Biology Education

Empowers students to make the leap from the high school setting to the college environment. Students will begin a journey of self-awareness where they can identify their individual gifts and talents while considering how God can use their uniqueness within their field of interest. Required of all incoming freshmen, including any student that has not taken college credit after high school, and are younger than 24 years of age are required to enroll in this course. Transfer students enrolling with less than 24 hours and are younger than 24 years of age who have not taken a similar course at another accredited institution are required to enroll in this course.

Emphasizes intellectual and analytical reasoning through reading and writing assignments. Includes instruction in library and research technologies and the writing of a research project. Prerequisite: ENG 1020.

Provides the student with a basic understanding of his or her economic environment and the basic principles and tools of personal financial management. Emphasis will be placed on personal financial planning, including budgeting, managing personal debt, insurance taxes, investments, and real estate. When possible, topics will be analyzed and discussed from a Christian perspective.

An introduction to themes in the natural sciences that have significantly impacted our world. Among the themes discussed are relativity, modern cosmology, evolutionary thought, biotechnology, advances in modern medicine, biodiversity, and the use of natural resources. Scientific discoveries will be approached with both a historical perspective and a consideration of current and future applications. Interactions of scientific thought and the Christian worldview are considered.

An introduction to fundamental concepts in the biological sciences including the organization of living matter, cellular structure and function, food production by photosynthesis, energy harvest, mechanisms of cellular reproduction, genetics, and evolution. Discussions of current scientific issues will also be included. Lecture/Lab. Fee charged.

Covers topics of geology, astronomy, meteorology, oceanography. Suitable for elementary or secondary education majors and for general education. Lab activities related to each major topic are included. Lecture/lab. Fee charged.

The first course in a one-year sequence for students planning further work in chemistry. Topics discussed include atomic structure, periodic relationships, bonding, molecular structure, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, solids, liquids, and gases. Lecture/lab. Fee charged.

Designed to engage students in dialogue with a variety of Western and Non-Western world literature, past and present. Prerequisite: ENG 1080.

An integration of Christian spirituality, life, and ministry. Through a wide variety of readings and experiences, care is given to evaluate the spiritual structure of the students and to understand spiritual gifts, disciplines, and what it means for each individual to be a constructive influence in the Church and society.

A study of Cartesian and polar coordinates, parametric equations, vectors and vector-valued functions in 2 and 3 dimensions, limits, differentiation of functions with applications, integration of functions with applications. Taylor polynomials, and series. It is strongly recommended that students take PHY 2110 and 2120 concurrently with MAT 1510 and 1520, respectively. Prerequisite: MAT 1310 or equivalent.

A study of diverse structures and functions observed in a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, with emphasis placed on plants and vertebrates. The study of the Kingdom Plantae will include investigation of plant life cycles and reporductive strategies. Topics including respiration, digestion, and reproduction will be introduced in the study of vertebrate animals. An introduction to ecology and the impact of humans on a variety of organisms will also be included. Lecture and Lab. Fee charged.

A survey of microscopic organisms with emphasis on bacteria and fungi. Classification, morphology, cultivation, and identification will be studied in both lecture and lab. The role of these organisms in the ecosystem, industry, and disease will also be discussed. Lecture/Lab. Prerequisite: BIO 1510. Fee charged.

A course that promotes the understanding of ecosystems as a whole and the influence of humans as top predator to either balance and preserve or disrupt and destroy these systems. The study will include interactions of ecosystem constituents, both community and population, and their contribution or detriment to the system. Emphasis will be placed on the use of biodegradable materials in all aspects of our life cycle and analysis of energy resource flow that is more sympathetic with natural systems. Aquatic, terrestrial, and urban habitats will be studied in laboratory and field trips always with a focus on some measurable significant improvement within each semester. Lecture/lab. Fee charged.

Emphasizes Mendelian (classical) genetics. Additonal topics include chromosome mapping in eukaryotes, chromosomal mutations, extranuclear inheritance, quantitative genetics, and population genetics. Genetic principles are applied to selected human traits as well as those of other organisms. Several genetic disorders of humans are considered. Lecture/Lab. Fee charged.

The first course in a one-year sequence in organic chemistry. Topics discussed include organic structures, functional groups, stereochemistry, reactions, oxidation and reduction, spectroscopy, chromatography, and the chemistry of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides, alcohols, and ethers. Prerequisite: one year of college chemistry. Lecture/lab. Fee charged.

A hands-on introduction to computer-based measurements, automation, and graphical programming for the sciences. The LabVIEW graphical programming environment will be introduced and used to write software applications that collect, display and analyze experimental data. Automated experiments in the areas of biology, chemistry and physics will be designed and implemented. Topics such as sensors, signals, data acquisition, error analysis, and noise will be explored. The use of standard office spreadsheet, word-processing, and presentation software for scientific data analysis and reporting will also be emphasized.

Explores human growth and development over the life span to understand the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels: physically, emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally. Designed to provide the developmental approach to cognition in children and adolescents within the context of major learning theories. Brain research, learning modalities, and metacognition are also examined. Prerequisite: PSY 2010.

Provides observation and participation in a public school. Field study is completed in the following areas: classroom observation, classroom material preparation, and classroom interactions to enhance the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions required of educators. The requirements for entering the Teacher Education Program are part of the course.

Focuses on effective instructional methods and curriculum models for 6-12 teachers. Common Core Standards and best practices in creating enthusiastic learning environments and writing learning plans are explored. Using data to inform instruction is addressed as part of the planning component.

Investigates teaching of reading and writing in the various subject matter fields at the secondary level. Stresses skills of vocabulary building, comprehension and writing as well as skills and methods of motivating adolescents to read and write. Classroom observation and analysis in a secondary school is required. Prerequisites: EDU 2300, and PSY 2500.

Focuses on the major traditional and current behavior management theorists and strategies. Prepares the candidate to use effective strategies for developing a safe but invigorating classroom climate. The creation of a position plan paper and its implementation in a classroom with subsequent re-evaluation of the plan and the candidate's implementation strategies are included within this course.

Examines strategies, resources, and experience in middle and secondary schools. It will familiarize students with mthods of instruction, assessment, and classroom management appropriate in these schools, a well as organizational characteristics of each. Practicum within this course. Prerequisite: EDU 2300, PSY 2500 and admission to the Teacher Education Program.

Provides the culminating fifteen-week, semester-long experience for all who are seeking a secondary license. Consists of full-day classroom observation and practice teaching in the major curricular area in two public schools: one 7 1/2 week placement in a middle school in grades 6-8 and one 7 1/2 week placement in a secondary school in grades 9-12. Physical Education majors seeking a K-12 license will have placements in early elementary grades K-5 and middle/secondary grades 6-12. Music majors seeking a K-12 license will have placements in elementary grades K-5 and secondary grades 6-12. Co-requiiste: EDU 4600 Student Teaching Seminar. Prerequisite: Admission to Student Teaching and EDU 4630. Permission required.

A prerequisite for Enhanced Student Teaching. This course provides the candidate with experiences in preparation, procedures, implementation, and submittal of required edTPA documentation for initial licensure. Permission required. Graded S/U. Offered Fall and Spring.