Faculty
Brunella Bowditch, Associate Professor of Biology (Program
Chair)
Saundra Herndon Oyewole, Professor of Biology
Beverly Smith-Franklin, Clare Booth Luce Assistant Professor of
Biology
Return to top
Description
The Biology Program offers a major and a minor to students in the
College of Arts and Sciences; several courses are offered for
non-majors. In conjunction with various other programs, the Biology
Program also supports interdisciplinary majors in biochemistry and
environmental science. Biology majors and minors pursue a diversified
program that fulfills a breadth of interests and ultimately prepares
them to pursue careers in many areas of the biological sciences,
including education, research, and medicine. For those in related
majors, the goal of the program is to focus particularly on the
interfaces between biology and their major disciplines. Non-majors who
take biology courses receive an exposure to biology to its fundamental
concepts, latest discoveries, and modes of inquiry in ways that are
relevant to their personal and professional lives and consistent with
the objectives of the Foundation for Leadership Curriculum.
Extraordinary developments in modern biology offer much to engage
students at all levels.
Trinity offers students who study biology the advantages of close
faculty-student relationships while providing access to the country's
primary resource collections, major research facilities, and outstanding
internship opportunities at nationally recognized facilities.
Return to top
Major Requirements
Required Courses (33 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
BIO 151 General Biology I
BIO 152 General Biology II
BIO 211 Vertebrate Development and Anatomy
BIO 222 Introductory Genetics
BIO 405 Evolution
BIO 418 General Physiology
BIO 449 General Microbiology
ONE course chosen from between:
BIO 325 Cell and Molecular Biology
BIO 336 Histology and Cytology
ONE senior seminar:
NSM 491 Divisional Seminar (1 credit)
Electives (6-8 credits)
TWO of the following courses:
BIO 206 Flowering Plants*
BIO 207 Plant Diversity*
BIO 225 Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 318 Ecology
CHE 411 Molecular Biochemistry I
PSY 322 Physiological Psychology
* Students may NOT take both BIO 206 and BIO 207 to fulfill the
elective requirement.
Requirements in Related Fields (31 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
CHE 105 Fundamentals of Chemistry I
CHE 106 Fundamentals of Chemistry II
CHE 231 Organic Chemistry I
CHE 232 Organic Chemistry II
CHE 233 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
CHE 234 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
MAT 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
PHY 115 General Physics I
PHY 116 General Physics II
Recommended Courses
MAT 126 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
Additional courses in computer science and statistics are also
recommended.
Return to top
Minor Requirements
Required Courses (19 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
BIO 151 General Biology I
BIO 152 General Biology II
BIO 211 Vertebrate Development and Anatomy
SIX additional credits of courses in biology
Neuroscience
While neuroscience is not offered as an official minor, students
wishing to prepare for graduate study in this rapidly growing discipline
are advised to major in either biology or psychology and minor in the
other. A student should consult with her or his advisor in order to make
a judicious selection of courses in biology, chemistry, and psychology.
Return to top
Program Policies
Advanced Placement:
Credit will be granted for the score of 4 or 5 on the AP examination. A
score of 4 or 5 will be accepted in lieu of BIO 151.
CLEP Policy: A
satisfactory score on the CLEP examination in general biology will be
accepted in lieu of BIO 151.
Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or better
in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.
Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling the major requirement may not be taken pass/no
pass.
Senior Assessment:
The senior assessment in biology consists of a written exam drawn from a
set of comprehensive study questions and a one-hour oral exam.
TELL Policy: TELL
credits do not count towards the major in biology.
Transfer Credits:
Transfer credit will be awarded after appropriate program review and
approval.
Return to top
Course Descriptions
BIO 101 Introduction to Biology
Explores various aspects of biology from cell structure to
metabolism, diversity and ecology. The course consists of two hours of
lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Recommended for
non-science majors. There is an additional laboratory fee for this
course.
4 credits
FLC Area IV
Core III
BIO 151 General Biology I
Presents a comprehensive base in biology for majors and non-science
majors. Biology 151 is not a prerequisite for 152. The course consists
of three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. There
is an additional laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
FLC Area IV
Core III
BIO 152 General Biology II
Presents a comprehensive base in biology for majors and non-science
majors. Biology 151 is not a prerequisite for 152. The course consists
of three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. There
is an additional laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
FLC Area IV
Core III
BIO 202 Diversity in Plants: Medicine, Food, & Furniture
Examines the uses of plants in medicine, food, and furniture.
3 credits
BIO 205 Flora of the DC Area
Studies local flora and key out spring blooming species.
3 credits
BIO 206 Flowering Plants
Surveys flowering plant families. Emphasis will be on those families
present in the local geographic area. Students will be expected to read
current literature and collect and hand in a 20 species herbarium. The
course consists of two hours of lecture, one hour of discussion of
journal readings, and three hours of laboratory per week. There is an
additional laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
BIO 207 Plant Diversity
Surveys the plant kingdom starting with green algae up through
angiosperms. Emphasis is on the evolution of this kingdom through a
thorough morphological analysis and use of modern analysis methods such
as cladistics. The course consists of two hours of lecture, one hour of
discussion of journal readings, and three hours of laboratory per week.
There is an additional laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
BIO 211 Vertebrate Development and Anatomy
Examines the embryology and anatomy of representative vertebrate forms.
The course requires two hours of lecture and six hours of laboratory
each week. There is an additional laboratory fee for this course.
5 credits
Prerequisites: BIO 151 and BIO 152
BIO 222 Introductory Genetics
Investigates the principles of heredity, including Mendelian genetics,
population genetics, and the genetics of microorganisms. The course
consists of two hours of lecture, one hour discussion of journal
readings, and three hours of laboratory per week. There is an additional
laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
Core III
BIO 225 Invertebrate Zoology
Studies selected invertebrates from each phylum with emphasis on
morphology and systematics. The course requires three hours of lecture
and three hours of laboratory per week. There is an additional
laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
BIO 241 Introductory Cell Biology
Examines major concepts in biological chemistry, cellular
organization, metabolism and cell cycle. Students will develop an
understanding of the cell unit. Emphasis is placed on ultrastructure,
organization and function. The course requires three hours of lecture
per week.
3 credits
BIO 252 Independent Study
Provides an opportunity for directed study on an introductory
level.
credits arranged
Prerequisite: Permission of Program Chair.
BIO 291 Seminar on Topics in Biology
Analyzes the biological literature on a specific topic, such as cancer
research, the biology of women, or AIDS. Check course schedule for
current topic(s).
3 credits
BIO 318 Ecology
Explores answers to questions including: Why are organisms found where
they are? How do species interact in nature? What is biodiversity? How
is ecological research performed? Lab emphasizes outdoor field trips,
collection of original data and statistical testing of scientific
hypotheses.
4 credits
Prerequisites: BIO 151 and BIO 152; MAT 110 recommended
BIO 325 Cell and Molecular Biology
Focuses on the eucaryotic cell at the cell and molecular levels with
emphasis on the principles by which cells function in isolation and in
multi-cellular communities. The course consists of three hours of
lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. There is an additional
laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
Prerequisites: BIO 151 and BIO 152
BIO 336 Histology and Cytology
Explores the structure of tissues and cells of animals. The course
consists of three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per
week. There is an additional laboratory fee for this course.
4 credits
Prerequisite: BIO 211 or permission of instructor
BIO 361 Internship
Provides practical experience in an area of applied biology, such as in
a hospital laboratory or museum. Students must make special arrangements
with the Program Chair.
credits arranged
BIO 405 Evolution
Studies the principles of heredity, population genetics, and modern data
collecting from karyotyping to sequencing. Attention is given to data
analysis in the systematics field from phenetics to cladistics. The
evolution of plant and animal kingdoms is analyzed in view of all the
data now available and the paleontological data. The course consists of
two hours of lecture and one hour of discussion of journal readings per
week. This course is typically taken in the senior year.
3 credits
Prerequisites: BIO 151 and BIO 222
BIO 418 General Physiology
Examines the functions of systems in selected vertebrates and
invertebrates. The course consists of three hours of lecture and three
hours of laboratory per week.
4 credits
Prerequisites: BIO 151, BIO 152, CHE 231, and CHE 232
BIO 449 General Microbiology
Introduces the biology of microorganisms and their importance to humans,
with special emphasis on bacteria and viruses. The course consists of
three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.
4 credits
Prerequisites: BIO 151, BIO 152, CHE 231, CHE 232 (may be concurrent);
or permission of instructor
BIO 451 Research Studies
Provides an opportunity for guided research participation.
credits arranged
Prerequisite: Permission of the Program Chair
NOTE: Descriptions for courses listed as NSM (natural sciences and
mathematics) appear in the interdisciplinary
courses section of this catalog.
Return to top
|
