This course is a study of the structure and functions of the human body at the tissue, organ, and system level. Laboratory work includes: investigative laboratory experiments, histological examinations, specific organ dissections, and whole specimen dissections of a fetal pig and rat that investigate all body systems concurrently.
A study of biology with an emphasis on ecological, genetic, and evolutionary concepts. Topics such as disruption of ecosystems, human population growth, world food and energy shortages, human disease, and genetic engineering will be examined and discussed. Intended for non-science majors outside the Natural Science Division. The course includes 2 hours of lab work each week.
An introduction to the study of biology with an emphasis on genetic, ecological, and evolutionary concepts. The course includes 2 hours laboratory experience each week.
A study of the major taxonomic groupings of plants and animals using an evolutionary approach followed by an in-depth study of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the physiological processes responsible for control and integration in both plants and animals. The course includes 3 hours laboratory experience each week.
A study of the structure of the human body at the tissue, organ, and system level. Laboratory work includes dissection and histological studies.
This introductory course will integrate concepts and material from several disciplines to analyze and evaluate current environmental problems, study specific pollutants, and evaluate consequences of their continued production. A modern and holistic approach is designed to meet both the needs of non-majors with a serious concern about environmental issues and the needs of students who intend to pursue career objectives in environmental science or ecology. The course includes 2 hours of laboratory work each week.
Natural Science Core course.
Special Topics in Biology.
This course will offer greater understanding of the history of medicine and how the hospital has become a central institution in the life cycle. Beginning with a basic introduction to contemporary healthcare in America, it will next offer a historic and scientific discussion of conception and child-birth. The course will then focus on cancer as an example of one of the diseases to which the human body is susceptible and conclude with a discussion of death as part of life. In addition, the course will take on the history of the hospital and the medical personnel who work within. Central to each of these themes will be the ethical questions and complexities that cannot be separated from the practical aspects of caring for life. Through case studies, lab work, invited guests and a visit to off-site medical research facilities, the class will offer students both an understanding of the biology of reproduction and cancer, as well as the increasingly complex nature of the science of care.
Natural Science Core course.
This course aims to understand what makes us who we are by exploring both the influences of our genes (nature) and experiences (nurture). These two mechanisms cannot be easily teased apart, so students in the course will discover how nature and nurture interact. Students will encounter concepts in behavior and basic molecular genetics through the exploration of the topics of eugenics, medical disorders, and genetic testing. The question of how society should use empirical evidence to frame policy will be addressed, along with discussions about the role of free will and personal accountability in these issues.
Natural Science Core course.
This course will be cross listed as a psychology course with the PSYC prefix.
This course has previously been taught as a capstone course. The instructors modified the course to address the SOPHIA outcomes.
An explosion of discoveries in genetics is sweeping through modern society, but with excitement and hope come misconceptions and risks. Today’s students will face ethical decisions concerning genetics that previous generations could only dream about. Therefore, a solid understanding of genetics and the ability to interpret new genetic discoveries through empirical evidence has become essential for a person’s ability to make decisions that support their well-being, allow them to be an informed voter on policy, and justly judge future developments in genetics. Using case-studies, guest speakers, videos, readings, and podcasts to complement small and large group discussion, the course will allow students to explore the unpinning principles of genetics, along with ethical dilemmas, such as genetic determinism, a paternalistic view of genetic information, and controversies surrounding genetic modification. The course is intended for students who are not majoring in the biological sciences.
Natural Science Core course.
This course will be cross listed as a psychology course with the PSYC prefix.
This course has previously been taught as a capstone course. The instructors modified the course to address the SOPHIA outcomes.
A study of the function, integration, and coordination of the organ systems of the human body with an emphasis on homeostatic control mechanisms. This course includes an experimental laboratory in which basic human physiological responses are studied. This course is not intended for biology majors.
This course covers classical Mendelian analysis, mitosis and meiosis, genetic mapping, non-Mendelian inheritance, chromosomal structure and mutations, the structure of DNA and RNA, transcription, translation, molecular gene cloning and analysis, human genetics and the Human Genome Project, and population and quantitative genetics. The course includes 3 hours of laboratory per week, focused on experience in genetic mapping, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics.
The course begins with an introduction to the techniques used in studying cells and the elements of bioenergetics. Then the ultra-structure and function of all major eucaryotic organelles are described in detail. This survey includes the principles of cell metabolism and its regulation, membrane transport, and the cell cycle. The course concludes with specialized topics such as the biology of cancer and the cellular mechanisms of hormone action. The laboratory acquaints students with techniques employed in cell biology.
This course is intended to acquaint the student with the biology and importance of bacteria and viruses. Particular emphasis will be placed on disease mechanisms, the nature of the most important diseases afflicting humans, immunology, and selected aspects of applied microbiology with public health implications (e.g., drinking water and sewage treatment). The laboratory will introduce a wide variety of standard microbial techniques. This course is not intended for biology majors.
This course is designed to provide students with STEM majors an introduction to biostatistical concepts and to the design and analysis of experiments, with the goal of equipping practicing scientists with the tools to analyze research data. The course emphasizes the application of statistical ideas and methods to the design and interpretation of biological experiments and comparative data sets, and includes a writing intensive approach. Students successfully completing this course will be able to develop and implement appropriate experimental design in conducting scientific research, carry out appropriate statistical analyses and interpretation for a variety of data types using several statistical platforms, critically read and interpret the statistical content of scientific journal articles in the biological and biomedical sciences, and exhibit advanced scientific writing skills.
Special Topics in Biology.
Intended to provide experience in research or special techniques in biology on an individual basis. This course designation may not be used to replace a 300-level elective.
Permission of the Instructor
This course will introduce a series of physical principles, based on statistical mechanics, which can be used to examine biological questions, specifically questions involving how cells function. Calculus will be used without apology.
In Guatemala we will live humbly and simply with host families in a small village. Mornings are spent at a Spanish language school, studying one-on-one with native instructors. Afternoons include excursions to forest reserves and Mayan ruins including Tikal. In Belize, we will stay at a field station on a small island. We study a variety of marine habitats including coral reefs, mangroves, and coastal lagoons. Students will conduct scientific research projects involving data collection. The course will involve some fairly rigorous physical activity as well as some potentially challenging living conditions.
This course is an introduction to the innate and specific aspects of the immune system with emphasis on cell-mediated and humoral mechanisms of immune function. Current methodologies in immunology research will be discussed. Students will become familiar with how the immune system functions within the context of disease, including auto-immune disorders, AIDS, and cancer.
During this course, students will explore the emerging understanding of the complicated, yet effective mechanisms that the cell uses to elicit a response from an extracellular signal. Students will also investigate what happens when these events are disrupted, either by mutation of genes/proteins involved in these processes or environmental molecular analogs of signaling ligands. Students will master the general mechanisms of how cells regulate their activity and how these pathways are being elucidated by critically analyzing current experimental strategies in the primary literature.
A study of vertebrate morphogenetic processes. Emphasis is placed on study of a generalized vertebrate structure pattern and examination of some of the morphological specializations built upon this basic plan. Laboratory emphasizes chick development and anatomy of the Ammocoetes larva, the dogfish and the pig. Development - evolution interactions are explored throughout the course. Special lab activities support work in this area.
This course includes the study of the classification, evolution, distribution, identification, life histories and morphological, ecological, and behavioral adaptations of birds. The laboratory portion is designed to allow students to learn about the internal and external structure of birds and to learn to identify the various families and species of birds. Emphasis is placed on identification of the species of South Dakota and the Great Plains.
A study of the role and mechanism of the major processes of vascular plants from a functional and structural approach. The integration of plant growth, reproduction, and physiology are stressed. Agricultural and environmental implications are emphasized.
This course will familiarize students with the biology of microorganisms, with a primary focus on prokaryotic microbes and viruses. Topics will include bacterial cell biology, metabolism, and genetics, as well as ecology of microbes and their interactions with humans and the environment. Emphasis will be given to mechanisms of virulence, human resistance to infectious disease and the immune response to microbes. The laboratory portion of the course enforces lecture topics. Activities focus on basic techniques and concepts used in the microbiology laboratory and application of these techniques to student projects. Topics covered in this course take into account curriculum recommendations from the American Society of Microbiology.
Analysis of developmental processes including gametogenesis, fertilization, cleavage, morphogenetic movements, growth, and developmental regulation. Major emphasis is placed upon the nature and control of cell differentiation. Laboratory work emphasizes experimental studies on living materials.
Ecology is the study of interrelations between plants, animals and the abiotic environment. This field-oriented course will focus on the major ecosystems of South Dakota including the study of human impacts on these ecosystems. In addition to extensive field trips to area prairies and forests, the course includes a three-day trip to the Black Hills and the Badlands (required). The trip will involve camping and hiking in these spectacular ecosystems of western South Dakota.
The ecology of lakes and rivers. The course will focus on management issues facing area lakes and streams, together with the underlying biological, chemical, and physical factors that regulate freshwater ecosystems. The course includes extensive field work, culminating in small group projects in which students select a local pond or stream, then design and conduct a water quality and fisheries assessment.
An analysis of the factors that determine plant distribution. Initially this course will focus on the observation and identification of local plants, plant types, and communities. Later we will expand our discussion to major vegetation types in North America. Through field trips, laboratory experiments and lectures this course will stress various aspects of community, population, and physiological ecology. Specific topics will include competition and succession, population demography, and productivity.
A study of the chemistry of cellular constituents, enzymes and catalysis, metabolism, and the control of metabolic processes with particular emphasis upon the dynamic aspects of cellular metabolism. The laboratory will consist of selected projects such as the purification and characterization of an enzyme. Counts towards the experimental requirement for major only when the laboratory portion is also taken.
This course involves a detailed study of the molecular nature of genes, their regulation, expression, and manipulation. Emphasis will be placed on experimental analysis in understanding the genetic systems. In addition, the role of molecular genetics in the area of biotechnology will be considered. The laboratory will emphasize modern molecular methods in recombinant DNA work and related areas.
Evolution is the central, unifying theory of the biological sciences. This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the core principles of modern evolutionary biology. Lecture and laboratory activities will together establish the logic that underlies evolutionary theory, and focus on key historical and modern research studies to explain and illustrate these theories while establishing links to other areas in the life sciences. We will examine major events in the history of life on Earth, and the mechanisms of evolutionary change: mutation, natural selection, migration, genetic drift, and stochastic events.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the process that generates the drugs we take, from the laboratory bench to the medicine cabinet. This course will foster an understanding of drug development, methods of drug delivery and metabolism, mechanisms of drug action, and basic cellular physiology in order to identify how drugs elicit their medicinal properties. Students will also get a chance to examine the ethical and social dimensions of modern-day drug development and application.
This course is a study of the function, integration, and coordination of the organ systems of the human body. The systems and topics covered include the nervous, endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems; as well as muscle, renal physiology, digestion, and reproduction. Emphasis will be given on integrating all systems in disease and diagnosis. The laboratory component includes student designed projects and discussions about current topics in human physiology. This course is intended for junior and senior biology majors.
Biology majors may be involved in a research project being conducted by the supervising faculty member. Students will meet regularly with the faculty member, read relevant research articles and perform experiments to collect and analyze data.
Internships permit students to obtain credit for practical experience in biology and related fields. The level and amount of credit for such experiences will be determined individually in consultation with the department chairperson. Cannot be applied toward the 36 hours required for the major.
Special topics in Biology.
Intended to provide experience in research or special techniques in biology on an individual basis. This course designation may not be used to replace a 300-level elective.
Permission of the Instructor
This is a required course for Biology majors and is usually taken junior year. The course covers two semesters due to the required attendance of six Biology Seminars (Fall and Spring). Students register for one semester only. The spring semester is designed to help students prepare graduate school/professional school applications and/or job searches. Topics include search strategies, CV, cover letter, and interviewing skills. Graded S/U Only
This course is a combination of two Project Lead The Way courses. This course will satisfy the lab science general education requirement.
Principles of the Biomedical Sciences: Students explore biology concepts through the study of human diseases. Students determine the factors that led to the death of a fictional person, and investigate lifestyle choices and medical treatments that might have prolonged the person’s life. The activities and projects introduce students to human physiology, medicine and research processes.
Human Body Systems: Students examine the interactions of human body systems as they explore identity, power, movement, protection and homeostasis. Students design experiments, investigate the structures and functions of the human body, and use data acquisition software to monitor body functions such as muscle movement, reflex and voluntary action and respiration.
Students investigate a variety of interventions involved in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease as they follow the life of a fictitious family. Students explore how to prevent and fight infection; screen and evaluate the code in human DNA; prevent, diagnose and treat cancer; and prevail when the organs of the body begin to fail.
Students design innovative solutions for the health challenges of the 21st century. They work through progressively challenging open-ended problems, addressing topics such as clinical medicine, physiology, biomedical engineering and public health. They have the opportunity to work on an independent project with a mentor or advisor from a university, hospital, research institution, or biomedical industry.