68 courses with the subject BIOL, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
BIOL 101Creatures and Curiosities4
This course deals with unfamiliar, mysterious, beautiful, grotesque, and overlooked animals all around us: the invertebrates. We will explore animal evolution and focus on the biology of creatures such as sponges, jellyfish, insects, and corals. In addition, we will discuss the cultural role of animals as curiosities - as specimens in cabinets and museums, or the subjects of phobias and urban legends. Drawing on topics in marine biology and entomology, students will learn about the ecology, life cycles, and anatomy of major groups of animals through lectures, observation of live animals, and dissections. Students must complete two field trips outside of class time. Two 1-hour lectures and one 1-hour lab per week. Offered most years, fall semester.
This course will serve as an introduction to the development and application of biotechnologies, and the impact these technologies have on society. Discussions will include stem cell research, genetic testing in the clinical setting, personal (“recreational”) genomics, DNA fingerprinting and forensic applications, gene editing, and gene therapy. This course will introduce students to some basic concepts and methodologies used in the fields of genetics, and molecular, developmental and cell biology. We will also discuss sociocultural and ethical issues that emerge from the application of these technologies. Three lecture hours each week. Offered occasionally.
Cross-Listed as ENVI 106 Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, is also home to numerous streams and rivers. In this course we will examine the nature of these aquatic ecosystems; exploring their ecology, geology and chemistry. We will also investigate human impacts through such practices as agriculture, urbanization and industrialization, on these important ecosystems. Students will complete projects exploring various aspects of local waterbodies, especially the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix Rivers. Three lecture hours each week. Offered occasionally.
The food we eat, the air we breathe, and the landscapes we inhabit are shaped by plants. Plants are also at the heart of many global issues impacting society: food security, climate change, development and land degradation, and environmental inequity. In this course, we focus on the physiology, ecology, and biodiversity of plants, as well as their role in human life and society. We will explore topics that span agriculture and biotechnology, climate change and biodiversity, historical and modern use of plants as commodities, and urban ecology. Three lecture hour each week. Offered occasionally.
Cross-Listed as WGSS 117 This course will deal with aspects of human anatomy and physiology of special interest to women and/or those who identify as women, especially relating to sexuality and reproduction. Biological topics covered will include menstruation and menopause, sexuality, conception, contraception, infertility, abortion, pregnancy, cancer, and AIDS. Advances in assisted reproductive technologies, hormone therapies, and genetic engineering technologies will be discussed. Three lecture hours each week. Offered every year.
Cross-Listed as ENVI 170 This course dives into a range of topics to study how species, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes function in our changing climate. We will emphasize biological nutrient and energy cycling, population dynamics, animal and plant species interactions, disturbances and response to disturbances, and ecology in urban and agricultural landscapes. We will examine Ecology under four conceptual ‘lenses’: Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Land Use, and Ecosystem Services. These lenses provide critical insight into how scientists, policy makers, land managers, and other stakeholders evaluate complex ecological and environmental systems. Labs will be field and data-based, and emphasize the development of hypotheses, novel data collection at Ordway Field Station, and statistical analysis. Three hours lecture and one three-hour laboratory each week. Offered every semester.
An introduction to the diversity and history of life. We begin with basic evolutionary patterns and processes that have shaped living things, and then move on to the major groups of organisms (their morphology, physiology, reproductive cycles) and their evolutionary origins and relationships. Using recent findings from such diverse fields as molecular phylogenetics, developmental biology, and paleontology, this course introduces students to the major branches on the tree of life. Three lecture hours and one three-hour lab each week. Offered every semester.
An introduction to the principles of genetics, including patterns of inheritance, structure and function of genetic material, flow of genetic information, and control of gene expression. This course also introduces students to the methodologies used in genetics research, such as gene mapping, gene expression techniques, DNA sequencing, introductory genomics, and gene manipulation. Bioethical and sociocultural issues that emerge from the applications of genetic concepts and methodologies are discussed. Three lecture hours and one three-hour laboratory each week. Offered every semester.
BIOL 190 ; and CHEM 112 or CHEM 115 Offered every semester. (4 Credits)
BIOL 275Outdoor Environmental Education in Theory, Policy and Practice4
Cross-Listed as EDUC 275 and ENVI 275 This course provides an introduction to outdoor education as an opportunity to promote social justice and environmental sustainability in a globalized world. Informed by relevant philosophical, psychological, cultural and political-economic frameworks, in addition to critical issues in public education policy and practice, we will explore interdisciplinary approaches to outdoor environmental education appropriate for students across the K-12 continuum. We will utilize the Katharine Ordway Natural History Study Area (Ordway Field Station) as an outdoor classroom and will adapt curriculum from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other outdoor education organizations to assist elementary school teachers and students in fulfilling Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards. Early in the semester, all students will participate in a weekend retreat at the Ordway Field Station. Weekly lab sessions will include field days during which course members design and implement educational experiences for elementary school children at Ordway, small group work days for preparing field day lesson plans, trips to local outdoor environmental education sites within the Twin Cities, and other experiential learning opportunities. Weekly seminar sessions incorporating readings, reflective writing, and individual and small group projects complement the experiential aspects of the course. As the semester progresses, each course member will develop a curricular unit aimed at teaching an important environmental issue to diverse adolescents attending urban public schools. The curricular unit is a significant undertaking that provides students with the opportunity to synthesize all aspects of the course material in a creative, pragmatic and integrative manner. Every fall.
Cross-Listed as ENVI 277 The world is becoming more and more urban, with over 80% of the US population and half of the world’s population living in cities. This trend (and the environmental problems it creates) will only increase throughout the 21st century, yet ecologists are just beginning to understand humans as organisms that influence their environment. Cities are hubs of activity that influence the physical structure, climate, element and energy cycling, and plant and animal communities within the urban footprint. However, these urban environments are influential well beyond their perceived borders. Urban ecologists are expanding their focus from ecology in cities, where they studied urban plants and wildlife, to the ecology of cities, where they consider human-biological interactions with increasing attention to the complex interplay among people, society, and environment. Importantly, this course acknowledges how the lived experiences of urban dwellers vary tremendously, both within and across cities. This course examines current developments in urban ecology and looks at the role it can play in planning and managing urban environments to create equitable futures for all. Offered occasionally.
BIOL 170 ; and STAT 112 or STAT 155 Alternate years. (4 Credits)
BIOL 362Arctic Ecology
Cross-Listed as ENVI 362 The Arctic is Earth’s most rapidly warming region. It is also home to massive carbon reservoirs and diverse biological adaptations to extreme elements, as well as home to Indigenous populations and the site of oil extraction and vanishing sea ice. We will examine how climate change is impacting the biodiversity, ecophysiology, and biogeochemistry of this crucial biome, and as a result, the rest of the world. As an
BIOL 351 ; junior or senior standing; and permission of instructor. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)
BIOL 475Research in Neurobiology
This course involves collaborative research with a faculty member on a current problem in neurobiology. Students participate in intensive reading of primary literature, journal-club style presentations, detailed experimental design and written and oral presentation of proposed research projects. The laboratory component focuses on acquiring independent research skills, gaining technical expertise and carrying out novel research. Students enrolled in this course should expect to do lab activities for at least 6 hours/week overall, which could be outside of the scheduled course hours.
This is an opportunity for students to do independent study or research on a biological topic. This may be done in the department under the direct supervision of a faculty member; it may be done at another college or university or similar institution under direct supervision; or in certain circumstances it may be done off campus with minimal direct supervision. Given the nature of independent projects, students need to demonstrate they have the necessary academic background, including appropriate coursework, in the area they are interested in pursuing before an independent will be approved. The independent may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (1 Credits)
BIOL 612Independent Project2
This is an opportunity for students to do independent study or research on a biological topic. This may be done in the department under the direct supervision of a faculty member; it may be done at another college or university or similar institution under direct supervision; or in certain circumstances it may be done off campus with minimal direct supervision. Given the nature of independent projects, students need to demonstrate they have the necessary academic background, including appropriate coursework, in the area they are interested in pursuing before an independent will be approved. The independent may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (2 Credits)
BIOL 613Independent Project3
This is an opportunity for students to do independent study or research on a biological topic. This may be done in the department under the direct supervision of a faculty member; it may be done at another college or university or similar institution under direct supervision; or in certain circumstances it may be done off campus with minimal direct supervision. Given the nature of independent projects, students need to demonstrate they have the necessary academic background, including appropriate coursework, in the area they are interested in pursuing before an independent will be approved. The independent may be undertaken during a semester or over the summer.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (3 Credits)
BIOL 614Independent Project4
This is an opportunity for students to do independent study or research on a biological topic. This may be done in the department under the direct supervision of a faculty member; it may be done at another college or university or similar institution under direct supervision; or in certain circumstances it may be done off campus with minimal direct supervision. Given the nature of independent projects, students need to demonstrate they have the necessary academic background, including appropriate coursework, in the area they are interested in pursuing before an independent will be approved. The independent may be undertaken during a semester or during the summer.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (4 Credits)
BIOL 621Internship1
This is an opportunity for students to work with professionals in the biological field outside of academia. Students will work with a faculty sponsor and their site supervisor to develop a set of learning goals, strategies to meet these goals, and methods of evaluation for the internship, including the nature of the final product. An internship is an excellent way for students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom and laboratory, to learn more biology, and to explore career options. The internship may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer and must encompass at least 35 hours of work (equal to 2.5 hours per week). S/N grading.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (1 Credits)
BIOL 622Internship2
This is an opportunity for students to work with professionals in the biological field outside of academia. Students will work with a faculty sponsor and their site supervisor to develop a set of learning goals, strategies to meet these goals, and methods of evaluation for the internship, including the nature of the final product. An internship is an excellent way for students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom and laboratory, to learn more biology, and to explore career options. The internship may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer and must encompass at least 70 hours of work (equal to 5 hours per week). S/N grading.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (2 Credits)
BIOL 623Internship3
This is an opportunity for students to work with professionals in the biological field outside of academia. Students will work with a faculty sponsor and their site supervisor to develop a set of learning goals, strategies to meet these goals, and methods of evaluation for the internship, including the nature of the final product. An internship is an excellent way for students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom and laboratory, to learn more biology, and to explore career options. The internship may be undertaken during a semester or during the summer and must encompass at least 105 hours of work (equal to 7.5 hours per week). S/N grading.
Permission of instructor and department chair. Offered every semester. (3 Credits)
BIOL 624Internship4
This is an opportunity for students to work with professionals in the biological field outside of academia. Students will work with a faculty sponsor and their site supervisor to develop a set of learning goals, strategies to meet these goals, and methods of evaluation for the internship, including the nature of the final product. An internship is an excellent way for students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom and laboratory, to learn more biology, and to explore career options. The internship may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer and must encompass at least 140 hours of work (equal to 10 hours per week). S/N grading.
Permission of instructor. Initiate registration through Academic Programs. (4 Credits)
BIOL 641Honors Independent1
Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. The independent may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer.
Permission of instructor and department chair. S/N grading only. Offered every semester. (1 Credits)
BIOL 642Honors Independent2
Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. The independent may be undertaken during a semester, during January, or during the summer. Honors students are required to register for a 2 credit honors independent during January of their senior year.
Permission of instructor and department chair. S/N grading only. Offered every semester. (2 Credits)
BIOL 643Honors Independent3
Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. The independent may be undertaken during a semester or during the summer.
Permission of instructor and department chair. S/N grading only. Offered every semester. (3 Credits)
BIOL 644Honors Independent4
Independent research, writing, or other preparation leading to the culmination of the senior honors project. The independent may be undertaken during a semester or during the summer.
