Astrobiology as an Alternative Integrated Science Curriculum for Higher Education

Abstract

Many schools now offer an integrated science course to give students a taste of all of the sciences. These courses are types of survey courses that do not demonstrate the interdependencies among the various science disciplines. Students are exposed to each of the science disciplines individually. Astrobiology, as a multidisciplinary science requiring the skills of a physicist, chemist, geologist and biologist can be offered as a new paradigm in the teaching of science for n o n ­ science majors. A curriculum for a full-year course in astrobiology based upon sound content and pedagogy is presented.