EXPERIMENTAL METHODS AND DESIGN (BIOL 300/300L) - This is a hands-on course where you will practice how to design, collect data, analyze, and present a research project. This class can be a great and memorable experience that could change the way you see nature and define whether research is something you would like to pursue in your professional life. Student teams design and implement small experiments, statistically analyze their data, perform peer reviews, write short research papers, give in-class presentations, and prepare an end-of-semester research proposal.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY (BIOL 233/233L) - This course weaves together the broader disciplines of ecology and evolution by introducing the student to a spectrum of sub-disciplines including population genetics, population ecology, community ecology, physiological ecology, macroevolution, systematics, and functional morphology. We apply the learned concepts in field trips to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, Fossil Hunting in Deer Lake, Philadelphia Zoo, around the Wissahickon Creek. The general theme is the interconnectedness of organisms, environment, and evolution and the mutual dependence of the two disciplines.
WILDLIFE FORENSICS (BIOL 481/481L) - Wildlife crime is a big international business that generates billions of revenue, causing an immediate threat to our ecosystems. The crimes include poaching, illegal pet trade, smuggling, and many others that cause primary concerns to many endangered species. A wildlife forensic investigator applies forensics science to conserve and protect our wildlife. This subfield consists of a range of subjects in biology such as DNA analysis, entomology, morphological identification, pathology, just to name a few. This course will examine the different topics that might be required in a wildlife forensic case.
>>For all course descriptions for this major, SEE SCHOOL OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES CATALOG
Requirements/Prerequisites:
Must maintain a C- average during undergrad
