Biology
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CAS BI 230: Behavioral Endocrinology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI108 OR CASNE102) and sophomore standing. - Hormonal control of reproductive behaviors and social affiliation, aggression, fluid homeostasis and feeding, biological rhythms including seasonal reproduction, stress, learning and memory, psychiatric illness, and steroid abuse. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Also offered as CAS NE 230. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration. -
CAS BI 240: Sophomore Research in Biology 1
First semester sophomore research in Biology. Application through the Biology Department. Minimum 6 hours/week. Students conduct research under supervision of faculty mentor. Two-credit research does not carry major credit in Biology. -
CAS BI 241: Sophomore Research in Biology 2
Second semester sophomore research in Biology. Application through the Biology Department. Minimum 6 hours/week. Students conduct research under supervision of faculty mentor. Two-credit research does not carry major credit in Biology. -
CAS BI 260: Marine Biology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) or consent of instructor. - Life in the seas: its ecology, evolution, and human impacts. Includes behavioral, physiological, structural, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives. A prerequisite for the Marine Semester. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking, Research and Information Literacy. -
CAS BI 271: Reading in Biology II
Undergraduate Prerequisites: sophomore 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 272: Reading in Biology 2
Undergraduate Prerequisites: sophomore 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 294: Topics in Biology 2
Topics and prerequisites vary. -
CAS BI 302: Vertebrate Zoology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 107. - Methods and principles of comparative vertebrate zoology. Phylogeny, natural history, adaptation, and taxonomy. Field trips. 3.5 hours lecture. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Critical Thinking, Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry 2. -
CAS BI 303: Evolutionary Ecology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI 107); CASBI 206 and CASMA 121/123 recommended. - Investigation of ecological processes and patterns at the individual, population, and community level. An evolutionary approach is emphasized. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. One research paper and one daylong field trip required. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Digital/Multimedia Expression. -
CAS BI 305: Plant Biology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107 & CASBI108) - A basic introduction to the plant sciences, including plant structure and diversity; reproduction, growth, and development; and economic and medicinal uses. Emphasis on new developments in the plant sciences. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. -
CAS BI 306: Biology of Global Change
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107) Recommended: CASCH101 or CASCH171. - The ecological impacts of human activity on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, forest decline, eutrophication, acidification, loss of species diversity, and restoration of ecosystems. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy. -
CAS BI 307: Biogeography
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 107 and CASEE 101 - Analysis of local, regional, and global distributions of plants and animals. Environmental and human influences on those distributions considered; changes resulting from geologically recent climatic fluctuations. Field trips. Also offered as CASEE 307. Effective Fall 2025, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry 1. -
CAS BI 309: Evolution
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107 & CASBI108) or equivalent. - Introduction to modern concepts, controversies, and analytical approaches in evolutionary biology. Topics include adaptation, natural and sexual selection, species and speciation, phylogenetics, comparative analysis, basic population and quantitative genetics, origin of novelty, adaptive radiation, development and evolution. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Ethical Reasoning. -
CAS BI 310: Human Structure & Function: Anatomy, Histology and Pathology
Prerequisites: CASBI 108 and CASBI 203, or equivalent. - Examines the cells and tissues that make up our organs (histology), the structure and interactions of the organ systems (anatomy), and how disease reshapes our bodies (pathology). As a secondary focus, this course builds introductory competency in health communication. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry 1. -
CAS BI 311: General Microbiology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 & CASBI206) or consent of instructor. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - The biology of bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae, and protistans, including introduction to morphology, physiology, genetics, metabolism, ecology, and pathogenesis. Covers the basics of antibiotic resistance, motility, quorum sensing, symbiosis, epidemiology, and microbiome science. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration. -
CAS BI 315: Systems Physiology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI 108 OR ENGBE 209), and CASCH 101 and CASCH 102, or equivalent. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120). - An introduction to physiological principles applied across all levels of organization (cell, tissue, organ system). Preparation for more advanced courses in physiology. Topics include homeostasis and neural, muscle, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and metabolic physiology. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration. -
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. -
CAS BI 328: Cell Biology and Translational Medicine
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203. This course offers an in-depth exploration of the cell biology mechanisms and treatment strategies associated with several significant diseases including heart disease, cancer, respiratory, Alzheimer's and viral diseases. Students will primarily engage with recent research papers that employ cutting-edge molecular techniques. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration. -
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. -
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.
