Department: - Natural Sciences - San Antonio College (2024)

Dr. David Wood, (Interim)Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063

Anthropology

Shelly Sheppard, Program Coordinator
CAC 345, 210-486-0837

https://www.alamo.edu/sac/academics/program-index/natural-sciences/anthropology/

The Anthropology Program at SAC includes three of the four major fields of Anthropology - Physical or Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Archaeology.

Biology

Shelly Sheppard, Program Coordinator
CAC 345, 210-486-0837

http://www.alamo.edu/sac/biology/

The mission of the Biological Sciences Program is to provide curricula that include the traditional scientific knowledge base along with data and findings on modern discoveries. By accentuating the relevance of science in response to critical societal issues, students are taught how to apply theoretical knowledge to critically evaluate solutions. The department strives to maintain the highest level of lab experiences available to students. We strive to have a transformational impact on all who teach, learn, and work here. We constantly challenge ourselves to create a dynamic department so engaging that students, faculty, staff, and even visitors to campus become passionate to pursue innovation and discovery. We disseminate knowledge for its own sake and promote a culture of inquiry marked by rigor, creativity, curiosity, innovation, respect, sensitivity, open communication of ideas, and lifelong learning. We combine experiential learning with rigorous scholarship in our undergraduate program and ancillary organizations (Natural Science Club, etc.) to produce educated learners who are awake to new possibilities. We build on our existing strengths, including up-to-date classroom instruction where rigorous theory and practical, real-world experiences come together. We are thoughtful to promote a diverse and challenging environment of openness, respect, accountability and academic freedom. We hold ourselves accountable within this department for practicing the values of integrity, excellence, innovation, mentorship, efficiency, effectiveness, and continuous professional improvement. The department recognizes that the interaction between faculty and students is one of the most significant ingredients for student success. Therefore, access to the faculty is provided through small classes, regular posted office hours, scheduled academic advisem*nt sessions, and discipline specific extracurricular activities as well as the BioSpot.

The BioSpot is an interactive tutoring/mentoring facility which serves multiple purposes. Faculty spends 2 hours of office time in the center each week to provide tutoring and mentoring for students. Often tutoring sessions begin impromptu with a group of students and a professor. Students may also schedule private tutoring sessions with the departmental tutor. Students have access to the computer lab where they can work independently using supplemental materials provided by publishers as well as individual faculty members. Students have access to a copier and all sorts of reserved materials, including practice exams, placed in the center by instructors. The center is also used as a testing facility. Private rooms for collaborative learning are available for check out by students. Recruitment events are held in the facility as well to inform students of degree programs at all ACC colleges as well as area 4 year universities.

Superior articulation agreements are maintained with transfer institutions. Faculty members are committed to excellence in education, advising, and writing letters of recommendation for students pursuing science and health professions. Students are encouraged to visit the Department and the BioSpot. The Biological Sciences Department offers career advisem*nt for biology majors and maintains a very active pre-professional advisem*nt committee that assists students to identify prerequisites, plot a course for success, and navigate the professional school application process.

The course offerings in the department are varied including courses for biology majors, allied health majors, pre-professional majors, and non-science majors. Several distance education courses are provided: BIOL 1322, 1323, and 2306, which are three-hour internet courses for non-science majors who do not require a lab, Blended (hybrid) courses in Microbiology for Allied Health majors (Biol 2420) are also available.

A student wishing to obtain an Associate Degree from San Antonio College must follow the core curriculum guidelines as outlined in the current College bulletin. A student wishing to continue studying biology at a four-year university should contact the four-year institution for its Baccalaureate Degree in Biology requirements before embarking on any degree plan. The student may contact San Antonio College’s Biological Sciences Department, which maintains several 2+2 transfer agreements with regional universities, for a full listing of courses that transfer to four-year universities.

Students whose mathematics background is weak should consider taking all mathematics developmental courses before taking courses within this department. All courses in the department require college level reading and English. Students taking anatomy and physiology, and majors in biology and genetics are strongly urged to complete chemistry prerequisites prior to taking these classes. Students taking BIOL 2420 (Microbiology and Pathology) must complete chemistry I prior to registration while BIOL 2421 (Microbiology) students must complete two semester of chemistry for science majors and two semesters of biology for science majors before registering for this course.

Chemistry

Dr. David Wood, (Interim)Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063
Chemistryhttps://www.alamo.edu/sac/academics/program-index/natural-sciences/chemistry/

The Chemistry Program offers both courses for pre-nursing and allied health students (Introductory Chemistry I and II) as well as Chemistry majors and pre-professional students (General Chemistry I and II and Organic Chemistry I and II). Strong basic math skills are required to be successful in General Chemistry. Students who need refresher in math should consider taking a math course immediately before taking chemistry or seek tutoring in the ChemSpot to be successful.

Those who plan further work in chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, or other sciences, or who are entering pre-professional programs in medicine, dentistry, and similar fields, must complete CHEM 1411 General Chemistry I and CHEM 1412 General Chemistry II. Completion of CHEM 1405 Introductory Chemistry Lecture I and CHEM 1307 Introductory Chemistry Lecture II satisfies the requirement of the UTHSC-SA BSN program. Students wishing to enter the University of the Incarnate Word BSN program must take CHEM 1405 and CHEM 1407.

Astronomy

Dr. David Wood, (Interim)Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063
Astronomy www.alamo.edu/sac/astro/

Astronomy is the study of objects and matter outside the earth’s atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties.

Earth Sciences

Dr. David Wood, (Interim)Department Chair
CG 204, 210-486-0063

Earth Sciences www.alamo.edu/sac/earthsci/

Courses

• ANTH 2101 - Physical Anthropology (lab)
• ANTH 2301 - Physical Anthropology
• ANTH 2302 - Archaeology
• ANTH 2346 - General Anthropology
• ANTH 2351 - Cultural Anthropology
• ASTR 1104 - Solar System Laboratory
• ASTR 1303 - Stars and Galaxies Lecture
• ASTR 1304 - Solar System Lecture
• ASTR 1403 - Stars and Galaxies
• ASTR 1404 - Solar System
• BIOL 1108 - Biology for Non-Science Majors Laboratory I (lab)
• BIOL 1109 - Biology for Non-Science Majors Laboratory II (lab)
• BIOL 1308 - Biology for Non-Science Majors I (Lecture)
• BIOL 1309 - Biology for Non-Science Majors II (Lecture)
• BIOL 1323 - Consumer Nutrition (for Non-science Majors)
• BIOL 1406 - Biology for Science Majors I
• BIOL 1407 - Biology for Science Majors II
• BIOL 1408 - Biology for Non-Science Majors I
• BIOL 1409 - Biology for Non-Science Majors II
• BIOL 2106 - Environmental Biology (Lab)
• BIOL 2306 - Environmental Biology (Lecture)
• BIOL 2389 - Academic Cooperative for the Biological Sciences
• BIOL 2401 - Anatomy and Physiology I
• BIOL 2402 - Anatomy and Physiology II
• BIOL 2404 - Human Anatomy and Physiology
• BIOL 2416 - Genetics
• BIOL 2420 - Microbiology for Nursing and Allied Health
• BIOL 2421 - Microbiology for Science Majors
• CHEM 1105 - Introductory Chemistry Laboratory I
• CHEM 1107 - Introductory Chemistry Laboratory II
• CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry Laboratory I
• CHEM 1112 - General Chemistry Laboratory II
• CHEM 1305 - Introductory Chemistry Lecture I
• CHEM 1307 - Introductory Chemistry Lecture II
• CHEM 1311 - General Chemistry Lecture I
• CHEM 1312 - General Chemistry Lecture II
• CHEM 1405 - Introductory Chemistry I
• CHEM 1407 - Introductory Chemistry II
• CHEM 1411 - General Chemistry I
• CHEM 1412 - General Chemistry II
• CHEM 2323 - Organic Chemistry Lecture I
• CHEM 2325 - Organic Chemistry Lecture II
• ENVR 1302 - Environmental Science II Lecture
• GEOG 1301 - Physical Geography
• GEOG 1302 - Human Geography
• GEOG 1303 - World Regional Geography
• GEOG 2389 - Academic Cooperative
• GEOL 1104 - Historical Geology Laboratory
• GEOL 1105 - Environmental Science Lab
• GEOL 1301 - Earth Sciences Lecture I
• GEOL 1302 - Earth Sciences for Non-Science Majors II (lecture)
• GEOL 1303 - Physical Geology (lecture)
• GEOL 1304 - Historical Geology Lecture
• GEOL 1305 - Environmental Science Lecture
• GEOL 1345 - Oceanography
• GEOL 1347 - Meteorology
• GEOL 1403 - Physical Geology
• PHYS 1110 - Introductory Physics Lab
• PHYS 1305 - Introductory Physics I Lecture
• PHYS 1307 - Introductory Physics II Lecture
• PHYS 1401 - General Physics I
• PHYS 1402 - General Physics II
• PHYS 2389 - Physics in Action
• PHYS 2425 - University Physics I
• PHYS 2426 - University Physics II