Biology

The World of Biology

An overview of the study of life including biodiversity, genetic engineering, and problems associated with the expanding human population. Designed for non-science majors. $50 lab fee. Offered every semester.

Gardening and Plant Propagation

Plant growth and nutrition with practical application in maintaining a vegetable garden and the Batten University greenhouse. Topics include tissue culture, grafting, cloning, and hydroponics. Offered each spring.

Principles of Biology I: Ecology and Evolution

Topics include ecology, Darwinian evolution, population genetics, speciation, the origin of life, animal form and function, animal behavior, and biological conservation. For Biology, EES, or ENVS majors. Offered every fall.

Principles of Biology II: Cell Biology and Genetics

Biochemistry, cell structure and metabolism, the cell cycle, cancer biology, gene inheritance, gene expression, and biotechnology applications. For Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry majors. $50 lab fee. Offered every spring.

Principles of Ecology and Evolution

For dual enrolled high school students only. Covers Darwinian evolution, population genetics, speciation, the origin of life, animal form and function, ecology, and biological conservation. $50 lab fee. Offered intermittently.

Introduction to Marine Biology

Organisms and communities of marine and estuarine areas, with field and laboratory identification of local organisms. Designed for non-science majors. $50 lab fee. Offered every fall.

Pathogens, Parasites and Plagues

Human diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasitic organisms. Covers entomology, the biology of parasites, and disease transmission. Designed for non-majors.

Principles of Biology III: The Diversity of Life

Survey of all major lineages — bacteria, archaea, fungi, plants, protists, and animals. $50 lab fee. Prerequisite: BIO 130 or BIO 132 and sophomore status. Offered every fall.

Microbiology for the Health Sciences

Biology of microorganisms as applied to healthcare settings. For students in the joint Nursing Program with Sentara College of Health Sciences. $50 lab fee. Prerequisite: CHEM 130. Offered intermittently.

Human Nutrition

How the human body obtains nutrients from food, covering dietary sources, intake levels, nutrition in growth and health, and diet's role in chronic diseases. Prerequisites: BIO 221 or 222 recommended. Offered summer or January Term.

Human Anatomy and Physiology I

Integrated lecture/lab examining the nervous, muscular, skeletal, integumentary, and respiratory systems. Lecture three hours, lab three hours per week. $50 lab fee. Offered every fall.

Human Anatomy and Physiology II

Cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Lecture three hours, lab three hours per week. $50 lab fee. Offered every spring.

Urban Ecology

Investigation of urban environments as ecosystems heavily influenced by the human population and the consumption of natural resources. Examines the impacts of urbanization on biotic communities and the human population, including issues related to water, air, energy, food production, and urban green space. Additional fee required to cover travel costs. Prerequisite: BIO 230 requires no prerequisite. BIO 330 will retain a prerequisite of BIO 130 or consent. Offered intermittently.

Genetics

Principles of heredity as applied to plants and animals. Lecture three hours, lab three hours per week. Prerequisites: CHEM 120 and BIO 130 and 132. Offered every spring.

Teaching Experience

Qualified students assist Biology instructors in teaching courses and laboratories. Maximum 4 semester hours toward graduation. Prerequisite: Consent.

General Ecology

Interrelationships between organisms and their environment from the individual to the global scale. Identical to EES 316. Prerequisites: BIO 130, ENG 105 with C or higher, and sophomore status. Offered every spring.

Conservation Biology

Examines conservation at multiple levels (genes to ecosystems) from a biological perspective. Covers what is currently known about biodiversity loss and the consequences of that loss for ecosystems. Students build skills relevant to a conservation-related career, including review of scientific evidence and management planning. Prerequisites: BIO 130 and sophomore status or higher. Offered intermittently.

Tropical Marine Ecology

An introduction to major tropical marine habitats and ecological processes that control tropical marine ecosystems with a focus on coral reefs, mangroves, and tropical seagrass beds. Organisms' characteristic of these habitats and their symbiotic relationships will be examined. Prerequisite(s): BIO 130/131 or BIO 200 or consent. Offered intermittently.

Marine Invertebrate Evolution

NO CATALOG DESCRIPTION FOUND IN SOURCE MATERIAL. This course is referenced in the Marine Science minor requirements but no course description exists anywhere in the source catalog text. Flagged for Academic Affairs — do not publish without confirmed catalog copy.

Marine Ecology

Ecological processes and communities of marine and estuarine environments, including field and laboratory investigations. Prerequisite: BIO 130 or 150 or consent. Offered intermittently.

Histology

Microscopic structure of cells, tissues, and organs. Prerequisite: BIO 200 or consent. Lecture three hours, lab three hours per week. Offered fall of even-numbered years.

Comparative Anatomy

Comparative study of vertebrate anatomy with emphasis on functional and evolutionary relationships. Prerequisite: BIO 200 or consent. Offered fall of odd-numbered years.

Marine Invertebrate Zoology

Comprehensive treatment of marine invertebrate phyla with emphasis on evolutionary relationships, functional morphology, and ecology. Prerequisite: BIO 200 or consent. Offered fall of odd-numbered years.

Topics in Tropical Biology

Intensive field experience in neotropical ecosystems. Destinations may include Belize, Costa Rica, or other tropical sites. Course fee required. Identical to EES 375. Prerequisite: BIO 130 and sophomore status and consent. Runs concurrently with BIO 435.

Entomology and Arachnology

Comprehensive survey of insects and arachnids of medical, economic, and ecological significance. Includes laboratory examinations and field collections. Prerequisite: BIO 200 or consent.

Comparative Animal Physiology

Basic mechanisms by which animals function, emphasizing how invertebrates and vertebrates adapt to environmental conditions. Prerequisite: BIO 200 with C or higher or consent. Offered every spring.

Animal Behavior

Mechanisms and evolution of animal behavior including genetics, neural mechanisms, communication, social behavior, and reproductive behavior. Prerequisites: BIO 130 and sophomore status or consent. Offered every spring.

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Essentials and research applications of SEM including specimen preparation and imaging modes. Hands-on training required. Identical to EES 393. Prerequisites: Sophomore status and consent.

Fluorescence Microscopy

Applications of epifluorescence and confocal laser microscopy to imaging living cells and tissues. Prerequisites: Sophomore status and consent.

Advanced Light Microscopy

Fundamentals of light microscopy including compound, stereo, and polarizing microscopes. Covers dark-field, phase-contrast, DIC, fluorescence, and staining techniques. Prerequisites: Sophomore status and consent.

Histotechnique

Techniques for preparing tissues for light microscopy including specimen fixation, tissue processing, microtome sectioning, and staining. Prerequisites: Sophomore status and consent.

Evolution

Biological evolution through natural selection, covering microevolution, speciation, macroevolution, ecology, and modern phylogenetic methods. Prerequisites: BIO 130 and 132 and junior/senior status or consent.

Chemical Ecology

How organisms use chemicals to mediate interactions within and between species. Topics include plant-herbivore interactions, coral chemical defenses, and insect semiochemicals. Offered every fall.

Cell and Molecular Biology

Structure and function of prokaryotes and eukaryotes at the cellular and molecular level. Prerequisite: BIO 288 with C or higher. Offered every spring.

Topics in Molecular Techniques

Molecular techniques for research and biotechnology applications. Topics vary. May be repeated as topics vary. Prerequisite: BIO 288 or consent.

Tropical Ecology

Intensive field experience in neotropical ecosystems. Destinations may include Trinidad, Belize, or Costa Rica. Course fee additional. Runs concurrently with BIO 375.

Internship in the Natural Sciences

Intensive on-site field experience. Minimum 80 hours per 2 credit hours. Students must coordinate placement with a supervising faculty member at least two months prior. Pass/fail grading. Prerequisites: Junior/senior status and consent. Offered every semester.

Natural and Social History of the Chesapeake Bay

A comprehensive view of one of the world's largest and most diverse estuaries. Saturday field trips required. Prerequisite: Junior/senior status.

Microbiology

Basic microbiological concepts and the role of microorganisms in applied areas. Prerequisite: BIO 288 with C or higher. Offered every fall.

Research in the Natural Sciences

Original scientific research with natural science faculty. Maximum 8 semester hours. Identical to CHEM 489, CS 489, and EES 489. Prerequisites: Junior/senior status, natural sciences major, prior advisor approval, and consent.