Course Description

The structure, function, heredity, evolution, and ecological interactions of living systems with emphasis on those concepts having major implications for humans and society. Specific content may vary by course section subtitle, but all sections repeat core concepts. Only one section may be counted for course credit. Laboratory course. Section subtitles offered recently include Humans & Health and Plants & People. Consult the course schedule for current offerings. Biology Majors are not allowed to take these courses.

Course Objectives

This course is designed for non-science majors to serve as an introduction to the basic principles of biology, with a focus on marine biology. We will study the physical and chemical properties of the ocean, the diversity of organisms that live in this environment, the various regions of the marine environment, and human impacts on the ocean. At the conclusion of the course, you should have an understanding of:

the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the oceans;
the principles of anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behavior;
basic aspects of the Linnaean system of nomenclature/ classification and the phylogenetic relationships of the organisms studied;
the diversity of organisms that live in the marine environment;
different regions of the ocean and the unique challenges to life that each represents;
the impacts of human activities on the oceans;
the utility of the scientific method as a means of acquiring new information and how to present and interpret data