University Studies: Emphasis in Scientific Studies
Associate in Science General Education · Palomar College · 2026-2027 Catalog
The Associate in Science in University Studies Scientific Studies emphasizes the investigation into scientific theory where students will apply the scientific method in the testing and examination of the hypothesis. This degree helps facilitate transfer to the CSU, UC, and independent colleges and universities in majors such as Aeronautical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Astrophysics, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemical and Physical Sciences, Civil Engineering, Cognitive Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Engineering, Data Science, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Environmental Science, Food and Nutrition, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, and Structural Engineering.
University Studies general education requires full completion of the The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).
Students should consult with a Palomar College Academic Counselor as this degree accommodates a wide variety of majors and admission requirements and major preparation may vary.
Learning Outcome(s):
- Apply quantitative reasoning concepts to solve problems.
- Synthesize and evaluate knowledge gained from applying the scientific method.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| General Education: | ||
| The California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) | ||
| Mathematics. Choose one course. | 3-4 | |
| MATH 110 | College Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 110E | College Algebra Enhanced | 4 |
| MATH 115 | Trigonometry | 3 |
| MATH 115E | Trigonometry Enhanced | 3 |
| MATH 126 | STEM Precalculus I - College Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 127 | STEM Precalculus II - Trigonometry and Analytic Geometry | 4 |
| MATH 130 | Calculus for Business and the Social Sciences | 4 |
| MATH 130E | Calculus for Business and the Social Sciences Enhanced | 4 |
| MATH 135 | Precalculus Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH C2210 | Calculus I: Early Transcendentals | 5 |
| MATH C2210E | Calculus I: Early Transcendentals - Embedded Support | 5 |
| MATH C2220 | Calculus II: Early Transcendentals | 4 |
| MATH 141E | Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Second Course Enhanced | 4 |
| MATH 200 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 205 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry, Third Course | 4 |
| MATH 206 | Calculus with Differential Equations | 4 |
| MATH 245 | Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| Or choose one course from the following: | 0-4 | |
| BUS 204 | Quantitative Business Analysis | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000E | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orSOC 205 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 4 |
| orSOC 180 | Social Justice Statistics | 3 |
| orSOC 205 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 4 |
| Physical and Earth Science. Choose a course and its corresponding lab if a corresponding lab was not already completed in the life science list. Courses without labs are indicated as 3.0 units. | 3-5 | |
| ASTR C1001 | Introduction to Astronomy | 3 |
| ASTR C1001L | Introduction to Astronomy Lab | 1 |
| GEOL 120 | Planets, Moons, and Comets | 3 |
| CHEM 100 | Fundamentals of Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 104 | General Organic and Biochemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 105 | Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 110 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 110L | General Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 115L | General Chemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| CHEM 205 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 220 | Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| GEOG 100 | Earth's Dynamic Environment: Introduction to Physical Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 100L | Earth's Dynamic Environment: Physical Geography Lab | 1 |
| GEOG 110 | Meteorology: Weather and Climate | 3 |
| ES 115 | Natural Disasters and Environmental Hazards | 3 |
| GEOL 100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 100L | Geology Laboratory | 1 |
| GEOL 110 | General Geology: National Parks and Monuments | 3 |
| GEOL 120 | Planets, Moons, and Comets | 3 |
| GEOL 150 | Dinosaurs and Earth History | 3 |
| GEOL 150L | Dinosaurs and Earth History Laboratory | 1 |
| OCN 100 | Oceanography Lecture | 3 |
| OCN 100L | Oceanography Laboratory | 1 |
| PHSC 101 | Principles of Physical Science | 3 |
| PHYS 101 | Introduction to Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 102 | Introduction to Physics (Lecture) | 3 |
| PHYS 120 | General Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 121 | General Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 200 | Fundamentals of Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 201 | Fundamentals of Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 230 | Principles of Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 231 | Principles of Physics | 5 |
| PHYS 232 | Principles of Physics | 4 |
| Life Science. Choose a course and its corresponding lab if the corresponding lab was not already completed in the physical and earth science list. Courses without labs are indicated as 3.0 units. | 3-5 | |
| ANTH C1001 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH C1001L | Biological Anthropology Lab | 1 |
| ANTH C1000 | Introduction to Biological Anthropology with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL C1000 | Introduction to Biology with Lab | 4 |
| BIOL C1001 | Introduction to Biology | 3 |
| BIOL C1001L | Introduction to Biology Lab | 1 |
| BIOL 102 | Introductory Biology: Pre-Nursing and Allied Health | 4 |
| BIOL 110 | Human Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 118 | Introductory Biology: Ecology (Lecture) | 3 |
| BIOL 118L | Introductory Biology: Ecology (Laboratory) | 1 |
| BIOL 125 | Introductory Biology: Botany | 4 |
| BIOL 126 | Introductory Biology: Botany | 3 |
| BIOL 126L | Introductory Biology: Botany (Laboratory) | 1 |
| BIOL 130 | Introductory Biology: Marine Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 131 | Introductory Biology: Marine Biology (Lecture) | 3 |
| BIOL 131L | Introductory Biology: Marine Biology (Laboratory) | 1 |
| BIOL 135 | Introductory Biology: Marine Mammals | 3 |
| BIOL 140 | Introductory Biology: Zoology | 4 |
| BIOL 145 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| BIOL 145L | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 200 | Foundations of Biology I | 4 |
| BIOL 201 | Foundations of Biology II | 4 |
| BIOL 210 | Anatomy | 5 |
| BIOL 211 | Physiology | 5 |
| BIOL 212 | Fundamentals of Microbiology | 5-0 |
| NUTR 165 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | 3 |
| PSYC 210 | Physiological Psychology | 4 |
| Computer Science and Engineering. Choose a minimum of 9 units from the following list or from any courses not already used above. | 9 | |
| CSIT 128 | Foundations of Data Science | 4 |
| CSIT 165 | R Programming | 3 |
| CSIT 175 | Python Programming | 3 |
| CSIT 180 | C# Programming I | 3 |
| CSIT 275 | Advanced Python Programming | 3 |
| CSCI 112 | Programming Fundamentals I | 4 |
| CSCI 114 | Programming Fundamentals II | 4 |
| CSCI 210 | Data Structures | 4 |
| CSCI 212 | Machine Organization and Assembly Language | 4 |
| CSCI 222 | C++ and Object-Oriented Programming | 4 |
| DT 101 | AutoCAD I | 3 |
| DT 102 | AutoCAD II | 3 |
| DT 103 | SolidWorks I | 3 |
| DT 104 | SolidWorks II | 3 |
| ENGR 210 | Electrical Network Analysis | 3 |
| ENGR 210L | Electrical Network Analysis Lab | 1 |
| ENGR 235 | Engineering Mechanics - Statics | 3 |
| ENGR 236 | Engineering Mechanics - Dynamics | 3 |
| ENGR 245 | Properties of Materials | 4 |
| PHYS 210 | Matlab for Science and Engineering | 3 |
| Total | 18-23 | |