classes I teach at Furman
BIO 075 - Seminar in Biology (0 credit hours) Prerequisite: instructor permission
Presentations of current topics in biology by students, faculty, and visiting scientists. Emphasis is on effective oral communication and critical examination of scientific information and ideas. Download a recent syllabus.
Presentations of current topics in biology by students, faculty, and visiting scientists. Emphasis is on effective oral communication and critical examination of scientific information and ideas. Download a recent syllabus.
BIO 210 - Genetics (4 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BIO-101, BIO-102 or BIO-111
Introduction to the study of inheritance. Topics include: transmission of genes in cellular and organismal reproduction, structure and arrangement of genetic material in the cell, control and function of genes, and population genetics. Equal emphasis given to inheritance patterns and molecular genetics. Laboratories include testing the genetics of Drosophila and other organisms, and basic molecular techniques. Download a recent syllabus.
Prerequisite: BIO-101, BIO-102 or BIO-111
Introduction to the study of inheritance. Topics include: transmission of genes in cellular and organismal reproduction, structure and arrangement of genetic material in the cell, control and function of genes, and population genetics. Equal emphasis given to inheritance patterns and molecular genetics. Laboratories include testing the genetics of Drosophila and other organisms, and basic molecular techniques. Download a recent syllabus.
BIO 213 - Population Genetics and Evolution (4 credit hours)
Prerequisite: BIO-101, BIO-102 or BIO-111
Overview of evolutionary mechanisms affecting population genetic structure over time and space. Topics include applicable genetic tools and analyses, species concepts, phylogeography, molecular ecology, and conservation genetics. Labs will focus on data collection, analysis, and interpretation in plant and animal systems. Download a recent syllabus.
Prerequisite: BIO-101, BIO-102 or BIO-111
Overview of evolutionary mechanisms affecting population genetic structure over time and space. Topics include applicable genetic tools and analyses, species concepts, phylogeography, molecular ecology, and conservation genetics. Labs will focus on data collection, analysis, and interpretation in plant and animal systems. Download a recent syllabus.
BIO 346 - Forest Ecology (4 credit hours)
NEW FOR SPRING 2022 GER: NE (Humans and the Natural Environment) Prerequisite: BIO-222 This course will focus on forested systems of eastern North America, especially those of the southeastern United States. Topics will include interaction of plants, animals, and people in the context of forest conservation and management. Major topics will be covered through lecture, discussion of the primary literature, and experimental field labs. |
BIO 401 - Applied Plant Science (4 credit hours) [renamed Economic Botany for Spring 2023]
GER: NE (Humans and the Natural Environment) Prerequisite: BIO-101, BIO-102 or BIO-111 Introduction to plant biology as it pertains to human society. Topics include: life cycles, structure/function relationships, and uses of plants in society. Emphasis on medicinally and economically important plants. Lab exercises reflect the importance of plants as sources of food, fiber, and medicine. Download a recent syllabus. |
BIO 502 - Research (variable credit)
Prerequisite: BIO-222 and instructor permission A project involving original and relatively independent research. Working with a faculty sponsor, the student poses a question of biological significance, writes an agreement specifying work expectations, devises the experimental protocol, and collects data to evaluate the question. Laboratory or field projects may be performed either on campus or at other locations. A research paper and oral presentation of the topic are required upon completion of the project with the oral presentation usually done in the context of BIO-075. |
BIO MayX - Parks and People:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (2 credits) - NEW FOR SPRING 2022 This domestic study away program will explore connections between people, place, and resources in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including impacts of tourism on the ecology of natural systems, the role of scientists in documenting and managing biological diversity in the park, and exploring the meaning of wilderness in the nation's most visited national park. Students will explore the three major areas impacting and influencing national parks: the tourist experience in and around the Park, research within the Park, and the meaning of wilderness. |