Cognitive Science (BS) Biology

Study of biological processes at the suborganismal level including cell chemistry, metabolism, reproduction, genetics, and complex tissue physiology. Laboratory and discussion sessions stress problem solving and experimental design.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-03

Limits, continuity, the derivative and applications, transcendental functions, L'Hopital's Rule, and development of the Riemann integral.

Prerequisites: Satisfy Placement Table in this section, MATH 115 or both MATH 112 and MATH 113 with “C” (2.0) or better.

Goal Areas: GE-04

This course is an introduction to organic chemistry and biological chemistry. The laboratory will reinforce lecture.

Prerequisites: CHEM 106 or high school chemistry 

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-03

Introduction to the basic principles of chemistry including atomic and molecular structure, bonding, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, thermodynamics and states of matter. Laboratory will reinforce lecture concepts. Prereq: C or higher in MATH 112 or the equivalent; high school chemistry or C or higher in CHEM 104

Prerequisites: “C” (2.0) or higher in MATH 112 or the equivalent; high school chemistry or “C” (2.0) or higher in CHEM 104.

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-03

This course provides conceptual and logical tools for students planning to major in a computing-based major. Programming in a high-level language such as C++, Python, or Java, and the development of skills in abstraction, problem-solving, and algorithmic thinking are emphasized.

Prerequisites: MATH 112 or MATH 113 or MATH 115 or MATH 121

This course introduces a multidisciplinary approach to the scientific study of cognition. Contributions from the fields of biology, computer science, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology are emphasized. Topics include the mind-body problem, perception, memory, linguistics, problem solving, artificial intelligence, and robotics. This course is a prerequisite for the cognitive science major. For the psychology major, it serves as unrestricted elective credit; it does not satisfy the cognitive restricted elective requirement.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05

Introduction to statistical analysis as applied to the health sciences. Examines concepts and methods of statistical procedures applied to health problems and issues.

Prerequisites: MATH 110, STAT 154, Or any other mathematics course higher than MATH 110.

This course emphasizes understanding the conceptual basis of common statistical procedures and applying those procedures to the problems of organizing information and making inferences from data. Topics include: summarizing data, the logic of inference, estimation, analysis of variance, and correlation.

Prerequisites: Complete one course: MATH 112, MATH 113, MATH 115, MATH 121, MATH 130, or STAT 154

An introduction to statistical concepts and methods that is applicable to all disciplines. Topics include descriptive measures of data, probability and probability distributions, statistical inference, tests of hypotheses, confidence intervals, correlation, linear regression, and analysis of variance. The use of statistical software will be emphasized. Prereq: ACT Math sub-score of 19 or higher, successful completion of MATH 098 or appropriate placement scores (see Placement Information under Statistics) Fall, Spring, Summer GE-4

Prerequisites: Satisfy Placement Table in this section, or MATH 098 with grade of P. 

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-04

A calculus based introduction to probability and statistics. Topics include probability, random variables, probability distributions (discrete and continuous), joint probability distributions (discrete and continuous), statistical inference (both estimation and hypothesis testing), confidence intervals for distribution of parameters and their functions, sample size determinations, analysis of variance, regression, and correlation. This course meets the needs of the practitioner and the person who plans further study in statistics. Same as MATH 354. Prereq: MATH 122 with C or better or consent Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisites: MATH 122 with C or better or consent 

Systems approach to the structure of the human body. The course is designed for students majoring in biology or health related programs. Lab included.

Prerequisites: none

Basic anatomy and physiology of the nervous system. The course is designed for students majoring in biology, psychology or health related programs.

Prerequisites: BIOL 220 

Principles of functions of human cells, organs, and systems with an emphasis on organ/system interactions. This course is designed for students majoring in biology, chemistry, or related sciences, and medically-related areas. Includes a laboratory with a research and medical emphasis.

Prerequisites: BIOL 220, CHEM 104 or CHEM 106 or CHEM 111 or CHEM 201

This course is a continuation of CIS 121. Students develop a basic knowledge of programming skills and object-oriented concepts, and use fundamental data structures such as lists, stacks, queues, and trees.

Prerequisites: MATH 113 or MATH 115 or MATH 121; and CS 110 or CIS 121 or IT 210

Fundamentals of data mining and knowledge discovery. Methods include decision tree algorithms, association rule generators, neural networks, and web-based mining. Rule-based systems and intelligent agents are introduced. Students learn how to apply data-mining tools to real-world problems.

Prerequisites: CIS 121

This course considers historical and contemporary analyses of the mind in relation to the body and the connection of the mind-body problem to other issues concerning both religion and science.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06

This course examines the conceptual and philosophical complexities of efforts to understand the mind in science. Topics include the difference and similarities between humans and other animals, the nature of psychological explanation, and reductive strategies for explaining consciousness, intentionality and language. Fall

Prerequisites: none

An introduction to the major components of research methodology in psychology. This is a writing intensive course and involves the processing, interpretation, and exposition of behavioral data.

Prerequisites: Must have a minimum total cumulative GPA of 2.70 or instructor permission to enroll; PSYC 201

This course will introduce students to the relationship between the structure and function of the nervous system to the underlying biological processes of behavior.

Prerequisites: PSYC 201

Explores the scientific study of human cognition and provides students with broad coverage of the mental processes used to acquire, process, and retain knowledge. Students will examine basic concepts and research findings in topics of human cognition such as perception, attention, memory, reading, and problem solving. Concepts in Cognitive Psychology will be related to everyday behaviors and experiences.

Prerequisites: either Psy 101 OR Psy 206, not both

Individual Study

Prerequisites: none

This course discusses concepts and techniques for design, development and evaluation of user interfaces. Students will learn the principles of interaction design, interaction styles, user-centered design, usability evaluation, input/output devices, design and analysis of controlled experiments and principles of perception and cognition used in building efficient and effective interfaces. Group project work.

Prerequisites: MATH 121. Select one: STAT 154 or PSYC 201. Select one: CS 230 or CIS 380

This course introduces the foundational concepts of programming languages, including the principles of language design, language constructs, and comparison of major languages. Topics include formal methods of examining syntax and semantics of languages and lexical analysis of language components and constructs, and propositional and predicate calculi.

Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 224, and admission to major.

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to intelligent systems such as Basic Search Strategies, Basic Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Basic Machine Learning, Advanced Search, Advanced Representation and Reasoning, Reasoning Under Uncertainty, Agents, Natural Language Processing, Advanced Machine Learning, Robotics, and Perception and Computer Vision. Prerequisite: Admission to Major or Permission

Prerequisites: none

Study of theory and/or implementation topics related to human computer interaction such as designing interaction, programming interactive systems, user-centered design and testing, new interactive technologies, collaboration & communication, statistical methods for HCI, human factors and security, design-oriented HCI, and mixed, augmented and virtual reality. This course builds on the use of modern compilers. Related topics covered include lexical scanning, parsing, type checking, code generation and translation, optimization, and compile-time and run-time support for modern programming languages.

Prerequisites: Admission to major or permission.

Study of the elements of first order symbolic logic, i.e., the propositional calculus and the predicate calculus, and its applications to ordinary language and mathematics.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-02

Theories of meaning, speech acts and semantics, relation of language to the world.

Prerequisites: none

The nature of consciousness, mind and body relations, freedom of action.

Prerequisites: none

Cognitive and epistemic issues surrounding sensory perception, including the nature of perception, its immediate objects, and its ability to deliver knowledge of the world.

Prerequisites: none

Philosophical issues concerning the mental lives of non-human animals, with emphasis on consciousness, rationality, language, and implications for non-human animal ethics.

Prerequisites: none

Nature of explanations, causality, theoretical entities, and selected problems.

Prerequisites: none

This course examines conceptual and philosophical issues in biology, the nature and scope of biological explanation and conflicts between evolutionary and religious explanations for the origin of life.

Prerequisites: none

Study of biological processes at the organismal level including a survey of life forms (viruses, bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals), their evolution, and ecology. Laboratory and discussion sessions stress problem solving and experimental design.

Prerequisites: BIOL 105 

Introduction to genetic analysis. Topics covered will include those of both classical and modern genetics: population genetics, molecular genetics, genetic manipulation of organisms and selection. Central to this course will be the primacy of the trait as the object of genetics and the development/refinement of the concept of the gene. Lab included.Fall, Spring, Summer

Prerequisites: BIOL 105, BIOL 106, and MATH 112 

An examination of eukaryotic cellular structure, organization and physiology. Lab included.

Prerequisites: BIOL 105 and BIOL 106, BIOL 211 

Understanding the process of cell differentiation and development. Special emphasis will be placed on the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms that direct the development of multicellular organisms. Course to include current areas of research and other timely topics.

Prerequisites: BIOL 100 or BIOL 105 

Study of types, arrangements and special adaptations of human tissues. Lab included.

Prerequisites: BIOL 220 

An exploration of behavioral strategy, communication, learning, and social systems of animals, with emphases placed on the causes, evolution, ecological implications, and function of behavior at the individual and population level. Lab included.

Prerequisites: BIOL 105, BIOL 106, BIOL 215 

This course provides the basis for understanding hormones and the mechanisms of their actions in both the normal and pathological states. Sample topics to be included are diabetes, osteoporosis, hormones of reproduction and current social and medical issues related to the course.

Prerequisites: BIOL 100 or BIOL 105 

A lecture course covering basic principles of toxicity evaluation in living organisms, mechanisms of responses to chemicals or physical agents within an overview of practical medical, environmental and science policy implications. Presentation of comparisons of specific organ and tissue reactions to toxins in a variety of species follow these introductory concepts. Prereq: BIOL 105W, 106, and 1 year of General Chemistry

Prerequisites: BIOL 105, BIOL 106, and 1 year of General Chemistry 

A lecture course that examines mechanisms of drug action, physiological responses and adverse reactions from sensitivities or allergies through overdose. Prereq: BIOL 105W, 106, 230 and 1 year of General Chemistry

Prerequisites: BIOL 105, BIOL 106, and 1 year of General Chemistry 

This course will cover both eukaryotic and prokaryotic molecular biology including: DNA and RNA structure, transcription, regulation of gene expression, RNA processing, protein synthesis, DNA replication, mutagenesis and repair, recombination, and insertion elements. A number of important techniques used in recombinant DNA technology will be discussed and practiced.

Prerequisites: BIOL 105, BIOL 106, BIOL 211