The Science/Mathematics Division at Monroe County Community College

Mission Statement

The mission of the Science/Mathematics Division at Monroe County Community College is to provide courses and necessary sequences for transfer, associate degrees, certificates and occupational programs, as well as the fulfillment of the college’s general education requirements in scientific and numeric literacy and in scientific inquiry.

Areas of Study

Behavioral Sciences

Psychology is a diverse, dynamic discipline focusing on the study of the mind and behavior through various lines of research and the application of psychological research in an effort to understand and improve the human condition. Areas of research include investigations into biological, cognitive, emotional and social factors and how they impact and relate to psychology. Areas of applied psychology include clinical, industrial/organizational, school and educational, human factors, health, neuropsychology, ergonomic, forensic and cross-cultural professional fields.

For students who are curious and want to learn more about what a degree in Psychology has to offer, the American Psychological Association has created a resource webpage on its website for undergraduate students to further describe the discipline and answer questions. Here is the link to the website: http://www.apa.org/education-career/undergrad.

At MCCC, we offer a number of courses in psychology to reflect the diversity of the discipline as well as to build a solid foundation of knowledge to benefit students of any major. For students interested in pursuing a degree in psychology, we have developed a transfer pathway for students planning to transfer to a four-year institution to major in psychology to build a foundation. Courses offered at MCCC include General Psychology, Psychology of Personality/Adjustment, Child Psychology, Social Psychology, Life Span Psychology, Psychology of Human Sexuality and Abnormal Psychology.

Transfer Options

To access information about the psychology and other transfer pathways, go to the Transfer Pathways section of the college catalog.

Biological Sciences

Biology is the study of life – the study of how life began, how living things are organized, how organisms function and how all life forms interact with each other. Biologists direct their interest in living things into observing and evaluating life processes.

Students interested in biology can seek a career in biological research, natural resource management, agriculture, human health or education. Work may be outdoors or in a classroom, laboratory, research station or with a specialized research group. Students can also choose from one of the professional fields of medicine, such as veterinary medicine, physical therapy, physiology, microbiology, molecular biology, zoology or botany.

Biology at MCCC

MCCC provides students with a strong biology background to prepare them for careers or continuing education. The key features that distinguish MCCC’s biology offerings are:

A broad-based division with faculty well-versed in a variety of disciplines
State-of-the-art facilities, including a greenhouse, instructional models and a large collection of microscope slides for all courses
Independent study opportunities with faculty members
Preparatory courses to support allied health programs, including nursing, respiratory therapy and physical therapy.

MCCC offers the following biological sciences courses: Biological Sciences I, Biological Sciences II, Introduction to Environmental Science, Elements of Botany, Elements of Zoology, Life in the Ocean, Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, Introduction to Pathophysiology, General Microbiology and Fundamentals of Genetics.

Career Options

Transfer students who complete MCCC biology courses will find a variety of colleges and universities that offer degree programs in many biological career areas or pre-professional areas. It is suggested that students contact the four-year schools that offer programs in these areas.

Cell biologist
Dentist
Dietician
Elementary school teacher
Fish and game warden
Forestry technician
Greenhouse grower
High school teacher
Medical doctor
Microscopist
Nurse (bachelor of science)
Pharmacist
Physical therapist
Physician assistant
Plant biologist
Soil scientist
Veterinarian
Wildlife biologist
Zoologist

Transfer Options

To access information about the biology and other science transfer pathways, go to the Transfer Pathways section of the college catalog.

Chemical Sciences

Monroe County Community College provides students with a strong chemistry background to prepare for careers or professional study. These are key features that distinguish MCCC's chemistry programs:

Faculty who are well-versed in a variety of disciplines
State-of-the-art facilities
Computers used by students in laboratory work
Other state-of-the-art instrumentation, such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography, polarimeter, UV-Vis spectrophotometer and more
Up-to-date microscale organic labware

MCCC offers the following chemistry courses: Fundamental Principles of Chemistry, General College Chemistry I, General College Chemistry II, Chemistry and Society, Fundamentals of Health-Science Chemistry, Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II.

Career Options

Transfer students who complete MCCC chemistry courses will find a variety of colleges and universities that offer degree or pre-professional programs in many chemical career areas. Students should contact the four-year schools that offer these programs.

Biochemist
Chemical engineer
Chiropractor
Dentist
Dietician
Drug discovery (medicinal) chemist
Environment chemist
Forensic scientist
Industrial process chemist
Mortuary science
Nurse
Pharmacist
Physical therapist
Physician
Teacher
Toxicologist
Veterinarian

Transfer Options

To access information about the chemistry, environmental sciences and other science transfer pathways, go to the Transfer Pathways section of the college catalog.

Earth Science and Physical Geography

We live on planet Earth and so it is important that we foster an understanding of how the different systems work. In Earth science we aim to understand the composition, structure and formation of Earth and how it supports life through an exploration of the geologic and geophysical processes that occur on Earth and throughout the solar system and the interactions with geologic, atmospheric and oceanic systems. In physical geography we continue to explore Earth’s major spheres (atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere) but take a stronger focus on the spatial distribution and interconnectedness of these systems.

Mathematical Sciences

“Nothing pertaining to humanity becomes us so well as mathematics. There, and only there, do we touch the human mind at its peak.”— Isaac Asimov

Mathematics is the study of numbers, shape, logic and dynamics. Mathematicians work with theorems and come up with generalizations of problems using algebra, number theory, geometry, topology, calculus, chaos theory, probability and logic. Mathematics is also the “art of problem solving.” It is used to solve problems from determining planetary orbits to improving the speed of computer processing to analyzing the movement of fluids to making movies.

Mathematics at MCCC

MCCC provides students with a strong mathematics background to prepare them for careers or professional study. These key features that distinguish MCCC's mathematics programs:

Faculty who are well-versed in a variety of disciplines
Independent study opportunities with faculty members
Preparatory courses to support pre-professional and transfer curricula

Course offerings include Basic Mathematics Skills, Beginning Algebra, Elementary Technical Mathematics, Technical Mathematics II, Mathematics for Allied Health, Mathematics for Business, Intermediate Algebra, Mathematics Explorations, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I, College Algebra, Trigonometry and Analytical Geometry, Introduction to Statistics, Precalculus, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II, Calculus I, Calculus II, Introduction to Linear Algebra, Calculus III and Introduction to Differential Equations.

Career Options

There are numerous careers in mathematics and related fields, such as actuarial science; accounting; elementary, secondary and higher education; and consulting.

Transfer Options

To access information about the mathematics, general engineering and other transfer pathways, go to the Transfer Pathways section of the college catalog.

Meteorology

MCCC offers an Introduction to Meteorology and Climate course. This course provides an introduction to atmospheric processes that create daily weather patterns. Students study topics such as heat and energy, daily and seasonal temperatures, humidity, cloud development and precipitation types, air pressure and winds, development of pressure systems and fronts, weather forecasting and severe weather. Additionally, special emphasis is placed on local weather patterns, climatology and climate change.

Physics and Astronomy

“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” ― Carl Sagan

Physics is the most fundamental of the natural sciences. It is a quest to explain how things in our universe work and why, from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest astronomical object. Astronomy investigates everything outside of the earth's atmosphere; we gain perspective on our position on Earth through looking at the cosmos. Both physics and astronomy study the interactions of matter and energy.

Most science, engineering, technology and math (STEM) careers require physics courses. MCCC provides a variety of courses that prepare students for their degrees and transfer pathways. These include Technical Physics, General Physics I and II (algebra-based), Engineering Physics I and II (calculus-based), Introduction to Astronomy and Physical Science.

Career Options

Physics careers require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Physics majors can work in a variety of settings including educational institutions, government-funded laboratories, medical physics facilities, high-tech industries and financial institutions. Astronomers can work in both research and academia. The following are some job titles for physicists and astronomers: