Taught by

This program will develop and interrelate concepts in laboratory biology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, thus providing a foundation for students who plan to continue studies in chemistry, laboratory biology, field biology, and medicine. In a yearlong sequence, students will carry out upper-division work in genetics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, developmental biology, and physiology.

The program will examine the subject matter through the central idea that structure defines function, integrating a scaled theme from the organismal to the cellular to the molecular level. As the year progresses, the scaled theme will continue through studies of cellular and biochemical processes in biological systems. We will examine organic chemistry, the nature of organic compounds and reactions, and carry this work into biochemistry and the fundamental chemical reactions of living systems. Biological concepts of inheritance will be covered through the study of Mendelian and population genetics, leading to an understanding from a molecular DNA perspective. Building on these fundamental processes, we will study how multicellular organisms develop.

The program will contain a significant laboratory component. Students will write papers and maintain laboratory notebooks weekly. All laboratory work and approximately half of non-lecture time will be spent working in collaborative problem-solving groups. In spring quarter more in-depth laboratory and library research projects will be a culmination of all major concepts learned throughout the year.

This is an intensive program. The subjects are complex and the sophisticated understanding we expect to develop will require devoted attention and many hours of scheduled lab work each week. 

Quarters

Fall Signature Winter Signature Spring Signature

Location and Schedule

Final Schedule and Room Assignment

• Spring

Campus Location

Olympia

Time Offered

Day

Advertised Schedule