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UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
Department of Biological Sciences
Chair: Lewis
Associate Chair: Iwantsch (RH)
Location:
RH: Larkin Hall 160, Phone: (718) 817-3640
Web: www.fordham.edu/biology
Faculty
Professors: Lewis, Ross, Rubin, Thornhill, Wehr
Associate Professors: Abreu, Dubrovsky, Finnemann, Frank, Iwantsch, Tuininga
Assistant Professors: Carlson, Clark, Franks, Hekkala
Professors Emeriti: Aiello, Dale, Hegyi, Kevin, Mukherjee, Rothstein, Sullivan, Witkus
Overview
Course offerings in the biological sciences are designed to provide a broad basis for understanding life’s processes from the molecular level, through the cellular and organismal, to the ecological level. The program provides thorough preparation to students intending to pursue careers in medicine, teaching, research, industry, or the allied health professions.
Contribution to Core
Biological Sciences offers courses numbered BISC 1000-1006, which count as a life science course to fulfill part of the Natural Science core requirement. The two course sequence BIRU 1403-1404 when taken in sequence will fulfill both Natural Science course requirements.
Program Requirements
Biological Sciences Major
(HEGIS code 0401) Program Codes 06024, 06059
The major in Biological Sciences is available at Fordham College at Rose Hill. Students in Fordham College of Liberal Studies may major in Biological Sciences only if their schedules are sufficiently flexible to permit them to take day courses at the Rose Hill campus.
Majors in the biological sciences must complete a minimum of seven courses in biology for a B.A. degree and nine for a B.S. degree. A minimum grade of C- is required in all courses in the major. Hyphenated numbers indicate co-requisite lecture and lab components of a course. The program of biology courses is structured in the following way:
1. Core, to be completed by all biology majors: BISC 1403-1413 and BISC 1404-1414, or
BIEU 1401 and BIEU 1402 (these are introductory courses that must be taken prior to any
other biology courses in the major), BISC 2539-2549 and BISC 2561-2571.
2. Distribution, any two of the following courses are to be completed by all biology majors:
BISC 3221-3231, BISC 3232-3242, BISC 3405-3415, BISC 3521, BISC 3643-3653,
BISC 3752 and BIRU 3754.
3. Electives, comprising all non-core courses offered.
In addition to biology courses, students in the program must complete:
Two years of chemistry with labs CHSC 1321-1331, 1322-1332, 2521-2541, 2522-2542.
One year of physics with labs, either PYSC 1701-1511 and 1702-1512 or PYSC 1501-1511 and 1502-1512.
One semester of mathematics, either MTSC 1206, MTSC 1207, MTSC 1203, or MTSC 1204.
It is recommended that freshmen take the combination of BISC 1403-1413, CHSC 1321-1331 and BISC 1404-1414, CHSC 1322-1332.
The organic chemistry requirement is best fulfilled in sophomore year and the physics requirement in junior year.
Majors must meet with the associate chair for undergraduate studies to have their semester schedules approved.
BISC 1000, BISC 1001, BISC 1002, BISC 1004, BISC 1005 and BISC 1006 are college core curriculum life science courses and not applicable to the major.
Biology Minor
The minor in Biological Sciences is available at Fordham College at Rose Hill. Students in Fordham College of Liberal Studies may minor in Biological Sciences only if their schedules are sufficiently flexible to permit them to take day courses at the Rose Hill campus.
The course requirements depend on the student’s major:
For a chemistry major, six courses in biology at or above the BISC 1400 level.
For a general science major, eight courses in biology at or above the BISC 1400 level.
For a psychology major, six courses in biology at or above the BISC 1400 level and two in chemistry at or above the CHSC 1300 level.
For a major in other than chemistry, general science or psychology, four courses in biology at or above the BISC 1400 level and two in chemistry at or above the CHSC 1300 level.
A minimum grade of C- is required in all courses in the minor.
Early Admission Option to the M.S. Program
Please read the “Early Admission to Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Masters Programs” section, which is located under the heading of Special Academic Programs in the chapter on Academic Programs, Policies, and Procedures of this Bulletin. Interested students must apply by the time they register for the fall semester of their senior year but are encouraged to apply earlier. Applications do not need to include GRE scores unless the student is planning to apply for financial aid after completing her/his Bachelor’s.
The minimum GPA to be eligible to apply is 3.5 or higher. This policy applies to FCRH, FCLC, and FCLS. Candidates will begin their graduate studies in their senior year and will carry elective credit in the summer between their fourth and fifth years. Courses taken using the early admissions option must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies of the Department. Students opting for early admissions to the M.S. program must consult with their advisor and the Director of Graduate Programs before registering for Graduate courses. Applications are made on line through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.
Departmental Activities
Research Opportunities
Individualized programs tailored to the student’s needs and aptitudes may be developed in consultation with the associate chairperson. Juniors and seniors interested in research have the opportunity to write a thesis based on laboratory or field research for eight credits in lieu of two elective courses (see BIRU 4792 in course listings). Another research alternative is enrollmentin tutorial(s) for a total of four credits in lieu of one elective. Details may be obtained in the department office. Fordham University has a formal affiliation with the Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx Zoo).
Courses Planned for Fall 2009–Spring 2010
(The list below are the courses taught during the past two years and should be used as a guide for planning)
Note: Following each course are codes forwhere the course has been taught. R stands for Fordham College at Rose Hill, ER for Fordham College of Liberal Studies at Rose Hill.
BISC 1403-Introductory Biology I (R, ER)
BISC 1404-Introductory Biology II (R, ER)
BISC 1405-Biology Enrichment Seminar (R)
BISC 1413-Introductory Biology Lab I (R, ER)
BISC 1414-Introductory Biology Lab II (R, ER)
BISC 2539-General Genetics (R)
BISC 2549-General Genetics Lab (R)
BISC 2561-Ecology (R)
BISC 2571-Ecology Lab (R)
BISC 3221-Human Anatomy (R)
BISC 3231-Human Anatomy Lab (R)
BISC 3232-Human Physiology (R)
BISC 3242-Human Physiology Lab (R)
BISC 3405-Plant Biology (R)
BISC 3415-Plant Biology Lab (R)
BISC 3521-Biochemistry (R)
BISC 3539-Human Genetics (R)
BISC 3643-Microbiology (R)
BISC 3653-Microbiology Lab (R)
BISC 3752-Molecular Biology (R)
BISC 3754-Cell Biology (R)
BISC 3893-Introduction to Virology (R)
BISC 4401-Tropical Ecology (R)
BISC 4532-Neuroscience (R)
BISC 4792-Senior Thesis Research (R)
BISC 4999-Tutorial (R, ER)
Course Descriptions
for courses taught between Fall 2002 and Spring 2010
Note: These courses are taught only on the Rose Hill campus. In addition, please note that for each course for which laboratory is indicated, there is a laboratory fee unless otherwise stated. Some courses offered during the summer sessions combine the lecture and lab for a total of four credits.
BISC 1001-HUMAN BIOLOGY (3.00 credits) (non-majors)
A course designed for non-majors. The biology of humans, emphasizing cells and molecules, reproduction and development, structure and function of the body, inheritance and evolution. Lectures are complemented by scheduled laboratory work.
BISC 1002-ECOLOGY:A HUMAN APPROACH (3.00 credits) (non-majors)
A course designed for non-majors. Ecological concepts and how they relate to critical contemporary issues: air and water pollution, radiation, energy, world hunger. Includes experiments, demonstrations and field trips.
BISC 1403-INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I (3.00 credits)
An introduction to the chemistry of life; the structure, function and metabolism of the cell; heredity and molecular aspects of genetics; principles of evolution; biology of bacteria, protists and fungi; and plant evolution.
Corequisite(s): BISC 1413
BISC 1404-INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II (3 credits)
An introduction to the biology of flowering plants and a systematic study of the major animal phyla involving aspects of their biology which suit them to their environment. Emphasizes the life support systems of mammals and humans. Addresses interactions among organisms as well as between them and their environment.
Prerequisite(s): BISC1403
Corequisite(s): BISC 1414
BISC 1413-INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LAB I (2.00 credits)
A laboratory course designed to illustrate topics discussed in BISC 1403. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 1403
BISC 1414-INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY LAB II (2.00 credits)
A laboratory course designed to illustrate topics discussed in BISC 1404. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 1999-SERVICE LEARNING-1000 LEVEL (1.00 credits)
In this student-initiated program, the student may earn one additional credit by connecting a service experience to a course with the approval of the professor and the service-learning director.
BISC 2539-GENERAL GENETICS (3.00 credits)
A study of the gene in all its aspects: its structure, it's informational nature; how this information is inherited unchanged; how this information is expressed in terms of an organism's structure and function; how this information can be altered; and how expression of this information is regulated so that environmentally appropriate responses are made. The unifying position of genetics in the study of biology is emphasized.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404, CHSC 1322
Corequisite(s): BISC 2549
BISC 2549-GENERAL GENETICS LAB (2.00 credits)
A laboratory course designed for a hands-on experience in the usage of various scientific methodologies and experiments in the field of basic genetics. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 2539 - LAB FEE
BISC 2561-ECOLOGY (3.00 credits)
Anintroduction to the theories and applications of ecology including evolution, resources, population dynamics, life histories, competition, community structure, ecosystem processes, island biogeography, human impacts on ecosystems and conservation.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
Corequisite(s): BISC 2571
BISC 2571-ECOLOGY LAB (2.00 credits)
Laboratory and field studies designed to provide hands-on experience with habitats and organisms, ecological experiments, and data analysis. (4 hour field trips). Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 2561
BISC 3221-HUMAN ANATOMY (3.00 credits)
A lecture course which examines cell, tissue, and gross anatomy of the major organ systems of the human body as they relate to life processes in health and disease.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
Corequisite(s): BISC 3231
BISC 3231-HUMAN ANATOMY LAB (2.00 credits)
A laboratory course employing slides, models and gross dissection to study the structure of the major organ systems of the human body. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 3221
BISC 3232-HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY (4.00 credits)
The basics of human body functions from cellular to organ system levels. A review of the general principles of whole body regulation is included. Internal responses to various physical stresses will also be discussed.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
Corequisite(s): BISC 3242
BISC 3242-HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY LAB (2.00 credits)
Laboratory exercises demonstrating principles of the human cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory and urinary systems. Brief review of human anatomy and histology. An introduction to some of the diagnostic instrumentation and procedures used in medicine. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 3232
BISC 3405-PLANT BIOLOGY (3.00 credits)
A survey of the major groups of plants and related organisms. Topics include physiology, morphology, ecology, taxonomy and systematics and human uses of plants.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
Corequisite(s): BISC 3415
BISC 3415-PLANT BIOLOGY LAB (2.00 credits)
A laboratory and field course that uses hands-on experience and student-directed research to explore current issues in plant biology. Laboratory activities will emphasize plant physiology, morphology, and taxonomy and systematics. Field trips will highlight human uses of plants, and plant diversity and ecology in urban settings. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 3405
BISC 3521-BIOCHEMISTRY (3.00 credits)
A lecture course on the principles of biochemistry and molecular biology. Topics include the chemistry and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids; enzymology; metabolism; bioenergetics; and gene structure and expression.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404 and CHSC 2522
BISC 3539-HUMAN GENETICS (3.00 credits)
An introduction to human genetics, focusing on human health and disease. Topics include basic molecular genetics concepts, multifacto inheritance, metabolic and molecular basis of genetic diseases, biological and molecular therapies, the anatomy of the human genome, and implications for customized therapies.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 2539 and CHSC 2522
BISC 3643-MICROBIOLOGY (3.00 credits)
Detailed study of: microbial metabolism and physiology; microbial roles in maintaining earth's ecosystems and human health; global environmental change and effects on emerging infectious diseases, epidemiology and public health.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
Corequisite(s): BISC 3653
BISC 3653-MICROBIOLOGY LAB (2.00 credits)
Laboratory exercises are designed to develop skills in: sterile culture techniques for isolating bacteria and fungi from natural substrates; microscopy and staining techniques for visualization, identification and quantification of microbes. Lab fee.
Corequisite(s): BISC 3643
BISC 3752-MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (3.00 credits)
Principles and regulation of gene expression; nucleic acid structure/function, replication, transcription, RNA processing, translation; experimental and recombinant DNA methodologies and approaches.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 2539 and CHSC 2522
BISC 3754-CELL BIOLOGY (3.00 credits)
Presents fundamental principles of cell structure and function important to an understanding of cellular interactions in the development, maintenance, and reproduction of multicellular organisms. Aberrations of cell structure and function that contribute to human disease are discussed extensively.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 2539 and CHSC 2522
BISC 3893-INTRODUCTION TO VIROLOGY (3.00 credits)
An introduction to the significance of viruses as agents of disease, and as tools to understand basic life processes. The course will cover the structural and biochemical properties of viruses, viral replication strategies virus-cell interactions, viral pathogenesis and host immune reactions. Emphasis will be on animal viruses but the properties and replication strategies of prokaryotic and plant viruses will also be explored.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4401-TROPICAL ECOLOGY (4.00 credits)
A survey of animal and plant communities in tropical, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. A field trip to a marine biological station in the Caribbean region is an integral part of the course. The required extra cost of this trip will be announced prior to registration.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4532-NEUROSCIENCE (3.00 credits)
Study of the anatomy, biochemistry and physiology of neurons and neural pathways that comprise the peripheral and central nervous systems and their relationship to behavior.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4601-Marine Biology (2-hour lecture, 4-hour field/lab) (4 credits)
Lecture will cover general biological oceanography, marine plants and animals, marine environments and marine resources, and pollution. Field exercises will include cruises on a research vessel, visits to marine research and educational centers, and trips to marine shore habitats. Lab fee.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4621-Immunology (3 credits)
A study of humoral and cell-mediated immunity and the role they play in the prevention of disease.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4639-Endocrinology (3 credits)
A lecture course on the principles of the human hormonal system. Topics include the structure and function of the endocrine organs, control of hormone formation, effects of various hormones, molecular and biochemical basis of hormonal action, function and structure of the target organs for hormones, and physiological consequences of abnormal endocrine functions.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4642-ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (4.00 credits)
Introduction to animal behavior; evolution, genetics, physiology and ecology of behavior; sexual/mating/reproductive behavior; habitat selection, feeding behavior, anti-predator defenses, social behavior, human behavior.
Prerequisite(s): BISC 1404
BISC 4792-SENIOR THESIS RESEARCH (8.00 credits)
Individually tailored laboratory or field research during senior year. Grade and credits are given only upon completion of thesis. Preliminary work in junior year is required. Details may be obtained in the department office.
BISC 4999-RESEARCH TUTORIAL (4.00 credits)
Provides one-semester, hands-on participation in a faculty member's research program.
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