Current Issues In Biology

BIOL 101 Current Issues in Biology is a course designed for non-science majors who need a laboratory science as a required course for their program of studies. This course examines major themes in biology in the context of current issues, and allows students to apply the knowledge, skills and concepts learned in order to make informed decisions about their everyday lives. The course will have an overarching theme of human wellness, and will examine topics such as disease and health, the gut microbiome, genetically modified organisms, climate change, and overpopulation, while incorporating biological topics such cell structure and function, anatomy and physiology, genetics, evolution, and ecology. A strong emphasis is placed on the development of critical thinking skills through problem solving, examining current scientific events, and through laboratory analysis. This course does not fulfill the requirements for a science major's course and cannot be substituted for Biology 104 or Biology 106.