Majors and Minors

Science Majors

Biochemistry

Biochemistry, the “chemistry of life”, exists at the nexus of the physical and life sciences. Biochemists study the chemistry of physiology - how living things and their cells work in terms of their chemical components. In the process, they draw from a base of knowledge – and contribute to solving many challenges – in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and computer science.
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Biology

Did you know that the largest organism in the world is a set of aspen trees in Utah that share the same root system? Or at least it could be. Depending on how you define what constitutes a single living system, the Great Barrier Reef might be the largest, or it could be a 2,200-acre fungus in Oregon. And that doesn’t even ask the question of how you even define life itself.
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Chemistry

Do you know so much about the periodic table that you’ve memorized it? If you have, that’s great! You certainly have ‘chemistry’ with the subject. Chemistry, however, is more than tables and test tubes. Professional chemists apply their skills to a variety of contemporary challenges. They find ways to improve our health by developing and improving new drugs, healthier food items like salt substitutes, and medical procedures like dialysis. They invent new substances and enhance existing inventions by understanding properties of atoms and how they can be combined to form useful compounds.
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Computer Science

A few decades ago, it would have seemed unbelievable that a day would soon come when computers would be installed in everything from new cars to children’s toys, phones would take pictures and send messages by text, and a social network called Facebook would connect one-twelfth the world’s population. Technology will only continue to grow – and with it will grow the need for people who understand and further technology.
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Computer Science/Mathematics

A few decades ago, it would have seemed unbelievable that a day would soon come when computers would be installed in everything from new cars to children’s toys, phones would take pictures and send messages by text, and a social network called Facebook would connect one-twelfth the world’s population. It’s even more impressive to realize that with all we’ve seen, we’re only at the beginning of the age of computers. Would you like to help drive the future of technology?
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Environmental Science

How do you save the world? This isn't a rhetorical question. It's being asked with increasing urgency by scientists, governments, businesses, and concerned individuals. When they need an informed perspective on how to work towards its answer, they listen to environmental scientists.
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General Science

If you would love to teach science but don’t want to limit yourself to one specific discipline, the general science program can provide you with a broad background in biology, chemistry, math and physics. You'll stretch your knowledge across several areas and learn how different branches of science are interconnected.
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Mathematics

Mathematics is perhaps the most fundamental tool we have to describe the universe. Numbers, formulas, and algorithms help us understand the rules that govern the natural world by explaining everything from the massive scale of planetary motion down to the behavior of subatomic particles. They help us to predict how businesses will develop, allowing us to make stock market predictions. They quantify human behavior through the social sciences. They advance technology through their roles in computing and programming.
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Mathematics - Corporate

Mathematics is essential to business, from the algorithms of financial software to sales projections to statistical analysis. Corporations depend on math and the people who understand it to inform crucial decisions. If you enjoy analytical work, like math, and want to work in business, the mathematics - corporate major is a way to combine your interests with a practical career focus.
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Physics

Physicists study how the natural world behaves at basic levels: the motion of matter and the forces that govern it. Even though these properties may seem simple, they can be used to address many challenging, contemporary questions: How do we decrease our carbon footprint? Where are we going to get energy for the next 50 years? Why is gravity so weak? How can we stretch computers to the physical limits to increase their processing power?
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Science Minors

Biology

Chemistry

Do you know so much about the periodic table that you’ve memorized it? If you have, that’s great! You certainly have ‘chemistry’ with the subject. Chemistry, however, is more than tables and test tubes. Chemists apply their skills to a variety of contemporary challenges. They find ways to improve our health by developing and improving new drugs, healthier food items like salt substitutes, and medical procedures like dialysis. They invent new substances and enhance existing inventions by understanding properties of atoms and how they can be combined to form useful compounds.
Read More about Chemistry at BVU

Computer Science

Environmental Science

How do you save the world? This isn't a rhetorical question. It's being asked with increasing urgency by scientists, governments, businesses, and concerned individuals. When they need an informed perspective on how to work towards its answer, they listen to people with an environmental science background.
Read More about Environmental Science at BVU

General Science

Mathematics

Physics

School of Science
Faculty
Majors and Minors
Estelle Siebens Science Center
Biochemistry
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Environmental Science
Mathematics
Physics
Internships
Student Research Projects
Outcomes

BVU Professor Named Chair of Great Ape Trust Board

Dr. Ken Schweller, professor of computer science and psychology at Buena Vista University, has been elected chair of the board of directors of Great Ape Trust in Des Moines. Read more...