| BARNARD COLLEGE | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | CERC | EEEB AT COLUMBIA |
 
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During the Spring 2008 semester, several changes will be made to the courses offered by the Biology Department in conjunction with the changes we have announced in the structure of the Major. Some of the course changes are simple changes to course name and/or numbers while other changes, described at the bottom of this page, are changes in the Guided Research and Senior Thesis offerings that are part of the new major requirements. If you have any questions at all about this, please see either Professor Morton or Professor Glendinning and we will be happy to help you. Numbering and Naming Of Biology Courses Effective following the Spring 2008 semester, the following changes will be made in the numbering and naming of Biology Courses. Courses that have been completed will still count in the same way towards the major. Only those courses that are changing are listed on this page. Introductory courses
Intermediate Level Courses Intermediate courses are those that the Department considers particularly appropriate for (but NOT limited to) sophomores and juniors. The numbers are changing so that these courses are in the 2xxx range. This will distinguish them from Introductory courses (1xxx range) and Advanced courses (3xxx range, see below).
Advanced Courses All Advanced courses, which we consider most appropriate for (but NOT limited to) juniors and seniors, will be numbered in the 33xx range. (Many of these courses have prerequisites beyond the 1500 Introductory series.) In order to maintain this numbering system, two 32xx courses (Animal Development and Applied Ecology and Evolution) have been changed to 33xx as follows: BC3352 Animal Development (was BIOL BC3252) BC3380 Applied Ecology and Evolution (was BIOL BC3279)
Change to Course Content Guided Research Courses: Under the new major requirements, research for major credit will involve two consecutive semesters of research on the same or related projects. Instead of taking a separate Research Seminar as in the past, students doing research for major credit will take a single course which will have a seminar component. Internal and External Research: Laboratory projects are no longer differentiated along the lines of internal (with a Barnard faculty) and external (off campus). All students doing an appropriate research project will enroll for the same course, and attend the seminar component, which is given below. HOWEVER, students doing a research project off campus will still need to get it approved by the Department in advance and will be required to have a departmental sponsor to oversee the progress of the work. New Research Courses for Major Credit: BIOL BC3591x Guided Research and Seminar (3 pts) BIOL BC3592y Guided Research and Seminar (3 pts) BIOL BC3593x Senior Thesis Research (3 pts) BIOL BC3594y Senior Thesis Research (3 pts) Students wishing to receive credit for one Upper Level Lab towards the Biology Major should enroll in 3591 and 3592 in consecutive semesters. Students wishing to complete their senior requirement with a research project should enroll in Senior Thesis Research (BIOL3593 and BIOL3594) in consecutive semesters (typically Fall and then Spring semesters of her senior year).
Seminar: The seminar component is now part of all four of the courses above and all students will participate in the seminar each semester. There is NOT a separate seminar for Guided Research and Senior Thesis Research. Research credit towards the degree: We expect that there will still be some students who simply want to do research for degree credit—either in preparation for a project the following year, to learn techniques, or to follow up on research done the previous year. Students who wish to do so should enroll in: BIOL BC3597x/y Guided Research (1-4 pts)
Students in this course will conduct guided research under the mentorship of an internal or external mentor, but DO NOT participate in a seminar. Should a student complete just one semester of 3591/2 or 3593/4, she will receive degree credit for her efforts. |