School of Sciences and Humanities
School of Sciences and Humanities
School of Sciences and Humanities
Department of Biology
Biological sciences is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary area of sciences that aligns with priority tertiary education, science and technology needs for the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Bachelor of Sciences (B.Sc.) in Biological Sciences program is taught in English and can be compared in scope and structure to available programs in internationally leading academic institutions. The amalgamation of Nazarbayev University's Undergraduate Core Curriculum Framework of (NU UCCF), disciplinary core curriculum with broad choice electives enables students to lay the foundation for careers in high demand for both existing as well as anticipated employment sectors in Kazakhstan. The program's research-integrated teaching and student-centered learning opportunities offered in upper-level research-oriented and problem-based learning lectures and laboratory courses, or through participation in research projects in laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art instruments as part of Directed Research in Biology or a Honors Thesis sets it apart from biological sciences programs offered in the region. Graduates of this program are expected to find many job opportunities in universities, pharmaceutical, biotechnological or biotechnology and agricultural companies, hospitals, and private, government and non-profit research institutions.
- Integrate fundamental theoretical underpinnings and concepts when addressing both research and real-world problems in biological sciences.
- Apply scientific methods, including formulating a hypothesis, designing studies, laboratory-based techniques, and drawing conclusions to address both research and real-world problems in biological sciences.
- Evaluate biological data using mathematical and statistical techniques.
- Recognize the limitations of scientific processes including experimental and data-analytical methods when synthesizing biological knowledge.
- Critically analyse and discuss primary literature in biological sciences.
- Communicate clearly biological information in oral and written formats to both lay and scientific audiences applying for the latter scientific formats commonly used in biological sciences.
- Exercise ethical and professional conduct when conducting research in biological sciences.
B.Sc. in Biological Sciences Curriculum
The four-year 240 ECTS credit B.Sc. in Biological Sciences is a first cycle level 6 program designed according to the Bologna requirements. The curriculum of the program consists of three different types of courses:
The four-year 240 ECTS credit B.Sc. in Biological Sciences is a first cycle level 6 program designed according to the Bologna requirements. The curriculum of the program consists of three different types of courses:
- NU Undergraduate Core Curriculum Framework (UCCF) core courses (78 ECTS),
- Major required courses (132 ECTS)
- Discipline core courses (96 ECTS)
- Major (Biological Sciences) required electives with at least three at course code level 400 (36 ECTS),
- Technical electives, any letter-grade (A-F) courses outside Biological Sciences with one at course code level 300 or higher (18 ECTS), and
- Unrestricted electives (12 ECTS).
List of courses:
- History of Kazakhstan
- Kazakh language
- Rhetoric and Composition
- Writing and Communication
- Any SOC, PLS, ANT, or ECON course
- Calculus I
- Physics I for Scientists and Engineers with Laboratory
- Any Computer Science course except CSCI 100 and CSCI 101
- Critical Research Reasoning
- Any business course
- Bioethics
- General Chemistry I
- General Chemistry II
- General Chemistry I Laboratory
- Organic Chemistry I
- Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
- Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Laboratory, or Physics II for Scientist and Engineers with Laboratory, or Calculus II
- Applied Statistical Methods
- General Biology
- Modern Biology I
- Modern Biology I Laboratory
- Modern Biology II
- Modern Biology II Laboratory
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- Biochemistry I
- Molecular Cell Biology
- Introduction to Microbiology
- Introduction to Microbiology Laboratory
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Six Major Elective courses
- Three Technical Elective courses
- Two General Elective courses
Besides careers in health, environment, and medicine, graduates of BSc in Biological Sciences also have the following in their disposal:
- Academia – Further education in graduate or doctoral schools of medical sciences, life sciences, or public health;
- Research or laboratory employee – Work as researchers, research assistants, or laboratory technician, biological technician, etc.