Syllabus

BioS 95:  Bioscience in the 21st Century
Fall 2008
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:10-11:00 am

Students enrolled in BioS 95 as well as students enrolled in BioS 90 courses, “Health in the 21st century”, “LS, Person Med Sci of Healthcare”, and “Bios Urgencies 21st Century” will attend BioS 95 lectures on MWF at the regularly scheduled class time. 

Instructor | Objectives | Format | Resources | Requirements | Accommodations | Schedule | Contacts

Faculty Coordinator and Instructor:

Prof. Vassie Ware, Ph.D.
B-222 Iacocca Hall
Department of Biological Sciences

 Graduate Teaching Assistant: 

Vance E. Imhoff
Department of Biological Sciences

Course Objectives:

A major goal of this course is to communicate to students seeking training in a biologically-based discipline the importance of a systems-driven, multidisciplinary approach in bioscience. Several contemporary bioscience-related issues (e.g., neurophysiology-related topics, reproductive biology and contraceptive technologies, obesity, infectious diseases, cancer, stem cell biology, advances in cell biology and medicine, genome-based medicine, bioinformatics, interfaces between organic chemistry and biology, advances in engineered biomedical systems, advances in bioimaging, social/ethical considerations) will be discussed by faculty from different disciplines in order to highlight cross-disciplinary perspectives on fundamental problems and potential solutions in bioscience.  This course is envisioned as a new tool at Lehigh University for shaping an intellectual approach to bioscience that routinely values interconnections among disciplines and reduces/eliminates the tendency to compartmentalize learning “by subject.” 

A second goal of this course is to provide scientific literacy for non-majors and the public.  Students who are not formally registered for the course are encouraged to attend lectures based on their interests.  Course materials including the syllabus and all lectures are available on the web with full access for the entire Lehigh community and interested members of the public.

Format: 

Lectures will be presented on MWF at the regularly scheduled class time for both BioS95 and BioS90 students.  BioS90 students will meet each week with their primary faculty instructor (Professors Barry Bean, Linda Lowe-Krentz, or Neal Simon) for a discussion session.   No formal discussion session for BioS 95 students is required; however, additional “out of classroom” assignments will be required. Class assignments and course reading materials will be available only for official course registrants through Blackboard.  The Blackboard site is accessible using your Lehigh ID and password. 

Course Resources:  

No texts are required for the course.  All lectures and most additional course resources will be available through the course web site.  Reading assignments may be required by some lecturers and will be posted on the course web site.  Access to required or suggested reading materials will be available for official course registrants only through the BioS95 Blackboard site. 

Course Requirements: 

Your regular attendance is important.  While all course materials and lectures are accessible on the web, there will be opportunities to participate in discussions with faculty lecturers and/or to have questions answered.  Active participation in discussions is only possible if you are present in class. 

This is a 4-credit course; as such, 75% of the course grade will be based on your performance on quizzes based on the lecture content (3 credits’ worth).  For BioS95 students and BioS90 students, the remaining 25% of the course grade will be based either on “other assignments” (see below for BioS95) or the requirements from your discussion session determined by your faculty instructor (BioS90). 

A total of 300 points is possible for the lecture portion of the course.  Other assignments (BioS95) or discussion requirements (BioS90) will constitute a total of 100 points.  Your final course grade, therefore, will be based on a total of 400 points.

Seven (7) multiple-choice quizzes (50 points each) are scheduled (see schedule).  Please note that changes in the quiz schedule may be required if a lecture(s) needs to be re-scheduled.

Only six (6) quiz grades will be counted in the final course grade, as the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. 

Quizzes will be based on lecture content and assigned readings, if any.  Quizzes will not be cumulative throughout the semester.

Other BioS95 assignments (worth 100 points total):  Three (3) short writing assignments will be required.  Details of the assignments will be posted on the Blackboard site.  In addition, participation in at least one (out of three) planned course field trip will be required.  Details of field trip opportunities will be discussed at the first lecture.

In general, grading will be based on the following scale:  90-100% (A range); 80-89% (B range); 70-79% (C range); 60-69% (D range); below 60% (failing).  Please note that the final quiz (#7) will be scheduled by the Registrar during the final examination period.  

MAKE-UP EXAMINATION POLICY:  Make-up quiz privileges will only be considered in the case of excused absences, requiring written documentation from medical or administrative personnel.  There are no exceptions to this requirement. 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:  All members of the Lehigh community have a responsibility to uphold the value of academic integrity in their intellectual pursuits.  We have a responsibility to maintain intellectual honesty and to value intellectual property.  Details of expectations in the Lehigh community are available at http://www.lehigh.edu/academicintegrity.  It is expected that students will abide by these standards in all course endeavors (e.g., quizzes, writing assignments). Violations of academic integrity standards will not be tolerated and will be handled according to guidelines in the University Conduct System.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: 

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting accommodations, please contact Professor Ware and the Office of Academic Support Services, University Center 212 (610-758-4152) as early as possible in the semester.  You must have documentation from the Academic Support Services Office before accommodations can be granted.

Course lecture and quiz schedule:  see schedule

CONTACTS:

Professor Ware  
B222 Iacocca Hall, Office hours by appointment 
Telephone: 610-758-3690 (voice mail is available)

Department of Biological Sciences Office:
B217 Iacocca Hall,
Telephone: 610-758-3680 or 610-758-3681.

For technical assistance with Blackboard or course website:
Mrs. Maria Brace, Biological Sciences Department Coordinator
Telephone: 610-758-6235

BioS90:
Professor Bean  
B218 Iacocca Hall, Office hours by appointment
Telephone: 610-758-3678 (voice mail is available)

Professor Lowe-Krentz 
D217 Iacocca Hall, Office hours by appointment
Telephone: 610-758-5084 (voice mail is available)

Professor Simon  
D229 Iacocca Hall, Office hours by appointment
Telephone: 610-758-3620 (voice mail is available)