All sections of Biology 2360 have the following goals and objectives:

Goals

Upon successful completion of Biology 2360, students will demonstrate the ability to: 

• Apply the scientific process to identify problems and synthesize solutions using scientific reasoning. 
• Discuss the philosophical and biological differences between "being alive” and a biological living organism. 
• Evaluate the functions and needs of the human body from the cellular level up to the organ systems level. 
• Synthesize knowledge from multiple fields of biology to evaluate real and fictional examples of “zombie” pathogens and their influence on the organism’s health and behaviors
• Apply knowledge of evolution and adaptations to examples of human behavior in catastrophic events.
• Assess the positive and negative ramifications of technological advancements and development, such as genetic engineering, and how it can be used to solve and create problems. 
• Critically evaluate biological information and topics that are portrayed in the media and pop culture.

Learning Objectives

To achieve these goals, students will complete the following learning objectives:

• Apply knowledge of the characteristics of life to distinguish zombies from living organisms. 
• Analyze the plausibility of various aspects of human physiology portrayed in zombie media in the context of human health.
• Classify/categorize types of infectious agents, such as viruses and prions, portrayed in zombie media. 
• Compare and contrast pathogen-induced changes and adaptations in human health and behaviors to similar examples in other organisms.
• Evaluate the role of genetic mutations and engineering and their impacts on human health as possible causes and solutions for zombie outbreaks. 
• Assess the impacts of disasters and disease outbreak on the health of the individual and the population. 
• Explain examples of human behaviors in catastrophic events in the context of evolution. 
• Evaluate the impacts humans and their environment have on each other, and how these impacts facilitate the spread of disease as examples of environmental wellbeing.
• Analyze sources of scientific information for credibility and accuracy and the role of peer review in dissemination of scientific research. 
• Synthesize knowledge of contagions and human biology in a final action plan for an outbreak of an unknown “zombie” pathogen outbreak focusing on physical and environmental wellbeing.