Biology
Introduction
The Biology curriculum provides a broad base of knowledge of biology while improving the creative, critical, and communicative abilities of students. Biology, the study of life, is intriguing to students on a fundamental level, because it is essentially the study of themselves, their bodies, and the living world around them. The Biology faculty work with their majors to help them develop an understanding and working knowledge of the life phenomenon at subcellular through organismal levels. Within the major, a student may elect to emphasize human biology, field-oriented biology, or biochemical and microscopic aspects of life science.
Mission
The Biology Program provides students with the opportunity to explore, understand, and explain the unity, diversity, and complexity of life.
Goals
The Biology Program
- provides opportunities for all students to understand the nature of science, to improve their scientific literacy, to develop a greater knowledge of living systems within a global perspective , and to do so using critical and creative thinking and effective communication;
- provides a broad-based biology curriculum for students who pursue degrees in biology, providing them with the content and skills needed for post-graduate study and the guidance to inform their choices;
- provides a supportive and nurturing environment for faculty in development of teaching expertise, collaboration in student-faculty research, and engagement in discipline-specific research and scholarship, with all supported by necessary equipment, space, and funding.
Career Options
Graduates of the College who have majored in biology typically pursue careers in teaching, pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician assisnat, physical therapy, or other professional fields. In addition, many graduates find employment in industry—some in laboratories, some in management, and others in research and development. Most careers require further formal study in graduate or professional schools.
Learning Objectives for the Major
The Biology Program offers a curriculum that will provide the basis for all students majoring in biology to be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge in major fields of biology;
- demonstrate effective skill mastery in communication and in basic laboratory and field study techniques;
- demonstrate use of the scientific method to critically analyze questions and creatively address local and global issues in the biological sciences.
Methods of Accomplishing the Objectives
The student is presumed to have accomplished the specific collection of objectives by satisfactorily completing the courses that constitute his or her major. In addition to the Core or Ethos Curriculum, all biology majors are required to successfully complete:
- Principles of Biology I and II (BIOL 1107 and 1108); Principles of Biology I and II Laboratory (BIOL 1107 L and BIOL 1108 L); each with a C- or better. A C- or better in these courses is a pre-requisite for all upper-level biology courses. These courses are included in Core and Ethos Curriculum requirements.
- General Chemistry I and II (CHEM 1101 and 1102)
- choice of MATH 1114, MATH 1221, or MATH 2221 (in addition to the Core math requirement)
OR - a total of 2 MATH courses for Ethos curriculum; choose from Ethos PG1 MATH 1101, MATH 1221, or MATH 2221 and choose from MATH 1114, MATH 1221, or MATH 2221 for the biology major requirements
- one course in the cellular-level biology category
- one course in the organismal-level biology category, and
- the Senior Seminar (BIOL 4470).
Students may count no more than one accepted upper-level course taken as a transient student at another institution as one of the biology major courses. Pre-requisites for upper level (3000+) courses must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
Assessment of Learning Objectives
Students graduating with degrees in biology will complete the program comprehensive exit exams. Through these exams and the program exit survey, students will demonstrate their completion of the objectives of the major. The faculty in the Biology Program use these assessments and the success of graduates as a gauge of the applicability of its goals and the success of its students in attaining these goals.
Declaration of Major
Before declaring a major in biology, a student must successfully complete an Introductory Biology major sequence of BIOL 1107, BIOL 1107L, BIOL 1108 and BIOL 1108L with a C- or better in all courses.
Majors and Minors
Major Minor
B.S. in Biology B.A. in Biology Minor in Biology B.A. in Biology and M.A.T.Courses
This is the beginning biology course for non-majors. General Biology deals with the phenomenon of life as is manifested in all types of living organisms. The origin of life, chemistry of life, cellular and tissue organization, metabolism, cell division, genetics, and gene action are among topics covered.This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. BIOL 1101L is a co-requisite for students in the CORE curriculum (enrolled before Fall 2018). BIOL 1101L is not required for students in the Ethos curriculum (students enrolling in Fall 2018 and beyond).
This laboratory course is designed to complement and to provide experiential learning for General Biology I. Note: This course is required for students in the CORE curriculum (enrolled before Fall 2018); BIOL 1101L is not required for students in the Ethos curriculum (students enrolling in Fall 2018 and beyond). Co-requisite: BIOL 1101.
This course is a continuation of General Biology I. General Biology deals with the phenomenon of life as is manifested in all types of living organisms. Evolution, diversity of life, ecology and the functioning of the organ systems are among topics covered. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements.
This laboratory course is designed to complement and provide experiential learning for General Biology II and is a continuation of General Biology I Laboratory. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. Prerequisite: BIOL 1101. Co-requisite: BIOL 1102
An introductory biology course for science majors that includes scientific method and its application, biological chemistry, cell structure and function, energy transfer, cell cycle, and mitosis. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. Prerequisite: MATH 1101 placement or higher. Co-requisite: BIOL 1107L
Laboratory experience for science majors to accompany topics from BIOL 1107. This course focuses on the scientific method, data acquisition, manipulation and analysis, and presentation of results. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. Prerequisite: MATH 1101 placement or higher. Co-requisite: BIOL 1107.
A continuation of introductory biology for science majors. Topics include evolution, biodiversity, physiology, and ecology. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. Co-requisite: BIOL 1108L.
Laboratory experience for science majors to accompany topics from BIOL 1108. This course focuses on the scientific method, data acquisition, manipulation and analysis, and presentation of results. This course fulfills 3 hours of the laboratory science portion of both the Core and Ethos (PG2) general education requirements. Co-requisite: BIOL 1108.
A study of the structure and function of the human body. Designed for pre-nursing majors.
A continuation of Human Anatomy and Physiology I.
A study of human disease caused by pathogenic microbes and helminthes. Designed for pre-health professions majors. Laboratory activities focus on bacteria as model organisms.
A study of the morphology, physiology, classification, ecology, and economics of microbial forms, especially bacteria and fungi.
A study of the fundamentals of immunology. Topics will include tissues and control of the immune system, including dynamics of B cell and T cell activation and function, inflammation and autoimmune disorders. Laboratory experiences include antigen-antibody interactions in gels, on membranes and in tissues, as well as complement-mediated cell lysis.
An introduction to the basic principles and concepts of ecology with emphasis on environmental sampling, analysis and characterization.
A phylogenetic approach to the Animal kingdom following cladistic principles. Emphasis will be placed upon representative animal groups and the position of Animaliawithin the domains of life. Studies of local faunae will be highlighted.
An introduction to the principles and practices involved in the management of endangered species, communities and ecosystems. We will investigate how species natural history, ecology and population dynamics interact with human activities to impact the loss of species diversity.
A phylogenetic and ecological survey of the kingdom Plantae. The focus will be on the general anatomy and physiology of plants as well as the natural history and ecology of plants. Lab work will be field based and strongly oriented toward the local florae.
A study of the embryological development of representative vertebrates, with laboratory emphasis upon the frog and chick.
A balanced survey of the present-day concepts of evolution with emphasis on human evolution/paleoanthropology.
A study of the microscopic features of mammalian cells, tissues, and organs. Lectures correlate cell structure with tissue function. Laboratory experiences include the microscopic identification of tissues and organs at the cellular level.
An introduction to the basic principles of toxicology. Topics include the cellular sites of action of toxicants, their physiological absorption, distribution and excretion and their effects on tissues and in an ecosystem. The lab applies these principles by students’ implementation and analysis of data of an original research project.
This course includes topics in both classical and molecular genetics. Topics of study may include but are not limited to Mendelian and non-Mendelian transmission of genes, sex-linked traits, chromosomal genetics and genomes, DNA structure, replication, mutation and repair, gene expression and its regulation, recombinant DNA technology, cancer, and population genetics. The laboratory will evaluate wild-type and mutant model organisms using classical and/or molecular genetic approaches as well as pursue research questions in genetics using model organisms and other systems.
An advanced study of the structure and functions of the eukaryotic cell. Topics include the structure and function of macromolecules, the plasma membrane, intracellular trafficking and cell signaling. The lab uses techniques to microscopically identify organelles and cells, examine the role of enzymes and identify specific proteins involved in cell death.
This introduction to virology will focus on animal viruses that are important for basic science and human and animal diseases. The topics in this course may include viral taxonomy, structure, entry/exit, replication, quantitation, genetics, pathogenesis, and virus-host interaction. The laboratory will study nonpathogenic model viral systems.
An integrated study of the human nervous system correlating neuroanatomy and neurophysiology with fundamentals of clinical neurology.
Senior seminar is a thematic capstone course that is a broad, integrative experience in biology. The course promotes independent thinking, develops analytical skills, and provides practice in group discussion and in written and oral presentation. This course is required of all biology majors. Seniors enroll in BIOL 4470 in their last spring semester of enrollment.
Although not required as part of the biology major, this course provides an opportunity for students, on an individual basis, to pursue in-depth research of a particular biology topic, question, or problem. Up to 4 hours of BIOL 4495 may be counted toward the major.
An opportunity for students to gain added experience and insight in approved off-campus settings. The internship cannot be counted as one of the courses required for the major or minor in biology.