Mar 29, 2024  
2018-2019 SDSM&T Academic Catalog 
    
2018-2019 SDSM&T Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Interdisciplinary Sciences: Pre-Professional Health Sciences Specialization, BS


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Contact Information

Dr. Allison B. Gilmore
Departments of Humanities and Social Sciences
Classroom Building 317
(605) 394-2481
E-mail: Allison.Gilmore@sdsmt.edu

Interdisciplinary Sciences B.S.


Interdisciplinary Sciences Program Admission Policy

After successful completion of at least 60 credit hours and at least one year prior to the intended graduation date, the student must apply for admission to the degree program by filing a plan of study with the IS curriculum committee. The plan of study must be approved by the curriculum committee before a student will be formally admitted to the program. This plan of study consists of (1) a Letter of Intent stating the career goals to which the IS degree coursework is to be applied and (2) an IS worksheet showing the courses already taken and the courses to be completed prior to graduation. The Letter of Intent and worksheet must be reviewed and approved by the student’s IS advisor before submission to the curriculum committee. The Letter of Intent form and worksheet may be accessed on the IS website.

Deadline for submitting the Letter of Intent and worksheet to the IS office: For May graduates - April 30 of the preceding year; for August graduates - July 30 of preceding year; for December graduates - November 30 of preceding year. Students must have an approved Letter of Intent and IS worksheet on file in the IS office before registering for IS 498 , the senior capstone project.

General Requirements for Graduation


For all interdisciplinary sciences specializations, students are responsible to check with their advisors for any program modifications that may occur after the publication of this catalog.

I. IS Core Courses (IS 201 , IS 401 , IS 498 ) 9 credits
  
II. English sequence (ENGL 101 , ENGL 279 , ENGL 289 ) 9 credits
  
III. Math, Computer Science, Sciences  
  Math and Computer Sciences 1 min. 12
  Biology 2 min. 3
  Chemistry 2 min. 3
  Additional Natural Sciences 2 min. 24
  Other Math, CSC, Sciences min. 18
SUBTOTAL 60
   
IV. Humanities and Social Sciences  
  Humanities general education 6
  Humanities upper division 6
  Social Sciences general education 6
  Social Science upper division 6
SUBTOTAL 24
  
V. Program Approved Electives 3 18
  
120 credits required for graduation

Curriculum Notes


1 All IS specializations require MATH 123   Calculus I or a math course requiring MATH 123  as its prerequisite.  Some specializations require additional math courses beyond Math 123.

2 All IS specializations require a minimum of 30 credit hours in the natural sciences, including 6 hours in sequence (e.g., BIOL 151/BIOL 153) and 12 hours at the upper division.  Chemistry must be at the CHEM 112  level or higher. Biology must be at the BIOL 121  level or higher.  Students are expected to identify a science concentration and are encouraged to pursue a science minor as appropriate to their specialization.

3 Engineering courses may be counted toward graduation as electives only.

Thirty-six of the required 120 credits must be at the junior or senior level (courses numbered 300 and above.)

Students must meet the Institutional Credit Requirements, which include completion of a minimum of 30 credits from the School of Mines. In addition, 15 of the last 30 credits counted towards the degree must be taken from School of Mines.

Interdisciplinary Sciences Core Courses


All IS students take a sequence of three core courses distributed over three years. These courses are sequential and cannot be taken concurrently. IS courses cannot be counted for humanities/social science credit.

Pre-Professional Health Sciences (IS-HLTH): General Curriculum


Students should consult with their advisors for a more personalized course of study based on career goals within the health sciences. Course requirements may vary according to professional program, e.g., medical school, radiographic technology, physical therapy. Course sequence may also vary by student entry year, math/science placements, course availability, and career objectives.

PHN Flowchart  

Freshman Year


First Semester


Total: 14

Second Semester


Total: 17

Sophomore Year


First Semester


Total: 17

Second Semester


Total: 14

Junior Year


First Semester


  • Science Electives Credits: 9 3
  • 300/400 HUM/SS Elective  Credits: 3
  • Math/CSC Elective Credits: 3
Total: 15

Second Semester


  • Science Electives  Credits: 9
  • 300/400 HUM/SS elective  Credits: 3
  • Program Approved Electives  Credits: 3
Total: 15

Senior Year


First Semester


Total: 14

Second Semester


Total: 14

120 credits required for graduation


Curriculum Notes


Thirty-six (36) credits of the 120 credits required for graduation must be at a junior or senior level (courses numbered 300 or above).

1 A minimum of twelve (12) semester hours of approved mathematics and computer sciences is required, including Math 123 or a math course requiring Math 123 as its prerequisite.  Math 102 and Math 120 may be used towards graduation requirements for the IS-HLTH degree.

2 A minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours of university-approved humanities and social sciences is required.  This minimum includes six (6) hours of general education coursework in Humanities, six (6) hours of general education coursework in Social Sciences, six (6) hours of upper division Humanities, and six (6) hours of upper division Social Sciences. Pre-health students are advised to take PSYC 101, SOC 100, and upper division psychology courses in preparation for professional school admission exams.

3 All IS specializations require a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of natural sciences, including a minimum of three (3) semester hours in chemistry (Chem 112 or higher), three (3) semester hours in biology (Biol 121 or higher), and twelve (12) semester hours at the upper division.  Of the thirty hours required in natural sciences, a minimum of six (6) credits must be sequential.  The Professional Health Sciences specialization requires one year of general biology with labs, one year of general chemistry with labs, and one year of anatomy/physiology with labs.  For information on specific requirements, IS majors are advised to consult their advisors and the worksheet for their career areas (e.g., pre-med, pre-PT, pre-PA) available from the IS website: www.sdsmt.edu/is.

Program-approved electives may include additional coursework in math, computer science, and the natural sciences.  Students are expected to identify a science concentration and are encouraged to pursue a science minor (e.g., applied biological sciences or chemistry) as appropriate to their specialization.  A total of 60 hours in math, computer science, and natural sciences is required. Elective credits may include additional college coursework at the 100 level or above in math, computer science, sciences, humanities, social sciences, business, military science, or engineering as needed to meet the required minimums or to qualify for a science minor.

5 Fulfills General Education requirement. Students should consult the “General Education Requirements ” section of this catalog for a complete listing of all general education requirements.

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