Biology Course Descriptions
BIO-100 Explorations in Biology
This course explores the diversity of life and how organisms, including humans, function and interact in the biological world. Topics include how scientists identify and evaluate questions and the genetics, evolution, ecology, physiology, and cellular biology of living organisms. Approaches to understanding these topics will change depending on the instructor. Connections are made across disciplines through discussion, lecture, case studies, and laboratories. For students not intending to major in the sciences.
BIO-100 and BIO-101 cannot both be taken for credit.
Fall or Spring Semester
BIO-101 Principles of Biology
A general introduction to the study of biology. Topics include the structural organization of organisms, cellular reproduction, basic metabolism, genetics, ecology, and evolution. Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. Required for students intending to major in Biology, Environmental Studies, or Nursing. Recommended for majors in Chemistry, Life Science Teaching, and Health Fitness.
BIO-100 and BIO-101 cannot both be taken for credit.
Fall Semester
BIO-102 Organismal Biology
This course introduces the organization of the major organismal groups including bacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals. Topics include phylogeny, development, and the structural-functional relationships of these organisms. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisite: BIO-101.
Spring Semester.
BIO-118 Microbes and Human Health
A study of the interactions between microbes and humans, with a particular focus on human disease. Topics include the morphology and biochemistry of bacteria and viruses, how they cause human disease, how the body fights infection, and how infection can be controlled. Three lectures and three hours of laboratory weekly.
Spring Semester
BIO-201 Cell and Molecular Biology
This course provides a study of the structure and function of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Additional topics include energy transformation, respiration, photosynthesis, cytogenetics, signal transduction, and the molecular aspects of gene regulation. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BI0-101, BIO-102, CHE-107, CHE-141.
Fall Semester
BIO-202 Evolution, Ecology and Behavior
This course focuses on three themes: (1) the mechanisms and patterns of microevolution and macroevolution, including the evidence for evolution and a broad survey of the evolution of life on earth; (2) ecology, including organismal responses to the environment, population dynamics, species interactions, community structure, and ecosystem processes; and (3) behavior. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory or field trip weekly.
Evening exams. Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, CHE-107, and CHE-141.Spring Semester
BIO-241 Invertebrate Zoology
This course explores the life styles of the many animals without backbones. This exploration includes invertebrate life histories, taxonomy, forms, and functions. Lectures focus on the unique features of different invertebrate phyla and the interesting ways animals interact with each other and their environments. We cover topics in animal classification, life history, and various types of human-invertebrate interactions. Laboratory work examines invertebrate diversity on campus and responses to features of their environment, as well as animal structure and function. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101 and BIO-102. WRITD
Fall Semester
BIO-242 Vertebrate Zoology
A study of the life histories, behavior, morphology, physiology, taxonomy, and conservation of animals representing each of the vertebrate classes, with emphasis on Minnesota fauna. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisite: BIO-101 and BIO-102.
Spring Semester
BIO-244, BIO-344 Special Topics Seminar
Study of special topics in biology. Research, individual, and/or group projects. Topics announced periodically. May be repeated for credit.
Offered occasionally.
BIO-245 Conservation Biology
This course focuses on the ecology of conserving biodiversity. It is organized to include species, population, and ecosystem-level issues. Topics such as biodiversity, extinction, sustained yield, exotic species, and preserve design will be covered. Management implications and the ecology of issues are integrated throughout the course. Labs emphasize ecosystems and conservation problems of southern Minnesota.
Prerequisites: BIO-101 and declared major in Biology or Environmental Studies. WRITD
Fall Semester
BIO-268, BIO-368 Career Exploration, Internship
Off-campus experience related to the student’s major. A limit of one course from BIO-392 or BIO-268, 368 may be used toward the Biology major and must be approved by the department in advance of the experience so that the department’s expectations are clear. See description of the Internship Program.
1. Biology students who HAVE NOT completed the Biology core sequence may register for up to 3 credits of BIO 268 when they are on an approved, semester-long internship. Biology students who HAVE completed the Biology core sequence may register for up to 3 credits of BIO 368 when they are on an approved, semester-long internship. One credit is given for 160 hours of documented time on the internship assignment and other work as assigned by the faculty sponsor. (For NIH, this would be the research assignment; the Biology department will allow at most one credit for the "NIH experience", i.e. as a participant in a study or studies.)
2. BIO 268/368 credit earned during the regular semester and to be used towards the major must be approved by the Biology department. A maximum of 1.0 credit from BIO 392 or BIO 268/368 will be allowed towards the biology major. Students planning a research internship for which they desire credit towards the Biology major must be approved by the department in advance of their research or internship experience so that the department's expectations are clear. Submission of the final results of a research project performed while on the internship is required. (January term Career Explorations cannot be used towards the major.)
BIO-370 Ecology
This course examines the principles that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms. Topics include population dynamics, species interactions, community organization, energy flow, and nutrient cycles. These principles are related to environmental issues and natural resource management. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week, including field trips and greenhouse experiments.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Spring Semester
BIO-372 Animal Behavior
The study of animal behavior from an evolutionary perspective. This course will cover proximate mechanisms and ultimate adaptiveness of behavior in a diversity of organisms from invertebrates to humans. It will examine how behaviors enhance survival and reproductive success, and the ways in which ecological pressures shape behaviors involved in communication, predator avoidance, foraging, parental investment, altruism, and sociality, among other topics. Three lectures and one three-hour lab weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Fall Semester
BIO-373 Cell Biology
This course examines cell morphology, signaling, trafficking, and life cycle events. Connections between Biochemistry and Physiology are emphasized. Laboratory experiments exploring these issues will include a variety of techniques using primary cultures and cell lines, with an emphasis on qualitative and quantitative light microscopy. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141. WRITD
Spring Semester - May not be offered every year.
BIO-374 Genetics
This course extends the study of genetic principles introduced in the four-course core sequence. Topics will include transmission genetics and pedigree analysis, population and quantitative genetics, and the molecular genetics of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Fall Semester
BIO-376 Entomology
A general study of the structure, development, habitats, and economic importance of insects, the most abundant type of animal on the planet. Laboratory work explores insect development, physiology, and behaviors. Students also create an insect collection over the course of the semester. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Offered occasionally, Fall semester.
BIO-377 Plant Systematics
This course is an introduction to the systematics of vascular plants (flowering plants, conifers, and ferns) with an emphasis on woody plants of North America and Minnesota flora. Students will learn the terminology used in systematics, identify representative families, and become familiar with the use of taxonomic keys. Topics included are phylogenetic relationships, speciation, phytogeography, plant mating, and pollination biology. Two three-hour lecture/labs weekly.
Prerequisite: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Offered occasionally, Spring semester.
BIO-378 Plant Physiology
This course focuses on physiological interactions between plants and the environment. Topics include: 1) how plants respond to challenging physical, chemical, and biological factors; 2) how plants acquire and exchange energy or nutrients with the environment; and 3) plant growth and development integrated by hormonal interactions. These principles are related to ecology, environmental issues, and molecular biology. Three lectures and one three-hour lab weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141. WRITD
Offered occasionally, Fall semester.
BIO-380 Microbiology
This course will focus on prokaryotic cell structure and function, bacterial growth and metabolism, the molecular genetics of bacteria and viruses, diversity among bacteria, and the interactions between microbes and their environment. Three lectures and three hours of laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202. CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Spring Semester
BIO-381 Immunology
A study of the molecular, genetic, and cellular components of the immune system. Four lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141. WRITD
Fall Semester
BIO-382 Developmental Biology
This course studies the principles of development in animals. Included topics are fertilization, embryology, growth, differentiation, and morphogenesis. These are examined from classical morphological to experimental perspectives. Lectures include journal article discussions and conversations about the ethical implications of developmental topics. Three lectures and one three-hour lab weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Spring Semester
BIO-383 Aquatic Biology
A study of the distribution, ecology, and adaptations of organisms living in aquatic habitats within a framework of Environmental Geology and Chemistry. Laboratory work explores aquatic organism diversity, water chemistry, and community structure with an emphasis upon aquatic habitat sampling and experimental design.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107, and CHE-141.
Offered occasionally, Fall semester.
BIO-384 Neurobiology
An examination of the nervous system at three different scales: (1) cellular foundations of electrical excitability, synaptic transmission, and the arrangement of individual cells into a system; (2) system behavior in controlling conscious sensation and voluntary movement; and (3) mechanisms that underlie behavior, state changes, and plasticity. Two two-hour and one three-hour lecture/lab sessions.
Prerequisites: BIO-202 or PSY-260 and permission. WRITD
Fall Semester
BIO-385 Evolution
An advanced readings/discussion course on the theory and mechanisms of evolutionary change in populations. Topics include evolutionary genetics, natural selection, adaptation, life histories, and co-evolution. Two two-hour lecture/lab sessions per week.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Offered occasionally, Spring Semester
BIO-386 Comparative Physiology
A chemical and physical analysis of function in living organisms, concentrating on the comparative aspects of organ function in a variety of animals and habitats. Two two-hour lecture/lab sessions per week.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141.
Spring Semester
BIO-388 Molecular Genetics
A study of the molecular biology of the gene. The emphasis will be on the structure and function of nucleic acids, protein synthesis, and their regulation in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Current methods used to study genetic regulation, and genomes, including recombinant DNA, will be discussed and used in lab. Four lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly.
Prerequisites: BIO-101, BIO-102, BIO-201, BIO-202, CHE-107 and CHE-141. WRITD
Spring Semester
BIO-291, BIO-391 Independent Study
(Course value to be determined) Special topics for independent study. Admission by permission of instructor. Students who have completed BIO-101 and BIO-102 will enroll in BIO-291. Students who have completed the core will enroll in BIO-391.
BIO-392 Biology Research
(Course value to be determined) This course is designed for student/faculty research. Enrollment is limited to students working directly with a faculty member on a research project. Credit is assigned on the basis of 1.0 course equal to 12 hours per week of research work with the faculty. A limit of 1.0 course of BIO-392 or BIO-268/368 may be used toward the biology major and must be approved by the department in advance of the experience so that the department s expectations are clear.
Offered each semester.
BIO-396 Directed Research
Directed group research on a special topic to be identified by the instructor. Students will work together with the instructor in developing a research proposal, designing an experimental protocol, and collecting and analyzing data to further understanding of current biological issues. Students will be expected to present this research in the form of a manuscript suitable for submission for publication and as a public presentation. Research topics and instructors vary by semester.
Prerequisite: permission of instructor. WRITD, Fall and Spring semesters.
BIO-397 Biology Honors Thesis
Students enrolled in this course complete their work towards Departmental Honors in Biology. As agreed upon with their Honors Thesis adviser and committee, students: 1) complete their proposed research, 2) write an honors paper (extensive literature review) or thesis (experimental work), and 3) prepare for their oral exam. Consult the Biology Handbook or Biology web site for additional details regarding preparation and participation in Departmental Honors in Biology (http://gustavus.edu/academics/biology/honors.php).