BIOL 201 Genetics

Upon completion of this course, students will understand and be able to articulate relationships between essential concepts in genetics. This course focuses on molecular and transmission (classical) genetics, including the structure and function of DNA, RNA and proteins, recombinant DNA technology, and normal and variant patterns of inheritance in viruses, prokaryotes, and eukaryotes. Students completing this course will be able to apply this knowledge to solve standard problems in genetics and to analyze and synthesize diverse genetic concepts to solve advanced problems and to address social, legal, and ethical issues raised by recent genetic discoveries. For Genetics Laboratory, see BIOL 202.

Credits

3

Prerequisite

BIOL 101 or BIOL 141, and MATH 143 or higher

Hours Weekly

3 hours weekly

Course Objectives

1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of essential concepts in transmission (classical) genetics,
   including patterns of inheritance, normal and variant chromosome structure, mechanisms
   and disorders of chromosome segregation, sex determination, and eukaryotic gene mapping.
2. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of essential concepts in molecular genetics, including
   DNA, RNA, and protein structure, mechanisms of transcription, translation, and DNA
   replication, mutagenesis and repair, regulation of gene expression, and biotechnology.
3. Apply this knowledge to solve standard problems in genetics, and analyze and synthesize
   concepts to solve more advanced problems.
4. Articulate relationships between diverse concepts in molecular and transmission genetics,
   and be able to predict the effects on the level of the individual organism of specific alterations
   in DNA sequence.
5. Evaluate recent discoveries in genetics, identifying various social, legal and ethical issues raised by these discoveries and analyzing issues in terms of one's core beliefs and alternative ethical perspectives.

Course Objectives

1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of essential concepts in transmission (classical) genetics,
   including patterns of inheritance, normal and variant chromosome structure, mechanisms
   and disorders of chromosome segregation, sex determination, and eukaryotic gene mapping.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Unit exams

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam key
2. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of essential concepts in molecular genetics, including
   DNA, RNA, and protein structure, mechanisms of transcription, translation, and DNA
   replication, mutagenesis and repair, regulation of gene expression, and biotechnology.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Unit exams

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam key
3. Apply this knowledge to solve standard problems in genetics, and analyze and synthesize
   concepts to solve more advanced problems.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Unit exams

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam key
4. Articulate relationships between diverse concepts in molecular and transmission genetics,
   and be able to predict the effects on the level of the individual organism of specific alterations
   in DNA sequence.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Unit exams

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Exam key
5. Evaluate recent discoveries in genetics, identifying various social, legal and ethical issues raised by these discoveries and analyzing issues in terms of one's core beliefs and alternative ethical perspectives.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Debate

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Ethics Rubric
   • Debate Rubric

   Ethics Goals

   • ET1
   • ET2
   • ET3