NWU Biology Courses

NWU Biology Course Offerings

Course Number	Course Title & Credit Hours	Course Description
1	Perspectives in Biological Science 4 hours	Designed for non-science majors, this course will examine the principles of biology in a historical and cultural context and apply them to current problems and philosophies. The course will investigate the formulation of these ideas, their relationships, the evidence supporting them and existing areas of uncertainty. Emphasis will be on how biological principles are related to the interests and concerns of non-biologists. Three hours of lecture per week. One hour of discussion per week. One 2-hour lab per week. Not open to biology majors. (Normally offered each semester.)
8	Microbiology 4 hours	An introductory study of the classification, morphology, physiology and pathogenicity of microorganisms. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Not open to biology majors. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
9	Human Anatomy and Physiology 4 hours	An introductory study of cellular physiology and histology, along with a comprehensive study of the skeletal, muscular and nervous systems. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Not open to biology majors. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
10	Human Anatomy and Physiology 4 hours	An introductory study of the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urogenital and endocrine systems, followed by a discussion of water, acid base and electrolyte balance of the body. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Not open to biology majors. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
30	Introduction to Environmental Science 4 hours	An introduction to environmental science that provides an interconnected grounding in the natural sciences. Topics include energy, ecosystems, photosynthesis, biodiversity, population dynmacis, air pollution, water pollution, radon/radioactivity and hazardous waste. Laboratory activities, computer exercises, guest seakers and multimedia presentations will also be a part of the course. When possible, the course will be team taught by faculty from at least two of the three natural science departments: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
50	General Biology of Plants 4 hours	An introductory course that emphasizes general biological principles of biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, physiology, ecology, reproduction, evolution and a survey of the diversity of plant life. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. (Normally offered each semester.)
60	General Biology of Animals 4 hours	An introductory course that emphasizes general biological principles of population genetics and evolution, development, ecology, morphology and physiology, and a survey of the diversity of animal life. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. (Normally offered each semester.)
150	Conservation Biology 3 hours	A course focusing on global environmental problems and their solutions, recognizing our dependence on the environment and its limited capacity to sustain us. Discussions of current local and global topics will encourage students to understand the economical, political and biological aspects of global environmental problems and the principles necessary to achieve sustainable societies. (Planned for spring 1997.)
160	Cell Biology 4 hours	A course dealing with prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure and function emphasizing ultrastructure research, macromolecular synthesis, cell movement and cell division. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 50, 60 and Chemistry 51 and 120. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
170	Genetics 4 hours	A study of the principles and mechanisms of inheritance and variation, including an introduction to molecular and evolutionary genetics. Three lectures per week. One hour recitation per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and Chemistry 120. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
171	Laboratory in Genetics 1 hour	An introduction to the organisms and experimental methods of genetics. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: Biology 170. (Normally offered each spring semester).
190	Selected Topics 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours	A course designed to treat subject matter not covered in other departmental courses or to provide advanced study of subject matter introduced in other courses. The title, content and credit hours will be determined by current mutual interests of faculty and students. Prerequisite: to be determined.
200	An Introduction to Biomedical Ethics 2 hours	An introduction to the ethical issues raised by modern biological and medical research and clinical medicine. Case studies and readings will be used to present the following ethical issues: environmental ethics; patients' rights and physicians' responsibilities; abortion, euthanasia and definitions of death; allocation of medical resources; humans as experimental subjects; behavioral technologies; genetic testing, screening and manipulation; and reproductive technologies. Student participation will involve class discussions and oral and written presentations. One 2-hour lecture/discussion session per week. Prerequisites: Junior standing and at least 16 hours in biology course work.
212	Physiological Psychology 3 hours	An introduction to neurophysiologyical bases of general behavior, sleep, perception, emotion, learning, cognition and mental disorders. The relevance of these topics to applied problems in psychology will also be considered, as well the methods for investigating the relationship between brain and behavior.
213	Laboratory in Physiological Psychology 1 hour	The laboratory experience familiarizes the student with methods of investigation in physiological psychology. Laboratory exercises include the administration of anesthetics, EEG hookup procedures and interpretation, sheep brain dissections and computerized brain mapping.
218	Plant Taxonomy 4 hours.	A study of the identification, nomenclature and classification of plants with emphasis on vascular plants. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170 or permission of the instructor. (Planned for fall 1996.)
219	Histology 4 hours	A study of the microscopic anatomy and functions of the mammalian tissues and organs with modern concepts of histophysiology and histogenesis. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
221	Ecology 4 hours	A study of the reciprocal relationships of living organisms and their environments with respect to individuals, populations and communities. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week, including field and greenhouse work. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170 or permission of the instructor. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
222	Parasitology 4 hours	A study of the morphology, taxonomy and life histories of the parasitic forms in the animal kingdom and of the diseases caused by them. Special attention is given to parasites of humans. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170.
228	Methods in Teaching Science in Middle and Secondary Schools 3 hours	See Education 228.
244	Embryology 4 hours	A study of the embryological development of vertebrates in general with detailed study of such types as the frog, the chick and the pig. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170. (Planned for fall 1995.)
246	Human and Comparative Anatomy 4 hour	A course dealing with the development and the structure of various systems of vertebrates. Detailed dissection of the dogfish shark, the necturus and the cat. Three lectures per week. Two 2-hour labs per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
261	Evolution 3 hours	An introduction to the principles and mechanisms of evolution. Three lectures per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
262	Human and Comparative Physiology 4 hours	A comprehensive study of the functions of the animal body with emphasis on fundamental physiological processes and the experimental approach. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170. Recommended: Mathematics 50 and Physics 101 or 111. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
264	Animal Behavior 3 hours	A study of the issues and methodology of comparative psychology and ethology. Topics include behavioral evolution, specilized sensory structures, orientation mechanisms, classes adn components of consummatory behavior, effects of early experience and social behavior.
265	Laboratory in Animal Behavior 1 hour	An introduction to experiments in invertebrate and vertebrate behavior.
269	Microbiology 4 hours	A study of the classification, morphology and physiology of microorganisms with special emphasis on bacteria and viruses. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160, 170 and Chemistry 122. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
270	Pathophysiology 3 hours	A survey of the mechanisms of diseases and fundamental disease processes of each organ system. Special topics related to the study of diseases will be assigned. Prerequisites: Biology 160, 170 and a course in anatomy or permission of the instructor. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
275	Immunology 3 hours	A study of the humoral and cell mediated immune response. Topics will include antigen-antibody reactions, immune tolerance, the complement system, immediate and delayed hypersensitivity, and immunopathic disorders. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170 or permission of the instructor. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
276	Laboratory in Immunology 1 hour	An introduction to immunological procedures. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: Biology 275. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
281	Biochemistry 3 hours	A general introduction to the field of biochemistry involving a study of the chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins with attention given to metabolism, energetics, enzymology, role of cofactors and biochemical control mechanisms. Three lectures per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160, 170 and Chemistry 122. (Normally offered each fall semester.)
282	Biochemistry Laboratory 1 hour	An introduction to modern biochemical techniques. Students will be exposed to spectrophotometry, chromatography, electrophoresis, protein and nucleic acid purification. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisite or corequisite: Biology 281.
283	Molecular Biology 4 hours	A study of the systems, mechanisms and methods of molecular biology with a particular emphasis on the analyses of the genetic material--mutagenesis, replication, regulation, transcription and translation--and its protein products and their biological function. Recombinant DNA and genetic engineering will be a major focus in the laboratory. Three lectures per week. One 3-hour lab per week. Prerequisites: Biology 160, 170 and Chemistry 122.
290	Selected Topics 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours	A course designed to treat subject matter not covered in other departmental courses or to provide advanced study of subject matter introduced in other courses. The title, content and credit hours will be determined by current mutual interests of faculty and students. Prerequisites: Biology 160 and 170; additional requirements may be determined by the instructor.
291	Directed Readings 1 hour	An opportunity for students, under the supervision of a faculty member, to pursue scientific literature not covered in other course work. This offering is highly recommended for students who anticipate taking Biology 295, Independent Study. Prerequisites: Major or minor in biology and permission of a faculty member in the Department of Biology. (Normally offered each spring semester.)
295	Independent Study 1 or 2 hours	Individual laboratory projects for qualified biology majors. Independent study may not duplicate courses described in the catalog. Prerequisites: Approval of the department chair.
297	Biology Practicum 1 hour	A supervised field experience enabling observation and participation in a clinical or research setting relating to biology. Submission of a journal and/or written paper would follow at least 30 hours of field experience. Pass/fail only. Prerequisites: Major or minor in biology, approval of the department chair and approval of the coordinating clinic or laboratory.
298	Senior Thesis 2 hours	Individual library thesis projects for biology majors to meet senior comprehensive requirement. A research report in scientific format and a formal presentation of the thesis is required. Prerequisite: Approval of the department chair.
299	Senior Research 1 or 2 hours	Individual laboratory or field research projects for qualified biology majors to meet senior comprehensive requirement. A research report in scientific format and a formal presentation of the research is required. Prerequisite: Approval of the department chair.