Upon completion of this course, the students should be able to:

1. Understand the basic components of the natural world, the basic laws of natural systems, and how they interact to produce the natural phenomena of planet Earth.
2. Gain an appreciation of the complexity of natural systems and linkages between the components of these system
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the ways of scientific knowing, including inductive and deductive, empirical and theoretical.
4. Develop and test a hypothesis.
5. Read and interpret data.
6. Interpret both primary and secondary sources.
7. Demonstrate their knowledge of both quantitative and qualitative methods.
8. Demonstrate an awareness of communication as an integral part of the scientific way of knowing, both between and among scientists, and between scientists and the rest of society.
9. Distinguish between issues subject to scientific analysis and those appropriate to other modes of inquiry.