Spring 2027 Special Topics & Capstone Courses
See the Supplemental Course List for your curriculum to learn how the course will count toward your degree.
Capstone Courses
BIO 484 (006) – Lead Exposure and Human Health
This seminar based course will examine the impact of lead on human health with regard to sources of exposures, exposure reduction techniques, public health responses to lead exposure, and review of the human health effects of this ubiquitous environmental contaminant. Guest speakers will include people from public health agencies, communities dealing with lead exposure in their neighborhood, and active researchers. This course will provide an introduction to environmental health through the lens of lead exposure. Students interested in environmental science, public health, epidemiology, statistics, global public health, and toxicology are welcome.
ZO 486 (007) – Anthrozoology in the Anthropocene
Anthrozoology is the study of the human-animal relationship. Anthropocene is the term used to the current geological age, viewed as the period during which human activity has been the dominant influence on climate and the environment. This Zoology capstone course is designed to broadly explore this topic as a class. Students will work in groups on topics chosen by the entire class to discover more on how the animals are coping with life on a planet under our influence. Examples of possible research areas include: the future of food animal agriculture, the problematic rise of exotic pet ownership, the impact of CRISPR on gene editing in domestic animals, and the impact of climate change on the animals and people of the Arctic. For more information on the class, please contact Dr. Jenny Campbell ([email protected]).
Special Topics and New Courses
BSC 295 (056) – The Science of Happiness
What does it mean to be happy? In this course, we will examine the biological factors that contribute to happiness. We will adopt a broad evolutionarily-based perspective exploring research and data on what makes people happy. Our readings and discussions will cover current hypotheses and studies spanning genetics, physiology, endocrinology, neuroscience, and clinical and medical research.
BSC 295 (072) – Physics of the Brain
All biological processes operate under the rules of physics. We will use the brain, with its electrical circuits composed of living cells, to investigate how physics shapes biology. This course will be taught studio-style, with a mixture of lectures, group activities, and hands-on laboratory experiences. Students will gain an understanding of how fundamental physics principles underlie brain function in general, and the sense of hearing more specifically. Interested students should email Dr. Christa Baker for permission to enroll.
BSC 295 (074) – Neuroscience of Mindful Learning
Students in the Neuroscience of Mindful Learning will build a supportive classroom community to 1) explore fundamental principles in neuroscience as applied to the process of learning, 2) relate diverse learning strategies to our understanding of the factors that can influence learning, and 3) practice critical reflection as a means toward strengthening their skills as mindful learners. Course is for freshmen only.
BSC 495 (122) – Mammalian Functional Morphology
Students in Mammalian Functional Morphology will learn how we can use analyses of the ways that anatomical form relates to function in modern mammals to infer the abilities of extinct species. We will do this for various mammalian lineages and regions of anatomy, including parts of the body related to mastication and locomotion, and also examine how captivity affects anatomy. Instructor approval required.
FW 495 (002 + 201) – Ornithology
FW 495 (003) – Wildlife in a Changing World
FW 495 (005) – Wildlife Research and Survey Techniques
GGA 295 (001) – Genetics in the Media
NTR 495 (001) – Global Nutrition
PB 495 (003) – Translational, Integrative, and Synthetic Plant Biology
ANT 495 (003) – Medical Anthropology
Data Science Academy Courses (Many Options Linked Here)