NEW INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY COURSES

RATIONALE
The new introductory biology courses (BIOLOGY 171, 172, and 173) are designed to replace the current introductory biology course, BIOLOGY 162. This set of courses provides students with a broad introduction to modern biology with sufficient depth to continue a concentration in any of the biological sciences. The new courses consist of two lectures and one laboratory course. The two one-semester lecture courses (which may be taken in either order) focus on different parts of the general subject but the courses represent an integrated whole. BIOLOGY 171 focuses on Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; BIOLOGY 172 focuses on Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology; and the laboratory, BIOLOGY 173, integrates both these topics. This three-course series allows a more in-depth presentation of material and approaches than possible in the compressed format of BIOLOGY 162. As a result, students who proceed to succeeding courses in Genetics, Biochemistry and Evolution will have a deeper understanding of the concepts and a broader experience of the material, and thus be better prepared to assimilate the more specialized material of these later courses. Students who do not continue in a biological concentration will also have a richer appreciation of biology in the modern world and will be better able to evaluate issues that arise in the 21st century.

NEW COURSES: COURSE NUMBERS, TITLES, CREDITS, PREREQUISITES
· The new introductory biology series consists of one semester of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (BIO 171), and one semester of Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology (BIO 172). The lecture courses may be taken in any order. The laboratory BIO 173 is an innovative lab that integrates both Ecology and Evolution and Cellular and Molecular Biology topics.

· The new Introductory Biology series will begin Fall 2007. The last term BIO 162 will be taught is Spring 2007.

THE EFFECT ON CONCENTRATION PREREQUISITES
The only effect on prerequisites for the Program in Biology concentrations is in the change from BIO 162 to the new courses. The other prerequisites in math, chemistry, and physics are not affected.

THE EFFECT ON CONCENTRATION CREDIT HOURS
· To offset the increase in the number of prerequisite credit hours, there will be a credit decrease in the mid-level required courses in Genetics, Biochemistry, and Evolution from 4 to 3 credits. The new introductory biology courses will cover more topics and in greater detail than BIO 162; therefore, these three courses (i.e., genetics, biochemistry and evolution) will be reduced by one credit to reflect that students will not need as many lecture hours and/or discussion sections as previously needed with BIO 162.

· The adjustment of credit hours, and the change in course names and numbers of the Genetics, Biochemistry, Evolution, and other courses offered through the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, will commence Fall 2008.

· The net change in credits required to complete a concentration (prerequisites + concentration courses) is an increase of only 2 credits. This change is the result of an additional 5 credits for the new introductory biology series and a reduction of 3 credits for the core courses as described below.

· The total number of prerequisite credit hours for all the concentrations-except Neuroscience-will increase from 33 to 38 credits. Neuroscience does not require physics or calculus, thus the prerequisite credit hours will increase from 15 to 20.

Using the Biology concentration as an example, the chart on the following page demonstrates how the credits will be affected.

Course or Requirement	Course No. of Old Course	"Current" Credits	New Course No.	"New" Credits
Prerequisites:
Intro Biology	BIO 162	5	BIO 171, 172, 173	10
Chemistry	CHEM 210/211	5	CHEM 210/211	5
	CHEM 215/216	5	CHEM 215/216	5
Physics	PHYSICS 125/128, or 140/141, or 135/141	5	PHYSICS 125/128, or 140/141, or 135/141	5
	PHYSICS 126/128, or 240/241, or 235/241	5	PHYSICS 126/128, or 240/241, or 235/241	5
Math	MATH 115	4	MATH 115	4
	MATH 116	4	MATH 116	4
Total prerequisite credits:		33		38

Concentration Courses:
Genetics	BIO 305	4	BIO 205	3
Biochemistry	BIO 310 or 311 (or Biolchem 415)	4	MCDB 310 or 311 or (Biolchem 415)	3
Evolution	BIO 390	4	EEB 390	3
	Take one course from: · Group I* · Group II · One EEB or MCDB course at the 300-level or higher · Lab courses (3) · Additional elective courses to reach a concentration total of:	21	Take one course from: · Group I* · Group II · One EEB or MCDB course at the 300-level or higher · Lab courses (3) · Additional elective courses to reach a concentration total of:	21
Total prerequisite credits:		33		30

* Please see individual concentration descriptions for explanations of requirements.

NOTE: A student who has taken BIO 162 must take 33 credits for the concentration. A student who has taken 171, 172, and 172 must take 30 credits for the concentration.


AP AND TRANSFER CREDIT
· AP credit for Introductory Biology will transfer to U-M as BIO 195. The student then must take BIO 173 to complete the introductory biology prerequisite for any of the minor and major concentrations offered through the Program in Biology.
· Students who complete introductory biology at another institution before September 4th, 2007, and wish to have it evaluated for equivalency, will have their transferred course(s) evaluated under the BIO 162 syllabus.

· Students who complete an introductory course at another institution after September 4th, 2007, and wish to have the course evaluated for equivalency, will have their transferred course(s) evaluated under the new biology series syllabi.


ADVISING RECOMMENDATIONS ADVISING
Students who have taken BIO 162
· Students who have completed BIO 162 this academic year (2006-2007) are strongly encouraged to take BIO 305, BIO 310 or 311, and BIO 390 next academic year (2007-2008) before the course changes to Genetics, Biochemistry, and Evolution Fall term 2008.

· If a student does not take these three courses next year and waits until Fall 2008, they will not have the same background as the students who have taken the new biology series. The course changes to Genetics, Biochemistry, and Evolution reflect that the new introductory biology series will prepare students more thoroughly for these midlevel biology courses. The instructors will expect students to have background knowledge based on the new series when taking these courses.

· A student who takes BIO 162 must take at least 33 credits for the concentration.

· Normally we advise students to take a 200-level biology course after Bio 162 before taking a 300-level course; however, in this circumstance we advise students to take the genetics, biochemistry, and evolution before the courses change.


Transfer Students
· Fall 2007 transfer students who have BIO 162 equivalency (students who have completed an introductory biology course by September 4th will have their transferred course evaluated under the BIO 162 course syllabus) should enroll in one or more of the following: BIO 305 (Genetics), or BIO 311 or Biolchem 415 (Biochemistry), or BIO 390 (Evolution).


Entering Class Fall 2007
· Students entering as freshmen Fall 2007 will take the new biology series. They may sign up for either BIO 171 or BIO 172 in no preferred order (BIO 172 has CHEM 130 as advisory prerequisite).

· By the time these students declare, which will most likely be their sophomore year, they will declare under the new concentration requirements (i.e., reduced credit hours of genetics, biochemistry, and evolution, etc.).

· Students with AP credit for introductory biology should enroll in BIO 173, the introductory lab. If they are planning to earn a degree in any of the concentrations in biology it is recommended that they also enroll in a 200-level biology course.

· In the case that a student has AP credit for introductory biology, but does not place out of Chem 130/ 125/126, they should take Chem 125/126 before they take BIO 173. They will need basic chemistry skills to handle the work in 173.

· We recognize that the transition period may impact some students. If the switch significantly impacts a student's time of graduation, for example, the curriculum chairs from EEB and MCDB will consider these students on individual case-by-case basis.

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