Biological Sciences

An integrated study of the anatomy and physiology of human organ systems with a focus on homeostasis and the role of cellular processes involved with maintaining that homeostasis. Topics include basic cell biology and histology, skin, skeletal, reproductive, endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems. Does not apply toward a biology major or minor. Lab fee.

An integrated study of the anatomy and physiology of human organ systems with a focus on homeostasis and the role of cellular processes involved with maintaining that homeostasis. Topics include the cardiovascular, immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary, muscular, and nervous systems, as well as an introduction to metabolism, nutrition, and chemical balance. Does not apply toward a biology major or minor. Lab fee.

This is a survey course, concerning the structure and function of the human body. Important themes in this course include understanding our bodies' systems, the impact of disease and injury, as well as disease prevention and the principles of healthful living. This course fulfills the Life Science Competency requirement as specified in the Core Curriculum. Does not apply toward a biology major or minor. Lab fee.

A survey course covering the basic disciplines of life science. Topics include cell biology, metabolism, genetics, molecular biology, natural history, and microorganisms. A full sequence of high school biology and chemistry is highly recommended. Lab fee.

A survey course covering the basic disciplines of life science. Topics include protists, fungi, plants, animals, and ecology. Basic animal anatomy and physiology is emphasized. A full sequence of high school biology and chemistry is highly recommended. Lab fee.

This course is designed to provide students with a basic, hands-on introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS).  Students will be taught the basic tools and skills needed for using GIS software, specifically QGIS, to capture, analyze, manage, and display spatial and non-spatial data.

Introduction to the structure, function and control of microorganisms in the environment with special emphasis on those organisms of medical importance. Introduction to immune responses and mechanisms including antibody and host-antigen interactions, and humoral and cellular immunological response mechanisms. Lab fee. (Biology or MLS majors should take BIOL 318.)

This course is a field study of the plants, animals, natural features, and climate of a particular region of North America, an island archipelago, or perhaps another continent, and may involve camping and extensive travel to National Parks, games reserves, and natural areas. It includes the study of ecological relationships in the selected study area. Offered concurrently with BIOL 325. Non-Biology majors should register for BIOL 225.) A field trip fee will be charged commensurate with the distance traveled. Lab fee.

As the human population continues to grow, the question of sustainability becomes ever more pressing. This course will provide the student with the tools to think critically about the environment and how human decisions and activities influence the quality of our lives and the other creatures we share the earth with. We will explore sustainability at the local and global level. In the classroom, we will engage in lectures and debates about environmental and sustainability issues. Lab activities will introduce students to a variety of subjects related to the environment and sustainability (Also taught as HNRS 245). Lab fee.

An introductory study of fossil plants and animals. Lectures will cover topics including the process of paleontological study, the diversity of fossil and living groups, broad patterns through the fossil record, and interpretations of data. In lab, we will focus on techniques in paleontological research, the identification of fossil groups, and the diversity of life. Lab fee.

A study in an area of student interest under the direction of a staff member. This study may involve data collection, or library work and will involve a written report. Content and method of study must be arranged prior to registration. May be repeated for a total of 3 credits.

Provides academic departments an opportunity to offer courses in specialized or experimental areas, either lower or upper division, not listed in the undergraduate Bulletin.  May be repeated for a total of 3 credits.

This is a taxonomic study of the flowering plants of Texas. It includes methods for identification and preservation of plant specimens. Laboratory includes a four-day field trip. Field trip fee.

A taxonomic and ecological study of invertebrates from marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Some attention is focused on the direct role of invertebrates on human life. Laboratory studies include field work locally and at the Texas Gulf Coast. Field trip fee covering cost of transportation, room and board, and use of a research vessel.  Field trip fee.

This course is an introduction to the structure, function and control of microorganisms in the environment with special emphasis on those organisms of medical importance. Included is an introduction to immune responses and mechanisms, antibody and host-antigen interactions, bursal and thymic influences on the lymphoid system, and humoral and cellular immunological response mechanisms. Students cannot take both BIOL220 and this course for credit. (Class counts toward a Biology or MLS major.) Lab fee.

The study of inheritance and the molecular mechanisms which impact it with an emphasis on problem-solving and independent laboratory work. Course requires a comprehensive written report of results from a semester-long laboratory project. Lab fee.

This course is a field study of the plants, animals, natural features, and climate of a particular region of North America, an island archipelago, or perhaps another continent and may involve camping and extensive travel to National Parks, game reserves, and natural areas. It includes the study of ecological relationships in the selected study area. This intensive field course may involve camping and extensive travel to National Parks, game reserves, and natural areas. A field trip fee will be charged commensurate with the distance traveled. Offered concurrently with BIOL 225. Biology majors or minors should register for BIOL 325.) Lab fee.

Students will learn basic statistical skills, such as hypothesis testing, probability, statistical inference, correlation, regression, curve fitting, and population and sample comparison techniques. Students will also learn to analyze data and generate appropriate graphs using R, SPSS, and Excel.

Biology of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms, and their interactions with their environment. Includes surveys of microbial diversity and taxonomy, human-microbe relationships, environmental and industrial microbiology. Bacteria and viruses will be used in the laboratory to provide training and experimental methodology. Lab fee.

Lectures will introduce students to topics of importance to the study of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. In lecture, we will focus on anatomy, physiology, taxonomy, ecology, behavior, and conservation. In laboratories, we will focus on external anatomy, identification skills, habitat preferences, distribution, and collection techniques. Emphasis will be placed on the fauna in north Texas, but we will also discuss fishes, amphibians, and reptiles of the world in lectures.  

This course is a comparative survey of the primary parasites of human and veterinary importance with an emphasis on morphology, life cycles, epidemiology, pathogenesis and the interface between the parasite and the host immune system. Students will develop a global perspective of the burden of parasitic diseases and will analyze current literature in molecular parasitology topics.

In this course, we will examine topics dealing with the biological and ecological characteristics and economic importance of surface waters, including lakes, streams, and wetlands. Specific topics will include light and heat in aquatic environments, dissolved gasses, nutrients, dynamics of phytoplankton, periphyton, and consumers, and the impact of human society on natural surface waters. Laboratory includes a four-day field trip. Field trip fee.

Lectures will introduce students to topics of importance to the study of birds and mammals. In lecture, we will focus on anatomy, physiology, taxonomy, ecology, behavior, and conservation. In laboratories, we will focus on external anatomy, identification skills, habitat preferences, distribution, and collection techniques. Emphasis will be placed on the fauna in north Texas, but we will also discuss birds and mammals of the world in lectures.  

A study of the internal workings of the cell. The molecular basis of various cell activities is emphasized, including cell structure and organization, flow of genetic information, cellular metabolism, cell transport mechanisms, cell signaling, the cytoskeleton, and cell-cell interactions. Lab fee.

This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of environmental and natural resources law and policy.  By gaining an understanding of the structural framework of our legal system and how environmental and natural resources policies and laws are made and administered, students will develop the practical tools necessary to oversee compliance with relevant state and federal regulations.

This course will examine the principles governing relationships between organisms and the physical and chemical environment and among organisms. Important topics will include population and community dynamics, ecosystem processes, and the distribution of the earth's biomes. The principles of ecology will be brought to bear on issues such as conservation of biodiversity and wise use of natural resources. The laboratory includes a four-day field trip. Field trip fee.

This is a broad course emphasizing the importance of plants and their role in human life. This is an applied botany course in which physiology, structure, development, and economic botany are studied. The systematic survey section will include algae, mosses, non-seed plants, and seed plants. Lab fee.

The fossil record contains a rich diversity of vertebrates, with many groups that are no longer living today. In this course, students will gain a foundational understanding of paleontology and knowledge of the major vertebrate groups found in the fossil record. Labs will include the study of fossil material as well as other activities. Lab fee.

This course explores the inner workings of the human body and how it maintains homeostasis. Emphasis is placed on understanding structure-function relationships and the interconnectedness of organ systems. Students learn diagnostic problem-solving skills, quantitative laboratory techniques used by physiologists, and methods to evaluate health information using peer-reviewed sources. Lab fee.

A study of the philosophies and methodologies of science. Includes a review of the history of scientific and religious thought and the role each has played in the development of modern theories of origin (Also taught as RELT 419 or GEOL 419 or HNRS 404).

This course covers the topic of animal behavior— how animals interact with each other, with other living beings, and with their environment. Both proximate causes of behavior and ultimate causes of behavior will be covered. Special emphasis will be given to developing experimental design, data collection techniques, and hypothesis testing. Topics to be covered include: natural selection and adaptive change; hypothesis testing; ecology of feeding and antipredatory strategies; habitat use and competition for resources; sexual selection and the ecology of mating and parenting strategies; the ecology of social behavior; evolution of cooperation and altruism; ecological constraints on communication; and sociobiology. Lab fee.  (Also taught as PSYC 420)

An introduction to the classification and diversity of chordates and a comparison of the different vertebrate organ systems. Special consideration will be given to taxonomic comparisons of the skeletal and muscular systems. Lab fee.

An investigation of the structure and function of the tissues of the human body. The course is lab-intensive and is intended to acquaint the student with the microscopic characteristics of tissues. Lab fee.

This course presents the basic concepts of the innate and adaptive immune systems including details about the molecules, cells and organs involved. Emphasis will be placed on mechanisms of immune system development and response to pathogens, as well as on the classic experiments performed to make key discoveries in immunology. 

This is a study of primary plant metabolic processes, including the movement of materials in and out of plant cells and within plants, photosynthesis, respiration, mineral nutrition, and nitrogen metabolism. Other topics include environmental physiology such as the effects of temperature, salt, and water stress and the implications of globally rising carbon dioxide. Lab fee.

This integrative course focuses on physiological attributes and ecological principles as they are applied to the conservation and management of wetlands, rangelands, and forests, including their soils.  We will also discuss how conservation and management are influenced by politics and law, history, culture, social acceptability, and economic feasibility.  Lab activities will involve field trips and hands on experiences in soils, wetlands, rangelands, and forests. Lab fee.

This integrative course focuses on ecological principles as they are applied to the conservation and management of fisheries and wildlife resources. We will also discuss how conservation practices are influenced by politics and law, culture, social acceptability, and economic feasibility. In the lab, you will be introduced to the techniques and equipment used to survey fisheries and wildlife populations. Lab fee.

A supervised research experience involving the development of a research question, data collection, and data analysis.  May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. May count as one Biology Elective with approval of the Department if research results are formally presented. Eligible for IP grading.

This online course guides a student through the process of preparing their senior portfolio. A student is required to submit components of the portfolio as milestones in its completion. Students must complete this course as a requirement of graduation. This course will be grades on a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) basis.

Special study may be pursued beyond completed course work under the direction of a staff member. This study may involve data collection or library work and will involve a written report. Content and method of study must be arranged prior to registration. May be repeated for a total of 3 credits. 

Provides academic departments an opportunity to offer courses in specialized or experimental areas, either lower or upper division, not listed in the undergraduate Bulletin.  Student may be allowed to repeat the course for credit.