Courses

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

• CAS BI 325: Principles of Neuroscience
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203) or consent of instructor. - Introduces fundamentals of the nervous system at descriptive scales ranging from individual cells to the entire brain. Topics include biophysics of excitable membranes, synaptic transmission, sensory and motor systems, learning and memory, plasticity, neuromodulation, and the biological basis of complex behaviors. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 333: Human Population Genetics
  Human population biology and ecological adaptations: human demography, life history patterns, population genetics, and physiological adaptability. Topics: population dynamics of human societies, mortality and fertility schedules, evolution and genetics of human life history traits, physiological adaptability, and ecological correlates. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Quantitative Reasoning II
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 340: Junior Research in Biology 1 (2 Credits)
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing. - First semester junior research including training in use of research literature. Conduct research under supervision of faculty mentor. Group meeting attendance required. Application through Biology Department. Minimum 6 hrs/wk. Not a Biology major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 341: Junior Research in Biology 2 (2 Credits)
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing and one of the following: BI 340, BI 350, or full-time summer UROP. - Second semester junior research required participation in group meetings. Conduct research under supervision of faculty mentor. Group meeting participation required. Application through Biology Department. Minimum 6 hrs/wk. Not a Biology major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Oral and/or Signed Communication.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
• CAS BI 349: Neurotoxins in Biology, Medicine, Agriculture and War
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: BI108 or NE102 or equivalent - Neurotoxins used as a lens to study the consequences of venom on mammalian physiological systems; potential clinical applications of neurotoxins; neurotoxins at cellular and molecular levels; mechanisms and possible impacts of neurotoxic pesticides; and physiological effects of neurotoxic chemical weapons. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Quantitative Reasoning I
• CAS BI 350: Junior Research in Biology 1 (4 Credits)
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing. - First semester junior research including training in the use of research literature and active participation at group meetings. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings required. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 351: Junior Research in Biology 2 (4 Credits)
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing and either BI 340, BI 350, or full-time summer UROP. - Second semester research with junior standing including training in the use of research literature. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Students expected to attend group meetings and take a lead and make creative contributions to projects. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 352: Junior Research in Biology 3
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing, First-Year Writing (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120), and eith er BI 351 or 341. - Third semester research with junior standing including required participation in group meetings. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Students expected to take a lead and make creative contributions to projects. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Minimum 12 hours/week in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS BI 371: Reading in Biology 3
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing, consent of instructor, and completed application. - Library research on well-defined topic in the biological sciences, chosen with a faculty member. Check-in discussions with faculty member and additional work as assigned. Not a Biology/BMB major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit.
• CAS BI 372: Reading in Biology 3
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing, consent of instructor, and completed application. - Library research on well-defined topic in the biological sciences, chosen with a faculty member. Check-in discussions with faculty member and additional work as assigned. Not a Biology/BMB major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit.
• CAS BI 385: Immunology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 & CASBI206) and junior standing. - The constituents and regulation of mammalian immune systems are described at the levels of the gene, protein, and cell. Topics include nonspecific, T cell and B cell recognition and responses, genetics of immune receptors, inflammation, tolerance, memory, and evolution and manipulation of defense systems. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 394: Topics in Biology 3
  Topics and prerequisites vary. Topic for Fall 2023: Tabletop Game Design for Biology Education. Theory/methods of designing tabletop games as biology teaching tools in classroom settings or to public. Develop a prototype game and improve it with playtests and iterative feedback from your peers. Techniques learned are applicable to other forms of science communication and interactive experience design. Prereq: CAS BI 107 and 108, or consent of instructor.
• CAS BI 401: Honors Research In Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing, overall GPA of at least 3.5, and approval of the Biol ogy Research and Honors Committee. - Mentored laboratory or field research with a faculty member of the Biology Department leading to, but not required for, graduation with Honors in Biology. Minimum 12 hours/week in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. A minimum of B+ is required to continue to BI 402. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 402: Honors Research in Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing, overall GPA of at least 3.5, First Year Writing Semin ar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120), and approval of the Biology Research & Ho nors Committee. - At least one semester of prior undergraduate research for credit required. Mentored laboratory or field research with a faculty member of the Biology Department leading to graduation with Honors in Biology. Minimum 12 hours/week in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Successful completion of this course, with a minimum grade of B+, is required to graduate with honors. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
• CAS BI 407: Animal Behavior
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) or equivalent. - Ethological approach to animal behavior; physiological, ontogenic, and phylogenic causes; and adaptive significance of behavior examined within an evolutionary framework, minimally including humans. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 408: Insect Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107 & CASBI108) CAS BI 303 is recommended. - The biology of insects, focusing on insect diversity and complexity. Topics include ecology, evolution, behavior, development and physiology of insects. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Students build insect collections in lab.
• CAS BI 410: Developmental Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CAS BI 203 or equivalent) or consent of instructor. - Contemporary aspects of embryonic development, drawing from current literature. Emphasis on the use of experimental approaches to address topics such as polarity in the egg, body axis specification, embryonic patterning, and organogenesis. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 411: Microbiome: Our Intimate Relationship with Microorganisms
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI203 (or equivalent) & CASBI206 (or equivalent), or consent of ins tructor. - The microbial community - referred to as "microbiome" - that colonizes our body plays an important role in our health. Topics include (1) the human microbiome; and (2) fundamental aspects of the interactions between animals and the microorganisms that reside on them. Three hours lecture; one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 413: Microbial Ecology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107 & CASBI108 & CASCH101 & CASCH102) - Microbes (bacteria, archaea, and fungi) are the most diverse, abundant living organisms and microbial communities are key contributors to ecosystems. Topics include microbial cell structure and physiology, microbe-microbe interactions including biofilm formation and quorum sensing, and microbe-environment interactions.
• CAS BI 414: Ornithology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) - Examines the behavior, ecology, morphology, physiology, classification, and evolution of birds. Flight, navigation, migration, territorial courtship, nesting, and parental behavior. Field trips. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion and demonstrations. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Historical Consciousness
  • Social Inquiry II