BIO 101 - Fundamentals of Biology

4 credit hours - Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory weekly; one term.
This course meets the Biological and Physical Sciences General Education Requirement.

Study the basic biological principles common to living organisms and insights into the scientific methods used to determine those principles. Topics include biological molecules, cell structure and metabolism, biological organization, homeostasis, reproduction and development, and heredity and evolution. Lab fee $20.

Prerequisite(s): Eligibility for ENG 101 /ENG 101A and either eligibility for any general education math or a score of 27 or better on the Arithmetic Placement Test or a B or better in MAT 005 .

Note: Credit is not given for both BIO 101 and BIO 102 or BIO 101 and BIO 231 . Typically offered at MC, AM, and GB; fall, spring, and summer terms.

Course Outcomes:
1. Apply the Scientific Method of Investigation, including the use of laboratory skills to experiments, safety, measurement, observation, and interpretation, to improve understanding of the unifying themes of biology.
2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of cells and their components in the areas of: basic chemistry, properties of water, organic molecules and polymers, organelle structure and function, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure.
3. Describe major cellular processes including: membrane function, enzyme function and metabolic pathways, energy utilization in cellular respiration and photosynthesis, cell reproduction through mitosis and meiosis, heredity of genes, DNA replication, and gene expression.
4. Describe the basic mechanisms and data supporting evolutionary theory such as: how natural selection operates, population genetics and microevolution, and evolutionary adaptation and speciation.