Degree Requirements

BI 111 is the first foundational course in biology and provides an introduction to the molecular concepts that form the basis of cellular life. Concepts in Biology I covers the basic principles of evolution, biochemistry, cell structure and function, signal transduction, cell division, transmission genetics, the central dogma of molecular biology, and control of gene expression. Two 50-minute lectures and one 75-minute discussion/week. A prerequisite to BI 112, 201, 202, 205, 206, 212, and 230; PS 335, 350, 351, 352, and 353.
Prerequisite: Co: Take BI-113

BI 112 is the second foundational course in biology. The course focuses on the cellular and organismal levels in the hierarchy of biological organization. Concepts in Biology II covers adaptations of plant and animal life in an evolutionary context and includes discussion of development, body and tissue organization, homeostasis, energy yielding metabolism, nutrition, digestion, circulation, nutrient transport, and gas exchange. Two 50-minute lectures and one 75 minute discussion/week. A prerequisite to BI 201, 202, 210, 212, 230, 245, 255, 274, 276, 278, 305, and 345.
Prerequisite: Pre: BI-111 and BI-113

The laboratory associated with Concepts in Biology I focuses on multiweek exercises that reinforce critical concepts on the molecular and cellular levels of biological organization. The laboratory incorporates student-designed experiments, extensive journal-format scientific writing, and emphasizes science as a process. One 3-hour laboratory/week.
Prerequisite: Co: Take BI-111

The laboratory associated with Concepts in Biology II focuses on introduction of techniques for observing organismal physiology and behavior that reinforce critical concepts on the cellular and organismal levels of biological organization. The laboratory incorporates an open-ended multiweek student-designed experiment, extensive journal-format scientific writing, and emphasizes science as a process. One 3-hour laboratory/week.
Prerequisite: Pre: BI-111 and BI-113;

Organisms to Populations is the third in the series of courses that serve as the foundation of the biology major. The focus of this course is on the evolutionary forces that lead to the biologically fascinating trade-offs between growth, survival, and reproduction. Topics covered include reproductive biology, transmission and population genetics, mechanisms of evolution and an exploration of adaptation, and life history characteristics in a diversity of organisms. A prerequisite to BI 210, 212, 306, 311, 312, 320, 325, 335, 340, 355, and 398.
Prerequisite: TAKE BI-111 BI-112 BI-113 BI-114 WITH MIN GRADE OF C, P

Ecology & Evolution is a sophomore level course in the core biology curriculum required for all majors administered through the Department of Biology. Students will discover the unity and interdependence of the living and non-living components of the environment while exploring the limitless diversity of life on earth through the lens of ecological theory. Topics include population dynamics, species interactions, abundance and diversity, nutrient cycling, succession, and stability.  A prerequisite to BI 240, BI 260, BI 265, and BI 398
Prerequisite: BI-111 BI-113 BI-112 BI-114 MA-131ýMinimum grade of C, P

Organisms to Populations Laboratory is the mandatory corequisite for BI 201. The interactive laboratory course will concentrate on multi-week exercises that reinforce essential course concepts. Student-designed experiments, the process of science, and oral and written scientific communication are focal points of the course design.
Prerequisite: Co-req.:Take BI-201

Populations to Ecosystems Laboratory is the mandatory corequisite for BI 202. The interactive laboratory course will concentrate on multi-week exercises that reinforce essential course concepts. Student-designed experiments, the process of science, and oral and written scientific communication are focal points of the course design.
Prerequisite: Co-req.: Take BI-202

Covers advanced topics in eukaryotic cell biology with emphasis on cell identity, protein transport, and cellular physiology. Laboratory work includes cell culture, immuno-cytochemistry, and other biological analyses. Three hours lecture and three hours of lab per week.
Prerequisite: Pre: Bi-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH-154

Covers advanced topics in eukaryotic cell biology with emphasis on cell identity, protein transport, and cellular physiology. Laboratory work includes cell culture, immuno-cytochemistry, and other biological analyses. Three hours lecture and three hours of lab per week.
Prerequisite: Pre: BI-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH-154

BI 320 focuses on the many real-world applications of molecular genetic technology. Topics explored in a combined lecture/lab include PCR and cloning, molecular analysis of population structure, personal genomics, forensic DNA analysis, and synthetic biology.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 BI-203 and CH-152 CH-154

Provides foundations of molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology, analysis of relevant primary journal articles, hands-on training in recombinant DNA techniques, and exposure to the use of computers in DNA sequence analysis and scientific communication.
Prerequisite: TAKE BI-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH-154

Internships in Biology focus on gaining applied experience through study of a biological topic or an interdisciplinary project that provides majors with an opportunity to gain real-world experience not specifically available in Sacred Heart University's Biology curriculum. Students complete an internship portfolio under the direction of an appropriate professional in consultation with a biology faculty advisor.

Individual research projects in the basic areas of Biology under the supervision of faculty.

Senior Seminar is the capstone course for the Biology major. The course focuses on review of current research and literature on specialized fields of current interest in biological science. An independent project resulting in a research paper on a current question of scientific, public policy, or ethical focus and a final oral presentation on a selected topic is required.

Explores modern theories of atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding and periodic relations, chemical reactions and stoichiometry, states of matter, and solutions. Three 50-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week. A prerequisite to BI 230 and CH 152.
Prerequisite: Take CH-153

Explores chemical thermodynamics; chemical kinetics; chemical, ionic, and acid-base equilibria; electrochemistry; chemistry of the representative elements and transition elements; and nuclear reactions. Three 50-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-151 and CH-153

Illustrates basic concepts presented in CH 151. Experiments include qualitative analysis of cations and anions, chromatography, synthesis, and FT-IR. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-151

Illustrates basic concepts presented in CH 152. Experiments include quantitative analysis, equilibria, thermochemistry, spectrophotometry, and GC-MS. One three-hour laboratory per week. A prerequisite to CH 254 and 331.
Prerequisite: Take CH 151 and CH-153

Covers hydrocarbons, stereochemistry, arenes, alkyl halides, nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions, and IR, NMR, MS, and UV spectroscopy in relation to structure determination. Two 75-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week. A prerequisite to CH 222 and 252.
Prerequisite: Take CH-152 and CH-154

Covers aromaticity; electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions; ethers, epoxides, carboxylic acids, and their functional derivatives; aldehydes; ketones; amines; phenols; carbanion reactions; and alpha-beta unsaturated compounds. Emphasizes organic reaction mechanisms organic synthesis and structure determination. Two 75-minute lectures and one 50-minute discussion per week. A prerequisite to CH 341 and 361.
Prerequisite: Take CH-221 and CH-223

Covers basic techniques in organic chemistry: extraction, distillation, recrystallization; thin layer chromatography; gas chromatography; and IR spectroscopy. Emphasizes techniques in organic synthesis. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-152 and CH-154

Covers simple and multistep organic syntheses using a wide variety of organic reagents and some important functional group analyses. Employs spectroscopy and GC-MS for structure determination. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-221 and CH-223

Covers chemical and physiological properties of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids. Explores metabolic pathways and enzymology. Two 75-minute lectures per week. A prerequisite to CH 342.
Prerequisite: Take CH-222 and CH-224

Investigates chemical and physical properties of biologically important compounds using chromatography, electrophoresis, enzyme assays, and various techniques for isolation and identification of biochemicals and enzymes. One three-hour laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take CH-341

This course is geared toward liberal arts, science, business, and health science majors." It introduces descriptive statistics, probability distributions (both discrete and normal), confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and correlation. Real-world applications are offered and computer statistical software may be used.

Microbial diversity and the evolution, physiology, genetics, and ecology of microbes are addressed. Specific topics include epidemiology and infectious disease and the use of microorganisms in industry and research. Laboratory work focuses on modern molecular methods of experimental microbiology and bacterial identification, including a semester-long research project. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take BI-111/113, BI-112/114, CH-151/152/153/154 ýMinimum grade C,T, P for BI courses only

BI 306 is an introduction to principles of pharmacology and therapeutic uses of drugs with an emphasis on the cellular and molecular foundations of pharmacology. Topics include mechanisms of drug action, dose-response relations, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug-delivery systems, toxicity of pharmacological agents, drug interaction, and substance abuse.
Prerequisite: TAKE BI-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH-154 with minimum grade of C, P

Covers advanced topics in eukaryotic cell biology with emphasis on cell identity, protein transport, and cellular physiology. Laboratory work includes cell culture, immuno-cytochemistry, and other biological analyses. Three hours lecture and three hours of lab per week.
Prerequisite: Pre: Bi-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH-154

Lecture examines cellular and molecular aspects of animal development from gametogenesis to morphogenesis and pattern formation. Laboratory work includes investigations on fertilization, cellular differentiation, regeneration, and the development of vertebrate organ systems. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 and BI-203 (minimum grade C, P) for both and ýCH152 and CH-154

BI 320 focuses on the many real-world applications of molecular genetic technology. Topics explored in a combined lecture/lab include PCR and cloning, molecular analysis of population structure, personal genomics, forensic DNA analysis, and synthetic biology.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 BI-203 and CH-152 CH-154

This course differs from traditional biochemistry courses and focuses specifically on human medical biochemistry. Major core concepts of biochemistry will be applied to human health and diseases with a heavy emphasis on medical case studies and medical literature. The course focuses on key biochemical processes including, but not limited to, hormones and homeostasis, enzymatic reactions and metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and ATP production, amino acids, protein and DNA synthesis. Key MCAT topics are highlighted.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 BI-203 CH-151 CH-153 CH-152 CH-154

BI 325 examines the mammalian immune response including characteristics of antigens, antibodies, and antigen-antibody interactions. Three hours of lecture per week.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 and BI-203

Chemical ecology explores the ways that naturally occurring chemicals control interactions between organisms in various environments and how humans can use this information.
Prerequisite: Take BI-202 and BI 204 with minimum grade of C, P

This seminar course will both expand and deepen students' knowledge of genetics while exploring hot topics such as gene therapy, DNA as a digital information storage molecule, complex genetic disorders, DNA circuits, synthetic genomes, genome wide association studies, metabolomics, DNA barcoding, genome-based medicine, DNA-based treatments, RNAi, epigenetics, conservation genetics, and controversial genetic ethics topics such as gene doping, etc.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 and BI-203 with Minimum grade of C, P

BI 340 is an introduction to the biology of cancer through a format consisting of lectures, student-led discussions, problembased learning, and case studies. Concepts to be covered in this course include tumorigenesis, carcinogenesis, types of cancer, cell cycle regulation and apoptosis, growth factors and cell signaling, oncogenes, tumor suppressors, genomic, chromosomal and cell morphology changes in cancer, and the role of the immune system in cancer. Students also will have the opportunity to explore the ethics and human face of cancer throughout the course.
Prerequisite: Take BI-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH 154

Examines the cellular, molecular, and physiological mechanisms underlying the functioning of the nervous system and how these mechanisms relate to behavior.
Prerequisite: Take BI 112,114,CH 152, 154

Provides foundations of molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology, analysis of relevant primary journal articles, hands-on training in recombinant DNA techniques, and exposure to the use of computers in DNA sequence analysis and scientific communication.
Prerequisite: TAKE BI-201 BI-203 CH-152 CH-154