Courses of Study 2013-2014 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
Courses of Study 2013-2014 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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BIOEE 1780 - An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology and Diversity


(PBS)
Fall, spring, summer. (Six-week, eight-week session or distance learning) 4-5 credits, variable. Biological sciences majors must take course for a letter grade.

Enrollment preference given to: freshmen, sophomores, and transfer students. Four credits with 3 lec and 1 disc sec per week; 5 credits with 3 lec per week and a Writing in the Majors disc sec that meets twice per week. Students taking 5-credit option read additional materials from primary literature and write essays in place of regular exams. (Students may not preregister for 5-credit option; interested students complete application form on first day of class.) 5-credit option limited to 15 students per sec each semester.  5-credit option is not offered in the summer. Summer distance learning version of the course covers the same material and fulfills the same biology requirements as the on-campus version.  Fall and spring: limited to 300 students each semester. Summer: limited to 25 students/sec; minimum of 10. One field trip.

Fall, I. Lovette; spring, R. Reed; summer distance learning, E. Balko, K. Zamudio.

Considers explanations for pattern of diversity and the apparent good fit of organisms to the environment. Topics include the diversity of life, the genetics and developmental basis of evolutionary change, processes at the population level, evolution by natural selection, modes of speciation, long-term trends in evolution, origin of humans.

Outcome 1: Students will understand the underlying causal principles of evolutionary diversification.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to apply these principles to understand historical and contemporary evolutionary scenarios.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to identify ~100 core taxa in the tree of life, their characteristics, and understand the relationships among them.

Outcome 4: Students will be able to use basic conceptual and analytical tools to describe complex relationships within the tree of life.

Outcome 5: Students will be familiar with a number of experimental and synthetic approaches to analyzing and discovering evolutionary processes (microevolution) and establishing evolutionary patterns (macroevolution).

Outcome 6: Students will write and discuss knowledgeably about the dimensions of evolutionary issues that require decisions in our society.



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