Biology Department | Major,
Minors
Lower Division Courses |
Upper Division Courses
Fall. Prereq.: BIO 220. A study of the physiology and morphology of human cells, tissues and organs, with emphasis on selected human organ systems. Three lectures/discussion and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Winter. Prereq.: BIO 221. Application of scientific principles to conservation of biological diversity, with emphasis on patterns and explanations for diversity, threats to and value of diversity, habitat relationships and extinction processes, and conservation strategies.
Spring. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 220 and 221. This course examines the ecology of freshwater and marine environments with emphasis on primary production, nutrient dynamics, population dynamics, and community organization. Two lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly. Some weekend field trips are required.
Fall. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 221. A study of the evolution, classification, diversity, morphology, and biogeography of marine and freshwater fishes. Two lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly. Some weekend field trips are required. Extra fee. Limited enrollment.
Spring. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 220. Field based investigation of diversity, history, and adaptations of plants with emphasis on local examples. Methods of taxonomic identification and classification emphasized. Two lectures and one four-hour laboratory period weekly. Some weekend field trips are required.
Fall. Prereq.: BIO 220 and coreq. BIO 221. Preparation for off-campus field trips.
Winter. Prereq.: BIO 221, 324 and permission. An evolutionary synthesis of topics in zoology, botany, geology, geography, and anthropology.
Spring. Prereq.: lower division core. The study of organic evolution as an organizing principle of biology, including a synthesis of principles of population genetics, paleontology, ecology, and molecular, developmental and organismal biology.
Fall. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 221 or permission. Descriptive and experimental approaches to interpreting evolutionary relationships, taxonomy, and distributions of plants. Projects involve phenetic and cladistic analyses of Southwestern Idaho plant species. Two lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly.
Spring. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 221. A field oriented introduction to avian biology with emphasis on classification, identification, structure, distribution, ecology and habits of birds. Two lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly.
Spring. Alt. Years. Prereq.: BIO 221. Biological principles as applied to mammals with emphasis on adaptations, behavior, evolution, classification, and ecological relationships. Three lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly. Some overnight field trips may be required.
Winter. Prereq.: BIO 221, 324 and permission. A study of the origin, structure, composition, species diversity, and ecological relationships of tropical and subtropical biotic communities.
Winter. Prereq.: BIO 221, 324 and permission. A study of coral reef formation, marine habitats, species diversity and ecological relationships on coral reef ecosystems.
Spring. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 221. Interrelationships between plants, animals, and their environments. Emphasizes population interactions and community organization. Laboratory emphasizes techniques of ecosystem analysis. Three lectures and one four-hour laboratory weekly.
Spring. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 221. Vertebrate classification, life histories, adaptations, distribution, and evolution. Three lectures, one four-hour laboratory weekly and occasional field trips.
Winter. Prereq.: BIO 105 and permission. A laboratory-only course consisting of selected dissections on a cadaver, including muscles of the extremities, neck, shoulder, and trunk. Two three-hour laboratories weekly. Discussion sessions arranged. Limited enrollment.
Fall. Prereq.: BIO 230. A detailed study of the mechanisms of spatial and temporal control of gene expression. Emphasis will be placed on recombinant DNA and bioinformatics techniques.
Fall. Prereq.: BIO 230. Morphology and physiology of microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae and protozoa, with emphasis on bacteria and on medically important microorganisms. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Prereq.: BIO 226 or 304 and BIO 230. Concepts of pathobiology, to include causes, physiological mechanisms, symptoms, and patterns of pathogenesis of human disease.
Spring. Prereq.: BIO 230. Study of immune responses at molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Application of this knowledge to study autoimmunity, hypersensitivity, immunodeficiency, and manipulation of the immune system in the treatment of human diseases. Three lecture/discussions and one 3-hour laboratory weekly.
Fall. Alt. years. Prereq.: BIO 230. Study of hormones and the mechanisms by which hormones regulate genetic and cellular function, and metabolism.
Fall. Prereq.: BIO 230. Study of the main principles of animal developmental biology on the molecular, cellular, and organismal level. Three lecture/discussions and one three-hour lab weekly.
Fall. Prereq.: BIO 220 and 230; PHY 231 or 271 recommended. Comparative study of temperature, respiration, circulation, energy metabolism, homeostasis, and neuromuscular function. Three lectures/discussion and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Fall. Alt. years. BIO 220 and 230; PHY 231 or 271 recommended. Nutrition, gas exchange, water relations, transport, metabolism, growth and development of plants with emphasis on environmental influences. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Fall, winter, spring. Prereq.: permission. A laboratory or field research problem culminating in a paper written according to departmental guidelines. (INDEPENDENT WORK)
Fall, winter, spring. Prereq.: junior or senior standing and permission. Internships are designed to give students experience in the fields of their interest. A written summary of the internship and a seminar are presented to the department at the conclusion of the internship. NOTE: BIO 497 (but not 397) fulfills the General Education Curriculum requirement for INDEPENDENT WORK. See internship guidelines.
Fall, winter, spring. Prereq.: permission. Independent reading and weekly conference with a faculty supervisor. Appropriate for fields of special interest, but will not substitute for required courses.
Winter, spring. Prereq.: senior standing and completion of two courses in the upper-division biology core. A capstone seminar course focused on topics that integrate molecular, cellular, organismal, and population level processes; course topic varies. Readings, lectures, and discussions. May be repeated for credit with different topics. (INDEPENDENT WORK)
Fall, winter, spring. Prereq.: permission. Library research in biology. Critical review of literature pertaining to a problem or specialized topic in biology culminating in a paper written according to department guide lines. See independent study guidelines. (INDEPENDENT WORK)
Prereq.: senior standing. A written comprehensive examination designed to measure the full range of students' understanding of biology.