Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• CAS BI 423: Marine Biogeochemistry
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASCH 101 and CASCH 102 or BUMP semester and CASEE 144, or consent of instructor. - Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 443: Terrestrial Biogeochemistry
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI107 OR CASES105) and CH 101/102, or consent of instructor. - The patterns and processes controlling carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include net primary production, nutrient use efficiency, and biogeochemical transformation. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 445: Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 OR CASBI315 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE203) or consent of instructor. - Cellular and molecular basis of neural excitability and synaptic transmission. The molecular understanding of ion channels is extrapolated to higher brain functions such as learning, memory, and sleep. Three hours lecture, three hours lab, one hour pre-lab. Also offered as CAS NE 445.
• CAS BI 448: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI303 OR CASBI306) or consent of instructor. - The study of biological diversity and modern methods to protect endangered plant and animal species. The environment, population, and genetic and human factors that affect the survival of species are examined for temperate and tropical communities, as well as terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
• CAS BI 449: Neuroscience Design Lab
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI315 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE203) ; or consent of instructor. - Design and build devices for neuroscience experiments. Interface sensors with computers using Arduino microprocessors. Guided exercises followed by independent design projects to quantify human sensory and motor performance, or emulate animal sensory-motor circuits. All levels of programming experience accepted. Also offered as CAS NE 449.
• CAS BI 450: Senior Research in Biology 1
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing. - First semester senior research including training in the use of research literature and active participation at group meetings. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings required. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 451: Senior Research in Biology 2
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing and either BI 340, BI 350, BI 450, or full-time summer UROP. - Second semester research with senior standing, including the use of the research literature. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Students expected to attend group meetings and take a lead and make creative contributions to projects. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 452: Senior Research in Biology 3
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI315) First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); senior standing a nd either BI 340, BI 350, BI 450, or full-time summer UROP. - Third semester research with senior standing, including the use of research literature. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Students expected to take a lead and make creative contributions to projects. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS BI 453: Senior Research in Biology 4
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing and CAS BI 352 or 452. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASBI497 OR CASBI498) - Fourth semester research with senior standing. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Students develop research presentation skills in co-requisite seminar course, BI 497 or BI 498.
• CAS BI 455: Developmental Neurobiology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203 or CASBI 325 or CASNE 203 or consent of instructor. - Fundamental principles of developmental neurobiology, stressing molecular mechanisms that underlie early neural development, differentiation, process outgrowth, and behavior. Two hours lecture, two hours paper presentation and discussion..
• CAS BI 459: BIOCHEM-2 LEC
  BIOCHEM-2 LEC
• CAS BI 471: Readings in Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, consent of instructor, and completed applic ation. - Intensive library research on well-defined topic in biological sciences, chosen with a faculty member. May be taken as preparation for Undergraduate Research/Honors Research. Not a Biology/BMB major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit.
• CAS BI 472: Readings in Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, consent of instructor, and completed applic ation. - Intensive library research on well-defined topic in biological sciences, chosen with a faculty member. May be taken as preparation for Undergraduate Research/Honors Research. Not a Biology/BMB major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit.
• CAS BI 475: Urban Ecology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEE100 OR CASEE101) and one of the following: CAS BI 306, CAS BI 443 or GRS BI 643, CAS EE 456 or GRS EE 656, or CAS BI 530 or CAS EE 530; or consent of instruc tor. - The biophysical environments and ecology of urban settlements. Key topics include the physical environment, patterns in human population growth and development, ecosystem structure and function, global change, urban environment pollution and management, and sustainable urban development. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Historical Consciousness
  • Scientific Inquiry II
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS BI 481: Molecular Biology of the Neuron
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203 - Topics include electrical properties of neurons, a survey of neurotransmitters, molecular structure and function of receptors, synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling, and the molecular biology governing neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 494: Topics in Biology 4
  Topics and prerequisites vary.
• CAS BI 497: Honors in Biology Seminar
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For students taking CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453. - A 2-credit weekly research seminar for students in CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453 in the Fall semester. Students learn and present digitally produced descriptions of their research and prepare their theses for defense under the guidance of the Research and Honors Committee. A minimum grade of B+ in BI 402 and this course or BI 498 is required to graduate with honors. Students participate in only one course, either BI 497 or BI 498. Effective Fall 2020, this course carries a single unit in the follow Hub area: Digital/Multimedia Expression.
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  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
• CAS BI 498: Honors in Biology Seminar
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For students taking CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453. - A 2-credit weekly research seminar for students in CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453 in the Spring semester. Students learn and present digitally produced descriptions of their research and prepare their theses for defense under the guidance of the Research and Honors Committee. A minimum grade of B+ in BI 402 and this course or BI 497 is required to graduate with honors. Students participate in only one course, either BI 497 or BI 498. Effective Fall 2020, this course carries a single unit in the follow Hub area: Digital/Multimedia Expression.
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  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
• CAS BI 500: Shark Biology & Conservation
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 503: Neuroimmunology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS BI 203/NE 102 or BI 213 and BI 325/NE 203 - Neuroimmunology is a burgeoning field in neuroscience. This course examines current topics including the role of glia in brain development, health, and disease, glia-neuron crosstalk, impact of stress and environment on the neuroimmune system, and cell trafficking into the brain.