Learning Goals

Upon graduation,

• Students will understand core biological concepts including:
  • evolution (the process creating the diversity of life-forms and the phylogenetic relationships among major groups)
  • structure and function (the basic units of biological structures that control the functions of living things)
  • information flow, exchange and storage (the influence of genetics on the control of the development of phenotypes)
  • pathways and transformations of energy and matter (the ways in which chemical transformation pathways and the laws of thermodynamics govern biological systems)
  • the nature of complex systems.
• Students will be capable of understanding, interpreting, and critically evaluating scientific information presented in multiple forms (e.g., numeric, graphical, written
• Students will be capable of conducting a structured scientific inquiry and thoroughly communicating scientific biological knowledge