Quantitative Reasoning

98-99 University Bulletin Entry for:

(file last updated: [8/10/1998 - 15:28:44])

Objectives

The quantitative reasoningrequirement has been established to develop students' abilitiesto collect, summarize, and analyze numerical data, to make abstractconcepts operational, and to think critically about the accuracyand soundness of conclusions based on data or on mathematicalmodels. Quantitative reasoning courses usually embed methodologicaltraining in their subject matter. These courses vary widely inthe skills that are emphasized, but they usually include one ormore of the following:

A.Learning to read, construct, interpret, and evaluate tables, graphs,and charts.

B.Developing quantitative measures of physical, behavioral, or socialphenomena.

C.Using mathematical models to express causal relationships andto explore the implications of changed assumptions or proposedsolutions to problems in the physical or social world.

D.Collecting and organizing numerical data from archives, surveys,lab experiments, or other sources.

E.Testing hypotheses, using experimental or statistical controls.

F.Assessing the limitations of research, such as the reliabilityand validity of measures, adequacy of experimental design, samplesize and quality, and alternative hypotheses and interpretations.

Each Brandeis undergraduateis required to take one course from the approved list of quantitativereasoning courses. This list may change, so students should consultthe most recent list of approved courses in the Course Scheduleto assure that they will receive requirement credit. (Naturally,students will not be denied credit retroactively if a course takento fulfill the requirement is later dropped from the list.)

Courses with an asterisk (*)satisfy the quantitative reasoning requirement only when theyare taken with the corresponding lab.

Courses of Instruction

BIOCHEMISTRY

BIBC 22a*

Genetics and Molecular Biology

BCHM 100a

Introductory Biochemistry

BIOLOGY

BISC 10b

Nutrition: Principles, Issues,and Applications

BIBC 22a*

Genetics and Molecular Biology