Texas Tech University

Lab Science Requirement

The state of Texas requires that all students complete six credit hours in the Life and Physical Sciences area. Texas Tech University has an additional, two credit hour laboratory science requirement that is not included in the state's requirement. Courses that fulfill this institutional requirement are indicated with a ‡ symbol in the listing below. The total, eight credit hour Life and Physical Sciences requirement can be satisfied by taking two four hour combined lecture and lab science courses (for example, BIOL 1401 and 1402) or two 3-hour science lecture courses along with the accompanying laboratory courses (for example,  ATMO 1300 and ATMO 1100,  GEOL 1303 and GEOL 1101). It is also permissible to take one 4-hour science course and one 3-hour science course along with the accompanying laboratory course (such as BIOL 1401 and ATMO 1300 with ATMO 1100). Credit toward the science laboratory requirement is not granted for laboratory courses that do not share the same course prefix as the lecture course taken to satisfy a portion of the life and physical sciences core requirement.

Transfer students who present 3-hour science courses may complete the science laboratory requirement in either of the following in ways:

  • They may take a laboratory course that matches a 3-hour course accepted in transfer as satisfying a portion of the life and physical sciences requirement (for example, GEOL 1101 if the student transferred a course that was accepted as equivalent to GEOL 1303).
  • They may enroll in BIOL 2202. This is a 2-hour self-paced online course designed specifically for transfer students who need to complete the science laboratory requirement. BIOL 2202 carries a biology prefix, but it is designed to be taken by any student who has completed one or two 3-hour science courses in any science discipline. The BIOL 2202 modules stress providing students with a framework for evaluating and critiquing scientific research findings and will help students understand the role of scientific research in improving human health, contributing to economic growth, answering basic questions about the world, and working toward solving a multitude of problems faced by modem society. BIOL 2202 is not available to students who complete their life and physical sciences requirement at Texas Tech University.

List of all approved Life and Physical Sciences core curriculum courses and accompanying lab science courses.

  • ANSC 1401 - General Animal Science 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • ANTH 2100 - Physical Anthropology Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours
  • ANTH 2300 - Physical Anthropology 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • ASTR 1400 - Solar System Astronomy 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • ASTR 1401 - Stellar Astronomy 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • ATMO 1100 - Atmospheric Science Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • ATMO 1300 - Introduction to Atmospheric Science 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • BIOL 1305 - Ecology and Environmental Problems 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • BIOL 1113 - Environmental Problems Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • BIOL 1401 - Biology of Plants 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • BIOL 1402 - Biology of Animals 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • CHEM 1301 - Introductory Chemistry 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • CHEM 1305 - Chemical Basics 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • CHEM 1105 - Experimental Chemical Basics 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • CHEM 1306 - Chemistry That Matters 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • CHEM 1106 - Chemistry Experiments That Matter 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • CHEM 1307 - Principles of Chemistry I 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • CHEM 1107 - Experimental Principles of Chemistry I 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • CHEM 1308 - Principles of Chemistry II 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • CHEM 1108 - Experimental Principles of Chemistry II 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • GEOG 1401 - Physical Geography 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • GEOL 1101 - Physical Geology Laboratory 1 Semester Credit Hours ‡
  • GEOL 1303 - Physical Geology 3 Semester Credit Hours
  • HONS 2405 - Honors Integrated Science I 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • HONS 2406 - Honors Integrated Science II 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • NRM 1401 - Introduction to Natural Resources Management 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • NS 1410 - Science of Nutrition 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PHYS 1401 - Physics for Non-Science Majors 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PHYS 1403 - General Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PHYS 1404 - General Physics II 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PHYS 1406 - Physics of Sound and Music 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PHYS 1408 - Principles of Physics I 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PHYS 2401 - Principles of Physics II 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PSS 1411 - Principles of Horticulture 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • PSS 2401 - Introductory Entomology 4 Semester Credit Hours
  • ZOOL 2403 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Semester Credit Hours

Curriculum