Liberal Arts and Sciences
Associate of Arts (AA): Science and Mathematics Emphasis Liberal Arts and Sciences · Santa Barbara City College · 2026-2027 Catalog
By completing the Liberal Arts and Sciences—Emphasis in Science and Mathematics Degree, students will be exposed to wide range of coursework to achieve a foundational understanding of mathematics and the natural sciences. Students will survey, analyze and interpret concepts, theories and methodologies as they relate to the natural sciences and mathematics and how this knowledge has shaped the course of human development over the ages. Additionally, students will develop critical thinking skills, mathematical and quantitative reasoning skills and research methodology.
Common university majors within the Science and Mathematics Emphasis include, but are not limited to, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemical Physics, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Geography (Physical), Geological Sciences, Mathematics and Physics.
Requirements
Associate Degree Graduation Requirements
Complete all of the following:
- All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or “P” in each course (at least 20% of the major requirements must be completed through SBCC).
- One of the following General Education options:
- OPTION 1: SBCC General Education pattern OR
- OPTION 2: Cal-GETC pattern
- A minimum of 60 semester units of degree-applicable college credit (SBCC courses numbered 100 and higher and C1000 and higher).
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in degree-applicable coursework.
- A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| Required Core - Complete 18 units from the following courses with at least one course in mathematics and one course in science: | 18 | |
Mathematics:
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CS 108 | Discrete Structures | 4 |
| CS 118/MATH 118 | Data Science for All | 4 |
| CS 133 | Programming for Engineers | 3 |
| FIN 100 | Personal Finance | 3 |
| MATH 108 | Mathematical Concepts for Elementary School Teachers-Number Systems | 4 |
| MATH 114 | Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors | 4 |
| MATH 130 | Calculus for Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Business I | 5 |
| MATH 131 | Calculus For Biological Sciences, Social Sciences And Business II | 3 |
| MATH 137 | College Algebra | 5 |
| MATH 138 | Precalculus - College Algebra and Trigonometry | 4 |
| MATH 150 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | 5 |
| MATH 160 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 5 |
| MATH 180 | Transition to Advanced Mathematics | 4 |
| MATH 200 | Multivariable Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 210 | Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 220 | Differential Equations | 4 |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orPSY 150 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | |
| orSOC 125 | Introduction to Statistics in Sociology |
Science:
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 101 | Physical Anthropology | 3-4 |
| orANTH 101H | Physical Anthropology, Honors | |
| ANTH 101 & ANTH 101L | Physical Anthropology and Physical Anthropology Laboratory | 4-5 |
| orANTH 101H & ANTH 101L | Physical Anthropology, Honors and Physical Anthropology Laboratory | |
| BIOL 100 | Concepts Of Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 101 | Plant Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 102 | Animal Biology | 5 |
| BIOL 103 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| BIOL 110 | Natural Science | 3 |
| BIOL 112 | Evolution and Adaptation | 3 |
| BIOL 112 & BIOL 141 | Evolution and Adaptation and Biology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOL 120 | Natural History | 4 |
| BIOL 122 | Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 122 & BIOL 123 | Ecology and Ecology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 124 | Biological Oceanography | 4 |
| BIOL 125 | Marine Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 126 | Aquatic Ecosystems | 3 |
| BIOL 140 | Principles of Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 140 & BIOL 141 | Principles of Biology and Biology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOL 142 | Marine Science | 3 |
| BIOL 144 | Biogeography | 3 |
| BIOL 150 | Biodiversity | 3 |
| BIOL 161 | DNA and Society | 3 |
| BIOL 171 | Human Evolution | 3 |
| BIOL 172 | Symbiosis | 3 |
| BMS 100 | The Human Body | 4 |
| BMS 107 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BMS 108 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| BMS 118 | Human Microanatomy | 3 |
| BMS 127 | Medical Microbiology | 4 |
| BMS 136 | Biology Of Human Sexuality | 3 |
| BMS 146 | Human Form and Function | 3 |
| BMS 146 & BMS 146L | Human Form and Function and Human Form and Function Laboratory | 4 |
| BMS 157 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| BOT 100 | Concepts of Botany | 4 |
| BOT 121 | Plant Diversity | 4 |
| BOT 122 | Flowering Plant Identification | 3 |
| BOT 123 | Field Botany | 3 |
| CHEM 101 | Introductory Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 104 | Fundamentals Of General, Organic And Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 110 | Survey of Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 155 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 156 | General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHEM 211 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 211 & CHEM 221 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 5.3 |
| CHEM 212 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 212 & CHEM 222 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | 5.5 |
| EH 110 | Introduction to Horticulture | 3 |
| ENVS 110 | Humans And The Biological Environment | 3 |
| ENVS 110 & ENVS 111 | Humans And The Biological Environment and Environmental Field Studies | 4 |
| ERTH 101 | Introductory Astronomy | 3 |
| orERTH 101H | Introductory Astronomy, Honors | |
| ERTH 101 & ERTH 102 | Introductory Astronomy and Observational Astronomy Laboratory | 4-5 |
| orERTH 101H & ERTH 102 | Introductory Astronomy, Honors and Observational Astronomy Laboratory | |
| ERTH 104 | Introductory Astrophysics | 3 |
| ERTH 106 | Black Holes and the Universe | 3 |
| ERTH 111 | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology | 3 |
| orERTH 111H | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology, Honors | |
| ERTH 111 & ERTH 111L | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology and Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology Laboratory | 4-5 |
| orERTH 111H & ERTH 111L | Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology, Honors and Dynamic Earth - Physical Geology Laboratory | |
| ERTH 112 | History Of The Earth | 3 |
| ERTH 112 & ERTH 112L | History Of The Earth and Historical Geology Laboratory | 4 |
| ERTH 115 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| orENVS 115 | Environmental Geology | |
| ERTH 115 & ERTH 115L | Environmental Geology and Environmental Geology Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| orENVS 115 & ENVS 115L | Environmental Geology and Environmental Geology Laboratory | |
| ERTH 116/ENVS 116 | Energy and Natural Resources | 3 |
| ERTH 122 | Dinosaurs | 3 |
| ERTH 125 | Mineralogy and Resources | 5 |
| ERTH 126 | Petrology and Rock-Forming Minerals | 5 |
| ERTH 141/GEOG 101 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| ERTH 141 & ERTH 141L | Physical Geography and Physical Geography Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| orGEOG 101 & GEOG 101L | Physical Geography and Physical Geography Laboratory | |
| ERTH 151 | Introductory Physical Oceanography | 3 |
| ERTH 151 & ERTH 151L | Introductory Physical Oceanography and Introductory Physical Oceanography Laboratory | 4 |
| ERTH 152/GEOG 152 | Weather and Climate | 3 |
| ERTH 152 & ERTH 152L | Weather and Climate and Weather and Climate Laboratory 3 | 4 |
| orGEOG 152 & GEOG 152L | Weather and Climate and Weather and Climate Laboratory | |
| HIT 204 | Basic Pathophysiology | 3 |
| PHSC 103 | The Physical Universe | 4 |
| PHSC 107 | Nanoscience in Society | 4 |
| PHYS 101 | Conceptual Physics | 3 |
| PHYS 101 & PHYS 101L | Conceptual Physics and Conceptual Physics Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 102 | Introductory Physics For Science Majors | 4 |
| PHYS 105 | General Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 106 | General Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 110 | Introductory Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 111 | Introductory Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 121 | Mechanics Of Solids And Fluids | 5 |
| PHYS 122 | Electricity and Magnetism | 5 |
| PHYS 123 | Heat, Light and Modern Physics | 5 |
| PSY 110 | Introduction to Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| ZOOL 110 | Animal Physiology | 3 |
| ZOOL 122 | Animal Diversity | 3 |
| ZOOL 122 & ZOOL 123 | Animal Diversity and Animal Diversity Laboratory | 4 |
| ZOOL 124 | Insect Biology | 3 |
| ZOOL 137 | Ornithology | 3 |
| ZOOL 140 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
- ERTH 115 & 115L are the same as ENVS 115 & 115L.
- ERTH 141 & 141L are the same as GEOG 101 & 101L.
- ERTH 152 & 152L are the same as GEOG 152 & 152L.
Students are strongly advised to meet with a counselor to ensure appropriate course selection for their educational goal.
Learning Outcomes
- The successful student is able to use the scientific method to develop and test a hypothesis.
- The successful student is able to use mathematical approaches such as tabulation, graphing and statistics to quantify and analyze scientific data.
- The successful student is able to use mathematics to predict and model scientific phenomena.
Recommended Sequence
Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.
How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.