UMM

Curriculum Committee

Form A

Rev: 04/2005

Route this form to:

Appropriate

Division Office

University of Minnesota, Morris

Curriculum Committee

Form A: Discipline Summary

Date: 9/8/06

Discipline/Division: Biology

Catalog Years (e.g., 2007-2009): 07-09

Statistical Summary of Proposed Changes:

	(a)	(b)	(b) – (a)
	Present (from current catalog)	Proposed (for new catalog)	Net Change*
The Major
Total courses required for a major*:	18	19	+1
Total credits required for a major*:	63-64	64-65	+1
The Minor
Total courses required for a minor*:	7	7	0
Total credits required for a minor*:	27	27	0
Entire Discipline
Total 1xxx and 2xxx courses listed in the catalog**:	8	8	0
Total 1xxx and 2xxx courses taught last year**:	7
Total 3xxx and 4xxx courses listed in the catalog**:	24	23	-1
Total 3xxx and 4xxx courses taught last year**:	14
Number of courses with no General Education designator**:	5	6	+1

*Includes required courses from other disciplines.

**Does not include Directed Studies or Senior Honors Projects. Courses with multiple sections count only once.

Please summarize the intent of the proposed changes.

The Biology curriculum has been revised so that the required Cell Biology course presents more basic molecular biology information, and the new Fundamentals course will provide an introduction to Mendelian genetics, development, and genetic processes of evolution. These will provide our students with an introduction to transmission and molecular genetics, so that the Genetics course that was required previously will become an elective for those who want more depth in the field (necessitating a change in the course number, though the content will not change). It will also allow our students to take an additional, organismal-level elective course—something that students could not do previously without exceeding the number of credits that could be applied to their major.

The “library research and writing” component of the former Freshman Seminar in Biological Principles will be moved to a new one-credit course entitled “Biological Communication I”, and the former one –credit “Biological Communications” will be re-named “Biological Communication II”.

What are the financial or staffing implications of this proposal for the Discipline?

None

What are the financial or staffing implications of this proposal for other Disciplines?

None