Degrees

BIO 120/121 General Biology I Course Objectives: 

To learn to think like a biologist—specifically, understanding the central roles of evolutionary theory and hypothesis testing in biology.

To achieve an understanding of the following biological concepts and professional skills:

1. The physical and chemical basis of life.
2. The importance of water to all living organisms.
3. That all living organisms are composed of cells, and the types of structures found within cells.
4. That all cells require energy, and the ways in which it is obtained and converted through metabolism to maintain homeostasis and fuel growth and development.
5. How organisms reproduce, both at the level of individual cells, and at the level of entire organisms.
6. The nature of the genetic material, and the ways in which the genetic information is accessed and used to construct living organisms.
7. Ways in which the genetic information is altered, and how these changes are propagated.
8. To think analytically, synthetically, critically and creatively about biology.
9. That biology consists of both a factual body of knowledge and a process by which that knowledge is obtained and disseminated.
10. Familiarity withthe basic skills needed to work in a biological laboratory.
11. Preparationfor future science courses in biology and chemistry and for future careers in the sciences.