BIOL 104
Human Biology (GE)
1. Catalog Entry
BIOL 104
Human Biology (GE)
Credit hours (4) Three hours lecture; two hours laboratory
For students who are not Biology majors. An introduction to the basic principles of
biology, with emphasis on human beings as biological organisms. Humans may be considered
as products of evolution, as physiological systems, as reproducing entities, as members
of their ecosystem, and as biological engineers able to change other organisms. The
nature of scientific investigation will be stressed. BIOL 104 is not a prerequisite
for upper level study in Biology. Biology majors should take BIOL 131. Students who
are not Biology majors but need to take upper level Biology courses should take BIOL
105. This course has been approved for credit in the Natural Sciences Area of the
Core Curriculum.
Note(s): General Education and Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course. This course will not fulfill Biology major requirements. Biology majors should take BIOL 131. Student who are not Biology major but need to take upper level Biology courses should take BIOL 105.
2. Detailed Description of Course
The course will focus on the question of what Biology can tell us about what it means
to be human. Depending on the interests and expertise of the instructor topics covered
may include but are not limited to:
1) Primatology
2) Evolution of Humans
3) Human pathogens and parasites
4) Human Physiology
5) Nutrition
6) The immune system
7) The human brain and the nervous system
8) Humans Reproduction
9) Human Genetics and genetic diseases
10)Humans as Members of Biological Communities and Ecosystems
11)Humans as Biological Engineers
Laboratory exercises
The laboratory portion of the course will emphasize development of skills, possibly
including but not limited to measuring, analysis, graphing, designing experiments
and writing about science.
Possible topics that could be used to introduce these methods and skills, and to demonstrate
course content include, but are not restricted to:
1) Phylogeny of disease strains
2) Phylogeny of primate taxa
3) Exercise physiology
4) Sensory physiology
5) Circadian rhythms
6) Genetics
7) Comparative anatomy
8) Enzymes
9) Blood typing
10)Diet and nutrition
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
The course will be taught in the class/laboratory format, where “class” may include
any combination of lecture, discussion, group work, or online classwork, as determined
by the instructor.
Readings may include textbooks and other sources.
Whenever possible, students will practice using basic mathematics and statistics.
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
Students will understand the methodologies of scientific inquiry, think critically
about scientific problems, and apply principles of a scientific discipline to solve
problems in the natural/physical world.
Students will be able to:
1) Distinguish between findings that are based upon empirical data and those that
are not.
2) Apply scientific principles within the context of a specific scientific discipline
to solve real world problems.
5. Assessment Measures
Assessment measures will vary with the instructor, but will generally include lecture
and laboratory exams and a final exam. Continuing assessment may involve quizzes,
class projects, laboratory reports and take-home exams. Students may be asked to do
outside research and prepare written or oral presentations applying what they have
learned. Students may be asked to argue, orally or in writing, for a particular position
in areas where there is disagreement. Students may be asked to develop laboratory
projects and may present the projects and results in poster or oral presentations.
1) Student understanding of the empirical nature of science will be assessed through
targeted exam questions.
Their understanding may also be assessed through the quality of their lab
reports and lab project
presentations.
2) Student ability to apply scientific methods and to use scientific problem-solving
may be assessed by observing
the development of their laboratory projects, assessing their project presentations,
and assessing their
arguments in presenting scientific disagreements.
6. Other Course Information
As a considerable number of sections are anticipated, multiple instructors will likely
teach the course in a given semester. They will coordinate laboratory exercises to
reduce demands on support services.
Review and Approval
March 2009
June 20, 2015
March 01, 2021