Biology 105

BIOL 105
Biology for Health Science Majors (GE)

1. Catalog Entry

BIOL 105
Biology for Health Science Majors (GE)

Credit hours (4) Three hours lecture; two hours laboratory
        
Intended for any student who is not a Biology major, but who needs to take microbiology or human anatomy courses for their majors. Students who are not Biology majors must pass BIOL 105 prior to taking microbiology (BIOL 334), Human Structure and Function I or II (BIOL 310, 311), or Human Anatomy and Physiology for Pre-Nursing Majors (BIOL 322). An introduction to the basic processes of life and science. Emphasis is on scientific investigation and processes common to most organisms including humans. Students who are not required to take upper level Biology courses for their major program should instead take BIOL 103 or BIOL 104. This course has been approved for credit in the Natural Sciences Area of the Core Curriculum.

Note(s): General Education and Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course.  Students who are not required to take upper level Biology courses for their major program should take BIOL 103 or BIOL 104, instead of BIOL 105.

2. Detailed Description of Course

Since BIOL 105 serves as a prerequisite for upper level courses, each time the course is taught the following major topics will be covered:  Scientific problem solving; Basic chemistry and biological molecules; Cell structure and diversity; Cellular metabolism; The cell cycle and cell reproduction; Genetics and patterns of inheritance; DNA structure and replication and protein synthesis; Natural selection and evolution.

Depending on the interests of the instructor and the students, specific topics may include, but are not limited to:
    1) Scientific vs. nonscientific problem-solving and scientific communication
    2) Basic chemistry and biological molecules:
        a. Atoms, ions, isotopes and bonding
        b. Molecular and structural formulas, isomers
        c. Organic molecules, synthesis and hydrolysis basics
        d. Enzymes
        e. Water: structure, chemical and physical properties
    3) Cell structure and diversity
        a. Domains of life
        b. Prokaryotic cell structure
        c. Eukaryotic cell structure
        d. Organelle structure and function
        e. Basic membrane dynamics
        f. Viruses
    4) Cellular metabolism
        a. Heterotrophy
        b. Autotrophy
        c. Aerobic metabolism
        d. Anaerobic metabolism
    5) Cell cycle and cell reproduction
        a. Stages of interphase
        b. Stages of mitosis and cytokinesis
        c. Meiotic cell division
        d. Regulatory control of the cell cycle
        e. Cancer biology
        f. Binary fission and conjugation
    6) DNA replication and protein synthesis
         a. DNA and RNA structure
        b. DNA synthesis
        c. Central dogma of molecular biology
        d. Transcription
        e. Translation
        f. Mutations
        g. Gene expression
    7) Genetics and patterns of inheritance
        a. Alleles, genotype and phenotype
        b. Mendelian genetics
        c. Extensions of Mendelian genetics
        d. Epigenetics
    8) Natural selection and evolution
        a. Evolutionary patterns and processes
        b. Phylogenetics
        c. Unity of life and biodiversity

3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The course will be taught in the class/laboratory format. Class may include the combination of lecture with activities that promote synthesis, application, analysis, problem solving, and communication skills, and may be delivered via combinations of traditional and online formats.

Readings may include textbook, lay and peer-reviewed articles, and other resources. Students may be asked to read, summarize and critique content, and engage in classroom discussions.

Laboratories will emphasize scientific approaches to problem solving. Laboratories may introduce and/or reinforce course content and may require students to ask scientific questions, form hypotheses, design experiments to test hypotheses, analyze data gathered through experimentation, form conclusions based on results, and communicate results in written and/or oral formats.

Whenever possible, students will practice using basic mathematics and statistics.
 
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students will understand the methodologies of scientific inquiry, think critically about scientific problems, and apply principles of a scientific discipline to solve problems in the natural/physical world.

Students will be able to:
    1) Distinguish between findings that are based upon empirical data and those that are not.
    2) Apply scientific principles within the context of a specific scientific discipline to solve real world problems.

5. Assessment Measures

Assessment measures will vary with the instructor, but will generally include lecture and laboratory exams and a final exam. Continuing assessment may involve quizzes, class projects, laboratory reports and take-home exams. Students may be asked to do outside research and prepare written or oral presentations applying what they have learned. Students may be asked to argue, orally or in writing, for a particular position in areas where there is disagreement. Students may be asked to develop laboratory projects and may present the projects and results in poster or oral presentations.
    1) Student understanding of the empirical nature of science will be assessed through targeted exam questions.
        Their understanding may also be assessed through the quality of their lab reports and lab project
        presentations.
    2) Student ability to apply scientific methods and to use scientific problem-solving may be assessed by
        observing the development of their laboratory projects, assessing their project presentations, and
        assessing their arguments in presenting scientific disagreements.

6. Other Course Information

Depending on enrollment, multiple instructors may teach the course in a given semester. Although instructors may use some different labs, they will coordinate as much as possible to minimize the effect on support services.

Review and Approval

March 2009

June 20, 2015

March 01, 2021