300-level

Sensory Biology (typically offered 2 out of every 3 years, next offering AY '21-22): Understanding how animals gather, filter, and process information is critical to understanding their behavior, ecology, and evolution. In this class we will study the sensory worlds of animals. Our approach will cover sensory biology at the mechanistic, ecological, and evolutionary levels, and will sample heavily from the primary literature. Exact topics will be chosen by students, however potential topics include the five human senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch) plus senses seen only in non-human animals such as electroreception, magnetoreception, polarized vision, echolocation, and thermal imaging. By the end of class you should be able to: 1) describe how animals gather sensory information from different modalities and 2) compare and contrast different senses in an ecological and evolutionary context.

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Human Physiology (typically offered 2 out of every 3 years, next offering S '21): This course is about how humans function at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ level. Topics will include the circulatory system and heart, neuromuscular system, respiratory system, and urinary system. Throughout emphasis will be placed on abnormal states, homeostasis, the interconnectedness of systems, and how humans respond physiologically to environmental stressors. Typically offered with accompanying lab section.

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200-level

Gateway to Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology (typically offered every semester by various instructors): How does biological diversity arise? Where do species come from? How do they work? How do they adapt? How do they interact with one another and their environment? You will explore answers to these questions as we delve into the fields of ecology, behavior, physiology, and evolutionary biology. Our exploration will include lectures, discussions, in-class activities, laboratory exercises, and reading articles from the scientific literature. In addition to learning about the major concepts in these fields, you will gain skills in experimental design and in finding and communicating biological information. These skills will serve you well as you engage in our upper level curriculum and prepare to undertake your Independent Study project.

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100-level 

Foundations of Biology (typically offered every semester by various instructors): This introductory course focuses on concepts considered central to understanding biology, including the nature of science, inheritance, gene expression, descent with modification, and evolution by natural selection. This course is designed to provide potential biology majors with the fundamental concepts required for the study of biology and to offer non-majors the opportunity to develop knowledge, understanding ,and communication skills that will allow them to express ideas and make decisions in a scientifically informed manner.