Curriculum

Requirements for the Biology Major
Requirements for the Minor in Environmental Biology
Requirements for the Minor in Cell & Molecular Biology

A description of each course can be found below.

Biol 111: First-Year Colloquium in Biology	Biol 317: Genetics
Biol 195: Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity (EEB)	Biol 321: Medical Microanatomy
Biol 206: Tropical Forest & Reef Biology	Biol 324: Developmental Biology
Biol 210: Cell & Molecular Biology (CMB)	Biol 332: Microbiology
Biol 211: Sophomore Research	Biol 337: Biochemistry
Biol 215: Aquatic Botany	Biol 341: General Physiology
Biol 216: Vascular Plants	Biol 362: Molecular Biology
Biol 225: Invertebrate Zoology	Biol 363: Neurobiology
Biol 227: Vertebrate Zoology	Biol 365: Environmental Microbiology
Biol 237: Ecology	Biol 366: Endocrinology
Biol 248: Ornithology	Biol 368: Behavioral Ecology
Biol 289: Selected Topics	Biol 388, 389: Selected Topics
Biol 301: Cell Biology	Biol 391, 392: Internships
Biol 306: Functional Neuroanatomy	Biol 401, 402: Seminar
Biol 309: Vertebrate Paleontology	Biol 411, 412: Directed Study
Biol 310: Evolution
Biol 314: Comparative Anatomy

The Biology Major

Introduction

The Biology Department's mission is to provide students with an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the living world, including the fundamental mechanisms that underlie all life. Students should understand the ways in which they are affected by living organisms and how their lives in turn have an impact on other living organisms and the biosphere. They should become proficient in the methods of science and aware of the processes that lead to discoveries in science. In course work, they should develop observational, analytical and communication skills, regardless of their chosen career path. Ultimately, biology is best understood by active involvement with organisms and the systems of life in laboratory and field settings, and in collaborative student-faculty research.

Career Opportunities

Albion's biology program prepares students for employment or advanced studies in the health sciences (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, etc.), environmental fields, biotechnology, teaching and many areas of research (academic, governmental, industrial, medical, etc.). Biology majors can also pursue an environmental sciences concentration or a neuroscience concentration.

Research Opportunities

Students have numerous opportunities for individual research projects. Many of these projects result in honors theses, publications in professional journals and in presentations at professional meetings. Some projects are in collaboration with faculty; others are more independent. Courses in the Biology Department equip students with scientific skills and materials they need to do research. Outstanding students participate in nationally competitive summer research programs at major universities and research institutes. Albion College often provides support for worthwhile student research projects through competitive research grants administered by the Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (F.U.R.S.C.A.).

Special Features

The department also invites outstanding students to serve as laboratory teaching assistants. Advanced equipment in the biology facilities of Olin Hall and in the Dow Analytical Laboratory in the Norris Science Center provides unique opportunities for undergraduate laboratory studies and research, just as the 144-acre Whitehouse Nature Center adjacent to the campus provides opportunity for fieldwork.

The Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

Albion College is part of a consortium of colleges and universities in partnership with the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, a biological field station in Hastings, Michigan, about 50 miles northwest of Albion. The Institute’s 661 acres include wetlands, forests, and restored prairies where students can gain practical field experiences through research, field trips, and courses. Summer research grants and on-site housing are available. To learn more visit http://www.cedarcreekinstitute.org.

The Genomics Education Partnership

Dr. Ken Saville is participating in a collaborative teaching and research effort with researchers at the Washington University, St. Louis, and several primarily undergraduate institutions. In June, 2007, Dr. Saville attended an intensive week-long workshop on genomics and bioinformatics at Washington U. The workshop, funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was part of an overall initiative called the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP), of which Ken (and Albion College) is now a partner. The goal of the partnership is to develop a 'distributed research project' wherein undergraduates from around the country collaborate in solving a genomics research problem. Members of the partnership develop a course in which students immerse themselves in detailed analyses of DNA sequence data generated by a large scale sequencing project. (This year the project is a comparison of a specialized chromosome from several species of Drosophila). The project (and thus the course) is divided into two parts: ‘Finishing’ and ‘annotation’. In the Finishing component, students analyze the quality of sequence data and recommend areas of the DNA sequence that require new data to be complete. Once the sequence is complete, students annotate the position of genes and other genetic features in the genome. Upon completion of the project, all participating members (including the students) become authors on a published paper. Dr. Saville is teaching Genomics in Spring 2008 and will teach it as often as possible thereafter. The partnership also allows for a student to attend a TA workshop to learn the various computer tools so that she can assist in developing and implementing the course. Elizabeth Jewell a Biology major with a strong interest in bioinformatics, attended this workshop in January, 2008 and is the TA for this spring’s course. Her participation is funded by the GEP. Further information about this project can be found at www.gep.wustl.edu
 

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Requirements for the Biology Major are as follows. Course Descriptions are presented below.

Requirements for Major

Eight units in biology, of which at least six must include a laboratory. Two of these eight units are introductory:

• Biol 195: Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity.
• Biol 210: Cell and Molecular Biology (requires Chemistry 121 as a pre- requisite or co-requisite).

Six additional units of coursework that will include

• At least one course from each of the following three lists:

• Two units of chemistry unless a substitution is approved in advance by the staff. The biology faculty strongly recommends that Chemistry 121 and Chemistry 211 be taken to satisfy this requirement. Chemistry 101, 107 and 200 do not fulfill this requirement. Further study in chemistry, physics, geology and mathematics is recommended and encouraged.
• All biology courses and cognate courses must be taken for a numerical grade, except those offered only on a credit/no credit basis.
• No more than one unit of internship credit (391, 392) can count toward the major. No more than one unit of seminar (401, 402) and no more than one unit of directed study (411, 412) credit can count toward the major.
• A senior examination must be taken for assessment purposes.
• It is expected that six of the eight units in biology be taken at Albion College. Other arrangements will be made for bona fide transfer students and students in approved off-campus programs. Off-campus Program courses must be approved in advance by the Department Chair to receive credit toward the Biology major.

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Information on Minors

• The minor in cell and molecular biology and the minor in environmental biology are not open to biology majors.
• Students may not choose more than one minor in the Biology Department.
• All courses for a biology minor must be taken for a numerical grade, except those offered only on a credit/no credit basis.
• A senior examination must be taken for assessment purposes.

Requirements for the Minor in Cell & Molecular Biology are as follows.  Course descriptions are presented below.

• Five units in biology, including the following:
• Biology 195 and 210 (requires Chemistry 121 as prerequisite or co-requisite).
• Any three of the following, of which at least two must include a laboratory: Biology 301, 317, 321, 324, 332, 337 (may be taken as Chemistry 337), 341, 362, 363, 364, 365, or 367.

Requirements for the Minor in Environmental Biology are as follows.  Course descriptions are presented below.

• Five units in biology, including the following:
• Biology 195
• Four of the following, including:
  - At least two from Biology 215, 216, 225 or either 227 or 248 (cannot take both 227 and 248).
  - At least one from Biology 206, 210 (requires Chemistry 121 as prerequisite. or co-requisite), 237, 365, 368 (365 and 368 require Biology 210 as prerequisite).

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Requirements for Major With Secondary Education Certification

• Eight units in biology, including the following:
• Biology 195 and 210.
• One unit (200-level or above) ``animal'' course.
• One unit (200-level or above) ``plant'' course.

Of the latter two courses, one must be in the ``field work'' category. In addition, one unit in the major must be in analytical laboratory work. At least six of these courses must include a laboratory. In addition:

• Two units in chemistry unless a substitution is approved in advance by the staff. The biology faculty strongly recommends that Chemistry 121 and Chemistry 211 be taken to satisfy this requirement. Chemistry 101, 107, and 200 do not fulfill this requirement.
• One unit chosen from the following laboratory cognates: Geology 101 (lab required), 103 (lab required), Physics 115 (lab required).
• Completion of all other requirements for teacher certification. Students will design their program of study in consultation with the biology faculty and must obtain written approval of the Biology Department chair, preferably no later than the beginning of the second semester of the junior year.

Requirements for Minor With Secondary Education Certification

• Five units in biology, including the following:
• Biology 195 ands Biology 210 (requires Chemistry 121 as prerequisite).
• One of the following: Biology 215 or 216.
• One of the following: Biology 225, 227, or 314.
• One unit (200-level or above) selected in consultation with the biology
  faculty and with written approval of the Biology Department chair.
• Completion of all other requirements for teacher certification.

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Biology Courses

The courses listed below count toward the biology major or minors unless otherwise noted. Some courses in the department are offered in alternate years and are so designated below.

Please consult with the instructor or with the Class Schedule, available online or at the Registrar's Office, to determine when a course will next be offered.

 

 

 

 

111 First-Year Colloquium in Biology (1/4) Fall, Spring
Prerequisites: First-year standing and invitation of instructor.
Seminar in which selected topics and research papers are reviewed and discussed. Offered on credit/no credit basis. Does not count toward the biology major or minors. Two-hour discussion. Staff.

195 Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity (1) Fall, Spring
Focuses on whole organisms and their evolutionary and ecological relationships. Evolutionary processes, biological diversity, conservation biology and human impacts on ecology and biodiversity are major themes. Skills introduced are hypothesis testing, experimental design, use of primary literature in writing assignments and basic statistics. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.

206 Tropical Forest and Reef Biology (1) Spring
Prerequisites: Biology 195 and permission of instructors.
An introduction to rain forests, mangrove islands and coral reefs of the neotropics. Students meet weekly throughout the semester and must spend spring break in Belize, Central America, where intensive field trips and individual projects are conducted. Counts as an elective toward the biology major, but does not satisfy the field work or seminar requirements. Lecture/discussion. Offered in alternate years. Team-taught.

207 Biology of Sub-Tropical Florida (1) Spring
Prerequisites: Biology 195 and permission of instructors.
An introduction to Florida, geology, biology, and ecology. Students meet weekly throughout the semester and are required to spend spring break with the class in southern Florida. All Florida habitats are discussed and sites visited during the intense spring break travel include the Florida Keys, Lignum Vitae Key, Bahia Honda State Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Everglades National Park, Corkscrew Wildlife Sanctuary, Archbold Biological Station, and SeaWorld Adventure Parks (Orlando). Counts as an elective toward the biology major, but does not satisfy the field work or seminar requirements. Lecture/discussion. Offered in alternate years. Team-taught.

210 Cell and Molecular Biology (1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 195. Prerequisite or co-requisite: Chemistry 121.
Focuses on organisms at the cellular and molecular levels, including biological chemistry, bioenergetics and metabolism, Mendelian and molecular genetics, cellular communication and the molecular control of the cell cycle. Builds upon skills from Biology 195 to expand abilities in hypothesis testing and experimental design to produce an individual research paper, and to carry out more advanced statistical analyses. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.

211 Sophomore Research (1/2)Fall, Spring
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and invitation of instructor.
Independent research projects for invited sophomores. Staff.

215 Aquatic Botany (1) Fall
Prerequisite: Biology 195.
A study of representative algae, aquatic fungi and bryophytes, emphasizing the relationships of structure and function. Reproductive strategies and environmental physiology are discussed. Taxonomy is based upon current hypotheses of evolutionary relationships. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Schmitter.

216 Vascular Plants (1)Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 195.
Morphology, taxonomy and distribution of vascular plants. Representatives of local flora receive special attention in laboratory and field studies. Lecture and laboratory. Skean.

225 Invertebrate Zoology (1) Fall
Prerequisite: Biology 195.
Field-oriented course emphasizing evolution, classification, ecology, behavior and natural history of invertebrate animals. Class involves field trips and use of the Whitehouse Nature Center. Lecture and laboratory. McCurdy.

227 Vertebrate Zoology (1) Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 195.
Classification, behavior, ecology and evolution of the vertebrates. Mammals and birds are emphasized more than other groups. Lecture and laboratory. Kennedy.

237 Ecology (1) Fall or Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 195.
A study of interactions between organisms and their environment including adaptation, competition, parasitism, population and community dynamics and the ecosystem concept. Class involves field trips and use of the Whitehouse Nature Center. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.

288, 289 Selected Topics (1/2, 1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 195.
Specialized topics, each suitably subtitled. Staff.

301 Cell Biology (1) Fall
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
An in-depth investigation of biological systems at the cellular, subcellular and molecular levels. Studies of a variety of cell types and energy relations within cells. Lecture emphasizes metabolism, metabolic regulation and cellular diversity. Laboratory emphasizes measurement and analysis of subcellular features. Offered in alternate years. Schmitter.

306 Functional Neuroanatomy (1) Fall or Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the anatomical organization of the human nervous system. Students will be introduced to a) the development, histology, structure, organization, and function of the sensory and motor systems, b) interneuronal organization and relationships of these systems, and c) clinical applications of these systems. Class sessions will include laboratory activities in which students will learn to identify and describe structures of the mammalian nervous system. Moore

309 Vertebrate Paleontology (1) Fall or Spring
Must be taken as Biology 309 for credit toward the major. Lecture and laboratory.
Same as Geology 309. Bartels.

310 Evolution (1) Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
A study of the course and processes of organic evolution. Topics include the history of ideas of evolution, population genetics, population ecology, speciation, adaptation, co-evolution, evolutionary rates, evolutionary convergences, mass extinctions and
biogeography. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. McCurdy.

314 Comparative Anatomy (1) Fall
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
Comparative anatomical study of vertebrate organ systems, their development and evolution. Lecture and laboratory. Kennedy.

317 Genetics (1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 210; Chemistry 211 recommended.
Mechanisms of inheritance, and of gene structure and function in living organisms. Both classical and molecular genetics are considered as they relate to function. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.

321 Medical Microanatomy (1) Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
Microanatomy of primate cells and tissues as depicted by light and electron microscopy.  Relationships of structure and function are stressed, as are medical conditions resulting from cell or tissue damage.  Lecture and laboratory. Schmitter.

324 Developmental Biology (1) Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
The genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying early development of multicellular organisms. Potential topics include fertilization and early development, gene regulation during development, neural pathfinding, cell signaling, cell division and growth, organogenesis, limb development, metamorphosis, regeneration, sex determination, the evolution of development, genomics, and stem cell research. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.

332 Microbiology (1) Spring
Prerequisite: Biology 210; Chemistry 211 recommended.
Introduction to the microbial world. Explores the morphology, physiology, genetics and diversity of microorganisms. Stresses the relationships among microbes and other organisms, including humans. Lecture and laboratory. Staff.

337 Biochemistry (1) Spring
Prerequisites: Chemistry 211 or permission of instructor.
Same as Chemistry 337. Must be taken as Biology 337 for credit toward the major. Lecture. Rohlman.

341 General Physiology (1) Fall
Prerequisites: Biology 210, one year of chemistry. Chemistry 211 is strongly recommended.
The processes which contribute to the maintenance of dynamic equilibria of cells and how those processes relate to the organismal level of plants and animals. Lecture and laboratory. Carrier.

362 Molecular Biology (1) Fall or Spring
Prerequisite: One of the following--Biology 301, 317, 332 or 337.
The theory and practice of modern molecular genetics will be explored. Techniques potentially considered include: DNA cloning, DNA hybridization, the polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing, and the expression of cloned genes in bacteria.
Lecture/discussion and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Saville.

363 Neurobiology (1) Fall
Prerequisite: Biology 210.
Provides a general overview of neurobiology as well as an opportunity to explore some of the most exciting current topics in the field of neurobiology in greater detail. Topics include sensory and motor systems, learning, memory, behavior, CNS development, neural evolution, neurobiological disorders and therapies. Uses recent scientific papers as the basis for student-led discussions. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Staff.

365 Environmental Microbiology (1) Fall
Prerequisite: Biology 210
Microbes in action: bioremediation, biodegradation, cycling of nutrients and energy flow, biopesticides and phytopathogens, spread of antibiotic resistance, molecular ecology of infectious diseases, microbial symbionts and extremophiles. Explores
these and other topics through discussions, field trips and experimental work. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Staff.

366 Endocrinology (1/2) Spring
Prerequisites: Biology 341 or 210 and Chemistry 211.
Examination of the evolution of endocrinological systems, and the modes of action, mechanisms of control, and interactions of selected hormonal systems. Discussion. Offered in alternate years. Carrier.

388, 389 Selected Topics (1/2, 1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisites: Biology 210, permission of instructor and other as indicated.
Specialized, advanced topics or topics of interest to special groups. Each section offered will be suitably subtitled (Conservation Biology, Entomology, Cell Signalling, Neurobiology, etc.) Staff.

391, 392 Internships (1/2, 1) Summer (Fall, Spring as available)
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and permission of department. No more than one unit may be counted toward the major. Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.

401, 402 Seminar (1/2, 1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, permission of instructor and other as indicated.
Topics in diverse areas of biology. Recent topics have included genes and cancer, literature and medicine, conservation biology, and biology of sharks and their relatives. Discussion. Staff.

411, 412 Directed Study (1/2, 1) Fall, Spring (Summer as available)
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and approval by both the faculty sponsor and department chair of a research proposal prior to registration. Independent research by an individual student under the direction of a staff member. A detailed summary research paper or other appropriate evidence is required at the end of the work. Staff.

 

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