Course Search

BIO 111: Biological Concepts And Methods I

4 credits

Examine basic biological concepts and paradigms in cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology and their effects on science and society, and learn how formulation of these paradigms illustrates scientific processes such as experimental design and hypothesis testing. Lecture and laboratory.

Distribution Requirement

• Natural Sciences

Learning Goals

• Quantitative Reasoning

Learning Goals to use:Bio 111By the end of the course, students should understand the following:• The cell theory and the theory of evolution as unifying concepts in biology• The key principles of chemistry that are important for life, including bond formation, the properties of carbon and water, and the factors affecting uncatalyzed and enzyme-catalyzed chemical equilibria and reaction rates• The structures, properties, and functions of the major classes of biological macromolecules and cell organelles• The major processes by which organisms obtain energy• The molecular mechanisms by which cells and organisms replicate, transmit, and express genetic information• The scientific approach to understanding the natural worldStudents will also develop their ability to:• Analyze and interpret experimental results• Write about and explain biological topicsIn addition to the scientific objectives of biology, this course together with its co-requisite laboratory satisfies the general education requirement for the natural sciences, and addresses the University and Biology Department learning goals in the following ways: Critical and integrative thinking (the ability to identify, evaluate, and construct arguments and proposed solutions to problems)—addressed through the generation of scientific predictions (hypotheses) and the processing, analysis and evaluation of scientific information and data. Quantitative reasoning (the ability to understand and apply numerical information)—addressed through the reading of tables and graphs, construction of tables and graphs, evaluation of numerical data, and presentation of quantitative arguments.

Sections Offered: Fall 2026

Sections Offered: Summer 2026, Summer I