SCI4: Communicate data – Students clearly communicate scientific findings using a variety of formats (words, graphs, tables, statistical inferences, formulae, etc.) as appropriate.