STEM Concentration

Women represent only thirty percent of the STEM workforce in the U.S. — and Notre Dame Belmont (NDB) is working to close the gender gap. NDB’s STEM Concentration immerses students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, preparing them for a college-level academic career.

2024 Female Diversity Award in Computer Science

NDB has earned the College Board's AP^® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). This award acknowledges 1,153 schools for their work toward equal gender representation during the 2023-24 school year. NDB is one of only 847 schools to be recognized for achieving this important result in AP CSP. Learn more.

Who is a STEM Tiger?

A STEM Tiger has an inquiring mind, and may often find themself asking why, how or what. If you tell a STEM Tiger that our rainforests are in danger, they might ask why, quickly followed by, how can I help? A STEM Tiger seeks to understand the world around them and bolster innovations to bring solutions to the world's most complex predicaments.

Virtual Dissection Technology

AP Bio students virtually dissect invertebrates with using a cutting edge, interactive, 3D technology system where the inner workings of animals and life forms come to life with the click of a button.

STEM Concentration Curriculum

If you are a rising sophomore interested in NDB’s STEM Concentration, please keep the requirements below in mind for planning purposes.

Course Requirements

40 credits in Math (4 years):

30 Math credits required for all NDB graduates
10 additional Math credits40 credits in Science (4 years):

40 credits in Science (4 years):

30 Science credits required for all NDB graduates
10 additional Science credits
10 credits in Computer Science required for all NDB graduates

10 additional credits in any STEM Concentration approved elective (Qualifying courses will be identified in the NDB Course Catalogue).

Electives

AP and Honors Courses

*NDB is one of the only college preparatory high schools to offer biology and chemistry courses that include a full-length class block in addition to a full-length laboratory block, as practiced at universities.

AP Biology (meets daily)*
AP Chemistry (meets daily)*
AP Physics 1
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Computer Science Principles (counts as a UC Science)
AP Statistics
Algebra II Honors
Geometry Honors
Precalculus Honors
AP Computer Science A
(counts as a UC Math)

Other Requirements

Additional Opportunities

Sample Four-Year Course Plan

Additional Program Experiences

Independent Experiences: Completion of at least three independent STEM-related experiences outside of NDB

Sample independent experiences may include participating in a STEM activity that has an external or independent competition associated with it, such as the American Math Competition (AMC), International Math Olympiad, California Mathematics League, Tiger Bots Robotics Team, or approved summer programs, just to give a few examples. NDB will provide an updated list of suggestions each year. Additional experiences may also be proposed by students pending prior approval.

Academic Experiences: Attendance at three STEM-related academic lectures, conferences or workshops

Co-curricular Experiences: Sustained participation in NDB co-curricular activities related to STEM during the junior and senior years

Students achieved 100% pass rate on the following AP exams, exceeding CA and global scores:

Calculus

Chemistry

Physics

Capstone Project Example: Virtual Economics Class

What is money? Where does money come from? Why does it seem like our money is spent so quickly? The answer will be found in Susie Liu's (Class of 2024) Capstone project called Women in Economics -- Teenager Economics Online Classroom, which serves as an online platform for economics foundation courses for middle and high school students. Visit Teenager Economics Study Online Classroom to join the classroom, with no pay, no commitment, self-paced comprehensive platform.

Forensics Mock Trial

Forensic students take to the courtroom following mock crime scenes that are staged on campus. Faculty and staff take on the roles of perpetrators, accomplices and witnesses among staged crimes of vengeance on campus! Students evaluate the crime scene using their knowledge of fingerprint and bloodstain pattern analysis. Following crime scene evaluations, students hold an ongoing mock trial in the courtroom as they play out the roles of courtroom judges, lawyers, clerks and more. Various classes on campus attend the trial each day as the jury, along with American Sign Language students translating the courtroom correspondence. Students exude exemplary confidence and poise as they present evidence, record testimony, cross-examine witnesses and more!

Forensics Mock Trial Crime Scene Investigation

Tri-School Productions Build and Tech Team

Go behind the scenes as part of the Tri-School Productions Build and Tech Crew. Students work side-by-side with our team of professional designers to put on all aspects of each show.

Learn sound engineering to set up audio equipment and manipulate audio levels to obtain excellent sound quality.
Work with lighting designers to hang and focus lighting instruments and run light board operations.
Learn to properly and safely use a variety of power tools.
Construct, paint and dress the set using theatrical painting and set techniques.

Why You Should Join Tri-School Productions Build & Tech Team

Career Examples:

Medical Physician
Engineer
Geologist
Laboratory Scientist
Veterinarian
Marine Biologist
Architect
Astronomer
Computer Programmer
Genetic Counselor

Built on the tenets of integrity, compassion and perseverance, my Notre Dame Belmont education as a tuition assistance recipient allowed me to confidently pursue a meaningful career in optometry. Today, I am able to impact hundreds of patients by providing sight-saving medical care.

I value the all-girls education that NDB uniquely offers, as the experience enabled personal development by strengthening my confidence and my ability to communicate well with others. I work with researchers, doctors, nurses and all kinds of patients and communicating effectively is very important. An NDB education allowed me to enter college and the workforce with confidence.

Notre Dame instilled in me the conviction to pursue my dream to become a physician. My high school experience gave me the confidence to strive as a woman in the field of science. My Notre Dame roots have helped me to succeed as a compassionate physician, daughter, wife and mother.

I am grateful for an NDB education because no other school could have provided me with the broad exposure to science, the opportunities to demonstrate and grow into leadership roles and the confidence to achieve my biggest goals. The NDB experience is unique and showed me that I am capable of more than I ever thought.

NDB prepared me with many of the foundational tools needed for my career today like the ability to communicate and work with others, act with kindness, and a strong foundation in writing and science.

NDB helped me discover my love for biology. The school's project-based learning curriculum allowed me to explore my niche interests in all of my classes. It was so much fun writing mini plays for Greek Day in English class and dressing up for mock debates in APUSH, but probably the most impactful project was when I got to make a movie about deep sea ecosystems in Mrs. Girard's biology class. Creating this film helped me realize how much I love the ocean and led me towards contacting marine conservation organizations in the Bay Area. I am currently volunteering with the California Academy of Sciences as a SCUBA diver and preparing to apply to medical school. My life would have gone in a completely different direction if I had not caught the biology bug at NDB.