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 AS 753: Normal Galaxies and the Milky Way
  Graduate Prerequisites: (GRSAS701 & GRSAS704 & GRSAS706 & GRSAS708) or consent of instructor. - Normal galaxies and the Milky Way as systems. Stellar components and clusters, elliptical and disk galaxies. Luminosity functions, radial distributions, distance indicators, triaxial spheroids, and central bars. Motions near the sun, asymmetric drift, velocity ellipsoid, galactic rotation, Oort formulae, gas distributions, galactic center.
• CAS AS 759: Cosmology
  Graduate Prerequisites: (GRSAS701 & GRSAS704 & GRSAS706) or consent of instructor. - Modern physical cosmology. The Friedmann equation, expansion of the universe and the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. Determination of fundamental cosmological parameters. Large-scale structure, galaxy formation, active galaxies, and quasars. Dark matter and dark energy in the universe. The inflation era.
• CAS AS 785: Magnetospheres
  Graduate Prerequisites: (GRSAS703 & GRSAS704 & GRSAS706 & GRSAS708) or consent of instructor. - Solar wind/magnetosphere interaction. Magnetospheric dynamics and substorms. Magnetospheric electric fields and current systems. Ionosphere/magnetosphere coupling. The aurora. Magnetospheric plasma waves and instabilities. In situ plasma and field diagnostics.
• CAS AS 786: The Sun and Heliosphere
  Graduate Prerequisites: (GRSAS701 & GRSAS703 & GRSAS704 & GRSAS706 & GRSAS708) or consent of instructor. - Fundamentals of solar and heliospheric physics, including observational methods and theory from the sun's interior through interplanetary space and into the local interstellar medium. The sun as a star. Relation of our heliosphere to astrospheres surrounding other stars.
• CAS AS 850: Graduate Literature Seminar 1
  Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for reading, evaluating, and discussing scientific peer-reviewed literature on current research topics.
• CAS AS 851: Graduate Literature Seminar 2
  Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for reading, evaluating, and discussing scientific peer-reviewed literature on current research topics.
• CAS AS 865: Graduate Research Seminar 1
  Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for oral presentations on current research topics and to receive peer and expert feedback.
• CAS AS 866: Graduate Research Seminar 2
  Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for oral presentations on current research topics and to receive peer and expert feedback.
• CAS AS 901: Research in Astronomy
  RES IN ASTRONMY
• CAS AS 902: Research in Astronomy
  RES IN ASTRONMY
• CAS AS 911: Directed Study in Astronomy
  DS IN ASTRONOMY
• CAS AS 912: Directed Study in Astronomy
  DS IN ASTRONOMY
• CAS BB 522: Molecular Biology Laboratory
  Introduction to techniques of molecular biology research, including analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein molecules by techniques such as restriction enzyme digestions, PCR, subcloning, DNA sequencing and analysis, reporter gene assays, protein-protein interactions, and culturing and yeast molecular biology. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following Teamwork/Collaboration, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS BB 527: Biochemistry Laboratory 1
  Undergraduate prerequisites: CASCH 204 OR CASCH 212 OR CASCH 214 OR CASCH 282. Emphasizes the purification and characterization of proteins and DNA. Development and use of modern instrumentation and techniques. Same as laboratory portion of CASBB 421. Required for BMB students enrolled concurrently in MMEDIC. Four hours lab, one hour lecture. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS BB 528: Biochemistry Laboratory 2
  Undergraduate prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) AND CASBB 421 or CASBB 527. Emphasizes protein, carbohydrate, nucleic acid, and lipid chemistry. Development and use of modern instrumentation and techniques. Four hours lab, one hour discussion. Same as laboratory portion of CASBB 422. Required for BMB students enrolled concurrently in MMEDIC. Four hours lab, one hour lecture. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU HUB area: Writing-Intensive.
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  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS BB 592: Graduate Research in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: admission to the combined BA/MA Biotechnology Program. - Continuation of the laboratory research project initiated in CAS BB 591, under supervision of a faculty member. Externships are acceptable if approved and overseen by a BMB faculty member or the BMB Director. Minimum of 15 hours per week in the lab, culminating in a presentation at the BMB symposium. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
• CAS BB 621: Biochemistry 1
  Undergraduate prerequisites: CASCH204 OR CASCH212 OR CASCH214 or equivalent. Introductory biochemistry for majors. Protein structure and folding, enzyme mechanisms, kinetics, and allostery; nucleic acid structure; macromolecular biosynthesis with emphasis on specificity and fidelity; lipids and membrane structure; carbohydrate structure, vitamins and coenzymes. Three hours lecture, one hour pre-lab discussion, four hours lab. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing- Intensive Course, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Critical Thinking
  • Quantitative Reasoning II
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS BB 622: Biochemistry 2
  Undergraduate prerequisites: First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) AND CASBB 421 or equivalent.- Cell metabolism, with special emphasis on the uptake of food materials, the integration and regulation of catabolic, anabolic, and anaplerotic routes, and the generation and utilization of energy. Lectures include consideration of intermediary metabolism in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms with clinical correlations. Three hours lecture, one hour pre-lab discussion, four hours lab. Effective Spring 2025 this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS BI 500: Shark Biology & Conservation
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. Effective Spring 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.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 503: Neuroimmunology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS BI 203/NE 102 or BI 213 and BI 325/NE 203 - Neuroimmunology is a burgeoning field in neuroscience. This course examines current topics including the role of glia in brain development, health, and disease, glia-neuron crosstalk, impact of stress and environment on the neuroimmune system, and cell trafficking into the brain.