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Undergraduate Catalog

2011 - 2012

BS in Physiology and Developmental Biology
(65–66 hours*)

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Program Requirements    |    View MAP

  1. Complete the following life sciences core courses:

  2. Complete the following chemistry and physics courses:
      CHEM 105 : General College Chemistry. (4:5:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      CHEM 105 : General College Chemistry. (4:5:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      PREREQUISITE: Math 110 (or equivalent) or concurrent enrollment.
      DESCRIPTION: Atomic and molecular structure including bonding and periodic properties of the elements; reaction energetics, electrochemistry, acids and bases, inorganic and organic chemistry.
      NOTE: Primarily for students in engineering and biological sciences. Three lectures and two recitation sections per week.

      Course Outcomes


      CHEM 106 : General College Chemistry. (3:4:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      CHEM 106 : General College Chemistry. (3:4:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Summer
      PREREQUISITE: CHEM 105; or CHEM 111
      DESCRIPTION: Continuation of Chem 105 but covering most of the topics in a more quantitative way. Detailed treatment of thermodynamics and equilibria.
      NOTE: Three lectures and one recitation section per week.

      Course Outcomes


      CHEM 107 : General College Chemistry Laboratory. (1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      CHEM 107 : General College Chemistry Laboratory. (1:0:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      PREREQUISITE: Chem 106 or Chem 112 or concurrent enrollment.
      DESCRIPTION: Chemical properties, chemical reactions, collection and interpretation of data, preparation of reports.
      NOTE: Required for most students needing one year of general chemistry.

      Course Outcomes


      CHEM 351 : Organic Chemistry. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      CHEM 351 : Organic Chemistry. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      PREREQUISITE: CHEM 105; or CHEM 111
      DESCRIPTION: Chemical bonds and molecular structure, conformation and configuration, functional classes, reactions and mechanisms, syntheses.
      NOTE: Primarily for majors in chemical engineering and the biological sciences.

      Course Outcomes


      CHEM 352 : Organic Chemistry. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      CHEM 352 : Organic Chemistry. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
      PREREQUISITE: CHEM 351
      DESCRIPTION: Continuation of Chem 351.

      Course Outcomes


      CHEM 481 : Biochemistry. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      PREREQUISITE: CHEM 352M & PDBIO 120; or CHEM 352 & PDBIO 120
      DESCRIPTION: First-semester biochemistry. Molecular components of cells, chemical structure and function, enzymes, metabolic transformations, photosynthesis.
      NOTE: For chemistry majors and students in biological sciences who contemplate pursuing advanced degrees, including medicine.

      Course Outcomes


      PHSCS 105 : Introductory Applied Physics. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PHSCS 105 : Introductory Applied Physics. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      PREREQUISITE: High school algebra and trigonometry.
      RECOMMENDED: Concurrent enrollment in Phscs 107.
      DESCRIPTION: Applied physics course not requiring calculus. Topics include mechanics, heat, wave motion, sound.

      Course Outcomes


      PHSCS 106 : Introductory Applied Physics. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PHSCS 106 : Introductory Applied Physics. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Summer
      PREREQUISITE: Phscs 105 or equivalent.
      RECOMMENDED: Concurrent enrollment in Phscs 108.
      DESCRIPTION: Continuation of Phscs 105. Topics include electricity and magnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and optics.

      Course Outcomes


  3. Complete the following major core courses:
      PDBIO 325 : Tissue Biology (with lab). (3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PDBIO 325 : Tissue Biology (with lab). (3:2:3)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter
      PREREQUISITE: PDBIO 120 & PDBIO 220
      DESCRIPTION: Human anatomy and histology; function of cells in tissue; early stages of embryology.
      NOTE: Course should be taken during a student's second or third year and before courses in physiology and developmental biology.

      Course Outcomes


      PDBIO 362 : Advanced Physiology. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PDBIO 362 : Advanced Physiology. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      PREREQUISITE: MMBIO 240 & PHSCS 106; or MMBIO 240 & PHSCS 220
      DESCRIPTION: Integrated approach to organ system and cellular physiology. Problem solving/calculations.
      NOTE: Requires background in chemistry and molecular biology. Students without this background should take PDBio 305.

      Course Outcomes


      PDBIO 363 : Advanced Physiology Laboratory. (1:.5:1.5)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PDBIO 363 : Advanced Physiology Laboratory. (1:.5:1.5)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring
      PREREQUISITE: PDBio 362 or concurrent enrollment; or instructor's consent.
      DESCRIPTION: Experiments and exercises in advanced physiology emphasizing human physiology. Computer simulations of muscle function, endocrine disease, and human physiology. Emphasizes problem solving and calculations.

      Course Outcomes


      PDBIO 455R : Physiology and Developmental Biology Seminar. (.5:1:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PDBIO 455R : Physiology and Developmental Biology Seminar. (.5:1:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter
      DESCRIPTION: Seminar (research) presentations for undergraduates in physiology and developmental biology.

      Course Outcomes


      PDBIO 482 : Developmental Biology. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      PDBIO 482 : Developmental Biology. (3:3:1)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
      WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter
      PREREQUISITE: MMBIO 240 & MMBIO 241 & PDBIO 360
      RECOMMENDED: PDBio 325.
      DESCRIPTION: Invertebrate and vertebrate developmental biology. Embryonic gastrulation, neurulation, pattering, etc. Modern approaches and research strategies. Emphasizes gene function, cell signaling, signal transduction during embryogenesis.

      Course Outcomes


  4. Complete one course from the following:

  5. Complete one course from the following:

  6. Complete one course from the following advanced molecular courses:

  7. Complete one course from the following capstone courses:

  8. Complete 6.5 hours from the following courses, including at least 1 hour from the mentored experience list and at least 2 hours from the advanced laboratory requirement list.
    1. Mentored experience:

    2. Advanced laboratory experience:
        CHEM 581 : Advanced Biochemical Methodology 1. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        CHEM 581 : Advanced Biochemical Methodology 1. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Fall
        PREREQUISITE: Chem 482 or equivalent.
        DESCRIPTION: Physical methods used in biochemical research, including centrifugation, structural determinations, and use of radioactivity and spectroscopy.
        NOTE: First of two required courses for biochemistry graduate students.

        Course Outcomes


        CHEM 583 : Advanced Biochemical Methodology 2. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        CHEM 583 : Advanced Biochemical Methodology 2. (3:3:0)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Winter
        PREREQUISITE: CHEM 482
        DESCRIPTION: Molecular biological methods used in biochemistry, including immunotechniques, bioinformatics, and selected recombinant DNA techniques.
        NOTE: May be taken before or after 581.

        Course Outcomes


        CHEM 584 : Biochemistry Laboratory/Proteins. (3:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        CHEM 584 : Biochemistry Laboratory/Proteins. (3:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter
        PREREQUISITE: CHEM 481M; or CHEM 481; or equivalent.
        DESCRIPTION: Introduction to current biochemical research procedures including spectrophotometry, chromatography, electrophoresis, and immunological techniques. Protein over-expression; isolation and characterization methods. Enzyme kinetics and protein-ligand interactions. Introduction to bioinformatics.
        NOTE: May be taken before or after Chem 586.

        Course Outcomes


        CHEM 586 : Biochemistry Laboratory/Nucleic Acids. (3:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        CHEM 586 : Biochemistry Laboratory/Nucleic Acids. (3:1:2)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter
        PREREQUISITE: CHEM 482
        DESCRIPTION: Laboratory course covering major techniques involved in isolation, amplification, and cloning of recombinant DNA as well as isolation, synthesis, translation, and identification of RNA.
        NOTE: May be taken before or after Chem 584.

        Course Outcomes


        MMBIO 442 : Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory. (2:0:6)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        MMBIO 442 : Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory. (2:0:6)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter
        PREREQUISITE: MMBIO 241; MMBio 441 or concurrent enrollment.
        DESCRIPTION: Laboratory to accompany MMBio 441.

        Course Outcomes


        PDBIO 399R : Academic Internship: Physiology and Developmental Biology. (1-9:ARR:ARR)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        PDBIO 399R : Academic Internship: Physiology and Developmental Biology. (1-9:ARR:ARR)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
        PREREQUISITE: Consent of internship coordinator.
        DESCRIPTION: On-the-job experience in off-campus laboratories with a focus related to physiology, biophysics, or developmental biology.

        Course Outcomes


        PDBIO 495R : Advanced Undergraduate Research in Physiology and Developmental Biology. (1-4:ARR:ARR)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        PDBIO 495R : Advanced Undergraduate Research in Physiology and Developmental Biology. (1-4:ARR:ARR)(Credit Hours:Lecture Hours:Lab Hours)
        WHEN TAUGHT:Fall; Winter; Spring; Summer
        PREREQUISITE: 2 credit hours of PDBio 494R.
        DESCRIPTION: Senior level research laboratory experience for majors in physiology and developmental biology.

        Course Outcomes


    3. Elective courses (courses used to fill any requirements listed above cannot count for this requirement):

Recommended Courses

Professional schools and graduate programs may require additional courses not required for this major, such as Phscs 107, 108, Chem, calculus, or statistics. Contact the programs to which you may apply to determine the specific courses required.

Students considering professional or graduate degrees should take at least two semesters of mathematical courses. The recommended sequences are:

  1. Math 119, Stat 221 for students who want exposure to calculus and statistics.
  2. Math 112, 113 for students who want a firm foundation in calculus.
  3. Math 112, 113, Stat 221 for students who want a firm foundation in both calculus and statistics.

*Hours include courses that may fulfill university core requirements.



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