CES 16-15 REV PROG ECOLOGY. revised 4.13.17

March 10, 2017

Purdue Northwest Curriculum Document

Program Name: Biological Sciences

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  • Document No: CES 16-15 REV PROG ECOLOGY
  • Proposed Effective Date: Fall 2017
  • Submitting Department: Biological Sciences, College of Engineering and Sciences
  • Date Reviewed by Department: March 10th, 2016
  • Submission Date: March 24th, 2017
  • Date Reviewed College/School Curriculum Committee: March 31st, 2017
  • Contact Person: Robin Scribailo, Interim Head of Biological Sciences

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  • Approval by Faculty Senate: May 5, 2017
  • Date Reviewed by Senate Curriculum Committee: 4/14/17
  • Name(s) of Library Staff Consulted: NA
  • Will New Library Resources Used?: No
  • Form 40 Needed?: No

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Task: Program/Concentration Change or New Program/Concentration Proposal

  • Program Name(s):Biological Sciences
  • Degree Name(s): B. S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Ecology & Evolution

Section I: This section is for changes in programs, minors and certificates

  • List the major changes in each program of study, minor or certificate:
    • Change of degree name from B. S. in Biology with a Concentration in Ecology to B. S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Ecology & Evolution
    • Removal of chose one category under Ecology & Evolution Concentration Required Courses. Reduction in credits in this category from 10-11 to 7. Increase in credits under Ecology & Evolution electives by 3 credits.
    • Addition of new courses BIOL 3XXXX Plant Form and Function, BIOL 4XXXX Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, to the degree (as separate curriculum documents).
    • Addition of existing courses from Westville into the degree (highlighted in yellow).
    • Bioinformatics or other computer courses (with permission of the department) may be used as an option for CIS 20400 for students who have tested out of this course or have equivalent computer background.
    • Removal of Experiential learning requirement.
  • Impact on Students: The changes make the degree more applicable to both campuses and give the students more choices in course offerings.
  • Impact on University Resources: NA
  • Impact on other Academic Units: NA

Section II: This section is for changes in courses only

  • Subject:
  • Justification: 

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Current:

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Proposed:

BIOL 3XXXX Form and Function of Vascular Plants.

Credit 4.0 Lecture 3.0. Lab. 3.0.

An examination of external and internal characteristics of vascular plants and how these functional attributes impact their survival. Investigations of morphological traits and physiological mechanisms in the context of reproduction, photosynthesis, mechanical support, and mineral uptake and transport. Laboratory sessions include various aspects of plant form and function relationships associated with adaptations to environmental conditions.

Prerequisites: BIOL 10100 AND BIOL 10200 OR permission of instructor; BIOL 24300 AND BIOL 24400 are highly recommended

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Course Objectives / Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate a working knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the major groups of vascular plants
  2. Demonstrate a working knowledge of how plant morphology, anatomy, and physiological mechanisms are related to environmental conditions.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of how plants sense and respond to different environmental conditions.
  4. Apply that knowledge to environmental issues that impact plant communities.
  • Impact on Students:
  • Impact on University Resources:
  • Impact on other Academic Units:

Plan of Study Revision

Degree Name: B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Ecology & Evolution

Degree Requirements

PNW General Education Core (30 credits)

Core CategoriesCreditsCourses: Enter “Select from list” or designate course(s) from list
English Composition6ENGL 10400 and ENGL 10500
Speech Communication3COM 11400
Quantitative Reasoning 3 MA 16031
 Natural Sciences4 CHM 11500
 Technology3CIS 20400
Humanities3Select from social science core list
Additional credits4CHM 11600
General Ed Elective
First-Year Experience (FYE)1biol 10700 or BIOL 11400
Total (minimum)30

 

Other Required Courses (51 credits)

Chemistry (11 credits)

CHM 255003Organic Chemistry I
CHM 255011Organic Chemistry I Lab.
CHM 256003Organic Chemistry II
CHM 256011Organic Chem. II Lab.
Choose 1 course from the list below based on your study plan 3
CHM 333003Principles of Biochemistry
CHM 324003Environmental Chemistry
Physics (8 credits)
PHYS 220004General Physics INat. Sci.
PHYS 221004General Physics IINat. Sci.
Mathematics, Statistics, & Computer Science (6 credits)
MA 22400 or 160323Intro Analysis II or Calculus for Life Sciences II
STAT 33001 or 301003Biostatistics or Statistics
 
Humanities & Social Sciences (9 credits) 4
 
 
 
Free Elective (17 credits)

 

Core: Required Courses (17 credits)

BIOL 10100Introductory Biology I4
BIOL 10200Introductory Biology II4
BIOL 24300Introductory Cell Biology4
BIOL 24400Genetics4
BIOL 42600 or

BIOL 40700

Senior Capstone1

 

Ecology Concentration Required Courses (7 credits)

Subject Code/ Course NumberProgram Requirements (Course Title)LabCredit HoursSemester

Offered*

Prerequisite
BIOL 33300General EcologyX4SPBIOL 10100 and 10200
BIOL 58000Evolution3FABIOL 24400 or 33300 recommended

Choose one of the following courses. Courses that are not chosen (any two of BIOL 30700, BIOL 31600 or BIOL 35700) can be counted as Group B Ecology Concentration Electives.

Subject Code/ Course NumberProgram Requirements (Course Title)LabCredit HoursSemester

Offered*

Prerequisite
BIOL 30700Plant Physiology3SPBIOL 10100 and BIOL 10200
BIOL 31600Basic MicrobiologyX4FA, SPBIOL 10100 and 10200, CHM 11600
1BIOL 35700Introductory Animal Physiology1X4FABIOL 10100 and 10200

1 BIOL 35700 may be replaced by BIOL 21400.  BIOL 21300, prerequisite of BIOL 21400, is counted as a free elective course.  BIOL 21400 cannot be counted for Ecology Concentration elective.

 

Ecology & Evolution Concentration Elective Courses (Minimum 1512 credits)

Choose 9 credits from course in Group A, 3 credits from Group B and an additional 3 credits from either group.

Maximum 3 credits of independent study/ research/ internship/ practicum can be used to fulfill the minimum 12 credit elective Additional credits from this group can be used as free electives.

Subject Code/ Course NumberGroup A

Program Electives (Course Title)

LabCredit HoursPre/Co-requisite Courses
BIOL 40500 or

BIOL 48300

Conservation Biology or Environmental and Conservation Biology no/yes3BIOL 33300
BIOL 32400Natural History Smoky Mountains2
BIOL 32500Natural History of Northwest Indiana3
BIOL 4XXXXComparative Vertebrate Anatomy4
BIOL 41200Climate Change and the Environment3BIOL 33300
BIOL 41300Aquatic Ecology3BIOL 33300
BIOL 41400Invasive Species Ecology3
BIOL 44200Ecology of Shallow Lakes4
BIOL 46000Herpetology3
BIOL 46100 or

BIOL 59500

Animal Behavior3
BIOL 46200Evolution of Human Mating Systems3
BIOL 48800Bio Sci Internship (Ecology Related EXL)1 to 3
BIOL 48900Biol Sci Research (Ecology Related EXL)1 to 3
BIOL 49500Special Assignments (Ecology Related)1 to 3
BIOL 51605Environmental MicrobiologyX4BIOL 22100 or 31600, C- or better
BIOL 58700Biogeography3BIOL 33300
BIOL 58800Plant Ecology3BIOL 30700 or 33300
BIOL 59100Field EcologyX4BIOL 33300 recommended
BIOL 59500Special Assignments (Ecology Related)Varies
Animal Behavior3BIOL 33300 recommended
Microbial Ecology3
Environmental MicrobiologyX4
OrnithologyX4BIOL 33300 recommended
Wetland Ecology3BIOL 33300 recommended
Independent Study Related to Ecology1 to 3BIOL 33300
BIOL 59700Sex and Evolution3
  BTNY  55500Aquatic Botany3

 

Subject Code/ Course NumberGroup B

Program Electives (Course Title)

LabCredit HoursPre/Co-requisite Courses
BIOL 30700 or

BIOL 3XXXX

Plant Physiology or Plant Form and FunctionNo/Yes4BIOL 10100 and BIOL 10200
BIOL 31600Basic MicrobiologyX4BIOL 10100, BIOL 10200 and CHM 11600
BIOL 35700Introductory Animal PhysiologyX4BIOL 10100 and 10200
BIOL 49200MycologyX3
BIOL 50700Molecular Biology3BIOL 24300 and BIOL 24400
BIOL 50800Recombinant DNA TechniquesX3BIOL 24300 and BIOL 24400
BIOL 51801Biology Ethical Frontiers3BIOL 21300 and BIOL 24400
BIOL 54401EpigeneticsX3BIOL 24300 and BIOL 24400
BIOL 59500Bioinformatics3

*Availability of elective courses in a particular semester may change. Please consult your advisor or check the biology website for current availability of elective courses.

Total credits required for baccalaureate degree: __120____*

*For degree programs that require an excess of 120 credit hours, provide explanation and attach documentation, if appropriate.