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Biology and marine biology majors investigate the interconnected
processes that shape the living world. The Department of Biology and
Marine Biology is housed in a large, new building offering modern
teaching and research laboratories, a spacious wet-lab with running
seawater, several greenhouses and state-of-the-art instrumentation for
cell and molecular biology. The Department offers the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
degrees in biology and marine biology. Minors are also offered in
biology, marine biology, and horticulture. The Department has a very
active program for undergraduate research, and students are encouraged
to join an ongoing project as early as their first year.
Biology Major
Since the life sciences are increasingly interdisciplinary, biology
majors can take a wide range of courses in the following general areas:
cell and molecular biology; microbiology; physiology and developmental
biology; animal behavior; botany/horticulture; and ecology. Students
prepare for graduate study and careers in these fields, as well as the
health sciences, through lectures and labs, independent research and
internships. Any student who wishes to pursue a career in medicine,
dentistry or veterinary medicine should contact his/her advisor
immediately to ensure appropriate course planning. Research is an
integral part of the biology curriculum, and biology majors are
encouraged to participate in ongoing research in areas that include:
evolutionary genetics, cell biology, developmental biology,
microbiology, neurobiology and ecology.
Marine Biology Major
Marine biology majors explore the unique challenges faced by
organisms living in the marine environment and the methods by which
they meet these challenges. Students begin the program by obtaining a
broad understanding of oceanographic principles, and through subsequent
lectures, laboratories, and field work, build on this knowledge for a
more complete appreciation of the aquatic world. The department also
fosters undergraduate research programs in such fields as biological
oceanography, coastal and wetland studies, marine environmental
physiology, and marine biotechnology and aquaculture in order to
enhance the educational experience provided to undergraduates. Upon
completion of the degree, students are prepared to specialize at the
graduate level in the oceanographic sciences or other environmental
disciplines.
Students may also elect to undertake a SEA Semester
through the SEA Education Association (SEA) of Woods Hole,
Massachusetts, a semester in Bremuda at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean
Sciences (BIOS) or a semester-long research internship at the Marine
Biology Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Degree Requirements
Students
who declare biology and marine biology majors must complete BIO 104
with a grade of C- or higher in order to continue in the program.
Biology and marine biology majors pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree must complete two semesters of calculus and one semester of statistics. The Bachelor of Arts
degree, an option for both biology and marine biology, requires MATH
124 and MATH 135 or above. A paper or other evidence of the student’s
ability to conduct investigations, use library resources, and write a
report following a standard format is required in each advanced-level
course. A writing course, Critical Writing for the Sciences, is
prerequisite to advanced courses and should be completed in the
sophomore
year.
Biology and marine biology majors must satisfy all University Core
Curriculum requirements and the College speech requirement, COMM 210.
In addition, biology and marine biology majors must successfully
complete the following courses and sufficient electives to total 120
credits. Majors are encouraged to apply electives toward a minor or
second major.
BIO 103 Biology I and Lab
BIO 104 Biology II and Lab
BIO 200 Genetics and Lab
CHEM 191, 192 Principles of Chemistry I and II and Labs
CHEM 301, 302 Organic Chemistry I and II and Labs
PHYS 201, 202 Principles of Physics I and II and Labs (B.S. degree)
or
PHYS 109, 110 Physics I and II and Labs (B.A. degree)
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts
in biology must also successfully complete five upper-level (200 or
above) courses in biology; at least four must be laboratory courses.
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in marine biology must also successfully complete the following:
NATSC 104 Principles of Oceanography
BIO 220 Marine Vertebrate Zoology and Lab
BIO 335 Invertebrate Zoology and Lab
BIO 355 Marine Phycology and Lab
or
BIO 356 Biology of Plankton and Lab
and one of the following:
BIO 320 Marine Ecology and Lab
BIO 360 Limnology and Lab
The SEA Semester Option
Prerequisite for majors:
Satisfactory completion of the writing and mathematics requirements and
the five-course Interdisciplinary Core; a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or
above; and permission from the program faculty.
Prerequisite for Core Concentration: Students who are not
majoring in science or mathematics may use the SEA Semester to fulfill
the Core Concentration requirement provided the following prerequisites
are met before the SEA Semester: satisfactory completion of the
writing, mathematics, and the five-course Interdisciplinary Core; a GPA
of 2.5; and permission of the program faculty.
Students in good academic standing who meet the prerequisites may
apply to attend a SEA Semester through the Sea Education Association
(SEA) of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This exciting and challenging
off-campus program combines onshore classes, labs, and field work, in
ocean sciences and maritime studies with an offshore sailing and
research experience. Students attending a SEA Semester enroll in the
following courses:
BIO 411
Applied
Oceanography
3 credits
BIO
412 Nautical
Science
3 credits
BIO
414 Maritime
Studies
3 credits
BIO
416 Marine
Technology
4 credits
BIO
418 Practical Oceanographic
Research 4 credits
Biology and marine biology majors must satisfy all University degree
requirements as described in the catalog, with the following changes:
Majors who pursue the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts
in biology and who successfully complete a SEA Semester must also
complete a minimum of four (rather than five) upper-level courses in
biology; each of these must be a laboratory course.
Majors who pursue the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts
in marine biology and who successfully complete a SEA Semester must
complete a minimum of three (rather than four) upper-level courses in
biology as follows:
BIO 355 or 356 Marine Phycology and Lab or Biology of Plankton and Lab
BIO 220 or 335 Marine Vertebrate Zoology and Lab or Invertebrate Zoology and Lab
BIO 320 or 360 Marine Ecology and Lab or Limnology and Lab
Semester Program at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)
Prerequisite for majors:
Satisfactory completion of the writing and mathematics requirements and
the five-course Interdisciplinary Core; a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or
above; and permission from the program faculty.
This semester-long course of study examines the natural processes
and human interventions found in the Gulf Stream, the Sargasso Sea, and
the coral archipelago, Bermuda. Students are introduced to the
interactions that determine the distribution and abundance patterns of
tropical marine organisms,
with emphasis on the ecology of
near-shore areas. Basic principles of ecology are integrated with an
understanding of the sea as a habitat for life. Major groups of
dominant marine organisms of the region are examined in the field.
Major near-shore marine habitats are examined, along with their
associated biotic communities. Coral reef ecosystems are emphasized to
illustrate basic concepts. Students conduct a major research project.
Fall Students enroll in the following courses:
BIO
361 Coral Reef
Ecology
4 credits
BIO
410 Research Diving
Methods
3 credits
BIO
410 Marine Biology
Research
6 credits
BIO
336 Tropical Marine Invertebrate
Zoology 4 credits
Note: For marine biology majors participating in the Bermuda
semester, BIO 361 replaces the BIO 320, 360 requirement, and BIO 336
replaces the BIO 335 requirment.
Marine Biology Research Internship Program at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Prerequisite for majors:
Satisfactory completion of the writing and mathematics requirements and
the five-course Interdisciplinary Core; a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or
above; recommendation from an RWU faculty member; and acceptance by the
program faculty at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
The
semester-long course of study includes an active research component
that requires 30-40 hours per week in a laboratory setting under the
direction of a research scientist at Woods Hole; an animal husbandry
experience that involves feeding animals, maintaining tanks and
equipment, and providing treatment to diseased animals; and the
successful completion of an upper-level biology course, determined by
the interest of the student, in consultation with and under the
direction of an RWU biology faculty member. Fall, Spring Students
enroll in the following courses:
BIO 420
Research
Internship
8 credits
BIO
440 Animal
Husbandry
3 credits
BIO
430 Topics in
Biology
4 credits
NOTE: Biology may not serve as a minor for a Marine Biology
major and Marine Biology may not serve as a minor for a Biology major.
Requirements for the Minor in Biology
BIO 103 Biology I and Lab
BIO 104 Biology II and Lab
Three Biology courses, of which one must be a lab at the 200-level or above and one must be at the 300-level or above.
Requirements for the Minor in Marine Biology
BIO 103 Biology I and Lab
NATSC 104 Principles of Oceanography
BIO 220 or BIO 335 Marine Vertebrate Zoology and Lab or Invertebrate Zoology and Lab
At least 7 additional credits in Marine Biology courses.
Requirements for the Minor in Horticulture
BIO 104 Biology II and Lab
BIO 205 Introductory Horticulture and Lab
BIO 210 Botany and Lab
BIO 240 Concepts of Ecology
A 3-credit independent study in Greenhouse Management