Return to Biology | Courses Index
[1] Courses in Biology (BIOL)
1100 BIOLOGY LABORATORY FOR GENERAL EDUCATION A general education course. These laboratory exercises introduce students to the structure and function of cells, organisms, and communities. Laboratory only. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisite: Transfer credit for 3 semester hours of introductory biology lecture, or the equivalent, and permission of Department Chair. Fall, spring, summer.
1120 INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY SEMINAR This elective course counts toward the BS degree, but not as a biology elective. The course introduces the field of biological science by discussion and investigation of selected topics. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of career opportunities in biology and biology’s relationships to allied sciences. Fall, Spring
1305 INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY This course provides an introduction to human anatomy and physiology. Lecture only. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. No prerequisites. Fall, spring semesters.
1400 BIOLOGY FOR GENERAL EDUCATION A lower-division UCA Core course. This course introduces students to the structure and function of cells, organisms, and communities. Sections emphasizing human biology are recommended for students preparing for careers in the health sciences. Sections emphasizing environmental biology are most appropriate for students interested in developing a scientific perspective on current environmental issues. Sections emphasizing core concepts will equip students with diverse interests and aspirations to understand the big ideas that are central to the scientific study of life. Completion of any of the described sections will fulfill the general education requirement in Biology and any prerequisite requirements for subsequent courses that require BIOL 1400. Lecture and laboratory. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: BIOL1004 ]
1440 PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY I A core course for majors. This course introduces students to the molecular and cellular basis of structure and function of organisms. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: High school chemistry or CHEM 1301 (or above) and a composite ACT score of 21 or higher OR BIOL 1400 and CHEM 1301 (or above) both with a grade of C or higher. Students not meeting the prerequisite requirements must have permission of the Biology Department Chair prior to enrollment. Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: BIOL1014 ]
1441 PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY II A core course for majors. This course introduces students to the evolution, diversity, anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behavior of organisms. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 1440 (C or better). Fall, spring, summer.
2405 HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY A course primarily for health science majors. This course involves systematic study of body structure and function with an emphasis on homeostasis in the human body as a whole. Lecture and laboratory. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisite: BIOL 1400 or 1440. Not open to those who have passed BIOL 2407. Fall, spring, summer.
2406 STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN BODY I A course primarily for health science majors. This course involves a study of structure-function relationships in the skeletal, muscular, nervous, and integumentary systems. Lecture and laboratory. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisites: BIOL 1400 or 1440 and CHEM 1402 or 1450. Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: BIOL2404 ]
2407 STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN BODY II A course primarily for health science majors. This course is a continuation of BIOL 2406 and covers the endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems. Laboratory emphasis on physiologic testing of students. Lecture and laboratory. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisite: BIOL 2406 (C or better). Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: BIOL2414 ]
2411 MICROBIOLOGY IN HUMAN AFFAIRS A course primarily for health science majors. This course introduces basic concepts of bacteriology, virology, immunology, pathogenic microbiology, and food microbiology. Lecture and laboratory. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisite: BIOL 1400 or 1440. Fall, spring, summer. [ ACTS: BIOL2004 ]
2420 HISTOLOGY FOR HEALTH SCIENCES A course primarily for health sciences majors. This course provides an introduction to the structure and function of tissues and explores how tissues contribute to the normal function of an organism. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisites: BIOL 1440. Fall, summer.
2490 GENETICS A core course for majors. This course introduces students to the basic concepts of heredity and natural variation, including elements of classical, molecular, and population genetics. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 1441(C or better). Fall, spring, summer.
3185, 3285, 3385, 4185, 4285, 4385 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH This course provides research experiences under faculty supervision designed to supplement regularly organized courses in biology. Prerequisite: consent of advisor and Department. Up to four semester hours may count as biology elective credit with approval of department. On demand.
3190 ECONOMIC BOTANY LABORATORY An elective course for biology majors. This is a lab course that gives students hands-on experience in lecture topics covered in BIOL 3390 (Economics Botany) and will include both laboratory work and field trips to relevant sites in the conway area. Prerequisite or co-requisite: BIOL 3390. On demand.
3305 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY: TECHNIQUES AND CONTROVERSIES This course will introduce students to molecular biology as a method of scientific inquiry. In addition to learning basic techniques for manipulation and analysis of nucleic acids, primary literature will be read and critically evaluated. Impacts of these technologies in a wider context will also be discussed. Prerequisite: 2490. Spring only.
3310 NEUROETHOLOGY: THE NEURAL BASIS OF NATURAL BEHAVIORS A course for Biology majors. This course introduces the students to the organization of the nervous system, and provides a detailed study of specializations of the nervous system in several different species (including insects, rodents, birds, fish, primates). Lecture only. Prerequisite: BIOL 1440 with a grade of C or higher. Spring, every other year.
3360 INTRODUCTION TO MARINE BIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course provides an introduction to the marine environment as habitat, to the biota of various marine communities, and to human impacts such as over-harvesting and pollution. Lecture only. Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better), CHEM 1451, and PHYS 1410. Fall.
3370 INTRODUCTION TO NEUROSCIENCE A course primarily for health science majors. This course examines the relationship between the human nervous system and behavioral output, including organizational features, sensory transduction, control of movement, and the circuits involved with emotions and rational thought. Lecture only. This course cannot be used to fulfill the Biology major requirements. Prerequisites: BIOL 2405 or 2406, and CHEM 1402 or 1450, or permission of instructor. Fall, spring.
3380 BIOLOGY OF HIV/AIDS An elective course for biology majors. This course involves comprehensive study of HIV origins, cellular transmission mechanisms, biochemistry, immunology, opportunistic diseases, testing, treatments, vaccines, and animal models. Lecture only. Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better). On demand.
3390 ECONOMIC BOTANY An elective course for biology majors. This course addresses the impact that plants have on modern society, and includes discussion of major food crops, plants used for paper and wood, medicinal plants, and the role of plant biotechnology in crop improvement. Lecture only. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). On demand.
3402 CELL BIOLOGY A core course for majors. This course examines cell structure and function with an emphasis on bioenergetics, protein structure and function, and delivery of proteins to the various organelles found in eukaryotic cells. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better), MATH 1390 or above, CHEM 2401, PHYS 1410. Fall, spring, summer.
3403 GENERAL ECOLOGY A core course for biology majors. This course examines interactions between organisms and their environment. Includes one Saturday field trip. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 1441 (C or better) and MATH 2311. Fall, spring.
3410 VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course surveys the classification, functional morphology, and natural history of the vertebrate animals. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Fall.
3420 GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course involves basic concepts of bacteriology, virology, molecular biology, immunology, and pathogenic microbiology. Open only to biology majors unless instructor’s permission obtained. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better) or instructor permission. Fall, spring.
4100 FIELD STUDIES IN BIOLOGY This course is designed to broaden the student’s field experience beyond that obtained in regular courses through concentrated first-hand observations of plants, animals, and their environments. On demand.
4205 CONSERVATION EDUCATION Grounded in place-based teaching and using the environment as a context for learning. The course will provide students with activities, lesson plans, and resources in four nationally recognized conservation education curriculum: Project WET, Project WILD, Project Learning Tree, and Leopold Education Project. Upon completion the student will be a certified educator and receive a certification document for each curriculum. This course is designed for undergraduates majoring in Biology and Environmental Science, for graduate students in Biology and Science Education, and for classroom and non-classroom educators seeking ADE professional development credit. The course meets three times over a semester on Friday evenings and Saturdays for training and will conclude with a youth teaching experience. Fall or spring semester.
4250 SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS An elective course for biology majors. This course covers the theory and practice of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis, and provides training in sample preparation, examination and analysis, and imaging. Students will complete independent projects. Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better), PHYS 1420 or 1422, and permission of instructor. On demand.
4311 PATHOPHYSIOLOGY A course primarily for health science majors. This course involves discussion of disruptions in normal physiology, including the alterations, derangements, and mechanisms involved in these disruptions and how they manifest themselves as signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings. Lecture only. Prerequisites: BIOL 2405 or 2407 or 4460, or consent of instructor. Spring, summer.
4320 NEURODEVELOPMENT AND PATHOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course examines current issues in neurobiology with emphasis on disorders and development of the mammalian central nervous system. Lecture only. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). On demand.
4330 PRINCIPLES OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM This elective course will analyze the cardiovascular system based upon its two principal parts: (1) the primary “pump” for blood flow, the heart, and (2) the conduit for blood flow, the blood vessels. Students will gain an understanding of the cardiovascular system by analyzing the heart anatomy and function, how blood flows through the blood vessels, and the impact of the nervous system on cardiovascular function. Students will utilize the historical primary literature as a foundation for current experimental ideas. Thus, students will have to analyze, interpret, and discuss historical and up-to-date primary literature. Prerequisite: “C or better” in BIOL 3402. Once a year.
4340 IMMUNOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course covers cellular and molecular aspects of immunity, clinical immunology techniques, immune diseases and disorders, and the role of the immune system during infection and cancer. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 3402 (C or better) or 3420. On demand.
4351 GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY A course primarily for health science majors. This course examines how the body handles drugs, and the effects of the various classes of drugs on body systems, including sites and mechanisms of action, therapeutic and side effects, and toxicology. Lecture only. Prerequisite: BIOL 2405 or 2407 or 4460. Fall.
4360 ENDOCRINOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course involves study of the structure and function of endocrine tissues of vertebrates in regard to growth, puberty, reproduction, metabolism, and stress. Hormonal mechanisms of action are emphasized. Lecture only. Prerequisite: BIOL 3402 (C or better). On demand.
4390, 4490 SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOLOGY This course examines diverse subjects that would otherwise be unavailable through traditional course offerings. Topics will vary each semester. On demand.
4400 HISTOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course surveys the microscopic anatomy of the vertebrate body. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 3402 (C or better). Fall.
4401 INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course surveys the classification, functional morphology, and natural history of the invertebrate animals. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Spring.
4404 PLANT TAXONOMY An elective course for biology majors. This course involves the identification, nomenclature, and classification of vascular plants, dealing mainly with Arkansas flora. Laboratory exercises have strong field orientation. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Fall.
4405 DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course will study the procedures by which organisms grow and develop. Specifically, the course will focus on control of cell growth, differentiation, and morphogenesis in animal and plant systems at the morphological, genetic, cellular and who organism levels. Prerequisites: 2490 (C or better) and 3402 (C or better). On demand.
4406 MAMMALOGY An elective course for biology majors. Biology of mammals. Topics covered include systematics, classification, evolution, physiological and behavioral adaptive strategies, conservation, and economic importance. Integrated lab introduces students to Arkansas mammal identification and distribution, and to field study techniques and museum preservation and curation. Required BIOL 2490 (C grade or better), recommended BIOL 3403, and/or BIOL 3410, and/or BIOL 3415. Offered every other fall.
4407 ORNITHOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. The study of birds. Topics covered include classification, identification, evolution, physiological and behavioral adaptive strategies, conservation, management, and economic importance of birds, with an emphasis on North American avifauna. Integrated lab introduces students to Arkansas and regional / eastern-central U.S. bird identification and distribution, and to field study techniques and museum preservation and curation. Required BIOL 2490, (C grade or better), recommended BIOL 3403, and/or BIOL 3410, and/or BIOL 3415. Offered every other spring.
4410 BIOLOGY OF LOWER PLANTS AND FUNGI An elective course for biology majors. This field biology course examines mosses, ferns, algae, and fungi as they are found in natural habitats. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Spring, alternate years.
4412 ORGANISMS IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS An elective course for biology and environmental science majors. This course will examine the physiology and ecology of eukaryotic organisms that are known to survive major environmental stresses including high and low temperatures, desiccation, osmotic stress, high irradiance and exposure to toxins. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: MATH 2311 (or equivalent statistics course) and BIOL 2490 with a grade of C or better. Offered spring alternate years.
4415 EVOLUTION An elective course for biology majors. This course introduces biological evolution from the Darwinian and Neo-Darwinian perspectives and emphasizes mechanisms of evolutionary change and an overview of the history of life on earth. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Fall, spring.
4418 BIOLOGY OF THE REPTILIA An elective course for biology majors. This course examines the biology, reproduction, ecology, and conservation biology of reptiles. Laboratory exercises emphasize species identification, field techniques, as well as population and community analysis. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 3403 and BIOL 2490 (C or better). Spring, summer.
4421 PATHOGENIC MICROBIOLOGY This lecture/lab course covers the essentials of clinical/medical microbiology. Emphasis will be placed on safety issues, handling of clinical specimens, identification techniques, and pathogenicity of specific microbes. Students will learn not only the connection between agent and disease, but how to sample and identify those agents. Prerequisite: BIOL 3420. Offered alternate spring semesters.
4425 EXPERIMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course introduces students to the structure and function of invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems. Laboratory exercises involving invertebrates present techniques for studying nervous system function and research design. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better), CHEM 1402 or 1450, PHYS 1420. Fall.
4428 ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course examines the various physiological adaptations that animals use to cope with environmental stress. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 3403 and BIOL 2490 (C or better). Fall.
4430 COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY An elective course for biology majors. This course examines the comparative gross anatomy of vertebrates. Laboratory work includes dissection of the dogfish shark, Necturus, and cat. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Spring.
4435 ANIMAL BEHAVIOR An elective course for biology majors. This course analyzes animal behavior from an ecological and evolutionary perspective. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better) and CHEM 1451. Pre- or corequisite: MATH 2311. On demand.
4440 ENTOMOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course involves study of the classification, evolution, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology of insects. The course also explores how insects affect our lives and how harmful insects are controlled. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). On demand.
4442 RESTORATION ECOLOGY: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATION An elective course for biology majors. The course focuses on the ecological principles used in ecosystem restorations, the application of restoration to different ecosystems, and the evaluation of actual restorations in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 3403 (C or better). Fall alternate years.
4445 BIOMETRY An elective course for biology majors. This course involves applied biological statistics with an emphasis on experimental design and data analysis. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL 2490 (C or better) and MATH 2311. On demand.
4450 PLANT ECOPHYSIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course involves the study of the effects of environment on plant growth, distribution and plant adaptation. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 1441 (C or better), MATH 2411 (or equivalent statistics course). Fall, alternate years.
4455 ICHTHYOLOGY – THE BIOLOGY OF FISHES An elective for both Biology and Environmental Science majors. Ichthyology is the study of fishes. In this course we will examine diversity, ecology, life history, and physiology of fishes as well as aspects of fisheries management. Fishes comprise more than half of all known living vertebrates, are found in almost every conceivable aquatic habitat and exhibit an enormous array of life history and ecological adaptations. They are also important indicators of environmental quality. This course will emphasize the biology and ecology of fishes in lecture and use a systematic approach to study the taxonomic identification of fishes in lab, stressing identification of southeastern freshwater fishes. Students will also become familiar with various sampling techniques in the field. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Spring.
4460 ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course examines the function of the organ systems in vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Laboratory work includes collection and analysis of data using living material. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 3402 (C or better). Spring.
4465 ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY provides an introduction to the fate, toxicity, and effects of contaminants in ecological systems. This course will focus on the impacts of toxic substances on ecological structures across various levels of biological organization, from individuals to the community and ecosystem level. Students will receive a basic knowledge of both short- and long-term effects of pollution on aquatic and terrestrial organisms and environments. Upon completion of the course, students will have an understanding of the properties and behavior of major classes of chemicals, toxicity testing procedures, concepts and application of ecological risk assessment for regulation, and current issues in the field. Prerequisites: CHEM 1451; MATH 2311, PSCI 3312 OR PSYC 2330; BIOL 2490, or permission of instructor. Fall.
4461 PARASITOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course introduces students to the taxonomy, morphology, ecology, and life cycles of animal parasites. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). On demand.
4470 BIOLOGY OF SEED PLANTS An elective course for biology majors. This course involves study of the adaptations that have made seed plants the most successful plants in the biosphere. Laboratory exercises have strong field orientation. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 2490 (C or better). Spring, alternate years.
4475 ADVANCED CELL BIOLOGY This course will explore advanced concepts in cell function and cell communication by introducing topics including, but not limited to, cytoskelatal function, the extracellular matrix, apoptosis, cell division, and motility. This course emphasizes the molecular basis of cellular function and communication through the study of how these processes are intimately interconnected and how they relate to the overall function of both unicellular and multicellular eukaryotic organisms. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 3402 (C or better). Spring.
4480 HISTORY OF LIFE An elective course for biology majors. This course is an introduction to paleobiology, the study of the Earth’s life as preserved in the fossil record. Topics will include the fundamentals of historical geology, geologic dating and correlation, the major groups of animals, plants, and microorganisms at different periods in the past, the reconstruction of past environments, and the use of fossil and geological evidence in studying environmental change. Lecture and laboratory. Offered alternate fall semesters.
4530 EXPERIMENTAL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors. This course introduces students to the molecular biology of nucleic acids with an emphasis on biotechnology and genetic engineering. The laboratory experience is a major component of this course. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL 3402 (C or better) or CHEM 4320 and CHEM 4121. Spring, alternate years.
3145, 3245, 3345, 3445 INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGY An elective course for biology majors who have completed 60 hours of course work with a GPA of a least 2.5. An internship is an opportunity to apply classroom experience in biology to an employment situation. Internships are normally limited to one semester. Up to 4 hours of biology elective credit may be satisfied by an internship experience, with approval of the Internship committee. Prerequisites: Approval of the Department and selection by sponsor.
3150, 4155 INDEPENDENT STUDY Individual work under Biology faculty supervision, not normally involving laboratory or field research. This course is designed to supplement regularly organized courses in biology and may serve as an introduction to biological literature review. Course(s) may be credited towards biology elective credit requirements if approved by the Independent Study Committee. Prerequisite: Prior consent of faculty supervisor, academic advisor, and Department Chairperson. Fall, spring, summer.