B.S. Biological Sciences
Concentration in Biology and Society
Roadmap Link
Checksheet 2007-08
Fall 2008 Biology and Society Interface Course List
The Concentration in Biology and Society is designed to provide students with a
working knowledge of life sciences and related sciences, and to gain the historical, philosophical,
political, and bioethical perspectives needed to explore interactions between the life sciences and
related complex human issues. The program seeks to cultivate better-informed and more effective
policy-makers, teachers, writers, and researchers in areas related to biology, medicine, and
society. To achieve this, the curriculum is highly individualized. The major in Biological Sciences
with a Concentration in Biology and Society consists of a minimum of 48 semester hours in required
courses, and a minimum of 9 semester hours in related fields, a three-semester-hour statistics
course, plus a three-semester-hour advanced mathematics course included in the General Studies
Requirement. A minimum grade of “C” (2.00) is required in all course work in the major and
related fields.
Required courses are as follows:
Core requirements (15 hours):
BIO 187 General Biology (4)
BIO 188 General Biology (4)
BIO 340 General Genetics (4) or BIO 341 Genetic Analysis (5)
BIO 345 Organic Evolution (3)
Concentration requirements (9 hours):
BIO 311 Biology and Society (3)
BIO 314 Research Colloquium in Biology and Society I (2)
BIO 414 Research Colloquium in Biology and Society II (1)
3 credit hours of Research (see an advisor for approved list)
Upper Division Life Sciences:
12 credit hours of upper division electives from BIO, PLB, MIC, MBB
Interface Courses:
12 credit hours of Interface courses with at least 3 credits from each
of the three areas of:
1) Ethics
2) History and Philosophy of Science
3) Science in Contemporary Society
While these specific courses will fulfill the requirement without further approval,
students may propose other courses as well. Please submit a course approval form request
with a syllabus or course description to the Center for Biology and Society for approval.
Related fields (9 hours of physical science, chemistry preferred).
Math Proficiency (6 hours; 3 as a General Studies Requirement):
STP 226 Elementary Statistics (3)
---or--- STP 231 Statistics for Biosciences (3)
MAT 251 Calculus for Life Sciences (3)
Interface Course Requirements (will not appear in catalog):
Biology and Society, B.S. Majors must take at least one course from each of the
three areas below for a total of 12 credit hours. While these specific courses will fulfill the
requirement without further approval, students may propose other courses as well.
To propose or petition to take a course that is not listed, please fill out the
Biology and Society Interface Course Approval Form and submit it to Dr. Maienschein in room LSC
284.
Ethics:
These courses include rigorous analysis of
ethics and values in the context of the products and processes of the life sciences.
BIO 394/PHI 320 Bioethics
BIO 394/PHI 394/REL 394 Bioethics: Religious Issues
BIO 494 Advanced Environmental Ethics
PHI 310/BIO 394 Environmental Ethics
BIO 394/ENG 394 Science, Ethics and the Public
BIO 416/HPS 410 Professional Values in Science
*Other Courses with Topics Related to Bioethics
History and Philosophy of Science:
These courses focus on 1) the development of science over time and the way that
science changes with and within society or 2) promoting a deep understanding and appreciation of
the nature of scientific arguments and logic and how you determine what counts as evidence in
science.
BIO 316/HPS 330 History of Biology
BIO 318/HPS 331 History of Medicine
HPS 325/HST 385 Chinese Science and Medicine
HPS 322 History of Science
HPS 323 History of Science
HPS 394 Exploration
PHI 312 Theory of Knowledge
HPS 314/PHI 314 Philosophy of Science
PHI 394 Philosophy of Biology
HPS 494/BIO 494 Darwin and Design
HPS 394 Selected Special Topics*
HPS 494 Selected Special Topics*
Science in Contemporary Society:
These courses must expose students to the methods of inquiry and
results in the social study of science. They explore contemporary interactions between
biology and society. Each course must clearly recognize and analyze current issues relating
to both science and society, not just science, and may draw from religious studies, philosophy,
economics, policy, law, anthropology, political science, business, and other disciplines.
ASB 311 Principles of Social Anthropology
ASB 462 Medical Anthropology: Culture and Health
ASM 348 Social Issues in Human Genetics
BIO 302 Cancer and Heart Disease
BIO 303 Radiation and Life
BIO 304 Radiation Medicine and Biology
BIO 349/HPS 332/HUM 372 Darwinian Revolution
BIO 322/323 Conservation Biology and Ecological Sustainability I and II
BIO 411 Quantitative Conservation Biology
BIO 412 Conservation in Practice
BIO 344/HUM 371/HPS 311/REL 383 Origins: Evolution and Creation
BIO 394 Taking Science to the Public
BIO 427 History of Fire
CHM 107 Chemistry and Society
CSS 494 Race, Medicine, and the Body
HPS 394 Staging of Illness
JMC 445 Science Writing
SOC 334 Technology and Society
*Other Courses Related to Law and Science
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