Courses for Non-Scientists

The EEB Department offers a number of courses that are especially appropriate for non-scientists to satisfy the science distribution requirement, including the laboratory course requirement in some cases. There are no prerequisites for any of these courses, which are listed below. These courses will count toward major or minor requirements in the department unless otherwise indicated.

Lecture Courses

EBIO 104, Global Environmental Change (does not count toward EEB majors or minor)
EBIO 123, Diversity in Animal Behavior (does not count toward EEB majors or minor)
EBIO 201, Evolution in Human Health and Disease (counts toward major beginning 2003 fall)
EBIO 203, History of Life
EBIO 211, Tropical Biology
EBIO 221, Insect Biology
EBIO 377, Mississippi River Colloquium (does not count toward EEB majors or minor)

Lecture-Laboratory Courses Fulfilling the LAS Laboratory Science Requirement

EBIO 101/111, Diversity of Life/Lab
EBIO 318/319, Plants and Human Affairs/Lab
EBIO 431, Plant Systematics

Descriptions of Courses for Non-Scientists

EBIO 101 Diversity of Life (3) Mr. Darwin, Mr. Fleury
Co-requisite: EBIO 111. A survey of plant and animal life emphasizing the diversity among individual population species communities and ecosystems.

EBIO 104 Global Environmental Change (3) Mr. Fleury
Prerequisite: None. An introduction to the physical and biological processes that regulate the function of the Earth system. The composition formation and stabilization of the Earth's atmosphere and ecosystems will be examined emphasizing biological processes and ecosystem ecology. With an understanding of the historical rates and mechanisms of natural global change the means by which human activities alter Earth system function at local to global scales will be explored along with the consequences of and solutions to human-induced global change. This course is not available for credit to students who have taken EBIO 104 Environmental Biology.

EBIO 111 Diversity of Life Laboratory (1) Staff
Co-requisite: EBIO 101. Laboratory and field exercises designed to augment the lecture material in 101. Three hours per week.

EBIO 123 Diversity in Animal Behavior (3) Staff
Prerequisite: None. Basic concepts in animal behavior, emphasizing diversity among animals and their behaviors and the ecological and evolutionary influences on those behaviors. Course will include discussion of how behaviors are studied, physiological mechanisms of behaviors, animal diversity, and how animals communicate, find mates, reproduce, care for their young, defend and feed themselves and move within their environment. Meets the college non-laboratory science requirement. Does not count toward the requirements for a major or minor in ecology and evolutionary biology.

EBIO 201 Evolution in Human Health & Disease (3) Mr. Heins
Prerequisite: None. An introduction for non-majors to the study of infectious and non-infectious diseases from an evolutionary perspective to understand why we get sick. This course meets the college non-laboratory science requirement. (The course will count toward major and minor requirements beginning with the 2003 fall semester.)

EBIO 203 History of Life (3) Mr. Fleury
Prerequisite: None. The course provides a general introduction for majors and non-majors to the evolution of life on Earth, from its origin through the Pleistocene. The focus is on the evolution and ecology of organisms in primitive environments, with special attention given to key taxa and events, such as the origin of life, the oxygen revolution, mass extinction events, the transition to land, the origin of angiosperms, and the rise and fall of dinosaurs. Emphasis is placed on the reconstruction of ancient environments, using modern ecological principles as a guideline to the nature of early biological communities and ecosystems.

EBIO 211 Tropical Biology (3) Mr. Dyer
Prerequisite: None. Introduction to ecological, evolutionary and organismal studies of living organisms in the neotropics.

EBIO 221 Insect Biology (3) Mr. Dyer
Prerequisite: None. Basic insect biology with an emphasis on insect interactions with humans and how insects fit into our culture.

EBIO 318 Plants & Human Affairs (3) Mr. Darwin
Prerequisite: None. Since ancient times, people have relied on plants for food, clothing, shelter, medicines and more. This course investigates some of the ways in which plants support and shape human life. Topics will include: early ideas about plants and the origin of plant lore; plant domestication and the rise of agriculture; plant products in commercial economies; cultural uses of plants; plants and the future of civilization.

EBIO 319 Plants & Human Affairs Lab (1) Mr. Darwin
Prerequisite: none. Co-requisite: EBIO 318. Laboratory course accompanies EBIO 318. A survey of plant products and their sources, emphasizing the structure, chemistry and diversity of economic plants. Demonstrations, exercises, and field trips.

EBIO 377 Mississippi River Colloquium (4) Mr. Bart
Prerequisite: None. Interdisciplinary course dealing with the Mississippi River Basin. The goal is to give students a broad overview of the important social and environmental issues surrounding the river. This course meets the college non-laboratory science requirement, but it cannot count toward any major or minor in ecology and evolutionary biology. Lectures are supplemented by weekly labs, some day field trips, and one weekend field trip. Same as ENST 377.

EBIO 431 Plant Systematics (4) Mr. Darwin
Prerequisite: None. A review of the structure and evolution of land plants and a survey of the major families of flowering plants. Laboratory emphasis on structural terminology and plant identification. Field trips required.

« Return to Previous Page