Core Courses
biology department
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Natural Science Core Courses |
Each semester, the Biology Department offers several Natural Science core courses. These courses focus on specific topics within contemporary biology and are designed to place these topics into a broad social and historical context. For a further description of the Boston College Core Curriculum, please click here.
These courses are designed for students who are NOT majoring in biology or biochemistry.
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BI-142, The Genetic Century - Prof. O'Connor
Time: MWF at 10; Location: Higgins 300
Genetics is transforming life in the 21st century, from healthcare to the foods we eat to our understanding of evolution and biodiversity. This course will provide students with a basic understanding of how information is encoded in genes and how that information is transmitted between generations and expressed during development and disease. Topics covered in this course include the genetic bases of disease and behavior, forensic uses of DNA, evolution, genetic engineering, genetically-modified crops and personalized medicine. |
BI-145, Ecology of a Dynamic Planet - Prof. Strauss
Time: Tues/Thur 4:30-5:45; Location: Devlin 008
At no time in history has the impact of humanity been more forceful on the biology of the earth. In a climate of global change, we are challenged to understand the dynamics of the living planet across all geospatial scales. In this course, we will investigate the ecological models that attempt to explain the forces that govern the interactions among individuals all the way to those that shape entire ecosystems. From the historical roots of ecology to the cutting edge, we will explore trophic dynamics, biodiversity, co-evolution and molecular ecology. Special discussion sections will be available to LSOE students. |
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BI-143, Immune Defense: Friend or Foe? - Prof. Piatelli
Time: MWF 10:00; Location: Higgins 310
This course will provide students with a historical overview of infectious disease epidemics, the public health used to control epidemics, and emerging new threats. We will debate current issues covering a wide range of topics, including vaccination, antimicrobial resistance, gene and stem cell therapies to treat malignant and immune diseases, food allergies, and biodefense. The course is designed to enable students to understand the principles underlying the scientific method, to develop the skills to research topics in order to make critically informed decisions and to develop an awareness of the limitation of scientific conclusions.
BI-146, The Secret Life of the Brain - Prof. Ogren
Time: Tues/Thur 12:00-1:15; Location: Gasson 305
The nervous system is the most complex of living systems. Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field of applied and basic research devoted to understanding how brain cells interact to produce behavior. Made of individual cells like any other organ, the brain has the remarkable capacity to respond to the world in both automatic and thoughtful ways, to change over time in both adaptive and nonadaptive ways, to become diseased, and to compensate for injury. This course focuses on the fundamental principles governing how the brain works, how it is formed and how it changes throughout life (for better or for worse).
BI-147, Biodiversity Connections - Prof. Hitchcock
Time: Tues/Thur 10:30-11:45; Location: Fulton 511
Life in the 21st century is directly linked to the health and breadth of the world's biodiversity. The goal of this course is to explore the evolution, extinction, and conservation of biodiversity. We will discuss both the generation and loss of biodiversity from an ecological and evolutionary standpoint. We will also focus on the interactions among the world's species and the biology of human interaction with the environment. We will explore the biological species concept and its limitations as it applies to some of the earth's organisms. It is impossible to discuss these topics without promoting bioliteracy of the local flora and fauna. Weekly species slideshows will introduce students to New England's biodiversity. |
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In addition to the natural science core courses described above, the Biology Department offers a CULTURAL DIVERSITY core course (NOTE: this course will only count towards the Cultural Diversity Core Requirement and not the Natural Science Core Requirement).
SPRING 2010 |
BI-224, Health & Science Education Disparities - Prof. Burgess
Time: Tues/Thur 9-10:15; Location: TBD
This is a policy course on the current status of African-Americans, Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans in science. Topics such as health disparities, disparities in science education, Indigenous Peoples health, and the genome project will be discussed. The roles of historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving universities, and tribal colleges in addressing these topics will be covered. |
Please click on the following link to learn more about the
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