BIOL 1120 - Biology of Human Function
Goals: To introduce non-science majors to human structure and function. To develop an appreciation of advances in biological technologies.
Content: The function of cells and organ systems, emphasizing the physical mechanisms used to maintain a state of dynamic equilibrium.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1120L - Lab: Biology of Human Function
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1120 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 1130 - Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Goals: To understand the ecological, evolutionary, geological, and historical factors which have led to the current distribution and abundance of organisms; to examine the changes in these distributions due to human activities; and to evaluate conservation strategies for different types of organisms.
Content: Fundamentals of population ecology, community ecology and evolution; classification of organisms; patterns of biodiversity in space and time; extinctions and their causes; conservation genetics; design of nature preserves. Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1130L - Lab: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1130 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 1140 - Human Heredity and Disease
Goals: To introduce students to the principles of heredity, genetic technology, examples of hereditary diseases, and related societal concerns. To confront students with ethical choices that society will need to make regarding new genetic technologies.
Content: Modes of inheritance, gene and chromosomal behavior, hereditary disease, DNA structure, mutation, gene regulation, cancer, genetic engineering, gene therapy.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1140L - Lab: Human Heredity and Disease
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1140 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 1150 - Biology of Women
Goals: To introduce students to the basic aspects of reproductive biology, biological bases of gender differences, and women’s health. The course will also provide a context for examining the social and political framework within which science is done, and the extent to which scientific studies may be conducted as objective or value-neutral activities.
Content: Course topics will include reproductive anatomy and physiology, sexual development and differentiation, hormones and reproductive cycle regulation, pregnancy and childbearing, reproductive technologies, STDs and AIDS, women and aging, and women and cancer. Students will practice methods of scientific inquiry and analysis, and assess the strengths and limitations of scientific approaches toward understanding the biology of women.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1150L - Lab: Biology of Women
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1150 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 1160 - Biology of Behavior
Goals: To engage non-science majors in exploring how the behavior of animals is shaped by their environments, genetics, and evolutionary history. To develop skills in oral communication, computer use, and the scientific method by designing and conducting experiments. To foster a sense of wonder and curiosity about the behavior of animals.
Content: An exploration of animal behavior. This course will introduce the process of scientific inquiry while investigating how and why animals have developed their particular solutions to problems of life such as finding food, shelter, and mates, avoiding predators and disease, and producing offspring. Topics will include fundamental principles of evolution, genetics, sensory physiology, and behavioral ecology as ways to explore the causes of behavior and why different behavior patterns have evolved in various kinds of animals. Labs will focus on developing and testing student-generated research questions.
Taught: Occasionally, winter or summer term.
Prerequisites: None.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1160L - Lab: Biology of Behavior
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1160 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 1170 - Natural History of Minnesota
Goals: To understand the ecological, evolutionary, geological, and historical factors which have led to the current distribution and abundance of organisms in Minnesota and the upper Midwest; to examine the changes in these distributions over time; to demonstrate the principles of scientific thinking using a multidisciplinary approach.
Content: Fundamentals of global and regional climates, regional weather, fundamental geological processes, interpretation of maps and other geographical information, principles of ecology and evolution, classification and identification of organisms. Teaching Methods: Experiential learning during field trips to sites throughout the region. Assignments: homework, field exercises, exams, and participation.
Taught: Occasionally, summer only.
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required; application and interviews for admission take place during spring semester. Students must contact the instructor for application materials and further details.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1800 - Principles of Ecology & EvolutionGoals: This course is designed for potential biology majors and others needing majors-level biology. To introduce ecological and evolutionary principles, and how these relate to understanding the origins and diversity of life on earth. To gain experience in the practice of science by posing research questions, designing and conducting experiments or observations to answer these questions, and presenting the results publicly. To develop skills in oral communication, use of the computer as a scientific tool, and functioning as a member of a goal-oriented team. To foster a sense of wonder and curiosity about biological diversity.
Content: An exploration of ecology and evolution. Topics will include interactions among organisms and with their environment, transmission genetics, micro and macroevolutionary processes, and the origin and diversity of life. Throughout the course, we will discuss examples of how ecological and evolutionary principles can enhance our understanding of environmental and medical issues. The course will introduce skills needed for conducting biological research, with emphasis on development of research questions and experimental design.
Taught: Fall term.
Prerequisites: None. Concurrent registration in CHEM 1130 recommended.
Non-science majors seeking the Hamline Plan “N” through Biology should take a course in the BIOL 1100 series rather than taking BIOL 1800. |
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1800L - Lab: Principles of Ecology and Evolution
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1800 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 1820 - Principles of Plant & Animal Physiology
Goals: To introduce the basic principles of plant and animal physiology emphasizing structure-function relationships, mechanisms of integration of cellular, tissue and organ functions, and the concept of homeostatic balance. To gain experience in the practice of science by posing scientific questions, designing experiments or observations to answer these questions, and presenting the results of these studies in a public forum. To increase skills in the following areas: oral and written communication, use of the computer as a scientific tool, functioning as a member of a goal-directed team.
Content: Physiological mechanisms for the regulation of water balance, gas exchange, and energy balance in both plants and animals will be covered. The role of cells, tissues, and organs in physiological process; function and regulation of the endocrine, digestive, respiratory, vascular, and nervous systems in animals.
Taught: Spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 or permission of instructor.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 1820L - Lab: Principles of Plant and Animal Physiology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 1820 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 3050 - Principles of Genetics
Goals: To acquire an understanding of the basic principles of transmission genetics, molecular genetics, and population genetics. Students will be able to explain these principles and discuss projects and problems in which these principles are relevant. To gain experience in the practice of science by posing scientific questions, designing experiments or observations to answer these questions, and presenting the results of these studies in a public forum. To increase skills in the following areas: oral and written communication, use of the computer as a scientific tool, functioning as a member of a goal-directed team.
Content: Mendelian genetics, genetic mapping, cytogenetics and chromosome abnormalities, genetic engineering methods and applications, genomics, gene regulation and developmental genetics, the genetics of cancer, population genetics, and microevolution.
Taught: Fall term.
Prerequisites: CHEM 1130 with grade of C- or better, or concurrent registration in CHEM 1130.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3050L - Lab: Principles of Genetics
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 3050 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 3060: Principles of Cell Biology
Goals: To introduce students to the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and to the dynamic nature of cellular function. To introduce investigative skills such as information searching, research design and analysis, and scientific writing.
Content: The chemical basis of cellular function; macromolecules; organelles; membranes and membrane transport; enzymes and the catalysts of cellular reactions; information storage and information flow within and between cells; cell division and its regulation; cellular metabolism including cellular respiration.
Taught: Spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 3050 with grade of C- or better, CHEM 1140 with grade of C- or better, or concurrent registration in CHEM 1140.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3060L - Lab: Principles of Cell Biology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 3060 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 3400 - Comparative Anatomy
Goals: To investigate the form and function of anatomical features of a variety of animals, using the comparative method to assess the relative importance of evolutionary history and differing environments on morphology. Dissection with be emphasized.
Content: The evolution and integration of morphology, with emphasis on the roles of homology, ontogeny, and adaptation to diverse environments as influences on form and function.
Taught: Alternate years, spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 and BIOL 1820 or permission of instructor.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3400L - Lab: Comparative Anatomy
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 3400 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 3500 - Plant Adaptation and Diversity
Goals: To learn the concepts of classification; to learn representative species of the seed plants, with emphasis on those found in this area; to examine examples of ways in which plants show responses to selection that are integrated across molecular, physiological, morphological, and ecological levels.
Content: Fundamentals of systematics and classification; characteristics and human uses of representative plant families; case studies of plant adaptations to different environments (such as bogs and deserts); field identification of woody and herbaceous plants common in Minnesota.
Taught: Alternate years, spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 and BIOL 1820.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3500L - Lab: Plant Adaptation and Diversity
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 3500 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 3650 - Invertebrate Biology
Goals: To examine the form, function, reproduction, ecology, and phylogeny of invertebrate animals. To recognize characteristics unique to particular taxa, and homologies that reveal relatedness among taxa.
Content: Principles of phylogenetic analyses; characteristics of major invertebrate taxa; investigation of the ecological relevance of invertebrates through reading and discussion of primary literature. Laboratories will include behavioral and physiological experiments, field trips to study invertebrates in their natural habitats, and surveys of invertebrate phyla.
Taught: Alternate years, fall term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 and BIOL 1820.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3650L - Lab: Invertebrate Biology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 3650 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 3770 - Population Genetics and Evolution
Goals: To understand the basis of microevolution through population genetics; to demonstrate the uses of molecular genetic data in evolutionary biology; to explore the mechanisms of evolutionary change; and to show how these mechanisms have led to the evolutionary history seen in the fossil record.
Content: The nature of biological variation, genetic structure of populations, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, quantitative genetics, principles of evolutionary phylogenetics, evolutionary processes, and the evolutionary history of major taxa.
Prerequisites: BIOL 3050.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3830 - Applied Biotechnology
Goals: This course is a survey of the underlying molecular approaches upon which biotechnological innovations are based.
Content: Topics covered include general strategies for gene cloning, gene transfer, genetic modification of organisms, and large scale production of protein products. The course will examine examples of biotechnological applications in biomedical, pharmaceutical, industrial, forensic, and agricultural industries, and will review the history of public discourse and policy development regarding the regulation of biotechnology in the U.S. and around the world.
Prerequisites: CHEM 1140, BIOL 3050, and BIOL 3060.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 3830L - Lab: Applied Biotechnology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 3830 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5450 - Current Problems in Biology
Goals: To examine recent scientific literature in the field.
Content: Seminar structure includes class discussions of primary literature and individual investigation of an aspect of the course topic theme.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800, BIOL 1820, BIOL 3050, and BIOL 3060.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5540 - Aquatic Biology
Goals: To understand the differences and similarities among the various freshwater aquatic ecosystems (lakes, streams, wetlands), and to understand the ecological principles and interactions that govern the distribution and abundance of aquatic organisms. To develop computer skills, and to practice writing skills.
Content: Lake origins; glacial history of Minnesota; water chemistry; aquatic ecosystem structure; food web interactions; survey of important aquatic organisms; linkages among terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; human impacts on aquatic environments (e.g., eutrophication, acidification). Laboratories will include field studies of aquatic environments, and controlled laboratory experiments.
Taught: Alternate years, fall term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 and BIOL 1820.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5540L - Lab: Aquatic Biology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5540 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5550 - Microbiology
Goals: Introduction to the biology of microorganisms. Practice of sterile technique and other microbiological procedures.
Content: Microorganisms: their structural and physiological characteristics, metabolism, genetics, pathogenicity and methods for control of their growth. Certain microbial and viral diseases and characteristics of viruses are also considered, as is the role of microorganisms in industrial and environmental processes.
Taught: Alternate years, spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 3050 and BIOL 3060, or consent of instructor.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5550L - Lab: Microbiology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5550 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5590 - Ecology
Goals: To demonstrate empirical and theoretical understanding of the relationships between organisms and their biological and physical environment; to examine the distribution and abundance of organisms; to apply quantitative analysis to field-collected ecological data.
Content: Energy flow, ecosystem organization, community structure, organismal interactions, population dynamics, physiological ecology, and biome structure.
Taught: Fall term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 and BIOL 1820.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5590L - Lab: Ecology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5590 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5600 - Developmental Biology
Goals: To survey developmental processes in a variety of protists, plants and animals. To design and perform experiments that address topics chosen by students, using developmental systems. To practice writing skills.
Content: The genetic basis of development, sexual reproduction, morphogenesis, and embryonic development in animals, plant development, pattern formation, regeneration, metamorphosis, and aspects of cancer and aging.
Taught: Alternate years, spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 3050 and BIOL 3060.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5600L - Lab: Developmental Biology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5600 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5650 - Animal Behavior
Goals: To investigate how and why animals have developed their particular solutions to problems of life such as finding food, shelter, and mates, avoiding predators and disease, and producing offspring; to develop skills in observation, experimental design and analysis; to enhance oral and written communication skills; and to develop an appreciation for the alien nature of animal experiences.
Content: Evolutionary theory, behavioral genetics, and behavioral ecology will be used to develop methods for exploring the immediate causes, development, adaptive value, and evolutionary history of behavioral traits. We will discuss and critique various ethological models and current controversies in the field. Laboratory sessions will stress appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis. Students will gain further skills in experimental design and analysis while conducting independent research in the field or in the laboratory on a topic of their choice.
Taught: Alternate years, spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 1800 and BIOL 1820 or permission of instructor. BIOL 3050 and 3060 strongly recommended.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5650L - Lab: Animal Behavior
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5650 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5700 - Research in Biology
Goals: Introduction to research methodologies and the ways that graduate school research groups operate. The intent is to foster close student/faculty interaction as these parties join together in a research venture.
Content: Introduction to research methods including survey of relevant literature, experimental design, conducting a series of experiments, and analysis and presentation of data. Students enrolled in the course will work independently and with the instructor, and also attend biweekly laboratory group meetings. Students will learn research techniques and conduct investigations in a focused area of biology to be decided by the instructor.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5760 - Immunology
Goals: To learn about immune system development, function ,and disorders; to become familiar with the theory and application of current methods in immunological research; to gain experience in reading primary scientific literature.
Content: History and theories of immunology with an emphasis on the experiments that defined the major advances in the field; innate and adaptive immunity; humoral and cellular immune responses; antibody genes, protein structure and function; self/non-self recognition by the immune system; T cell development, activation, and function; the immune system in autoimmunity, cancer, HIV, and transplantation.
Prerequisites: BIOL 3050 and BIOL 3060.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5760L - Lab: Immunology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5760 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5900 - Molecular Cell Biology
Goals: To gain an understanding of cellular structure and function at the molecular level. To become familiar with cytological and molecular approaches as applied to contemporary issues in cell biology. To read and discuss contemporary research in molecular cell biology.
Content: Cell compartmentalization, cell structure and function, organelle function and biogenesis, cell motility, cell communication and membrane transport, signal transduction and regulation of cell growth, chromosome structure, cell cycle regulation, molecular mechanisms of aging and cancer. Laboratory will emphasize recombinant DNA and molecular techniques.
Taught: Spring term.
Prerequisites: BIOL 3050, BIOL 3060, BIOC 3820, and CHEM 3460.
Credits: 4 credits
BIOL 5900L - Lab: Molecular Cell Biology
This lab must be taken concurrently with the BIOL 5900 lecture. The lab itself has zero credit value.
BIOL 5950 - Biology Seminar
Content: The seminar program includes presentations by outside speakers, Hamline faculty, and students. All biology majors must present the results of a research or library project as part of the degree requirements for the major.
Taught: Each semester.
Two years required for biology majors. Required each term for Kenyon scholars.
Credits: 0.5 credits
This information was taken from the 2008-2009 Undergraduate Bulletin. Requirements from other versions of the Bulletin can be found under archives on the Course Catalogs web site.
