Monday, August 25 - Classes begin
Monday, September 1 - Labor Day - Campus closed
Monday, September 22- Census Date (Last day to drop classes without record)
Tuesday, November 11 - Veteran's day - Campus closed
Thursday, November 27 - Thanksgiving - Campus closed
Friday, November 28 - Campus closed
Wednesday, December 10 - Final Exam for Mon/Wed Section 01
Thursday, December 11 - Final Exam for Tue/Thur Section 60
This course is designed for non-science majors who want to better understand how biology connects to their daily lives. We’ll explore real-world topics in biology—from nutrition and disease to genetics and public health—with the goal of helping you think critically, make informed decisions, and maybe even see science in a new light. No prior science background is expected—we’re here to learn together.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following—not just to pass a test, but to understand how biology shows up in your world:
Students will be able to define and utilize basic scientific terminology related to biology.
Students will gain a basic understanding of how the structure, starting at the molecular level, determines the function of organisms through all levels of organization, scaling up to and including ecosystems.
Students will gain a basic understanding of how matter and energy flow, starting at the molecular level, facilitates the function of organisms through all levels of organization, scaling up to and including ecosystems.
Students will gain a basic understanding of how genes, starting at the molecular level, informs the development of organisms and their populations through all levels of organization and time scales, scaling up to and including ecosystems and evolutionary time.
Students will gain a basic understanding that scientific knowledge is constantly revised based on new evidence.
Students will be able to apply evidence-based biological knowledge to analyze events and policies that affect daily life and society at large.
Biology Science for Life by Belk with Mastering Biology: We will use this website for assignments and textbook readings. These tools make it easier to stay engaged during class and get immediate feedback on your learning.
Access to the Canvas website: Because I will use the Canvas website to post pertinent information for the class, including details about course activities and announcements, students must be able to access the website. I will also use this website to contact students via e-mail with relevant announcements. Student support for Canvas is provided by the Technology Support Center located on the 1st floor of the Pfau Library wedge PL-1108. They can be reached at 909-537-7677 or support@csusb.edu.
Campus Email: Please be sure to check your email regularly—I’ll use it to send reminders and updates throughout the course. In addition to the email announcements, the announcements will be posted on Canvas. Students can get a “free” e-mail address from the campus. Questions about campus e-mail accounts should also be directed to (909) 537-7677 or support@csusb.edu.
Access to Zoom: Student hours will be held on Zoom. Online section 60 will meet via Zoom during scheduled class time.
Internet connected device: Students will need a reliable, internet-connected device available for both in-class activities and homework assignments. If you would like to check out equipment from the University to use for the semester, please visit the campus website for details at this link. For any in-class activities requiring technology, it is crucial that you inform me immediately if you encounter any technical issues. I can usually either help you find a fix to the technical issue or make an accommodation for you.