Development of Departments
The College of Science initially comprised six departments: Physics, Botany, Mathematics, Zoology, Chemistry, and Geology. Starting in the academic year 1395-1396 AH (1975-1976), the college identified the need for additional specializations. Four new fields were added: Statistics, Astronomy, Geology and Geohydrology, and Biochemistry. This expansion led to a structure of combined departments, such as the Department of Geology and Hydrology, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Zoology, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Department of Botany.

In further pursuit of academic growth, between 1399 AH and 1401 AH, Statistics separated from Mathematics, and Biochemistry became distinct from Chemistry. Botany introduced Microbiology, while Statistics included Operations Research as a specialization in 1407 AH. This resulted in nine departments within the college. Additionally, Computer Science, which originated within Mathematics, was transferred to the newly formed College of Computer and Information Sciences.

Academic System Evolution
First: Group System
Initially, the Kingdom’s development goals required graduates from the College of Science to possess diverse knowledge. Hence, a yearly academic group system was applied until 1394-1395 AH (1974-1975), with students receiving a general bachelor's degree in two specializations. Many graduates contributed significantly to the public education sector, where they effectively taught their dual specializations, while others worked in labs or pursued postgraduate studies.

The group system entailed five groups, with students studying various basic and additional subjects across four years, progressing from four foundational subjects to specialized pairs by the third and fourth years.

Second: Credit Hour System
Implemented in 1395-1396 AH, this system allowed students within a single specialization to focus on chosen areas according to their interests and the Kingdom’s developmental needs. Initially, 144 credit hours were required for a bachelor's degree, which was adjusted to 136 hours by 1397/1398 AH. Course requirements were distributed as follows:

• University Requirements: 15 credit hours, including Islamic Culture, Arabic, and English.
• College Requirements: 18 credit hours covering foundational sciences like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and optional courses.
• Major Requirements: 96 credit hours divided into core courses, electives, and support courses.
• Free Courses: 7 credit hours selected from university offerings.

This system was later modified in 1399 AH and 1408 AH to redistribute hours among college and major requirements.

Third: Level System
In 1412 AH, the Council of Ministers mandated the transition to a full-day academic structure, organizing courses into levels, each with mandatory courses within an eight-level framework. Each level's courses are sequential, allowing students to complete requirements and progress logically. New students complete levels one and two in their first year before selecting a specialization.

Science Departments for Women
The College of Science established branches within the Women’s University Center, including:

• Biochemistry Department: Founded in 1401 AH (1981), this branch offered a bachelor’s degree and added a master’s program in 1411 AH (1991), now with six faculty and 14 lecturers, teaching assistants, and administrative staff.

• Chemistry Department: Established in 1402 AH (1982) with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, it introduced a doctoral program in 1415 AH (1995), offering Inorganic, Physical, Organic, and Analytical Chemistry. It currently has 15 faculty and 17 additional staff.

• Botany Department: Since 1403 AH (1983), this branch has offered a master’s in Botany with specializations in Ecology, Genetics, Physiology, and Taxonomy, and later added Microbiology. The doctoral program began in 1418 AH (1998). This branch includes seven faculty, seven lecturers, one assistant, and eight technicians.

• Mathematics Department: Initially offering a master’s program in 1400/1401 AH (1980/1981), the department added a bachelor’s program in 1403 AH (1983) and a doctoral program in 1414/1415 AH (1994/1995). It currently has 11 faculty and 12 support staff.

• Physics Department: Established in 1411 AH (1991) to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in theoretical physics, the department includes eight faculty members and six additional staff.

Human Resources
Data from 1408 AH indicated that of the college’s 570 staff, 46.7% were Saudi nationals. By 1418 AH, total staff decreased to 512, with Saudi representation rising to 49.8%. A significant reduction in non-Saudi administrative staff led to an increase in Saudi representation from 53.7% to 78.4%. Faculty saw a decrease in contracted members, boosting the proportion of Saudi faculty from 54.7% to 63.3%, with departments like Botany, Microbiology, and Zoology reaching Saudization rates above 80%. Conversely, departments like Statistics, Mathematics, and Astronomy maintained lower Saudization levels, at 42.3%, 32.1%, and 20%, respectively.

Educational Laboratories
The transition to the current campus at King Saud University led to a significant expansion of educational laboratories, doubling or tripling their number. These facilities now house modern equipment essential for student training, enabling graduates to enter the workforce with practical skills.