Home ›
Academics ›
Degree Programs

Degree Programs

From undergraduate education to master's and doctoral degrees, a degree from the Notre Dame College of Science is stepping stone to the next stage of your life.

Actuarial Science
Undergraduate Minor

Mathematics

Actuarial Science

The minor in actuarial science is a course of study tailored to the needs of students interested in actuarial careers, especially in business. The minor is based in the Department of Mathematics and is best suited for math and ACMS majors.

Learn More
Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS)
Bachelor of Science, Master's

Applied and Computational Mathematics and StatisticsHonors, Supplementary Major

Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS)

The Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS) offers programs of study leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in applied and computational mathematics and statistics. Computational skills, which are often required to solve real-world problems, will be developed continuously throughout the curriculum. For many students, significant work in an area of application will complement their core studies.

Learn More
Biochemistry
Bachelor of Science

Chemistry & BiochemistryHonors

Biochemistry

Chemistry is the science of substances that comprise the world about us and is concerned with their structure, their properties, and the reactions that change them into other substances. Biochemistry explores the chemical foundations of living systems, including the structure, properties, and reactions of biological macromolecules. Chemists and biochemists practice their profession in many ways—in educational institutions, government laboratories, and private research institutions and foundations, as well as in many commercial areas, including the petroleum, chemical, drug, health, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

Learn More
Biological Sciences
Bachelor of Science, Master's

Biological SciencesHonors

Biological Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences offers studies at the leading edge of life science research. Areas of study and research are infectious and vector-borne diseases, cell and cancer biology, physiology, ecology, and evolution. State-of-the-art facilities involving microscopy, DNA sequencing, and extraordinarily well-equipped faculty laboratories are available to students electing to do research. The undergraduate curriculum has as its goal the training of life scientists in the latest developments in life science. The curriculum has as one of its cornerstones laboratory courses that emphasize the experiential nature of the life sciences.

Learn More
Biophysics
Master's

Physics and Astronomy

Biophysics

Biophysics, literally the physics of life, enables scientists working at the intersection of physics, biology and chemistry to collaborate with clinicians, mathematicians and engineers to develop a predictive understanding of biological processes, including cancer, development, infection and the immune system. Novel tools and techniques now permit biophysicists to see and measure what was once invisible. Physics has long played a prominent role in biology—Watson, Crick and Franklin, discoverers of the structure of DNA, considered themselves biophysicists—but that role has increased dramatically in recent years as the development of new methods has transformed our understanding of biological systems, their complexity and their molecular details.

Learn More
Chemistry
Bachelor of Science, Undergraduate Minor

Chemistry & BiochemistryHonors

Chemistry

Chemistry focuses on the substances that comprise the world around us and is concerned with their structure, their properties and the reactions that change them into other substances. The chemistry curriculum includes two programs: The Chemistry Career Program designed for students interested in a professional career in chemistry, and the Chemistry Combination Program, designed for those students who are interested in combining chemistry with business or computing.

Learn More
Compassionate Care in Medicine
Undergraduate Minor

Compassionate Care in Medicine

The Minor in Compassionate Care in Medicine is open to Notre Dame students in all majors and colleges. The purpose of the Minor in Compassionate Care in Medicine is to provide interdisciplinary training in the science and sustainable practice of compassionate care for future health professionals. This minor is designed as adjunctive training to the basic science required by health professions schools, by major departments within the College of Science, or by other science-related majors.

Learn More
Energy Studies
Undergraduate Minor

Honors

Energy Studies

The Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame offers an energy studies minor to all undergraduate majors at the University of Notre Dame. This minor prepares students to become successful leaders from all disciplines who understand the complexity of the energy challenge. They will be better prepared to provide goods and services that allow an acceptable quality of life in a more energy-efficient manner. In addition, students will be able to draw from technical and non-technical resources to move our country and the world toward a sustainable energy future.

Learn More
Environmental Sciences
Bachelor of Science

Biological SciencesSupplementary Major

Environmental Sciences

The environmental sciences (ES) major is designed for students who have a keen interest in ecology and the interactions between humans and the natural world. Environmental sciences majors take a wide variety of science and non-science courses. In fact, environmental science majors are the most broadly trained of all science majors at Notre Dame. Further, those majoring in environmental science also have great latitude in their course choices. This freedom to specialize is one of the key features of the environmental sciences major.

Learn More
GLOBES Certificate in Environment and Society
Certificate, Graduate Degrees

GLOBES Certificate in Environment and Society

The best solutions for today’s interconnected environmental and human health challenges require bold, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approaches. The GLOBES graduate certificate in environment and society will prepare you to do just that. The GLOBES Certificate in Environment and Society is an interdisciplinary graduate certificate program in which students develop additional competencies through innovative cross-training and professional development skill-building. Open to graduate students in all disciplines with environmental and global health research interests, the GLOBES certificate recognizes a student's ability to extend research in new directions, produce interdisciplinary scholarship, and become an effective communicator across disciplines and audiences. GLOBES certificate students are eligible for mini-grant awards to support interdisciplinary research.

Learn More
Integrated Biomedical Sciences
PhD

Supplementary Major

Integrated Biomedical Sciences

The Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) program is a cross-departmental Ph.D. program for research and training in a range of fields in the biomedical sciences. Scientists across the campus, representing 50 different research groups, are organized into seven thematic research and training clusters that offer students the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge biomedical research that transcends traditional departmental and disciplinary boundaries.

Learn More
Interdisciplinary Mathematics
Master's

Mathematics

Interdisciplinary Mathematics

Master's degrees are available for Mathematics PhD candidates who have taken 30 credit hours and passed their candidacy examinations. We offer a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Mathematics (MISM) to students enrolled in other PhD programs at Notre Dame. For further details, contact the director of graduate studies in Mathematics.

Learn More
International Doctoral Program in Science
Graduate Degrees, PhD

International Doctoral Program in Science

Four world-class universities have partnered together to provide outstanding students an opportunity to pursue an International Ph.D. in Science: the University of Notre Dame (USA), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy), KU Leuven (Belgium), and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Chile). This program provides research opportunities in physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, and mathematics through jointly supervised research projects across two of the partner universities. Students have two research advisors, one from the financing university, and one from the collaborating university. Students will have a mandatory stay of at least one full year at each of the institutions.
Master of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS)
Graduate Degrees, Master's

Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics

Master of Science in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS)

Master's studies in applied and computational mathematics and statistics provide students with the complex mathematical, statistical, and computational tools necessary to succeed in critical career positions within the financial industry. There are four concentrations available: applied statistics, computational finance, applied and computational mathematics, and predictive analytics.
Master of Science in Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence (ESTEEM)
Graduate Degrees, Master's

Honors, Supplementary Major

Master of Science in Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence (ESTEEM)

The Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship Excellence Master’s Program (ESTEEM) is a joint degree offered by the College of Science, the College of Engineering, and the Mendoza College of Business that provides science and engineering students with the entrepreneurial skills required to translate their inventions into commercial ventures.

Learn More
Master of Science in Global Health
Graduate Degrees, Master's

Master of Science in Global Health

Through instruction, research, and hands-on experience, the Master of Science in Global Health helps students to make connections between classroom training in global health topics and the real health needs of the world’s poor and underserved.

Learn More
Master's in Data Science
Graduate Degrees, Master's

Master's in Data Science

Big data is reshaping our world—and creating new career opportunities for those trained in data science. Whether measuring the success of medical treatments, modeling climate change patterns, or using social media to predict consumer decisions, data scientists make it possible. In Notre Dame’s M.S. in Data Science online program, you’ll gain the knowledge you need for building a career in data science. In just 21 months, you’ll learn how to use powerful tools to analyze data, unpack the stories big data can tell, and approach data analysis ethically. You’ll study at an institution with a tradition of excellence and innovation and achieve a competitive edge from a distinctive curriculum, all in an immersive, convenient online format.

Learn More
Materials Science and Engineering Doctoral Degree Program
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Materials Science and Engineering Doctoral Degree Program

The Department of Physics and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry are among the seven departments and programs at Notre Dame that offer the interdisciplinary Materials Science and Engineering doctoral degree. Incoming students who are interested in the program should follow their home department’s admissions process, with details available at graduateschool.nd.edu. To successfully complete the Materials Science and Engineering degree, students will be required to complete their home department requirements, nine hours of materials science courses, and a materials science-focused doctoral thesis. Students who successfully complete this programming will earn a Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. in their discipline, for example, a “Physics: Materials Science and Engineering" degree.

Learn More
Mathematics
Bachelor of Science

MathematicsHonors

Mathematics

The mathematics major will deepen your knowledge of an endlessly interesting subject, as well as sharpen your analytical and problem-solving skills. The curriculum is very flexible, with enough electives in the mix to allow you to customize your own program. It is also possible to pursue mathematics as a second major. Mathematics is a foundation for many different kinds of careers. Notre Dame mathematics majors have pursued graduate degrees in economics, education, physics, theology, engineering, medicine, law, fine arts, statistics, and music, among other subjects. Some majors go into business positions, become actuaries, work as consultants, or enter the Armed Services. Some become mathematics researchers themselves.

Learn More
Neuroscience and Behavior
Bachelor of Science

Neuroscience and Behavior

Neuroscience and Behavior

Neuroscience is a relatively young, exciting, and fundamentally interdisciplinary field devoted to the study of the nervous systems. Problems range from investigation of the evolution of nervous system in basal vertebrates to the application of neuroscience to education and law. Neuroscientists also seek to develop neurologically plausible models of human thinking, affect and behavior. Neuroscience engages experts in collaboration across diverse fields, including biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, physics and psychology. Students studying neuroscience will be prepared to pursue professional programs (medical, dental, veterinary, clinical psychology, or other health professions) and graduate programs in areas such as neuroscience, biological sciences or psychology.

Learn More
PhD in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics
Graduate Degrees, PhD

PhD in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics

The doctoral program in Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS) is designed to train researchers skilled at conducting independent research in applied mathematics, computational mathematics, or statistics. The granting of a doctoral degree is recognition that the student's mastery of the discipline and research accomplishments meet the standards recognized by the community of professionals in the field. Breakthroughs often occur at the intersection of disciplines. At the nation’s best universities, researchers in applied and computational mathematics are collaborating with biologists, engineers, physicians, chemists, physicists, economists, and others on multifaceted problems that require mathematical modeling and computational simulation.

Learn More
PhD in Biochemistry
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Chemistry & Biochemistry

PhD in Biochemistry

The Ph.D. program in biochemistry is designed to train students in the chemical underpinnings of biological processes and encompasses all areas of modern biochemistry, from cell and molecular biology to computational biophysics. Interdisciplinary research is highly valued, and it is not uncommon in the department to find chemists and biochemists working side by side, researching different aspects of the same question.

Learn More
PhD in Biological Sciences
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Biological Sciences

PhD in Biological Sciences

The Graduate Program in Biological Sciences encompasses the broad scope of biological inquiry with several areas of study in the Biomedical Sciences, Global Health, and Ecology, Evolution & the Environment (EEE). This uncommon level of wide-ranging yet integrative biological inquiry provides an extraordinary environment for learning, innovation and collaboration. The program provides a wide choice of faculty advisors, many of who lead their disciplines by serving as officers of professional societies, on journal editorial boards, study sections, scientific advisory boards and as consultants for various organizations. This vibrant research community continues to expand its faculty, both within the department and with associated faculty at the Indiana University School of Medicine at South Bend adjacent to the Notre Dame campus, and other departments at Notre Dame.

Learn More
PhD in Biophysics
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Physics and Astronomy

PhD in Biophysics

The Biophysics PhD program offers the opportunity for inter- and multi-disciplinary research in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and biological, and computational sciences in an exploration of our experimental and theoretical understanding of how biology works at the molecular level. Students will have the opportunity to perform 3 rotations in their first year, before choosing their research advisor(s) and matriculating into a department in their second academic year.

Learn More
PhD in Chemistry
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Chemistry & Biochemistry

PhD in Chemistry

The Ph.D. program in chemistry encompasses all areas of modern chemical research, including organic, physical, inorganic, and analytical chemistry. Interdisciplinary research is highly valued, and it is not uncommon in the department to find chemistry researchers investigating biological questions or working closely with physicists or engineers.

Learn More
PhD in Mathematics
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Mathematics

PhD in Mathematics

The Mathematics Ph.D. program involves students in a range of pure mathematics fields (see http://math.nd.edu/research/). The primary goal is to learn how to carry out original research and explain these results effectively in both presentations and written articles. Our all our students are provided financial support. Master's degrees are available for Ph.D. candidates who have taken 30 credit hours and passed their candidacy examinations. The department offers a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Mathematics (MSIM), usually for students in other Ph.D. programs.

Learn More
PhD in Physics
Graduate Degrees, PhD

Physics and Astronomy

PhD in Physics

Physics graduate students are actively involved in both experimental and theoretical studies in areas including astro-, atomic, bio-, condensed-matter, high-energy, and nuclear physics. They search for answers to questions such as: What is dark matter? Can we understand the birth or death of stars at the nuclear level? Can we create new materials with new properties? What can network science say about our world? What is the origin of mass?

Learn More
Physics
Bachelor of Science, Master's

Physics and AstronomyHonors, Supplementary Major

Physics

Cutting-edge research is carried out in astrophysics, nuclear physics, elementary particle physics, condensed matter and biophysics, and atomic physics. Undergraduate physics majors are trained to use the most modern equipment, learn about the most current and exciting topics for research, and, most of all, learn to be problem solvers. This training leads them to many fields of endeavor, such as graduate school, medical school or law school, as well as wide-ranging fields as finance, the armed services, and scientific publishing. As the “liberal arts” of the sciences, physics is a training ground for the mind which opens many avenues.

Learn More
Physics-in-Medicine
Bachelor of Science

Physics and Astronomy

Physics-in-Medicine

Students in this program may prepare for professional schools in medicine, medical physics, biophysics, etc., with appropriate selection of electives. Students following the Physics in Medicine major are not allowed to add concentrations; their major program is designed to accommodate the special interests of students intending careers in medicine.

Learn More
Preprofessional Studies
Bachelor of Science

Preprofessional Studies

Preprofessional Studies

Science Preprofessional Studies (SCPP) is a 64 credit hour interdisciplinary science major designed to encourage a broader and deeper holistic education, primarily for students preparing for one of the health professions. On average, more than three-fourths of all Notre Dame applicants to M.D. or D.O. programs are accepted. The average Notre Dame applicant has an MCAT score above the national average.

Learn More
Science and Patient Advocacy
Undergraduate Minor

Science and Patient Advocacy

The mission of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Science and Patient Advocacy is to provide undergraduate students with critical skills and understanding of the multifaceted challenges needed to advocate effectively for rare disease patients. The core of patient advocacy is to know disease at the molecular, genetic and clinical levels and use that information to help patients find treatments. This minor in Science and Patient Advocacy provides an integrated framework that will provide students with needed skills to become effective patient opinion leaders who have enormous influences in health outcomes at all levels in our society.

Learn More
Science-Business
Bachelor of Science

Preprofessional Studies

Science-Business

The major prepares students to pursue health care professional education such as medical school, dental school, public health, or health care administration. It also enables students to attain a diversified background to enter an MBA program leading to a position in the scientific or health professions business area. In addition to interdisciplinary courses in science and mathematics, the program includes course in Economics, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and Management. (Starting in the Fall of 2023, the Science-Business major will no longer be available to incoming students.)
Science-Computing
Bachelor of Science

Preprofessional Studies

Science-Computing

The Science-Computing collegiate sequence is an individualized course of study which incorporates courses from the four basic areas of science along with a sequence of computing courses. The program will give the student working knowledge of various computer languages and experience using current computer technology. By choosing science electives appropriately, the student has the option of focusing in an area of science of particular interest. Graduates of this program have the knowledge and skills to enter the scientific computing job market immediately upon graduation.

Learn More
Science-Education
Bachelor of Science

Preprofessional Studies

Science-Education

The Science-Education collegiate sequence is an individualized course of study which incorporates many courses from the four basic areas of science along with education courses that most states require to give the student the background necessary to receive a certificate to teach in a secondary education system. Science-Education students take courses in the College of Science and other colleges of the University, as well as the Education Department at Saint Mary's College. Information concerning the requirements for the secondary education in the various states, as well as the general course requirements for a certificate necessary to teach science in a secondary education program, is available in the assistant and associate dean's office, 215 Jordan Hall.

Learn More
Scientific Computing
Undergraduate Minor

Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics

Scientific Computing

The core of scientific computing is the development of mathematical models and computer simulations to understand various physical phenomena. Modeling and simulation can be used to verify hypotheses, make predictions, and drive experimental data collection. This minor provides students with (i) a solid programming background for running computer simulations, (ii) a computing and modeling course for learning how to develop mathematical models, (iii) a foundational methods course for learning how to analyze the stability and accuracy of computer simulations, and (iv) an elective course to explore additional topics or applications of scientific computing.

Learn More
Statistics
Bachelor of Science

Applied and Computational Mathematics and StatisticsSupplementary Major

Statistics

Today, data are pervasive in the physical and biological sciences, technology, healthcare, and business. Making valid conclusions, predictions and decisions based on data is statistics. A bachelor of science in statistics from the Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS) prepares graduates for a wide variety of jobs including: Analysis of investment data in the banking industry Identification of patterns in translation data for online sales Estimation of actuarial risk in the insurance industry Analysis of political surveys Analysis of performance data in manufacturing

Learn More
Sustainability
Undergraduate Minor

Sustainability

The Minor in Sustainability is open to Notre Dame students in all majors and colleges. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the minor prepares students to serve as leaders in their communities - local, national, and international - by making constructive and substantive contributions to the development of more sustainable practices for the benefit of their own personal and professional lives, the lives of others, and the lives of future generations.

Learn More