<p>I'm a freshman in LSP, and I'm majoring in Linguistics and German with minors in Computer Science and Math. I also have an interest in Biology/Genetics, but it's not strong enough for me to major/minor. That being said, the CAS Natural Science II course options are MUCH more interesting than the LSP Life Science or Environmental Science courses. I would really like to take the MAP course on Human Genetics in my junior year, but I've been to two different advisors about this, and instead of directly answering whether or not this is possible, they just tell me how strongly they advise against it. So does anyone know if it'd be possible for me to take only one science in LSP (History of the Universe) and then wait until junior year to take a CAS Nat Sci II in order to complete the science requirement? On Albert, it says I need only one science or math class to complete my LSP requirements. In addition, doing this would allow me to get more classes in for my CS minor, which my advisor says is completely trivial. But I'd really like to go into Computational Linguistics, so I want to get as many CS/math classes in as I can. I could best do this by NOT taking two LSP sciences my sophomore year but rather taking one in LSP and pushing the other back to junior year and taking it in CAS. </p>
<p>Does anyone know if this is possible? And by possible, I mean, allowed. Can I take only one science in LSP and still transfer into CAS, or would it be considered not completing my requirement? I know it might sound silly to take such a class out of interest, but that's what I'd like to do. And in any case, it works out better for my schedule. Thanks!</p>
<p>yes, you can take only 1 lsp science - but then when you transfer to CAS, you have to take an additional science class (such as a MAP natural science course). </p>
<p>also, if you’re interested in science, why not take the real science classes in CAS (in the science departments?) The MAP or LSP courses are intended for non-science students and are sort of a rocks-for-jocks type of option. I did take one of these classes before I decided to be a science major and Genetics in the Bio dept vs Genetics in MAP is incomparable. Just a suggestion since Linguistics is a biological-based social science and it would probably be helpful. </p>
<p>Also, please don’t trust LSP advising too much; in my experience they’re often simply wrong. 
For whatever reason they enjoy telling students they can’t study certain majors, or have certain minors, and they want you to stay in LSP for the full 2 years and get some kind of Associative degree when 1 year is more than enough.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot! I wanted to take an additional CAS science course in lieu of an LSP one, so that works out perfectly for me. Wait did you take a MAP science course before you decided to be a science major? If so, were you still in LSP when you took it? I was told that I can’t take the CAS MAP science classes while I’m still in LSP. It would be really neat to take Genetics in the Bio department, but don’t I need to take Principles of Bio I and II before I can do that?</p>
<p>I didn’t expect much from LSP advising. I just wanted them to answer my question, but all I got was a rant about how I shouldn’t want to take a CAS science and my minor doesn’t really matter and blah blah blah. For me, the fewer LSP courses, the better, so only having to take one LSP science is good news.</p>
<p>Alix, would you recommend an intro science class (Gen Chem, physics, bio) in lieu of a Nat Sci MAP course? (If so, which would you recommend–chem, physics, or bio?) And is the intro physics class calculus-based? Is there a way to take a calculus-based physics course right away without AP credits?</p>
<p>@ikatfabric - The rules might have changed since I was in liberal studies a couple years back, and but I’m pretty sure as long as you take 1 LSP science you can transfer to CAS and take the other science course there. I never took a MAP science course, I took an LSP science course my first semester but decided I wanted to major in Chem. Yeah you have to take Principles of Bio I and II before Genetics but I always thought Linguistics majors had to study Bio anyway? Sorry if I was wrong about that. In that case I understand why you’d rather take MAP science because otherwise you’d have to do an extra year of Bio.
Yeah, don’t let LSP advising bully you into taking extra crap. They straight up told me I couldn’t major in Neural Science or Biochemistry and that was bs.</p>
<p>@Just a girl - I think you’re a Math major? Nat Sci MAP classes were specifically created for non-science majors but if you’re into science then I guess go with an intro science class. Calc I is a prereq for Gen Physics I and II, so you either have to take Calc I at NYU, take AP Calc in HS and get credit, or take the Calc placement exam and place into Calc II. I do reccommend Gen Chem I though - it’s pretty easy and a good into science course, and Halpin is an awesome prof. It requires minimal math (logarithms and simple algebra) so no calc needed.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m a math major, and I am (kinda) into science. I have the AP math credits but not the AP science credits. I’m not sure whether to do the (easy?) Nati Sci courses, or Gen Chem I + II (which you recommend over physics, right?). Is Nati Sci, like, not really science? Because if it isn’t, I’m not sure I’ll like it… It would be a GPA booster, though, right?</p>
<p>just a girl, my boyfriend (who is thinking of minoring in Chem) took Nat Sci II, and while it’s not the most intense thing ever, it also isn’t a piece of cake, and he learned a lot from the class (he took The Brain: A User’s Guide). It’s DEFINITELY science. Nat Sci I I’ve heard is a bit more of a joke, so I could understand wanting to take a more difficult course in place of that. But doesn’t one departmental science course fulfill both Nat Sci’s?</p>
<p>Alix - Thanks a lot for your help. I don’t have to take any official Bio courses for Linguistics. Most of the Bio I learn is taught during the Linguistics courses I’m taking. Again, thanks for taking the time to answer my question :)</p>
<p>ikatfabric, according to the MAP website, you need non-science majors need two science courses, be they two Nat Sci courses or two intro-level science class (plus labs). And I’m not sure if they allow you to mix and match, either–that is, I am not sure if you can take Gen Chem I followed by The Brain: A User’s Guide. I think you either take one track or the other…</p>
<p>Just a girl: Well chem is one of my majors so naturally I like it more, but since you’re into math, you may prefer physics. Really just pick what you like more. Gen chem is fairly easy compared to Principles of Bio and Gen Physics and so it’s a good option for a non-sci major (though i’m sure you’d do fine in physics as well).</p>
<p>ikat’s situation is a little different since she’s in LSP and they have their own science classes, but I know people who took 1 science class in LSP and then transferred to CAS and took a MAP Natural Sci course there - this fills the requirements nicely and gives her the chance to take Human Genetics. </p>
<p>And yes, it is definitely science, but of course there is a big difference between science classes for students getting a degree in that field, and science classes for non-sci majors; for example, The Brain: A User’s Guide teaches about the brain but isn’t comparable to Intro: Neural Science which requires Gen Chem I, II and Principles of Bio I,II as prerequisites. Lots of Math majors take physics since they’re related fields so it’s not a bad idea.</p>
<p>MAP courses also vary wildly in difficulty depending on who’s teaching it. I took “Games of Chance” with is basically a QR that deals with probability. It was a joke when I took it. My roommate took it the following semester and it was the hardest class ever for her, because they changed the professors around.</p>