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Biological Sciences : BIOL

Biological Sciences :: BIOL

P Prerequisite :: C Co-requisite :: R Recommended
I Fall Semester :: II Spring Semester :: S Summer Session/s


Note :: Also see MICR and PHSL for additional biological sciences courses.


  • PLSC-B 101 Plant Biology (5 cr.) Lecture and laboratory. Fundamental principles of biology as illustrated by plants: characteristics of living matter, nutrition, growth, responses to environment, reproduction, basic principles of heredity. Credit not allowed toward a biology major.
  • BIOL-B 300 Vascular Plants (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102. One introductory biology course; provides basic understanding of the diverse groups of vascular plants. The course focuses on the major kinds of extant vascular plants and studies in detail from an evolutionary perspective the morphologies, life cycles, identification, classification and economic importance of these groups. I (even years)
  • BIOL-L 100 Humans and the Biological World (5 cr.) Principles of biological organization, from molecules through cells and organisms to populations. Emphasis on processes common to all organisms, with special references to humans. Credit given for only one of the following: H111, L100, L104, E112, L112, Q201.
  • BIOL-L 101 Introduction to Biological Sciences 1 (5 cr.) An introductory course designed for prospective biology majors and students majoring in ancillary sciences.  Principles of life processes including the chemical basis of life, cellular structure and function, genetics, and evolution.
  • BIOL-L 102 Introduction to Biological Sciences (5 cr.) Integrates a brief survey of the plant and animal kingdoms with an emphasis on a comparative review of the major functional systems in diverse groups, and an introduction to the principles of ecology. I, II
  • BIOL-L 211 Molecular Biology (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 102, CHEM-C 106. Structure and function of DNA and RNA.  DNA replication, mechanisms of mutation, repair, recombination, and transposition.  Mechanisms and regulation of gene expression.  The genetic code, transcription, and translation.  Introduces bacteriophages, plasmids, and the technology of recombinant DNA. I
  • BIOL-L 220 Biostatistics (3 cr.) P: Mathematics Level 5, BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102. Fundamentals of statistics intended to equip students with skills needed to understand and draw statistical inferences from biological data.  Will include data reduction, probability, hypothesis testing, correlation, regression, and analysis of variance. I
  • BIOL-L 280 Introduction to Bioinformatics (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211. Topics may include analysis of DNA and protein sequences; algorithms used in computational biology; sequence alignments; biological databases; predictive methods for RNA and protein structures; phylogenetic analysis; computational approaches to comparative genomics; analysis of microarray expression data expression data; proteomics and protein identification. II (odd years)
  • BIOL-L 304 Marine Biology (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102, CHEM-C 106. An introductory course for majors and non-majors involving study of the principles, concepts, and techniques of marine and estuarine biology. II (even years)
  • BIOL-L 308 Organismal Physiology (5 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211, CHEM-C 106. R: BIOL-L 312. Structural and functional aspects of regulatory processes in plants and animals; detection of the environment, integrative functions, reproduction. I
  • BIOL-L 311 Genetics (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211, CHEM-C 106. Analysis of developmental processes that lead to the construction of whole organisms and to the transmission to their offspring of specific genetic traits. Includes the principles of genetics, the principles of embryology, and the analysis of mutations affecting development. Credit given for only one of BIOL-L 311 or BIOL-S 311. II
  • BIOL-L 312 Cell Biology (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211, CHEM-C 106. Current views of the structure and function of cellular organelles and components, with emphasis on the flow of information through the cell, the metabolism that supports cellular functions and differences among different specialized cells. Current techniques will be stressed.
  • BIOL-L 313 Cell Biology Laboratory (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 312. Theory and techniques of experimental cell physiology. Enzyme purification using spectrophotometry, ion-exchange and gel permeation chromatography, gel electrophoresis. Respiration and photosynthesis analyzed by cell fractionation, oxygen electrode, and radioactive tracer techniques. I (odd years)
  • BIOL-L 317 Developmental Biology (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211. R: BIOL-L 312. Analysis of developmental processes that lead to the construction of whole organisms from single cells. Includes the principles of embryology and analysis of mutations affecting development. II (odd years)
  • BIOL-L 318 Evolution (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211. Provides a rigorous exploration of the theory of evolution - the conceptual core of biology. Topics include origins and history of life, the interplay of heredity and environment in shaping adaptations, molecular, behavioral and social evolution, patterns of speciation, extinction, and their consequences, methods for inferring evolutionary relationship among organism II (even years)
  • BIOL-L 321 Principles of Immunology (3 cr.) P: BIO-L 211. R: BIO-L 311, BIO-L 312. An introductory survey of the basic principles of immunology and their practical applications. I (even years)
  • BIOL-L 323 Molecular Biology Laboratory (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211. Manipulations and analysis of genes and genomes.  Gene cloning and library screening.  Gene amplification and disease diagnosis.  Gene mapping and Southern blot analysis of complex genome structure. II
  • BIOL-L 342 Tropical Marine Biology Field Course (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 304. Tropical marine ecosystems will be examined in detail during ten day trip to field sites in the Caribbean or Central America. S (even years)
  • BIOL-L 391 Special Topics in Biology (1-3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102. Study and analysis of selected biological issues and problems. Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit with different topics/titles.
  • BIOL-L 403 Biology Seminar (1-3 cr.) P: Senior standing, with major in biology. Individual presentations of recently published papers representing all areas of biological research. II
  • BIOL-L 434 Marine Community Ecology (3 cr.) P: One year of college biology and graduate student status. C: BIOL-L 509. Survey of physical and chemical oceanography and marine environments and communities. Credit allowed for only one of BIOL-L 304 or BIOL-L 434.
  • BIOL-L 473 Ecology (3-4 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102, CHEM-C 106, 6 credit hours of upper-level, majors biology. Major concepts for ecology for science majors; relation of individual organisms to their environment, population ecology, structure and function of ecosystems. I (odd years)
  • BIOL-L 474 Field and Laboratory Ecology (2 cr.) C: BIOL-L 473. Introduction to research problems and techniques in the ecology of individuals, populations and ecosystems. I (odd years)
  • BIOL-L 490 Individual Study (1-12 cr.) P: Written permission of faculty member supervising research is required. Must complete a written assignment as evidence of each semester's work. Must present oral report to complete more than six credit hours. Section authorization. I, II, S May be repeated for up to 6 credits of upper-level biology electives.
  • BIOL-L 509 Field Exercises for Biology Education (1-5 cr.) P: Graduate student status. C: BIOL-L 434. This is the field component of a linked pair of classes encompassing lecture, laboratory exercises and field experiences all focused on marine community ecology, intended for in-service middle school and high school science teachers and graduate students in the School of Education who hold or are seeking licensure in Secondary Education with certification to teach Life Sciences or Earth and Space Sciences.
  • BIOL-M 430 Virology Lecture (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 211. R: BIOL-L 311, BIOL-L 312. Viruses of plants, animals (including humans), and bacteria; emphasis on molecular biology of viral systems. Viruses and human disease such as cancer and AIDS; viruses and their evolution. I (odd years)
  • BIOL-N 190 The Natural World (3-5 cr.) Introduces students to the method of and logic of science, and helps them understand the importance of science to the development of civilization and the contemporary world.  Provides a context within which to evaluate the important scientific and technological issues of modern society.  Interdisciplinary elements.
  • BIOL-N 200 Biology of Women (3 cr.) This course examines the biological basis for bodily functions and changes that take place throughout the life of females. II
  • BIOL-N 390 The Natural World (3 cr.) P: One college-level biology course. Explores an important scientific or technological issue in modern society. Applies scientific methods and interdisciplinary perspectives in an examination of the subject. Investigates the broader implications and ethical dimensions of scientific research and technological advancement.
  • BIOL-Z 373 Entomology (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102. C: BIOL-Z 383. Biology of insects with emphasis on evolution, distribution, behavior and structure. I (even years)
  • BIOL-Z 383 Laboratory in Entomology (2 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102. C: BIOL-Z 373 Examine structure, classification of insects. Prepare a collection. I (even years)
  • BIOL-Z 460 Animal Behavior (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 101, BIOL-L 102, 6 credit hours of upper-level, majors biology. Introduction to the zoological study of animal behavior. Emphasizes both internal and external factors involved in the causation of species-typical behavior of animals (protozoa–primates) in their natural environment. II (odd years)

Academic Bulletins

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