San Antonio College Schedule/Catalog 2024-2025
Natural Sciences
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Return to: Department Information
Dr. David Wood, (Interim) Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063
Anthropology
Shelly Sheppard, Program Coordinator
CAC 345, 210-486-0837
https://www.alamo.edu/sac/academics/program-index/natural-sciences/anthropology/
The Anthropology Program at SAC includes three of the four major fields of Anthropology - Physical or Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Archaeology.
Biology
Shelly Sheppard, Program Coordinator
CAC 345, 210-486-0837
http://www.alamo.edu/sac/biology/
The mission of the Biological Sciences Program is to provide curricula that include the traditional scientific knowledge base along with data and findings on modern discoveries. By accentuating the relevance of science in response to critical societal issues, students are taught how to apply theoretical knowledge to critically evaluate solutions. The department strives to maintain the highest level of lab experiences available to students. We strive to have a transformational impact on all who teach, learn, and work here. We constantly challenge ourselves to create a dynamic department so engaging that students, faculty, staff, and even visitors to campus become passionate to pursue innovation and discovery. We disseminate knowledge for its own sake and promote a culture of inquiry marked by rigor, creativity, curiosity, innovation, respect, sensitivity, open communication of ideas, and lifelong learning. We combine experiential learning with rigorous scholarship in our undergraduate program and ancillary organizations (Natural Science Club, etc.) to produce educated learners who are awake to new possibilities. We build on our existing strengths, including up-to-date classroom instruction where rigorous theory and practical, real-world experiences come together. We are thoughtful to promote a diverse and challenging environment of openness, respect, accountability and academic freedom. We hold ourselves accountable within this department for practicing the values of integrity, excellence, innovation, mentorship, efficiency, effectiveness, and continuous professional improvement. The department recognizes that the interaction between faculty and students is one of the most significant ingredients for student success. Therefore, access to the faculty is provided through small classes, regular posted office hours, scheduled academic advisement sessions, and discipline specific extracurricular activities as well as the BioSpot.
The BioSpot is an interactive tutoring/mentoring facility which serves multiple purposes. Faculty spends 2 hours of office time in the center each week to provide tutoring and mentoring for students. Often tutoring sessions begin impromptu with a group of students and a professor. Students may also schedule private tutoring sessions with the departmental tutor. Students have access to the computer lab where they can work independently using supplemental materials provided by publishers as well as individual faculty members. Students have access to a copier and all sorts of reserved materials, including practice exams, placed in the center by instructors. The center is also used as a testing facility. Private rooms for collaborative learning are available for check out by students. Recruitment events are held in the facility as well to inform students of degree programs at all ACC colleges as well as area 4 year universities.
Superior articulation agreements are maintained with transfer institutions. Faculty members are committed to excellence in education, advising, and writing letters of recommendation for students pursuing science and health professions. Students are encouraged to visit the Department and the BioSpot. The Biological Sciences Department offers career advisement for biology majors and maintains a very active pre-professional advisement committee that assists students to identify prerequisites, plot a course for success, and navigate the professional school application process.
The course offerings in the department are varied including courses for biology majors, allied health majors, pre-professional majors, and non-science majors. Several distance education courses are provided: BIOL 1322, 1323, and 2306, which are three-hour internet courses for non-science majors who do not require a lab, Blended (hybrid) courses in Microbiology for Allied Health majors (Biol 2420) are also available.
A student wishing to obtain an Associate Degree from San Antonio College must follow the core curriculum guidelines as outlined in the current College bulletin. A student wishing to continue studying biology at a four-year university should contact the four-year institution for its Baccalaureate Degree in Biology requirements before embarking on any degree plan. The student may contact San Antonio College's Biological Sciences Department, which maintains several 2+2 transfer agreements with regional universities, for a full listing of courses that transfer to four-year universities.
Students whose mathematics background is weak should consider taking all mathematics developmental courses before taking courses within this department. All courses in the department require college level reading and English. Students taking anatomy and physiology, and majors in biology and genetics are strongly urged to complete chemistry prerequisites prior to taking these classes. Students taking BIOL 2420 (Microbiology and Pathology) must complete chemistry I prior to registration while BIOL 2421 (Microbiology) students must complete two semester of chemistry for science majors and two semesters of biology for science majors before registering for this course.
Chemistry
Dr. David Wood, (Interim) Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063
Chemistry https://www.alamo.edu/sac/academics/program-index/natural-sciences/chemistry/
The Chemistry Program offers both courses for pre-nursing and allied health students (Introductory Chemistry I and II) as well as Chemistry majors and pre-professional students (General Chemistry I and II and Organic Chemistry I and II). Strong basic math skills are required to be successful in General Chemistry. Students who need refresher in math should consider taking a math course immediately before taking chemistry or seek tutoring in the ChemSpot to be successful.
Those who plan further work in chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, or other sciences, or who are entering pre-professional programs in medicine, dentistry, and similar fields, must complete CHEM 1411 General Chemistry I and CHEM 1412 General Chemistry II. Completion of CHEM 1405 Introductory Chemistry Lecture I and CHEM 1307 Introductory Chemistry Lecture II satisfies the requirement of the UTHSC-SA BSN program. Students wishing to enter the University of the Incarnate Word BSN program must take CHEM 1405 and CHEM 1407.
Astronomy
Dr. David Wood, (Interim) Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063
Astronomy www.alamo.edu/sac/astro/
Astronomy is the study of objects and matter outside the earth’s atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties.
Earth Sciences
Dr. David Wood, (Interim) Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063
Earth Sciences www.alamo.edu/sac/earthsci/
The Earth Sciences Program at San Antonio College provides quality instruction in the academic disciplines of geography and geology.
Geography can be best described as the study of the spatial patterns of physical and human features on the Earth’s surface (for example hazards, languages, agriculture, resources), and the processes that cause these patterns.
Geology is the science that focuses on the history of the Earth as recorded in rocks, and it seeks to describe and understand this history by analysis of geological features.
The GeoSpot (CG 003) is a center where students can seek quiet study space or obtain tutoring or mentoring from faculty members. It also houses the Geology Museum.
The department also offers Environmental Science through the Biology and Geology Programs.
Courses
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