BIOL 245 - General Ecology

Credit Hours: 4
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory (or Other) Hours: 3

General Education Code(s): 23NS, 23RE
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 130 or BIOL 140 or permission of instructor
Corequisite(s): None
Restriction(s): None

This course will acquaint students with the structure and function of ecosystems from organismal to global levels. Primary literature is emphasized. The laboratory is inquiry-based and students will explore ecological principles and patterns using their own research.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course: The general education requirement for natural sciences is satisfied by BIOL 245. To meet this General Education requirement, students will be able to:

demonstrate scientific reasoning applied to the natural world, including an understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of data analysis or mathematical modeling; and
demonstrate scientific reasoning applied to the natural world, including application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences.

The general education requirement for critical thinking is satisfied by BIOL 245. To meet this General Education requirement, students will be able to:

clearly articulate an issue or problem;
identify, analyze, and evaluate ideas, data, and arguments as they occur in their own or others’ work;
acknowledge limitations such as perspective and bias; and
develop well-reasoned (logical) arguments to form judgments and/or draw conclusions.