This is a one-term introductory course intended primarily for students majoring in Engineering, but also open to other qualified students at the instructor’s discretion. It will cover topics in biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology. The goal is to develop thinking skills in biological sciences with an emphasis on conceptual understanding of the material. Minimal lectures will be designed to briefly cover difficult topics with the assumption that students have read the appropriate material in the syllabus prior to class. Students will work in groups to solve problems designed to instill a practical understanding of the material. Participation in these small groups is mandatory. Group work will be followed by an additional short lecture designed to emphasize connections/relevance to engineering.

Intended audience: The primary audience will be students in the College of Engineering, particularly in Biomedical, Chemical, and Materials Science. It also will be of interest to LSA students who prefer a more problem-solving approach to understand biology.

Course Requirements: Using a course pack consisting of a syllabus and lecture notes, students are expected to complete the assigned reading prior to each class. A reading quiz administered at the start of each session will constitute approximately 40% of the course grade. Another 50% of the course grade will be based on a second quiz based on the in-class problems. These quizzes, which will be cumulative in their coverage of material, ensure that students keep up in the course and also provide feedback for both students and instructor regarding comprehension of the material. There will be no midterms. A final exam will constitute 10% of the course grade.

Class Format: 4 hours of lecture each week. GSIs, who will act as peer instructors due to the active learning nature of BIOLOGY 174, will be responsible for grading the quizzes, which are a critical component of the course.