BIOLOGY 104 – Topics: From Conception to Birth
(4 credits)
McWhorter, Michelle
Open to all students
This non-majors course will discuss the major concepts in human embryonic and fetal development. There will also be a discussion of the ethical and moral issues surrounding the human embryo, such as stem cells and cloning. While there is no laboratory component to this course, there will be both oral and written communication components.
BIOLOGY 110 - Survey of Biology
(4 credits)
Mason, David
Open to all students
Lecture, discussion, and demonstration dealing with such topics as the origin of life, sexual reproduction, diversity, adaptation, heredity, environment, and infectious diseases as they relate to humans.
BIOLOGY 130 – The Botanical World
(4 Credits)
Kwit, Charles
Open to all students
Plants have been, are, and will continue to be critical components of human societies. We use them and their products for a variety of purposes (e.g., food, drugs, shelter, energy resources, not to mention the oxygen in the air we breathe), yet most of us lack a full awareness of their utility, as well as a general biological understanding of what plants are. This course will introduce students to plants (e.g., what they are, what they are made up of, how they work), how humans have used and continue to use them, how such uses have affected and continue to affect societies, and the roles plants play in the environment.
BIOLOGY 142 - Ecological Biology and Environmental Issues
(4 credits)
Hobbs, Horton
Open to all students
This is an introductory course for non-majors with emphasis on environmental biology. This is a lecture-discussion course with no laboratory and a research paper and oral presentation are required. Much of the semester will be spent examining the structure and function of natural ecosystems; the latter part of the course will focus on the impacts of humans on these ecosystems.
BIOLOGY 180 - Concepts of Biology
(5 credits)
Collier, Matthew and
Yoder, Jay
Open to all students planning to major in Biology
A survey of concepts common to most areas of the biological sciences. Topics including the scientific method, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, energy flow, flowering plant and animal biology, and the evolution of diversity will be covered. Prerequisite (with BIOL 170) to all other major courses.
BIOLOGY 221 – Pharmacology
(4 credits)
Pederson, Cathy
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
This course shows biology majors and minors the effects of particular chemicals on human physiology. Humans interact with many pharmacological agents on a regular basis. These agents range from prescription to illicit drugs, as well as contact with environmental chemicals. The primary focus of this course is the effects of these chemicals on the nervous system. Some of the pharmacological agents to be studied will include cocaine, barbiturates, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and oral contraceptives. In addition, the course will focus on chemicals encountered in the environment, i.e. pesticides and their effects on wildlife and human populations.
BIOLOGY 233 - Ornithology
(5 credits)
Ritzenthaler, John
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
Students will investigate the biology, ecology, and identification of birds. We will combine lecture, laboratory, and field experiences to understand taxonomy, structure, behavior, and identification by sight and song. The 400-plus species of birds recorded in Ohio will serve as our basis for our study of the incredible diversity of birds throughout the world. Several Saturday field trips as well as early morning bird walks are required.
Biology 235 – Morphology of Vascular Plants
(5 Credits)
Collier, Matthew
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
This course will cover comparative morphology, anatomy, and life histories of vascular plants (e.g., whisk ferns, ground pines, ferns, horsetails, gymnosperms [ginkgo, cycads, and pines], and angiosperms). Students will also examine classification, nomenclature, relationships, reproduction, and economic importance of vascular plants.
BIOLOGY 237 - Microbiology
(5 credits)
Yoder, Jay
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
Basic principles of bacteriology and virology, stressing structure, metabolism, classification, and application.
BIOLOGY 239 - Biology of Marine Invertebrates
(5 credits)
Reinsel, Kathleen and
Welch, Jim
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
Over 90% of the world’s animals are invertebrates, and virtually all invertebrate groups have marine representatives. This course will focus on the major invertebrate taxa, examining their distinguishing characteristics in addition to their physiology, ecology, and natural history. In lab, we will observe living specimens of many invertebrates, examine and describe the internal and external anatomy of some of them, and experiment with a few. Live specimens will be used whenever possible--we will collect many of these during an optional field trip associated with this course (Biology 258: Extended Field Studies - Marine Invertebrates).
BIOLOGY 250 – Topics: Conservation Biology
(5 credits)
Kwit, Charles
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
The earth’s plant and animal species currently face an unprecedented die off. A quarter of all mammals, one out of eight birds, one out of three amphibians, and 70 percent of all plants are facing extinction. Conservation biology is a discipline that primarily involves action against the decline of biodiversity. Though the natural sciences and mathematics form a foundation for conservation biology, it is truly a multidisciplinary science; its efforts cannot be realized without assistance from the social sciences, government and non-government organizations, the business world, the humanities, and individual people. This course exhibits the integration of seemingly diverse disciplines as a means to conserving biodiversity. It will focus on the benefits of and threats to biodiversity, and the biology that underlies conservation dilemmas. It will also introduce methodologies that have comprised the prioritization and the success of conservation efforts. This course counts toward Group 4 of the biology major requirements.
BIOLOGY 250 – Topics: Molecular Neurobiology
(5 credits)
McWhorter, Michelle
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
This topics course will cover basic molecular biology in the context of the nervous system. During the semester, the course will discuss neurotransmitters, synapses, receptors, neural development, and the molecular basis of neurodegenerative diseases. The laboratory component of the course will consist of a semester long project to identify genes expressed in the nervous system. This course counts toward Group 1 of the biology major requirements.
BIOLOGY 255 - Biological Literacy
(4 credits)
Hobbs, Horton
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
A study of common sources, methods, and techniques used in scientific writing and in presenting biological literature. There will be a strong emphasis on bibliographic sources as well as written and oral presentations of biological material.
BIOLOGY 258 - Extended Field Studies - Ecology
(1 credit)
Lewis, Timothy
Prerequisite: Must take concurrently with Biology 346
Four-day winter field trip to northern lower Michigan to study the ecology of the area.
BIOLOGY 258 - Extended Field Studies - Marine Invertebrates
( 1 credit)
Reinsel, Kathleen and
Welch, Jim
Prerequisite: Must take concurrently with Biology 239. Instructor permission required.
A 5-day field trip (Wednesday, April 22 – Sunday, April 26) to the Duke Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, N.C. Students will participate in field trips to marine habitats to observe and collect invertebrates for study and experimentation at Wittenberg.
BIOLOGY 312 - The Cell
(5 credits)
Goodman, Margaret
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and Chemistry 162
Cell biology focuses on the structure and function of the cell, examining individual structures and building toward a synthesis of the dynamic metabolic processes of the cell. These processes include synthesis of cellular components, metabolic pathways, and signaling pathways.
BIOLOGY 326 – Human Anatomy and Physiology II
(4 credits)
Pederson, Cathy
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180 and one upper-level biology course
Students will learn about the major systems of the human body in both lecture and laboratory. Topics to be discussed include the cardiovascular, respiratory, immune and urinary systems. Disease states will also be discussed. Assessment will include 3 written examinations, writing assignments, and a final examination. One credit laboratory course offered separately in conjunction with this course (Biology 327). Offered every year.
BIOLOGY 327 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II laboratory
(1 credit)
Pederson, Cathy
Co-requisite: Biology 326
Laboratories will focus on the anatomy and physiology of each system as they are discussed in the Biology 326 lectures. Laboratories will include dissection. Assessment will include weekly review sheets, an independent project and paper, and lab practical examinations. Offered every year.
BIOLOGY 328 - Electron Microscopy
(5 credits)
Mason, David
Prerequisites: Biology 170 and 180
The goal of this course is to have students study the structure and function of cells and tissues at both the light and electron microscopic levels.
Students are evaluated on their understanding of cell and tissue structure and function by three examinations employing slides and micrographs. The results of their projects are incorporated into a formal paper and presentation which are evaluated and included as part of their final grade.
This is a lecture-discussion course format, including slide presentations of cells and tissues, and "hand's on" laboratory experience with light and electron microscopes.
Text: Bloom and Fawcett, Histology; Mason, Laboratory Manual of Electron Microscopy.
BIOLOGY 346 - Ecology
(5 credits)
Lewis, Timothy
Prerequisites: A Biology group 2, 3, or 4 course and Math Placement 22
Ecology as a body of scientific knowledge includes many subjects, both within and beyond biology. This course will focus on four levels of ecological inquiry: ecology of the individual organism, ecology of populations, ecology of communities, and ecology of ecosystems. We will draw heavily on ethology, physiology, genetics, and evolution to understand the interactions of organisms and groups of organisms.
The goal of this course is to examine the basic subject material of ecology, providing a foundation on which a student can pursue terrestrial ecology of limnology at Wittenberg, or advanced courses in graduate school. Another goal of this course is to introduce the student to the ecological literature and to ecological field techniques and analytical methods. There will be four exams, a research report, lab reports, and a lab exam. The final will not be a comprehensive exam.
Labs will be outside, rain, snow, or sunshine. Only lightning will keep us inside. At least one lab will be well into the evening, perhaps as late at 9 p.m. There will be an optional four-day trip to northern Lower Michigan with an approximate cost of $30.
BIOLOGY 406 - Senior Capstone
(4 credits)
Goodman, Margaret and
Yoder, Jay
Prerequisite: Must have senior status
The capstone course uses a topic-driven approach to promote synthesis of biological concepts and emphasize the inter-relatedness of different disciplines within biology. These concepts range from the molecular level through organismal biology to populations and ecosystems. The course will rely heavily on the primary literature with emphasis on the process of scientific discovery. In this course students develop skills in presenting scientific material in both oral and written form. This writing-intensive course is required of all biology majors and is to be taken during the senior year.
