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BiologyFull Time Faculty: Lin Aanonsen, Sarah Boyer, Chris Calderone, Devavani Chatterjea, Kristi Curry Rogers, Mark Davis (Chair), Jerald Dosch, Daniel Hornbach, Mary Montgomery, Paul Overvoorde Part Time Faculty: Elizabeth Jansen Laboratory Supervisor: Mike Anderson Laboratory Supervisor and Instructor: Steven Sundby Research Technician(grant supported): Mark Hove Mission Statement The Biology Department is committed to providing intellectually rich and challenging learning experiences for majors and non-majors alike. These experiences are intended to communicate the foundations and frontiers of the life sciences (from molecules to ecosystems), the methods of biological inquiry, and the relevance of biology to society. Expectations for our Students *All Macalester students should understand that science is a continual and dynamic process of investigation. All students should appreciate that biological knowledge progresses via the support and rejection of competing hypotheses by the scientific community. Students should understand that these decisions are based on empirical evidence and logical arguments developed through inductive and deductive reasoning. To this end, all our students should become familiar with the historical development of some of the major concepts in biology. In addition, all our students should be able to develop scientifically informed positions on some of the social issues related to the biological topics they have studied. *All biology majors should be able to understand and communicate the central concepts and investigational methods that currently define biology and that they should learn basic laboratory and field techniques used in the various biological subdisciplines. After completing the four required core courses, students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of the central theories and methods in molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, physiology, ecology, phylogeny, and evolution, and use the vocabulary that embodies this knowledge. Through the laboratory component of the core courses, students should learn to articulate a testable hypothesis and design an effective investigative approach; collect, organize and analyze data using appropriate quantitative tools including statistical and graphical methods; and effectively communicate their ideas orally and in writing using customary scientific formats and styles. *All biology graduates should demonstrate an understanding of theories and specialized research techniques and be able to comprehend and critique primary scientific literature in their area(s) of interest. Upon graduation, students should be well prepared to pursue their interests in a variety of ways, including graduate or professional schools, public service, or entry into the work force. *Finally, we expect all biology graduates to be able to use their knowledge and communication skills to assume a leadership role in applying biological concepts and theories appropriately to investigate and/or solve a variety of problems, both in the area of their specialization and in the broader public sphere. Opportunities for our Students There are numerous opportunities for students to conduct research with faculty in the department during January, the summer, and the regular academic year. Stipends are available for summer research. There are also opportunities for off-campus research or internships at numerous local and national sites. Consistent with Macalester’s international focus, the department encourages its majors to study abroad. In recent years, biology majors have studied alternative medicine in Nepal, rain forest ecology in Costa Rica and Ecuador, coral reef ecology in Australia, health sciences in Denmark, biochemistry in Scotland and technology in New Zealand. The department sponsors a seminar program for all students. Visitors from academic institutions, industry, and government present their work and are available to students for questions, advice, and guidance not only in their specialty, but also in career choice and development. A major in the biological sciences is excellent preparation for such careers as: *Professional biologist with graduate training leading to college or university teaching and research; *Professional biologist with graduate training leading to careers in forestry, agriculture, fisheries, biological oceanography, conservation, environmental education, public health, and other fields; *Biology teacher at the middle and high-school level; *Medical practitioner with graduate training in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing, medical technology, physical or occupational therapy, sports medicine, and other health related professions; *Medical and scientific illustration; writing, editing and journalism; *Academic, industrial and government sector careers in health administration, technical support, instrumentation, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Departmental Resources The diversity and quality of the course offerings in the department are enriched by the specialties of the faculty and staff members. Owing to their diverse backgrounds and interests, the department is able to offer students courses and training in a wide variety of biological subdisciplines. These include neurobiology, immunology, cell biology, aquatic ecology, animal ecology, plant ecology, animal behavior and ecology, genetics and molecular biology, plant physiology, animal physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, phylogeny, paleobiology, and systematics. In addition, funding from the grants obtained by the college, department, and individual faculty members, supports research of both students and faculty. The biology department, located in Olin-Rice Halls of Science, has both teaching and research laboratories that are well equipped to support the diverse scientific activities of faculty and students. In recent years, grants from the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes have enabled the department to purchase several hundred thousand dollars worth of new scientific equipment. Departmental equipment includes state-of-the-art equipment for DNA and protein analysis, a flow cytometer, a real-time PCR system, a mammalian tissue culture facility, a research-grade greenhouse, image analysis and presentation equipment, a scanning electron microscope, and a wide assortment of other technical equipment supporting course work and research. The college’s 285-acre Katharine Ordway Natural History Study Area in Inver Grove Heights, just 25 minutes from the campus, provides for the study of natural habitats such as ponds, a river lake, birch and oak forests, and prairie. A prairie restoration project is ongoing. A building for teaching and research work also accommodates a resident naturalist. General Distribution Requirement All courses in the biology department count toward the general distribution requirement in the natural sciences except courses above 600 (tutorials, independents, internships, preceptorships). General Education Requirements Courses that meet the general education requirements in writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and multiculturalism will be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for each semester. Additional information regarding the general distribution requirement and the general education requirements can be found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog. Advanced Placement Students who received a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) biology exam or a score of 5 or better on the International Baccalaureate (IB) biology exam will receive 4 or 8 credits, respectively, in general biology. These credits will count toward the graduation requirement, but may not be used toward a biology major or minor, or in fulfilling the distribution requirement in natural sciences and mathematics. Upon consultation with the department chair, biology students with such test scores may be exempt from taking one of the core biology courses (Biology 260, 265, 270 or 285). Those wishing such an exemption are required to substitute for that requirement an approved intermediate level laboratory course in the area of the exemption. Honors Program The biology department participates in the honors program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures, and specific project expectations for the biology department are available on the department website (www.macalester.edu/biology). Major Requirements All biology majors will complete a common core of biology courses and additional supporting courses. However, an appropriate course of study at the undergraduate level will vary from student to student depending upon the student’s interests and career goals. For example, students majoring in biology may choose to take a broad course of study in the discipline thus maximizing exposure to major disciplinary concepts and providing a strong background for specialization at the graduate level. Alternatively, biology majors may choose to focus on a particular subdiscipline of biology or on the intersection of biology with another discipline. After core and intermediate level study, biology majors often participate in a research experience at the advanced level, which is empirical in nature (i.e. based on the testing of an hypothesis through observation or experimentation.) Ordinarily, students complete this research during their junior or senior year after significant coursework in biology and supporting disciplines has been completed. Effective catalog—Students are normally expected to satisfy the major or minor requirements in effect at the time of their initial declaration in their sophomore year. The requirements for a major in biology are: 36 credits in biology and six supporting courses. Transfer students wanting to graduate from Macalester with a major in biology must take at least four 4-credit biology courses at Macalester, only one of which can be an internship or independent. Required courses in biology for the major: Biology 255 Cell Biology & Genetics Laboratory Biology 260 Genetics Biology 265 Cell Biology Biology 270 Biodiversity & Evolution Biology 285 Ecology The required courses (above) may be taken in any order, however, Biol 260 (Genetics) is normally taken before Biology 265 (Cell Biology) since Chemistry 112 or concurrent enrollment is a prerequisite for Cell Biology. Biology 255 (Cell Biology & Genetics Laboratory) must be taken concurrently with either Biology 260 or 265. The core courses have been developed for students beginning their Biology education. Ideally, the core courses should be completed by the end of the sophomore year, and no later than the end of the junior year. Four upper level biology courses, at least two with laboratory Two semesters of the Biology Seminar (Biology 489) Biology Seminar is taken during the junior or senior year, with at least one semester taken during the senior year. The Biology Seminar is required as the capstone experience and consists of: 1) participation in the one-credit course, Biology Seminar (Biology 489), for two semesters, one of which must be during the senior year; 2) the production of a major thesis-driven, analytical paper during the senior year, written through multiple drafts, which includes a thorough review of the literature; and 3) the delivery of an oral presentation to the department or at an approved undergraduate or professional research conference during the senior year. While a research experience conducted in the department through research courses (Biology 470–478) may form the basis of the written and oral presentations, students may choose to present work they have done in other contexts such as internships, independent study or study-away opportunities. Students may count only one course from Biology 470–478 or one independent study or internship toward their biology major. Supporting courses for the biology major: A strong background in supporting sciences is important to all students studying biology. Many core concepts in biology have their foundation in the physical sciences and mathematics. Furthermore, the work of biologist continues to become more interdisciplinary. For these reasons, all majors must complete an approved set of supporting courses. Required supporting courses: Chemistry 111 General Chemistry I and Chemistry 112 General Chemistry II or 115 Accelerated General Chemistry Math 135 Applied Calculus (see math/statistics guidelines below) Math 155 Introduction to Statistical Modeling (see math/statistics guidelines below) Note: Deviations from the Math 135/155 sequence will not be accepted unless approved ahead of time by the Chair. Math/Statistics Guidelines Many biology majors take calculus and/or statistics in high school. The Math 135/155 sequence is still appropriate for most such students, even those who took AP or IB courses and scored well on the tests. The reason is that 135/155 emphasizes the calculus and statistics of multiple variables, topics not encountered in even the most advanced high-school courses. Those biology majors with strong high-school calculus preparation (see Math/CS department web site) and who plan eventually to take Math 237 (multi-variable calculus) may elect to skip Math 135. If prepared, those students can start directly with Math 237, or may take Math 137 then Math 237. Math 137 may not replace Math 135 unless Math 237 is also taken. Note: Some electives for the biology major have Math 137 as a pre-requisite: Physics 227 (Principles of Physics II) and Chemistry 311 (Physical Chemistry I). Students who plan to take Chemistry 312 (Physical Chemistry II) are advised to take Math 237. Students who do not plan to take Math 237 or 236 should take Math 135, even if they are prepared to enter Math 137 directly. All students should enroll in Math 155, Introduction to Statistical Modeling, which has as a prerequisite Math 135 or Math 236 or Math 237. Elective supporting courses: Two courses from list A OR One course from list A and one from list B Your selection of supporting courses must be made in consultation with your advisor and approved by the Chair. Your long-term goals might influence your choice of supporting courses. For example, if you are interested in a career in medicine or research in the biomedical sciences we recommend you complete a year of organic chemistry and a year of introductory physics. Students interested in pursuing an ecology path should consider taking a GIS course, intermediate or advanced math or statistics, or a geology course. Students planning a career as a science educator at the primary or secondary level should consider taking supporting courses in several of the science departments, as well as from the Educational Studies Department. List A: Supporting Courses Chemistry 211 Organic Chemistry I Chemistry 212 Organic Chemistry II Chemistry 222 Analytical Chemistry Computer Science 120 Introduction to Computing and Its Applications Computer Science 121 Introduction to Scientific Programming Computer Science 123 Core Concepts in Computer Science Geography 225 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems Geology 150 Dynamic Earth and Global Change Geology 155 History and Evolution of the Earth Mathematics 237 Multivariate Calculus Mathematics 253 Applied Multivariate Statistics Mathematics 354 Probability Mathematics 355 Mathematical Statistics Physics 221 Introductory Physics I or 226 Principles of Physics I Physics 222 Introductory Physics II or 227 Principles of Physics II List B: Example of additional supporting courses Anthropology 112 Archeology and Human Evolution Anthropology 115 Biological Anthropology Anthropology 239 Medical Anthropology Computer Science 484 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Geology 120 (Environmental Studies 120) Environmental Geology History 350 Race, Gender and Science Philosophy 227 Bioethics Psychology 244 (Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 244) Cognitive Neuroscience Psychology 246 (Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 246) Exploring Sensation and Perception Psychology 248 (Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 248) Behavioral Neuroscience The supporting course from list B must be chosen in consultation with your advisor and approved by the Chair. While this course will usually be from the science division, students who wish to integrate their biology major with a secondary interest (e.g. journalism, law, ethics, writing, etc.) may choose a course that links biology and another discipline. Other courses might be appropriate “list B” courses. Consult with the Chair for approval of other courses. Individualizing the Biology Major In consultation with one or more biology faculty members, each student will develop a major plan by choosing appropriate electives in biology and supporting disciplines. By their choice of electives, students may explore a variety of biological subdisciplines or focus on one or two areas of study. For example, students may design majors that focus on such areas as ecology; evolution; immunology and microbiology; genetics, cell and developmental biology; plant biology; biochemistry; or neurobiology. Biology majors interested in attending medical school after graduation should refer to the “Premedical Program” in the “Special Programs” section of this catalog and should consult a premedical advisor as early as possible in their planning process. Requirements for the major with added emphasis Increasingly, biological scientists address questions by working in groups that are interdisciplinary in nature. Thus, interdisciplinary fields of study have emerged that cannot be adequately covered within a single department. Three such interdisciplinary fields, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Neuroscience, and International Issues can be explored through the following biology majors with added emphasis. Students choosing such a major with EMPHASIS will have this noted on their transcript (e.g. Biology Major with Added Emphasis in Neurobiology). In all three cases, students must successfully complete the core requirements for the biology major: 255, 260, 265, 270, and 285; Chemistry 112 or 115; Math 135 and 155; and Biology 489 Biology Seminar (taken twice). It is expected that the required senior presentation will be in the area of the student’s emphasis. Students should configure their electives in consultation with a biology faculty member using the following guidelines: Requirements for a Major in Biology with Added Emphasis in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology Students with a strong interest in pursuing more in-depth study of biochemistry and molecular biology may want to consider this track. This emphasis would be an option for students interested in medical school and/or graduate study in virtually any biomedical field. Biology electives: Biology 351 Biochemistry I Biology 352 Biochemistry II Plus at least two courses from the following (at least one of which must be in Biology): Biology 353 Advanced Genetics Biology 355 Virology Biology 356 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Biology 357 Immunology Biology 358 Microbiology Biology 368 Plant Physiology Biology 369 Developmental Biology Chemistry 312 Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy Chemistry 361 Advanced Organic Chemistry Topics courses related to Biochemistry or Molecular Biology (approval of the Chair required) Biology 472 Research in Molecular Biology Biology 474 Research in Biochemistry Required supporting courses: Chemistry 212 Organic Chemistry II Chemistry 311 Thermodynamics and Kinetics Physics 227 Principles of Physics II Requirements for a Major in Biology with Added Emphasis in Neurobiology Students with a strong interest in pursuing more in-depth study of the biological basis of behavior and/or the nervous system may want to consider a major in Biology with added emphasis in neurobiology. This emphasis would be an option for students interested in medical school and/or graduate study in a field of neuroscience or biomedicine. Two of the following three courses, one of which must be Biology 356 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Biology 360 Neuroanatomy Biology 356 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience Biology 486 Seminar in Neuropharmacology or equivalent advanced seminar Three additional upper level Biology courses such as: Biology 351 Biochemistry I Biology 352 Biochemistry II Biology 353 Advanced Genetics Biology 357 Immunology Biology 360 Neuroanatomy Biology 369 Developmental Biology Biology 367 Human Physiology Biology 486 Seminar in Neuropharmacology Two supporting courses: Computer Science 484 (same as Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 484) Introduction of Artificial Intelligence Linguistics 378 (same as Psychology 378) Psychology of Language Philosophy 362 (same as Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 362) Philosophy of Mind Psychology 240 Principles of Learning and Behavior Psychology 242 Cognitive Psychology Psychology 248 (same as Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 248) Behavioral Neuroscience Psychology 249 (same as Cognitive and Neuroscience Studies 249) Cognitive Neuroscience Psychology 250 Developmental Psychology Psychology 252 Distress, Dysfunction and Disorder Required supporting courses: Chemistry 212 Organic Chemistry II Recommended supporting courses: Physics 221 Introductory Physics I or Physics 226 Principles of Physics I Physics 222 Introductory Physics II or Physics 227 Principles of Physics II Chemistry 311 Physical Chemistry I Requirements for a Major in Biology with an Added Emphasis in International Issues Students whose biological interests include an international aspect may complete a biology major with an Added Emphasis in International Issues. For example, this would be an option for students with interests in tropical ecology, global biodiversity, tropical diseases, and public health care in developing countries. In addition to the core biology requirements, the student must complete the following: 1) four upper level biology courses, 2) study abroad for a semester on a biology program in a country in which the student’s foreign language skills are relevant, and in which the student examines biological issues particular to that region of the world; 3) five additional approved supporting courses; and 4) an approved biology research experience with an international component. Examples of Possible Additional Supporting Courses (See the current class schedule for other options) International Ecology Related Courses Environmental Studies (Geology) 120 Environmental Geology Environmental Studies (Economics) 231 Environmental Economics and Policy Environmental Studies (Geography) 232 People and the Environment Environmental Studies (Political Science) 335 Science and Citizenship Environmental Studies (Geography and Political Science) 252 Water and Power Environmental Studies (Anthropology) 365 Environmental Anthropology Environmental Studies (International Studies) 368 Sustainable Development and the Global Future Geography 111 Human Geography of Global Issues International Public Health Related Courses American Studies 194 Social Identity and the Medicalized Body Anthropology 239 Medical Anthropology Anthropology 380 Advanced Medical Anthropology Political Science 335 Science and Citizenship
Minor Requirements The requirements for a minor in biology are five biology courses, which must include two from the core series (numbered between 260 and 285). Students with a minor in biology may include one course numbered below 200 among their five courses. Topics Courses 194, 294, 394, 494 Examination of a topic of general interest to faculty and students, the topic to be announced in advance of registration. (Usually 4 credits)
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