Shared Course Learning Outcomes

The courses listed below have learning outcomes that were developed collaboratively by faculty of the School of Biological Sciences through processes developed by the school’s assessment committee. Course learning outcomes indicate the shared understanding amongst faculty teaching the course of what students can expect to learn when taking the course.

The following list is not exhaustive; other courses may have learning outcomes developed by individual instructors. Additionally, each faculty member has the academic freedom to address each outcome as they see fit and may address additional topics not covered in the shared course learning outcomes.

BILD Courses

BILD 1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)

CLO 1: Compare and contrast how the structures and elements of prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells, and viruses impact how they function.
CLO 2: Explain the relationship between chemical structure and function of molecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins, amino acids, and lipids.
CLO3: Predict how and when molecules may enter or exit cells through various pathways in the cell membranes.
CLO4: Analyze how energy is produced and used by cells, including processes such as cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
CLO5: Explain how cells receive and act on external chemical signals, including the stages of cell signaling and how signals are amplified.
CLO6: Apply the central dogma to explain how genes give rise to the traits we observe in organisms.
CLO7: Explain how gene expression can be modulated.
CLO8: Explain mechanisms that lead to genetic diversity including mutation and meiotic recombination.
CLO9: Explain patterns and mechanisms of inheritance.
CLO10: Analyze how the environment interacts with genotypes to produce phenotypes.
Competency Outcome 1: Evaluate claims based on scientific evidence and reasoning.
Competency Outcome 2: Uses feedback from exams and assignments to adjust study strategies

BILD 3 Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)

CLO 1 A: Explain how the processes of natural selection and evolution work, including the roles of mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow
CLO 1 B: Explain how evolutionary processes such as natural selection, sexual selection, gene flow, and chance events (mutation, genetic drift) change allele frequencies and phenotypes over time.
CLO 2: Interpret evolutionary trees to determine homology, derived traits, common ancestors, and relationships between taxa.
CLO 3: Identify the relative order of, and approximate elapsed time between, major events in earth’s history, including the origin of the earth and of major taxonomic groups.
CLO 4: Explain the processes by which new species arise and the mechanisms of reproductive isolation.
CLO 5: Describe the evolution of Homo sapiens, including anatomical differences from our ancestors and our evolutionary relationship with non-human primate species.
CLO 6: Identify the evolutionary relationships among the 3 domains of life: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota.
CLO 7: Compare and contrast animals, plants, and fungi, including their adaptations, ecological roles, and evolutionary relationships.
CLO 8: Identify the major phyla of animals and major plant groups based on their characteristics.
CLO 9: Describe the ecological roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers and how they interact in a food chain/web.
CLO 10: Describe how energy flows, and nutrients cycle, within ecosystems.
CLO 11: Explain how species in an ecological community interact with one other and their environments.
CLO 12: Describe factors that produce different population growth patterns.
CLO 13: Describe the causes and major consequences of global climate change.
CLO 14: Describe how abiotic factors such as the sun and geography drive large-scale temperature/precipitation patterns across the planet and how those patterns influence the location of biomes.

BIBC Courses

No course outcomes listed at this time.

BICD Courses

BICD 100 Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)

CLO 1: Deduce genotypes, allelic relationships, and modes of inheritance for monogenic traits by analyzing the outcomes of crosses and patterns of inheritance observed in pedigrees
CLO 2: Describe the molecular anatomy of genes, chromosomes and genomes and how they relate to the genetic control of heritable traits.
CLO 3: Apply knowledge of the mechanisms by which an organism's genome is passed on to the next generation.
CLO 4: Analyze genetic linkage in relation to patterns of inheritance and genomic locations.
CLO 5: Make deductions about gene interactions by analyzing cross outcomes.
CLO 6: Analyze the relationship between allelic and genotypic frequencies in populations and the impact of processes that alter these frequencies over time.
CLO 7: Compare different types of mutations in terms of their impacts on gene function and how these changes relate to phenotypes.
CLO 8: Analyze genetic control of traits that are influenced by multiple genes and the environment.

BIPN 140 Course Learning Outcomes (CLO)

CLO 1: Describe the shape and functions of parts of the nervous system, including different cell types and parts of a neuron.
CLO 2: Justify the use of particular experimental methods or organisms to address particular scientific questions.
CLO 3: Predict how changes in ion concentrations or membrane composition will affect membrane potential.
CLO 4: Predict how currents will change membrane potential based on passive membrane properties such as resistance and capacitance.
CLO 5: Analyze the structural and functional properties of voltage-gated ion channels.
CLO 6: Analyze how ion channels act together to form and propagate action potentials.
CLO 7: Explain how chemical and electrical synapses transmit signals, including how chemical synapses release neurotransmitters and recycle vesicles.
CLO 8: Describe how neurons receive and react to neurotransmitter signals, including the effects of activating common receptors for common neurotransmitter types.
CLO 9: Describe how neurons send signals internally, particularly using G-proteins and calcium ions.
CLO 10: Analyze various ways short-term and long-term synaptic plasticity occurs.
CLO 11: Describe how synapses are formed and pruned between neurons and muscle and between neurons in the central nervous system.
CLO 12: Explain how light and odors activate sensory neurons.
Competency Outcome 1: Evaluate claims in scientific experiments, scientific papers, popular science media, and other sources using evidence-based reasoning.
Competency Outcome 2: Apply appropriate statistical, mathematical, and computational tools to address biological questions.
Competency Outcome 3: Create informative graphs and other data visualizations.
Competency Outcome 4: Apply models and simulations to analyze complex biological systems.

BISP Courses