Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

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  • CAS BI 586: Ecological Genomics
    Course covers topics related to community ecology, population biology and organismal physiology. Lectures and readings are integrated with genomic analyses and statistics. Focus is on marine invertebrates; however, these tools are universal across microbes, fungi, plants and animals. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Digital/Multimedia Expression
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
    • Creativity/Innovation
  • CAS BI 588: Project Design and Statistics in Biological Anthropology
    This seminar teaches students project design and statistics using R and Rstudio. Students will become competent in coding, version control, data reports and commenting code, and implement both basic and advanced statistics to be used in student research projects. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Quantitative Reasoning II
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS BI 589: Neural Impacts on Tumorigenesis
    Explores neuronal invasion and mechanisms of neurogenesis into solid tumors, cross-talk in tumor microenvironments, and nervous system influence on cancer modulators that enhance tumorigenesis. Enhancement of cancer from environmental stress at this interface is also examined. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Research and Information Literacy
  • CAS BI 591: Bio-Optical Oceanography
    This field- and lab-based course explores how the optically active constituents in seawater affect the in-water light field, and in turn, how field optics and remote sensing can facilitate the study of marine biogeochemistry, biological oceanography and water quality. Also offered as CAS ES 591. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • CAS BI 593: Marine Physiology and Climate Change
    Explores the range of physiological responses marine organisms exhibit in response to climate change. Investigates phenotypic plasticity exhibited across different organisms and how this plasticity can influence an organism's resilience to its changing environment. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Creativity/Innovation
  • CAS BI 594: Topics in Biology 5
    Examines contemporary topics in the biological sciences. This course may be repeated for credit if the topic is different. Pre-requisites vary with topic. Topic for Fall 2021: Section H1: DNA and Chromosome Dynamics. (Pre- reqs: CAS BI 206 or CAS BI 216) Exploration of DNA and chromosome dynamics in mitosis and meiosis. Topics include DNA repair mechanisms, recombination, and chromosome pairing and organization, and what happens when these mechanisms go wrong.
  • CAS BI 595: Master's Research in Biology
    Biology laboratory research conducted under supervision of a faculty member. Externships are acceptable with prior approval. Minimum of 7.5 or 15 hours per week in the lab, culminating in submission of a written progress report.
  • CAS BI 598: Neural Circuits
    Reviews modern techniques and toolsets that are capable of dissecting neural circuits, which are critical for understanding how coordinated patterns of neural activity lead to complex behavior. Recent literature on information processing, guided behavior and cognition is discussed. Also offered as CAS NE 598.
  • CAS BI 599: Physiology of the Synapse
    Neuron development and maturation, synapse formation, structure and molecular components of synapses, synaptic transmission, synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter receptors, cellular basis for learning and memory, synaptic pathology in neurological diseases. Two hours lecture, two hours paper presentation and discussion.
  • CAS CH 541: Natural Products Chemistry
    Chemical and biosynthetic pathways leading to important natural products derived from fatty acids, terpenes, amino acids, polyketides, shikimic acid, and other biosynthetic intermediates. Three hours lecture, one-hour discussion.
  • CAS CH 550: Materials Chemistry
    Structure, synthesis, properties of hard and soft materials (alternate years) are covered.
  • CAS CL 502: Studies in Ancient Greek and Roman Literature
    Topics vary. Open to advanced undergraduate and graduate students. The literature studied is read in its original language, either ancient Greek or Latin, so advanced skill in the appropriate language is required. Topic for Fall 2021: Translation and interpretation of Lucretius with a focus on genre, philosophy, and intertextuality.
  • CAS CL 520: Studies in Latin Literature
    Extensive readings in original Latin supplemented by readings in modern scholarship and studies of post-classical receptions.
  • CAS CL 522: Survey of Latin Literature II
    Survey of Latin authors focusing on the period of the early Empire; introduction to classical scholarship. For advanced students wishing to increase their language skills through extensive reading.
  • CAS CL 530: Latin Prose Composition
    Practice in set and free composition of Latin prose, aimed at developing advanced language proficiency.
  • CAS CL 561: Survey of Greek Literature 1
    Reading course designed to study the history of Greek literature through a chronological survey of representative authors and genres: Homer through the archaic age.
  • CAS CL 563: Greek Prose Composition
    Close study of exemplary Greek prose as the basis for original composition in Greek of sentences and short passages, then more extensive prose pieces.
  • CAS EC 501: Microeconomic Theory
    Covers the basic concepts and mathematical methods of microeconomic theory. Topics include consumer demand and its foundation on preferences and budget constraints, economics of uncertainty and imperfect information, production theory, applied competitive equilibrium analysis, elementary game theory, and imperfect competition.
  • CAS EC 502: Macroeconomic Theory
    Brief overview of macroeconomics, leading to mathematical models on long-run economic growth and inflation, and on short-run fluctuations with emphasis on the role of fiscal and monetary policy. Readings from research journals; introduction to analysis of macroeconomic data.
  • CAS EC 505: Elementary Mathematical Economics
    Stresses the formulation of economic problems in mathematical terms. Topics covered include partial derivation, total differentials, constrained maximization, matrix algebra, dynamic analysis, and discounting. Cannot be taken for credit by concentrators in Mathematics or Economics and Mathematics.

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