Gut Instinct...which "Natural Science" requirement would be easiest for a non-science major?

[unsinkable]

Gut Instinct...which "Natural Science" requirement would be easiest for a non-science major?

 

Assume that all these courses are "Intro" 100-level, and are labelled for the "Non-Science Major."

 

Principles of Biology

Human Biology

Chemistry (says a non math focus on how Chem impacts society)

Geography (emphasis on natural environments),

Geology

Environmental Earth Science

 

Edited to add: CLEP is not an option. Also, this is college level. None of these classes have labs.

 

Please don't quote!

Edited January 28, 2018 by unsinkable

[Katy]

I would see which CLEP exam the school accepts for credit for that requirement and take it - Natural Sciences is probably the easiest, there are cheap online classes to teach the material, and he'd be done.  I don't see the point in belaboring unloved subjects at the college level unless it's necessary for life.

[Guest]

if he likes rocks, geology

if he likes gross bodily functions, human biology

if he likes weather and mountains, geography

 

I would not do the other bio or chem. If he does not like anything, then I would probably suggest human biology. If it was regular environmental science, I would have suggested that, probably.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think Geology.  Because he's more likely to use it in normal life than the rest, and it will teach him to observe natural formations and think of communities in terms of the underlying physical earth they rest on, which can be interesting.

 

(Gut feel only, like you asked for.)

[unsinkable]

CLEP would not be an option.

Edited January 28, 2018 by unsinkable

[Amber in SJ]

By process of elimination, I'd try geography.  Maybe he will find it interesting because Geography has such a strong "human" component.  How do humans shape their environment?  On the other hand I, as a non-science major, thoroughly  enjoyed Environmental Science & Chemistry in college.

 

Amber in SJ

[Carol in Cal.]

Geography at the high school level is not nearly as much about physical features as it is about maps, knowing where countries and rivers, etc., are (lots of memorization), and about natural resources as they relate to human needs, as well as human population patterns.  

[Jaybee]

I voted Human Biology because as a non-science lover, Anatomy and Physiology was the only science course I really enjoyed. That was in high school. The only science course my major required in college (iirc) was biology and its corresponding lab.

[MysteryJen]

Find the “rocks for jocks†section. Mine was called “natural hazards and catastrophes†in college. Super fun, interesting, and easy. Bonus for meeting football players....

[Mom22ns]

I think of geography as the least sciencey of those. I think of human biology as the most useful. I think the choice needs to be based on which one sounds most interesting (or least abhorrent) to him and the descriptions will be more important than the names.

 

Edited January 26, 2018 by Momto2Ns

[Arcadia]

What does he not like about Biology, Earth Science and Environmental Science?

Does he like lab work? If he doesn’t like lab work like my oldest (who just gets it done), I won’t do Biology, Chemistry or environmental science

Does he like field work? If he does, geography, geology and environmental science tends to have hands on labs that involve walking around campus, parks and basically not stuck in a lab for labs. My youngest like that kind of labs because he can be out and about collecting data and samples.

Does he mind memorizing? I passed high school biology and college geology by having a good memory.

What Chemistry has he done and does he like it?

 

I would have to compare actual syllabus though for all the courses because my geology was for civil engineering majors which was very different in emphasis than the geology for geography (GIS) majors.

[Corraleno]

If the college will count a Geography course as science, I'd think that would be the easiest and least "sciencey." If not I would go for geology and, as MysteryJen said above, search out the "rocks for jocks" section.

[unsinkable]

None of these classes have labs.

[PrincessMommy]

None of these classes have labs.

you should check to make sure there isn't a lab requirement.  My CC requires at least one science with lab.

 

Non-sciency person here is hoping to take Geology or Meteorology.   Does the college also have meteorology or Intro to weather with a lab?

 

Good luck

[Arcadia]

None of these classes have labs.

Not even virtual labs? I’ll go for the class that has the highest pass rate if your child dislikes all choices equally.

[unsinkable]

No labs.

 

The classes for science majors DO have labs, and the labs are listed both on the schedules and in the catalog.

[HSmomof2]

I was a non science major in college. The geology, which was supposed to be ‘rocks for jocks’ ended up being a really difficult class. I also took a chemistry class that wasn’t math-focused....it was more like chemistry in everyday life. It was a really interesting course and not too difficult.

 

ETA: I voted geography because it seemed the least ‘science’.

Edited January 26, 2018 by HSmomof2

[rose]

I'd suggest human biology because it's the only one that is really useful for a non-science major. He's also bound to have some knowledge of the subject already.

[sassenach]

I'd say environmental. It's a pretty broad topic, a lot of which will probably be familiar just from living. I would not do human bio, because it's a major prereq for all health majors and gets pretty nitty-gritty. Chem is a ton of algebra and memorizing. 

[gardenmom5]

2ds took astronomy.   (he had the option of using his previously taken physics for natural science or lab science.) 

he'd have taken bio - but it didn't fit his schedule.

[Catwoman]

I like the suggestions for taking meteorology and astronomy if they are available, but they weren’t on your list, so maybe they’re not an option.

 

I know some people are suggesting the science that they think would be most useful, but I’m getting the impression that usefulness isn’t much of a consideration here, right? Am I correct in assuming that you’re looking for the easiest course that will require the least amount of effort, and that the student will be taking it solely because a science course is required by the college?

[gardenmom5]

I'd say environmental. It's a pretty broad topic, a lot of which will probably be familiar just from living. I would not do human bio, because it's a major prereq for all health majors and gets pretty nitty-gritty. Chem is a ton of algebra and memorizing. 

 

a real early introductory chem class might be algebra . . . dd had to have calculus (and calculus based physics) for her upper level chem classes.  I wouldn't recommend any lab science for someone who doesn't like science.

 

 

 

I have two non-tech stem majors - and one who started in non-tech stem, and changed his mind.

 

I would look at geology or geography.  maybe environmental  (i think that's one that's aimed at non-science students.)

 

like there's business algebra - and stem algebra.

 

 

 

OP

can you look at the syllibi for the classes?

and is it he doesn't *like* science, or he *struggles* with science?

 

the reason I ask is I once worked for a woman who wanted nothing to do with science.  she was just going to major in english.  she took a research bio class to meet a requirement and fell in love.   she's now a dr - she was perfectly capable of doing the science, she just didn't want to until her interest was tweaked.

[unsinkable]

Yes, this is a box-checking moment, Cat! :lol:

[Rebel]

I currently teach General Biology at a CC and Environmental Science at a 4 year university, both for non-science majors. I also teach Human Physiology labs as a TA at a 4 year university.  My suggestion would be environmental science or geography.  I would NOT suggest Human Biology as the human body is extremely complex, but then again, the course I teach is for pre-meds and is a "weed-out" course.

[Greta]

Given the courses he took in high school (and didn't like), I'd go with Geography.  Or maybe Chemistry.  But I definitely wouldn't repeat one of the subjects he didn't like.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I took environmental in college for the reason I wasn't interested in science (at the time).  It was a pretty easy course. 

 

 

[Spryte]

Geology vote here.

 

Of those listed, I found it easiest for the non-science peeps.

[katilac]

I'd say environmental. It's a pretty broad topic, a lot of which will probably be familiar just from living. I would not do human bio, because it's a major prereq for all health majors and gets pretty nitty-gritty. Chem is a ton of algebra and memorizing. 

 

I voted environmental as my 'gut instinct' vote without reading the post. After reading the post, I would probably change my vote to chemistry. OP says it's a non-math chemistry, so conceptual. Chemistry without the math-y bits tends to be great fun. My dd was no fan of high school chemistry, but she loved her DE class at the university. It was chemistry in movies and tv, and they actually covered quite a bit of information. There were also explosions and liquid nitrogen ice cream. She came home chattering about it every day. 

 

The impact of chemistry on society doesn't sound quite as fun, but it has the potential for being very engaging. 

 

OP, I would see if you can get your hands on syllabi or at least texts for the class (text names, so you can look them up and maybe see a table of contents). We have found that science for non-majors in college tends to be easier than regular high school science, lol. 

[JFSinIL]

Geology.  At least he will come away with more knowledge about the planet on which he lives. 

 

Back in the day, I was able to take semester courses of Astronomy and Conceptual Physics (for the non-math major) as my two requirements (besides the mandatory year of Bio as a freshman).

 

A fun, enthusiastic instructor can make all the difference, too.

[KungFuPanda]

Astronomy or Rocks for Jocks or Non-Mathy Physics.

[mamakelly]

Is this for a college kid? My non sciencey kid took Oceanography and loved it.

[Catwoman]

Geology is a cakewalk. Principles of bio, too.

Years ago, I had a friend who took geology because she figured it would be easy, but as it turned out, the professor was some big shot geologist who had written the textbook, and the class ended up being a ton of work!

[HSmomof2]

Years ago, I had a friend who took geology because she figured it would be easy, but as it turned out, the professor was some big shot geologist who had written the textbook, and the class ended up being a ton of work!

Yep, that also happened to me. It was a lot of work and ended up have a lab and required field trips. It was interesting, but it wasn’t easy at all.

[Catwoman]

Ha! I could see that happening. As a subject, especially in an introductory and non-wonk class, it’s right up there with meteorology for a cakewalk though :)

I agree!

 

My friend was so annoyed. She had really wanted that easy A!

[Catwoman]

Yep, that also happened to me. It was a lot of work and ended up have a lab and required field trips. It was interesting, but it wasn’t easy at all.

I’m picturing everybody getting on the bus to go look at rocks by the side of the highway.

 

That’s probably not the way it was, though, right? ;)

[HSmomof2]

I’m picturing everybody getting on the bus to go look at rocks by the side of the highway.

 

That’s probably not the way it was, though, right? ;)

We went to a glacier one time, and to a rock quarry for the other trip.

[Catwoman]

We went to a glacier one time, and to a rock quarry for the other trip.

Wow, that’s so cool! I have never been to a glacier!

[Tsuga]

Chemistry. It's just like math with more rules.

 

What I hated about science was all the dang memorizing. "Ask questions! It's all about learning! You get to think critically! BUT FIRST MEMORIZE 1,309 SEPARATE TERMS (you'll have to match them to blurry pictures later)! And then another 5,607,392,292 terms and ten more years of education. And then maybe you will set up your own experiments based on novel questions. Woohoo, isn't this exciting? We're really making progress now!"

 

Chemistry was way better. Much more about rules and logic. Physics was nice as well.

 

And I mean I love the idea of studying the natural world. I just hate having to memorize other people's dichotomies without any possibility of questioning or thinking.

[Frances]

Geology. At least he will come away with more knowledge about the planet on which he lives.

 

Back in the day, I was able to take semester courses of Astronomy and Conceptual Physics (for the non-math major) as my two requirements (besides the mandatory year of Bio as a freshman).

 

A fun, enthusiastic instructor can make all the difference, too.

I actually like science in general, but Geology, Astronomy, and Conceptual Physics would be at the bottom of my personal list to take along with Earth Science.

 

I vote for Geography because it’s probably almost more of a social science course. Although I agree that a great professor can make all the difference.

[DawnM]

Our local CC Geology classes fill up very quickly!  I am told because they are the most interesting and easiest of the required science courses.

[Laurie4b]

.

 

I'm not going to vote.

 

Given the info you gave, the main determiner of the easiest course will be the professor. Check sites such as Rate My Professor if he doesn't know any older students to ask. 

Edited January 28, 2018 by Laurie4b

[unsinkable]

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Edited January 28, 2018 by unsinkable

[unsinkable]

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Edited January 28, 2018 by unsinkable

[Serenade]

Geology

 

At my college it was called Rocks for Jocks.  :-) 

[TechWife]

I vote for the Environmental Earth Science because he has a background knowledge. I think it might make it easier for him and therefore less stressful. 

[Catwoman]

I vote for the Environmental Earth Science because he has a background knowledge. I think it might make it easier for him and therefore less stressful.

That’s a good idea. If he did well on it in high school, he would have an edge on the college class, rather than starting from scratch on a brand new subject.

[AmandaVT]

I vote Geography or Environmental Earth Science. As a fellow non-science lover, I took Astronomy and "Science for Elementary School Teachers" in college and enjoyed both *enough*. 

 

My roommate was a nursing major and the Anatomy and Physiology classes were much harder. I was drawing pictures of the orbit of the moon while she was memorizing every bone in the body.

[klmama]

Another suggestion to check out the comments about each prof on ratemyprofessors.com. Your dc should be able to get an idea of what to really expect there.

 

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

[Kim in Appalachia]

I'm going to say just research the professors that are teaching the various courses and pick that way.

 

If he doesn't like science, he doesn't like it.  But he has to get though it.  Find out who would make that bearable and take that one.

 

Good luck. :)

[luuknam]

What is he majoring in? I'd probably pick the one that would be remotely possible to spin as being useful to his future career (sometimes I can come up with some relevance even if it's pretty far-fetched). 

 

Other than that, definitely look at the syllabi and rate-my-prof and stuff like that. Maybe take it during summer at the CC or something so it's only like 4 weeks long. And triple-check that he doesn't need a lab sciene (unless he already has a lab science). I don't think I've ever seen a degree program that didn't require at least one lab science.