BIOS 202 - Introductory Biology
Credits 3.00 Spring
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
Molecular genetics, DNA technology, antibiotics and antivirals, behavior, evolution, ecology, diversity, and conservation biology.
Prereq - BIOS 201 or consent of instructor.
BIOS 204 - Environmental Sustainability
Cross-listed Course: ENST 204
Credits 1.00 Fall
This course will introduce you to the fundamentals of community gardening, with an emphasis on applying ecological principles to the practice of community agriculture. Our goal is to re-shape the Rice garden ecosystem in ways that contribute locally grown produce to the campus food supply. This course includes five lectures and field trips with successful growers in the Houston community.
Prereq - BIOS 201 or consent of instructor.
BIOS 213 - Introductory Lab Module in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Credits 1.00 Fall & Spring
Experimental, laboratory, and field studies of natural history, ecology, evolution, and animal behavior. Computer simulations of population genetics.
Course will begin after mid-semester break in the Fall semester and after mid-term recess in the Spring semester.
Prereq - BIOS 211.
BIOS 306 - Independent Study for Undergraduates
Variable Credits Fall & Spring
Program of independent study for students with previous training in the biosciences. Includes a research paper. Students are expected to spend at least three hours per week in the laboratory for each semester hour of credit. If taken for two or more hours, counts as one required lab course but not as a Group A or Group B course. If receiving two or more credits, students will be required to particpate in the university annual undergraduate symposium in the spring semesters. Biosciences Group B.
Instructor permission required
Prereq - BIOS 211.
You can even have a research project at the Houston Zoo. Look here for information.
BIOS 316 - Lab Module in Ecology
Credits 1.00 Fall
Field and lab experiments in ecology.
Prereq - BIOS 323 or 325 or permission of instructor.
BIOS 317 - Lab Module in Behaviour
Credits 1.00 Spring
Field experiments in behavior. Learn to formulate and test hypotheses on bird behavior using mockingbirds, grackles, and herons nesting on campus.
Prereq - BIOS 213 and 321 or permission of instructor.
BIOS 321 - Animal Behaviour
Credits 3.00 Fall
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP B
Evolutionary theory is used to evaluate behavioral adaptations of organisms to their environment.
Prereq- BIOS 201 or BIOS 202
BIOS 323 - Conservation Biology
Cross-listed Course: ENST 323
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
The course is designed to give students a broad overview of conservation biology. Lectures and discussions will focus on conservation issues such as biodiversity, extinction, management, sustained yield, invasive species and preserve design.
Prereq – BIOS 201 and 202, or permission of instructor.
BIOS 324 - Wetland Ecosystems
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
a study of coastal wetland systems including floodplains, freshwater brackish and saline marshes and consideration of estuaries an driverine interaction with coastal marine waters.
Prereq – BIOS 201 and 202 or permission of instructor.
BIOS 325 - Ecology
Credits 3.00 Fall
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
Analysis of population dynamics, species interactions, plant and animal community organization, and ecosystem function.
Prereq- BIOS 201 and 202 or permission of instructor.
BIOS 326 - Insect Biology
Credits 3.00 Spring - odd years
Group B
This course addresses contemporary issues in ecology and evolution through the lens of insect diversity. Laboratory and field exercises provide hands-on experience with collection and curation of insect specimens. Readings span a broad literature (popular to technical). Writing and oral reports develop proficiency in scientific communication.
Must be taken in conjunction with BIOS 330 – Insect Biology Lab
Prereq- BIOS 201 and 202, or permission of instructor.
BIOS 327 - Biological Diversity Lab
Credits 1.00 Fall and Spring
The course will examine (1) measures of biological diversity (taxic, molecular, and phylogenetic); (2) the ecological and evolutionary causes of biological diversity; (3) issues regarding the contribution of biological diversity to ecosystem function. A primary emphasis will be placed on experimental design and the measurement and estimation of biological diversity will also be discussed. Taught the first half of the semester.
The course will take the form of weekly preparatory meetings and culminate in a 3-day exercise at a field site in Texas where students will be responsible for designing and carrying out a study examining some aspect of biological diversity (taxic or functional group) with respect to such variables as habitat diversity, disturbance rate, or productivity. The course will emphasize oral presentations and written "publication" format papers.
Prereq – BIOS 201, 202 and BIOS 213.
BIOS 328 - Evolution of Genes & Genomes
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
The course provides an overview of the evolution of genes and genomes. Using many examples, the course introduces databases and the Worldwide Web, and molecular and statistical methods used to study the evolution of genes and genomes. Broad-scale evolutionary patterns and medical applications based on genome analyses are presented.
Prereq – BIOS 201 and BIOS 202.
Limited Enrollment
BIOS 329 - Animal Biology And Physiology
Credits 3.00 Fall
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
The evolution and systematics of the animal kingdom with consideration of functional anatomy, comparative physiology, behavior, medical implications and resource management.
Prereq - BIOS 201 or 202 or permission of instructor.
BIOS 330 - Insect Biology Lab
Credits 1.00 Spring
Laboratory and field exercises provide hands-on experience with collection and curation of insect specimens and explore local ecosystems, both natural and managed. By the end of the course, you will have gained a repertoire of skills necessary to recognize common insects and understand their unique adaptations.
Required lab for BIOS 326 – Insect Biology
Prereq - BIOS 201 and 202 or permission of instructor
BIOS 331 - Biology of Infectious Diseases
Credits 3.00 Spring
This course will give you a broad overview of the biology of infectious diseases using examples from humans, plants, and animals. Topics covered will include diversity of diseases, mechanisms of disease transmission, epidemiology, population regulation, evolution of virulence, disease dynamics in natural communities and disease invasion, and conservation biology. Biosciences Group B
Prereq - BIOS 201 and 202
BIOS 334 - Evolution
Credits 3.00 Fall
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
Principles of biological evolution. Topics include natural selection, adaptation, molecular evolution, formation of new species, the fossil record, biogeography, and principles of classification.
Prereq - BIOS 202 or permission of instructor.
BIOS 336 - Plant Diversity
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
The evolution and systematics of plants, with emphasis on flowering plants and biodiversity.
Prereq - BIOS 201 and 202
BIOS 337 - Field Bird Biology Lab
Credits 1.00 Spring
This course centers on a series of five field trips to diverse habitats for observing birds, both immigrants and residents. Each field trip will be preceded by a lecture. Students will do two projects.
This class will be limited to 10 students, with students interested in EEB given preference
Prereq - BIOS 211 and 213
BIOS 338 - Design and Analysis of Biological Experiments
Credits 3.00 Fall
This course will address methods to set up biological experiments in order to maximize the ability to draw meaningful statistical conclusions. We will discuss factorial, nested, split-plot, and repeated–measures designs, as well as analysis of the data and interpretation of the results. The course also includes analysis of undersigned (observational) data sets. The course is not an introduction to statistics, but it will include a brief review of basic statistics. An interactive statistical-software package will be used throughout for class demos, homework assignments, and a class project. Data sets from many areas of biology will be used.
Limited Enrollment
BIOS 339 - Biometry
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
This course provides advanced training in statistical analysis in ecology and evolutionary biology. Working with real data sets, we will explore diverse topics including breeding designs and quantitative genetics analysis, multiple regression, path analysis, structural equation modeling, bootstrapping and randomization tests, and nonmetric multidimensional scaling.
Prereq - STAT 280 OR STAT 305 OR ESCI 451 OR BIOS 338
BIOS 340 - Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Cross-listed Courses: ENST 340 and ESCI 340
Credits 3.00 Fall
Group B
* DISTRIBUTION COURSE: GROUP III
This course introduces students to the coupled nature of the biosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere using as focal points elemental cycles such as those of carbon and nitrogen. Instructor: Carrie Masiello
BIOS 403/404 - Undergraduate Honors Research in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Credits 5.00 Fall & Spring
Only open to undergraduate majors who meet specific requirements and with permission of the research supervisor and chair. Registration for BIOS 403/404 implies a commitment to participate in research for at least 2 semesters.
Department permission required
Students must obtain the Special Request for Registration Form and the signature of the supervising faculty member in order to register for this course
BIOS 432 - Advanced Evolutionary Biology
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
Develop a critical understanding of evolutionary theory through lectures and discussion across a wide range of evolutionary topics. With the instructor's help, students will use current papers to stimulate debate on the theories, philosophies and methods of the study of evolution.
Prereq - Bios 201, 202, and either 321 or 334
BIOS 433 - Advanced Ecology
Credits 3.00 Spring
Group B
Students will develop a critical understanding of the discipline of ecology through a combination of lectures and discussion that span a range of topics. With the instructor's help, students will use current papers to stimulate debate on the theories, philosophies and methods of the study of populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Prereq – BIOS 201, 202 and 325, or permission of instructor
BIOS 561 - Topics in Evolution
Credits 2.00 Fall
Review and discussion of the literature on current research in evolution.
Instructor - David Mittelman
Prereq- Graduate status or permission of chair or instructor
BIOS 562 - Topics in Behavioral Ecology
Credits 2.00 Spring
Review and discussion of the literature on current research in animal behavior and evolution.
Prereq - Graduate status or permission of chair or instructor
BIOS 563 - Topics in Ecology
Credits 2.00 Fall
Review and discussion of the literature on current research in ecology.
BIOS 568 - Topics in Biological Diversity
Credits 2.00 Spring
Review and discussion of literature on current research in biological diversity.
Requires permission of instructor
BIOS 569 - Core Course in Ecology and Evolution
Credits 3.00 Fall
Survey of topics in ecology and evolution taught by all Ecology and Evolutionary Biology faculty.
BIOS 585 - Graduate Seminar in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Credits 1.00 Fall
Faculty and student presentations on current research. Required of all Ecology and Evolutionary Biology graduate students.
BIOS 586 - Graduate Seminar in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Credits 1.00 Spring
Faculty and student presentations on current research. Required of all Ecology and Evolutionary Biology graduate students.