Biology 1112 Course Goals and Objectives

Successful students in Biology 1112 will be able to...

  1. The Cell
    1. explain the mechanisms and structures involved in mitotic and meiotic cell division and explain the different roles for and consequences of each.
    2. describe the functionality of cellular control mechanisms.
      1. describe how the loss/failure of cellular control mechanisms can lead to disease.
      2. describe how genotypes and the environment influence the genetics of cancer.
  2. Genetics
    1. explain the transfer and modification of heritable traits from parents to offspring via Mendelian inheritance.
    2. apply principles of Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics to predict the outcomes of a variety of genetic crosses.
    3. explain the basis of and identify examples of non-Mendelian patterns of inheritance.
    4. describe the nature and expression of heritable information at the molecular level, including: the Central Dogma, DNA replication, transcription, protein synthesis (translation).
    5. explain how gene expression is controlled in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (at transcription, post-transcription, translation, and post-translation levels).
    6. identify mutations in DNA and assess their impact on gene expression and diversity.
    7. explain chromatin structure, the histone code, and epigenetic inheritance.
    8. explain how differential gene expression relates to organismal development, including cellular reproduction, growth, and differentiation
    9. describe characteristics of viruses and bacteria (e.g., life history, genome type and content, exchange of genetic material).
    10. describe the experimental basis and select applications of recombinant DNA technology, including gene cloning, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and gene editing (CRISPR) 
  3. Nature of biological science and society
    1. describe the development and evaluation of scientific explanations of natural phenomena.
    2. apply biological concepts in the assessment of contemporary issues.
    3. reflect on ethical implications of emerging biotechnology.
    4. explain how evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of life.
  4. Skills & Competencies
    1. Process of Science
      1. apply the process of science to research questions, presented scenarios, historical experiments, and course lab experiments.
      2. design an experiment
      3. collect and organize both qualitative and quantitative data.
      4. support or refute an argument or conclusion using experimental results.
    2. Scientific Communication
      1. refer to primary literature articles using proper paraphrasing and citation (compare and contrast primary, secondary, etc).
      2. create properly formatted graphs, figures, and tables using data.
      3. analyze and interpret qualitative and quantitative data
      4. create discipline-appropriate documents (poster, presentation, or paper).
      5. identify plagiarism and avoid plagiarizing when writing.
    3. Literature
      1. evaluate the quality and accuracy of a written source.
      2. locate scholarly articles using electronic databases.
      3. distinguish between primary literature, secondary literature, and content created for mass media.
    4. Laboratory
      1. employ safe laboratory practices.
      2. use a compound light microscope to view microorganisms; maintain microscope cleanliness.
      3. use a pipette to measure small volumes.
      4. understand the key steps and reagents in PCR.
      5. explain how gel electrophoresis works and interpret DNA separation on a gel.
      6. prepare a dilution series.
      7. demonstrate the ability to work effectively as a team.
    5. Metacognition
      1. determine effective study strategies to better prepare for assessments.
      2. evaluate the effectiveness of study strategies and modify them as needed.