Welcome

The Department of Natural Sciences is home to faculty from the areas of life science (biology and environmental science), chemistry, and physics. With research topics including oyster restoration, biofluorescence, cancer treatment, drug synthesis, and high energy physics, our faculty members often conduct interdisciplinary research that crosses the boundary between these areas and other departments on campus.  In addition, the department houses the biological sciences major and minors in chemistry, physics, and environmental sustainability (in collaboration with other departments in the Weissman School for Arts and Science and the Zicklin School of business), as well as an ad hoc major in the natural sciences and a natural sciences minor that can be designed to address specific intellectual interests or career objectives.

Through experiences that occur in and out of the classroom, the Department of Natural Sciences strives to provide educational and research experiences that are rich with opportunities and challenges and that foster an understanding of the scientific method of learning. Students benefit from small class sizes and courses that take advantage of natural and historical sites throughout the city. Check out the student Research Opportunities webpage for chances to get engaged outside of the classroom at NAS Blogs@Baruch.

Our programs and courses prepare students for entry into professional schools of medicine, dentistry, and other health care fields. The Department of Natural Sciences has an active Biomed Society that focuses on helping students learn more about medical professions, network with local groups, and navigate the professional school application process. Check here for more information on department recommendation for students interested in professional school. Also, check here for information on acceptance rates and a list of medical and dental schools our students attend.

We also prepare students for graduate study in the natural sciences or their teaching and provide a space for non-major students to grow in scientific literacy and understanding of the natural world as part of their Baruch education. Our faculty also accept graduate students through the CUNY Graduate School programs in Physics, Biology, and Chemistry.

Students interested in pursuing majors, minors, or classes within the department should contact wsas.natsci@baruch.cuny.edu.

Department updates, course information, and more can be found at NAS Blogs@Baruch.

Check out the department’s active BIOmed Society that focuses on assisting students learn more about medical professions.

Registration Instructions for Pathways Courses

Departmental permission is no longer needed to register for Natural Sciences Pathways (general education) courses.

NEW effective Spring 2024: Students are not required to take matching sets of lecture and lab courses as co-requisites. Students may select one course from the Life and Physical Sciences list and one course from the Scientific World list.  These courses may be in different disciplines (BIO, CHM, ENV, etc.), and they may be taken in different semesters.

1. Students who have satisfied neither the Life and Physical Sciences nor the Scientific World requirement at the time they entered Baruch must take courses offered by the Department of Natural Sciences to satisfy these Pathways Common Core requirements.
2. Please see below for notes on STEM Variant courses (for science majors and minors)

NEW effective Fall 2024: Students may select one course from the Life and Physical Sciences list and ANY course from the Scientific World list.

Life & Physical Science (Lab) Requirement(s):

Scientific World Requirement(s):

Note: The following courses are no longer offered at Baruch, but do appear on students’ transfer evaluations. Any of these courses may be used to satisfy the Life and Physical Sciences or the Scientific World requirement of the Pathways curriculum without appeal: BIO 1003; BIO 1005; CHM 1000; ENV 1020; ENV 1021; and PHY 1003. One course may not be used to satisfy both requirements.

Stem Variant Courses

1.The following courses may be used to satisfy either the Life and Physical Sciences or the Scientific World requirement (one course may not satisfy both requirements).

2.Students who wish to pursue a major or minor in the Natural Sciences should satisfy the Pathways science requirements with STEM Variant courses.

Note: If you need both “Life and Physical Sciences” (a laboratory course) and “Scientific World” (a lecture plus recitation course), you do not need departmental permission to register for these courses. In addition, if you have completed one of the requirements, via credit transferred to Baruch, please review Degree Works.

If you aren’t sure if have completed either of these requirements

Complete the survey found @ https://baruch.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_50x8GbQeDKzmFV3 so we can help you process your request.

For Non-Degree and EPERMIT students please contact the Registrar’s Office before contacting the department. 

Registration Instructions for Majors/Minors in Science

When you entered Baruch, you may have indicated that you intend to major in Biological Sciences.  You must file a Major/Specialization Form to make that official and make class registration easier.  The form can be filled out early in your Baruch career and is a plan for future coursework.  It can be changed and resubmitted at a later time.  The final version must match the courses on your transcript.  Please e-mail wsas.natsci@baruch.cuny.edu.

Students with questions about their official major status, including submitted major forms, should email WSAS.MajorForms@baruch.cuny.edu.

If you have completed the major form or a related minor, you should now be able to register for a science course, without permission, if you have completed the prerequisite courses.  Only Biochemistry (CHM 4900) and Microbiology (BIO 4004) require permission.

Be aware that science courses have prerequisites that you must have completed and co-requisites that you can be taking simultaneously or have completed.  This ensures that you have the background needed to do well in the advanced courses.  You can look up course requirements in the Baruch Undergraduate Bulletin.

If you need permissions or help, please fill out the online form (https://baruch.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_50x8GbQeDKzmFV3) and indicate your course registration choices.

Do you need an honors section?

Honors students (Macaulay, Baruch, and Provost Scholars) may request an honors section of advanced science courses. Please inform the faculty member of the intent to take the course for honors credit; in most cases there will be honors-worthy extra assignments.  The faculty member will submit names of any students who will be contracting Honors in their sections to the Baruch Honors Program.  The Honors Program will track honors contracts and will email the faculty members at the end of the semester to ensure that the contracted assignments and forms were successfully completed.

Students in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development work with NYC Parks and a local environmental group on a restoration project. Photo credit: Mitch Waxman