BIOLOGY

Professors: Allan Berlind, Spencer J. Berry, David Bodznick (Chair), J. James Donady, Laura B. Grabel, Jason S. Wolfe

Associate Professors: Frederick M. Cohen, Michael Weir

Assistant Professors: John Kirn, Janice Naegele, Sonia Sultan

Visiting Professor: Bernice Schacter

The Biology Department offers four programs: (1) for non-majors, (2) for pre-majors, (3) for majors, and (4) for graduate students. In addition, a seminar series open to all students is offered.

The non-majors program consists of a series of specially designated General Education courses. These

courses are open to all students, and no prerequisites are needed to take the courses. Students may elect to

take any or all of these courses.

The pre-majors program is designed for students who are interested in biology but are not prepared to start their studies with a full year of intensive courses in both biology and chemistry. Their route of entry should be BIOL 190. This course is a) one semester only, at a less intensive level than BIOL 205, b) limited to freshman, c) does not have an accompanying laboratory, and d) emphasizes areas in biology of human concern. Students who take this course are advised to take chemistry in their freshman year and then continue with the BIOL 205-207 series in their sophomore year.

Credit for non-major and pre-major courses may not be applied toward the biology major. In addition, the introductory core courses for the major, BIOL 205, 206, and 207 (and their respective laboratory courses, BIOL 215, 216, and 217) may be taken by non-majors and can be used to satisfy General Education NSM expectations.

The biology major program consists of a minimum of eight courses in the 200-500 series, of which at least seven must be taken in the Biology Department and the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Department (as specified below). In addition, one year of Physics (111, 112 or 113, 116) and one year of Organic Chemistry (251, 252) are required. It should be noted that two years of college-level chemistry are required by most medical and other health-related graduate schools. A strong chemistry background is especially recommended for students planning to enter graduate or medical school. Starting with the Class of 1997, one semester of math (any course numbered 113 or higher) is required.

It is advisable to begin the major in the freshman year in order to take maximum advantage of the upper-level courses and research opportunities of the Biology Department in later years. A prospective biology major begins with a series of three core introductory courses. Biology 205 and its respective laboratory course (Biology 215) is offered in the fall semester. Students may elect to begin the core series with either Biology 205 or 207. This courses does not have prerequisites or co-requisites, but it is useful to have had some chemistry background or to take chemistry concurrently. In the second semester, the prospective major should take Biology 206 and its laboratory course, Biology 216. Biology 207 and its lab (Biology 217) should usually be taken first semester sophomore year. To complete a biology major a minimum of five additional courses in the 200, 300, and 500 series is required. Courses in the 400-series contribute toward graduation but do not count toward the major. The upper-level courses have been divided into four groups: A) Genetics; B) Cell and Developmental Biology; C) Physiology and Behavior; D) Ecology and Evolution. Students must take at least one upper-level course in each of three of the groups in order to complete the major. Please note that some courses fall into more than one category but may be used to fill only one category.

A. GENETICS

BIOL 221 Human Genetics

BIOL 231 Eucaryotic Genetics

BIOL 294 Lab in Developmental Genetics

BIOL 315 Developmental Genetics

BIOL 515 Genes in Development

MB&B 244 Gene Expression

MB&B 511 Genome Organization

B. CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

BIOL 209 Multicellularity

BIOL 230 Cell Membranes: Structure & Function

BIOL 238 Reproductive Biology

BIOL 241 Developmental Biology

BIOL 245 Cellular Neurophysiology

BIOL 250 Cellular & Molecular Neurobiology

BIOL 315 Developmental Genetics

BIOL 345 Developmental Neurobiology

BIOL 352 Cell Behavior

BIOL 380 Cells in Culture

BIOL 513 Topics in Development

BIOL 514 Topics in Cell Biology

BIOL 515 Genes in Development

BIOL 520 Mammalian Development

BIOL 575 Visual System Development

MB&B 232 Immunology

MB&B 337 Cell Nucleus

C. PHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

BIOL 224 Hormones, Brain & Behavior

BIOL 238 Reproductive Biology

BIOL 245 Cellular Neurophysiology

BIOL 247 Lab in Neurophysiology

BIOL 249 Neural Systems and Behavior

BIOL 341 Muscle Physiology

BIOL 348 Animal Orientation and Migration

BIOL 351 Neurobiology of Learning & Memory

BIOL 517 Topics in Neuroethology

NS&B 213 Behavioral Neurobiology

D. ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION

BIOL 261 Ecology

BIOL 262 Experimental Ecology

BIOL 300 Plant Form and Diversity

BIOL 348 Animal Orientation and Migration

BIOL 349 Evolution

BIOL 350 Microbial Population Biology

BIOL 370 Ethnobiology

BIOL 375 Ecology and Evolution of HIV

BIOL 518 Topics in Evolutionary Biology

BIOL 525 Evolution of Infectious Diseases

BIOL 531 Population Biology of Microbes

Several other courses offered by the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry may be directly credited to the biology major (i.e., without counting toward the one-course limit for courses taken outside the department) but do not fall into any of our departmental categories. Examples of these are MB&B 383 (Biochemistry), MB&B 509 (Viruses and Plasmids), and MB&B 514 (Macromolecules).

Depending on the student's specific program, and with permission of the chairman, one course outside the department may be counted toward the major (e.g., Psychology 207, 208, or 363; Chemistry 337 or 338).

All biology majors are required to participate at least once before graduation in the Ross Gortner Lecture Series minicourse. Named after a long-time member of the Biology Department, now deceased, the course provides opportunities for direct communication with scientists who represent differing views on a subject of current research interest. More an experience than a course, participants will receive .25 credit toward graduation.

Several faculty members in the biology and psychology departments also participate in a Neuroscience and Behavior Program, which at the undergraduate level constitutes a separate major. Information about that program can be found under the heading Neuroscience and Behavior.

The graduate program is an integral part of the Biology Department's offerings. Not only are graduate students active participants in the undergraduate courses, but upper-level undergraduates are encouraged to take graduate-level courses and seminars. Research opportunities are also available for undergraduates and frequently these involve close interaction with graduate students.

The seminar series introduces distinguished scientists from other institutions who present lectures on their current research work. These seminars are usually held on Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. and are open to all members of the University community. One objective of these seminars is to relate material studied in courses, tutorials, and research to current scientific concerns. Coffee, tea, and refreshments are available just prior to the seminars.

Honors in Biology. In order to be considered for departmental honors, a student must:

1. Be a biology major and be recommended to the department by a faculty member. It is expected that the student will have a B average (grade-point average 85) in courses credited to the major.

2. Submit either a research thesis, based upon laboratory research, or a library thesis, based upon library research, carried out under the supervision of a member of the department.

GENERAL EDUCATION

General education courses are specifically designed for non-majors with an interest in biology (BIOL 102, 104, 107). These courses have no prerequisites or corequisites. Students may elect to take any or all of these courses. The introductory core courses for the major, BIOL 205, 206, and 207 (and their respective laboratory courses BIOL 215, 216, and 217) may be taken by non-majors and can be used to satisfy general education NSM expectations. Recently the NSB 213 course has been added to this group of courses.