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2011-2012 Academic Catalog 
    
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2011-2012 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses of Study

 
 

American Studies
  

  • AMS 130 - Introduction to American Studies

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    An examination of selected beliefs and values that have been central to the shaping of American life and culture. Core values such as equality, individualism, success, freedom, a sense of special mission, pastoralism, and others are treated in topical units that range over the totality of American experience.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Barlow, Leung
  

  • AMS 211 - Invention of Race and the Africanist Presence in American Studies

    4 credits (Fall)
    This interdisciplinary course introduces key issues and themes related to the evolution theories of race with particular attention to the experience of people and communities of the African diaspora. The readings are particularly intended to foster critical thinking about race as an idea and practice and representations of “identities” and “communities of meaning.” Course material consists of scholarly and popular texts, including films and law reviews in order to focus on the socio-political implications and global impact of constructing narratives about the African diaspora in and outside the United States.

    Prerequisite: Second-year standing.
    Instructor: Gibel Mevorach
  

  • AMS 225 - Theory and Method in American Studies

    4 credits (Fall)
    An interdisciplinary survey of contemporary theory and method in American studies, in light of some historic precursors, with special emphasis on sociohistorical and literary approaches to the study of American culture.

    Prerequisite: AMS 130  and second-year standing.
    Instructor: Scott, Barlow
  

  • AMS 235 - The Anthropology of American Culture

    4 credits (Spring)
    See ANT 235 .
  

  • AMS 275 - Topics in American Culture

    4 credits (Fall)
    An interdisciplinary investigation of selected problems, trends, or themes in American culture, such as regionalism, popular culture, mass communication, minority cultures, women’s lives, and other engaging issues central to American experience.

    Prerequisite: AMS 130  and second-year standing.
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Gibel Mevorach
  

  • AMS 391 - Advanced Topics in American Studies

    4 credits (Spring)
    An advanced investigation engaging modes of cultural and historical analysis in American studies. Content may vary, and will be announced in advance each year.

    Prerequisite: AMS 130  and AMS 225 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Gibel Mevorach
  

  • AMS 495 - Senior Seminar

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    An interdisciplinary seminar for students completing the concentration in American studies. Topics vary, with broad application of methodological skills.

    Prerequisite: AMS 225 .
    Instructor: Barlow

Anthropology: General Introductory Course
  

  • ANT 104 - Introduction to Anthropology

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    Anthropology as a holistic discipline embracing human biological and cultural evolution and the differences and similarities among human cultures. The subfields of anthropology are surveyed.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Staff

Anthropology: Methods
  

  • ANT 290 - Archaeological Field Methods

    4 credits (Spring)
    Archaeological survey, excavation, and artifact analysis as tools for reconstructing the lifestyles of extinct societies. Lab work includes lithic, faunal, and ceramic analysis. Field labs provide practice in finding, mapping, recording, and interpreting archaeological sites.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 , or upper-level (200 or 300) archaeology course.
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Whittaker
  

  • ANT 291 - Methods of Empirical Investigation

    4 credits (Spring)
    See  .

    Note: Plus-2 option available.
  

  • ANT 292 - Ethnographic Research in Complex Societies

    4 credits (Fall)
    Cross-listed as: SOC 292 . The processes by which ethnographers construct an understanding of human behavior; what questions they ask and how they answer them. Students engage in ethnographic field studies.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104  or SOC 111  and one 200-level course in Cultural Anthropology or Linguistic Anthropology.
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Tapias
  

  • ANT 298 - Archaeological Field School

    4 credits (Summer)
    A six-week field course in archaeological method and theory emphasizing practical experience. Intensive field research in the American Southwest, including both excavation and preliminary processing of artifacts in the field lab. Field trips to areas of ethnographic and archaeological interest.

    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Kamp, Whittaker

Anthropology: Other Courses
  

  • ANT 399 - Directed Research

    4 credits
    See Directed Research.

    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ANT 490 - Senior Thesis

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    The preparation, writing, and public presentation of a piece of theoretical anthropological research in any of the subfields of anthropology. Students must obtain department approval the semester before thesis credits are taken. Two advisers/readers will supervise each thesis.

    Prerequisite: ANT 280 , senior standing, and prior departmental approval.
    Instructor: Staff

Anthropology: Theory
  

  • ANT 280 - Theories of Culture

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    A survey of the history of anthropological theory from the Enlightenment to the present.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104  and at least one 200-level anthropology course.
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Staff

Arabic
  

  • ARB 101 - Beginning Arabic I

    5 credits (Fall)
    Study of the fundamentals of spoken and written Modern Standard Arabic with emphasis on communication through oral-aural practice and awareness of cultural context. Acquisition of basic grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Youssef
  

  • ARB 102 - Beginning Arabic II

    5 credits (Spring)
    This course is designed primarily as a continuation of ARB 101 . Emphasizes the development of oral-aural skills and of reading comprehension by providing communicative practice and attention to cultural context.

    Prerequisite: ARB 101  or by placement.
    Instructor: Youssef
  

  • ARB 221 - Intermediate Arabic I

    4 credits (Fall)
    Conducted in Arabic. Emphasizes grammar and written and oral skills. Provides an introduction to the analysis of literary and cultural texts.

    Prerequisite: ARB 102 .
    Instructor: Youssef
  

  • ARB 222 - Intermediate Arabic II

    4 credits (Spring)
    Conducted in Arabic. Focuses on the development of written and oral skills. Emphasizes vocabulary acquisition, discussion, and composition through the exploration of literary texts and contemporary media materials.

    Prerequisite: ARB 221 .
    Instructor: Youssef

Archaeology and Biological Anthropology
  

  • ANT 205 - Human Evolution

    4 credits
    An in-depth examination of the evolution of humankind as part of an evolutionary continuum of primates stretching back approximately 65 million years, with an emphasis on the hominids of the past 4 million years. There is a heavy emphasis on comparative anatomy. Topics covered include bipedalism, molecular data, the brain and language, and various interpretations of hominid origins.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Bentley-Condit
  

  • ANT 221 - Primate Behavior and Taxonomy

    4 credits
    A comparative survey of the taxonomy, behavior, and ecology of nonhuman primates. Topics include demography and life-history patterns, feeding behavior and competition, social organization, sexual behavior, infant development, communication, and cognition.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Bentley-Condit
  

  • ANT 225 - Human Variation

    4 credits
    This course explores the interaction of genetics and culture with our understanding of human evolution through: a) an examination of human differentiation and genetic variation between and within human groups; and b) an exploration of how human evolution has been shaped by this interaction. Possible topics include: simple and complex inheritance, population genetics, human migration, gene frequencies, genetics and disease, genetics and IQ, race, gene therapy, designer babies, cloning, and the Human Genome Project.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Bentley-Condit
  

  • ANT 227 - Mothers and Infants

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    In this course, we will examine mothers, mother-infant relationships and infant development across the primate order and cross-culturally from an evolutionary perspective and with focus on biology. Topics will include but are not limited to: parental investment theory, parent-offspring conflict theory, attachment theory, conception, pregnancy, gestation, lactation, human and nonhuman primate infant development and trajectories, infant sex differences, and infanticide.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Bentley-Condit
  

  • ANT 261 - Agriculture, Religion, and Empire: Old World Prehistory

    4 credits
    An archaeological perspective on major themes and trends in the development of Old World civilizations: agricultural origins, trade and migration, metal and other technological innovations, role of ideology and symbol systems in social change, religion as a power base, rise of elite leadership, and state-level society. Covers much of Old World with emphasis on particular areas.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Whittaker
  

  • ANT 262 - Archaeology of North America

    4 credits
    Archaeological record from human entry into the area to European domination: hunting, gathering, and agricultural developments. Geographical and physical anthropological backgrounds presented.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Whittaker
  

  • ANT 267 - Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas

    4 credits
    An examination of Aztec, Inca, and Maya cultures, including economics, politics, and religion. Concentrates on the dynamics of early states and explores reasons for their rise and fall.

    Prerequisite: ANT 104 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Kamp
  

  • ANT 321 - Human Ethology

    4 credits
    In this course we will explore: 1) the evolutionary bases for human behavior; 2) how to observe, record, and study human behavior; and 3) the benefits and shortcomings of an ethological approach through both readings and hands-on projects. Each student will design and conduct a short ethological study of human behavior. This course will be research-centered.

    Prerequisite: ANT 280 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Bentley-Condit
  

  • ANT 325 - Biological Basis of Human Society

    4 credits
    An assessment of biological factors in human social behavior through an examination of the social behavior of nonhuman primates and evidence from human ethnology and sociobiology. Topics include reproductive behavior, aggression, dominance, sex roles, and altruism.

    Prerequisite: ANT 280 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Bentley-Condit
  

  • ANT 375 - Experimental Archaeology and Ethnoarchaeology

    4 credits
    Experiments with artifacts and observations of living peoples provide archaeologists with the basis for interpreting the remains of past cultures. This course examines the theoretical basis and practice of experimental archaeology and ethnoarchaeology. Course includes lab work and projects.

    Prerequisite: ANT 280 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Kamp, Whittaker

Art: History and Theory
  

  • ART 103 - Introduction to Art and Art History

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    A thematic and cross-cultural study of art and architecture as expressions of diverse social, intellectual, religious, and aesthetic values, primarily in Western societies since antiquity, with reference to certain East Asian and African traditions. Emphasis on developing critical skills. Use of Grinnell College Art Collection.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ART 210 - Women, Art, and History

    4 credits
    An introduction to the history of women’s involvement in the visual arts. Concerned with ways of analyzing changing relationships among gender, culture, and creativity. The focus is on a historical study of women as producers of art, with emphasis on the various ways women have responded to social conditions determining the production of art, and on defining the issues and methods of investigations, based on feminist critiques of conventional art historical approaches.

    Prerequisite: ART 103  or GWS 111 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Strauber
  

  • ART 214 - Monastery and Cathedral in Medieval Europe

    4 credits
    Study of major developments in architecture and art from the Carolingian through Gothic periods (9th–14th centuries). Primary focus on architectural design and structure (as at Durham, Canterbury, Lincoln, Cluny, Paris, Chartres, Amiens), including the roles of sculpture and manuscript painting within their social, political, religious, and intellectual climates. Option of executing projects in architectural design or doing reading in French, German, Italian, Latin, or Spanish.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Chasson
  

  • ART 221 - 19th-Century Painting: Romanticism and Realism

    4 credits
    Examination of 19th-century Romantic and Realist painting as critical responses to the period’s dramatic political, industrial, and cultural transformations and as the foundation of artistic “modernity.” Emphasis on issues of high and mass culture; art and political voice; representations of non-Europeans; relevance of the canon; tensions between the urban and natural worlds; and creation of the Avant-Garde.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Strauber
  

  • ART 222 - Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

    4 credits
    A study of major artists, works, and issues in European Impressionist and PostImpressionist painting (c. 1865–1900). Specific movements include Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Strauber
  

  • ART 227 - Italian Renaissance Art

    4 credits
    A study of Italian culture from the late 13th through the late 16th centuries as expressed in painting, sculpture, architecture, and urban design. Emphasis on political, social, religious, and intellectual factors shaping artistic theory and expression in Florence, Siena, Rome, Venice, and the courts at Mantua and Urbino. Option of doing some reading in French, German, Italian, or Latin.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Chasson
  

  • ART 230 - Northern Renaissance Art

    4 credits
    Primarily a study of Netherlandish and German painting and printmaking of the 15th and 16th centuries (Van Eyck, Bosch, Gruenewald, Duerer, Baldung Grien, Holbein, Bruegel). Emphasis on the functions and audiences for religious and secular work in light of original sources and recent criticism. Use of late medieval and Renaissance images and prints in the College Art Collection. Option of doing some reading in French, German, or Latin.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Chasson
  

  • ART 231 - Modern Art in Europe, 1900–1940

    4 credits (Fall)
    An examination of major movements in European art from 1900–1940, including Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, Constructivism, and Socialist Realism. Focus upon the historical contexts of art production and reception. Readings range from contemporary criticism to historical analysis. Investigation of recurrent problems such as primitivism, gender, authorship, and cultural politics.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Anger
  

  • ART 232 - Art Since 1945

    4 credits (Spring)
    An examination of developments primarily in American and European art since 1945, from Abstract Expressionism to current trends such as the globalized art market. Particular attention to art since 1960: Pop, Happenings, Black Art, Minimalism, Conceptualism, Earth Works, Feminist Art, Video, and Installation. Readings range from contemporary criticism to historical analysis from a variety of perspectives (e.g., formal, multicultural, deconstructive).

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Anger
  

  • ART 233 - American Art

    4 credits
    A survey of American art within its cultural, philosophical, and social contexts. Topics include: colonial portraiture; history painting, landscape, and vernacular expressions in the 19th century; and the sources and development of modernism and postmodernism.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Anger
  

  • ART 248 - Greek Archaeology and Art

    4 credits (Spring)
    See CLS 248 .

    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
  

  • ART 250 - Roman Archaeology and Art

    4 credits (Spring)
    See CLS 250 .

    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
  

  • ART 251 - Architecture and Urban Planning in Papal and Fascist Rome

    4 credits
    Study of major buildings and concepts of urban development from the late Imperial age of early Christianity (4th century) through the height of papal power in the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods (18th century). We conclude with the vast urban reconstructions under Mussolini and their legacy in the contemporary city. Use of historical maps in the College Art Collection. Option of executing design projects or doing some reading in French, German, Italian, or Latin.

    Prerequisite: None, although ART 250  or HIS 256  is helpful.
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Chasson
  

  • ART 260 - Museum Studies: The Art Museum

    4 credits
    An examination of the history of museums, museum operations, funding, ethics, and the philosophical and intellectual issues raised by the contemporary museum. The course will focus on art museums, but many of the topics will pertain to history, ethnographic, science, and other types of museums.

    Prerequisite: ART 103 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Wright
  

  • ART 316 - Architecture and Urbanism in Paris

    4 credits (Fall)
    See FRN 316 .

    Note: Not offered every year.
  

  • ART 360 - Exhibition Seminar

    4 credits (Fall)
    An exploration of the materials and methods of primary art historical research and museum practice through the organization and presentation of an exhibition. Students work directly with art objects, using works in the Grinnell College Art Collection and/or borrowed from lenders. Topic and instructor vary; see current Schedule of Courses. Course may be repeated once for credit.

    Prerequisite: One 200-level art history course.
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ART 400 - Seminar in Art History

    4 credits (Spring)
    An intensive study of selected problems with emphasis on research, methodology, and critical evaluation of a special area as announced in the current Schedule of Courses. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits if different topics are taken each time.

    Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing in art history concentration.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ART 499 - Mentored Advanced Project — Art History

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    The preparation, writing, and public presentation of a piece of advanced art-historical research in any area of art history. Students must obtain approval of a department member as faculty director. The MAP application must be completed with the required project statement and with all faculty signatures before submission to the Office of the Registrar. All applications are subject to the approval of the associate dean of the College.

    Prerequisite: Senior standing.
    Instructor: Staff

Art: Studio
  

  • ART 111 - Introduction to the Studio

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    Introduction to the Studio is a beginning level studio course designed to introduce and ground students in core principles of art making in a rigorous, hands-on studio. These principles will be taught though a series of practical exercises using traditional and digital tools. Emphasis will be placed on developing skills, knowledge of materials, methods of observation and translation, collaboration, discussion, and creative discipline.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ART 134 - Drawing

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    An introduction to observational drawing and contemporary drawing practice. Subjects will include architecture, objects, landscape, and the figure. Traditional and non-traditional media will be explored. Emphasis on technical skill, perceptual development, and critical skills.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ART 236 - Print Media

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    This course involves an exploration of print processes. Emphasis is placed on the development of individual skills and an aesthetic appreciation of prints through creation, production, and study. This investigation includes historical and contemporary roles of multiples within the context of select media and broader artistic practices.

    Prerequisite: ART 111 .
    Instructor: Kluber
  

  • ART 238 - Painting

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    This course is an introduction to the materials, techniques, and practice of painting. Such a practice is concerned with issues, both technical and intellectual, that will give students the knowledge to transpose, construct, and execute using the medium of paint.

    Prerequisite: ART 111 .
    Instructor: Kaufman
  

  • ART 240 - Ceramics

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    An introduction to clay as a medium for visual expression with an emphasis on hand building, throwing, conceptual problem-solving, glazing, and firing. Students will construct both sculptural and functional forms, with particular attention paid to the development of technical skills, surface enrichment through texture, and creativity in the construction of three-dimensional forms.

    Prerequisite: ART 111 .
    Instructor: Schrift
  

  • ART 242 - Sculpture

    4 credits (Spring)
    This course will explore techniques and concepts employed by contemporary sculptors. Students will utilize materials from the ephemeral to the permanent to explore issues of space and construction through a series of creative projects.

    Prerequisite: ART 111 .
    Instructor: Running
  

  • ART 246 - Digital Media

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    This course explores contemporary digital media art practice. Students will work with a variety of software, hardware, and digital tools in addressing visual ideas. This course encourages students to employ the computer as a visual-thinking tool.

    Prerequisite: ART 111 .
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • ART 310 - Advanced Studio: Hybrid Media

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    This advanced studio course involves investigating and expanding a visual idea across a range of media. Students have an opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary, expansive approach to art making.

    Prerequisite: 12 credits of 200-level art.
    Instructor: Kluber
  

  • ART 315 - Advanced Studio: Contemporary Practices

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    An interdisciplinary studio course designed to introduce students to contemporary artistic practices and concepts. Emphasis is placed on ideation, concept, and form integration.

    Prerequisite: 12 credits of 200-level art.
    Instructor: Kaufman
  

  • ART 320 - Advanced Studio: Site Specific

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    An intensive practice based course in which the problem of place and location is examined in relation to the development of a student’s individual body of work.

    Prerequisite: 12 credits of 200-level art.
    Instructor: Running
  

  • ART 499 - Mentored Advanced Project — Studio

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    Senior Project: A concentrated focus within a specific medium in which the student has extensive experience. This course is aimed at establishing a personal direction in content and personal expression while developing a mature portfolio in preparation for an advanced degree. The project includes preparation, creation, and public presentation of a body of artwork. Seniors must obtain approval of a department member for the desired medium as supervisor of the project. The MAP application must be completed with the required project statement and with all faculty signatures before submission to the Office of the Registrar. All applications are subject to approval of the dean of the College.

    Prerequisite: 300-level studio course, senior standing, and departmental approval of official MAP proposal before the end of the preceding semester.
    Instructor: Staff

Biological Chemistry
  

  • BCM 262 - Introduction to Biological Chemistry

    4 credits (Spring)
    An introduction to chemical properties and biological functions of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Topics in lecture and lab include purifying and characterizing proteins, enzyme kinetics, and basic energy metabolism. Three lectures and one scheduled lab each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 251 , CHM 221 , and completion of or concurrent registration in CHM 222 .
    Instructor: Levandoski, Trimmer

Biology
  

  • BIO 150 - Introduction to Biological Inquiry

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    An introduction to how biologists pose questions, design experiments, analyze data, and communicate scientific information, for prospective biology and biological chemistry majors as well as nonmajors. Although individual sections will have different topics and formats, all sections will involve intensive student-directed investigation and include a laboratory component.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • BIO 240 - Animal Behavior

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    Investigations of the causes, functions, and origins of animal behavior. We will use an evolutionary perspective to understand and integrate common behavioral adaptations, e.g., obtaining food, avoiding predators, living in groups, communicating, mating, and caring for offspring. Laboratory projects emphasize design, analysis, and communication of quantitative tests of hypotheses carried out in the lab and field. Three lectures and one scheduled lab per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 150 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Brown
  

  • BIO 251 - Molecules, Cells, and Organisms

    4 credits (Fall)
    Investigations of the cellular and molecular basis of organismal structure and function, including studies of how organisms acquire and expend energy, acquire and transport materials, regulate internal conditions, transmit information, reproduce, develop, grow, and move. Three lectures and one scheduled lab each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 150 , CHM 129 , and completion of or concurrent registration in CHM 221 .
    Note: Students who have completed the Biology 251/252 course sequence receive the equivalent of a standard undergraduate introductory genetics course, relevant for pre-professional programs and graduate schools.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • BIO 252 - Organisms, Evolution, and Ecology

    4 credits (Spring)
    Investigations of the evolutionary causes and ecological consequences of organismal structure and function, including studies of why organisms acquire and expend energy, acquire and transport materials, regulate internal conditions, transmit information, reproduce, develop, grow, and move. Three lectures and one scheduled lab each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 251  and MAT 124  or MAT 131 .
    Note: Students who have completed the Biology 251/252 course sequence receive the equivalent of a standard undergraduate introductory genetics course, relevant for pre-professional programs and graduate schools.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • BIO 301 - History of Biological Thought

    4 credits (Spring)
    This seminar course will consider how biological theories emerge and change in a complex environment of empirical knowledge and social/political concerns. Areas of study may include reproductive biology, evolution, genetics, ecology and conservation, and medicine. Three lecture/discussion sections each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Brown
  

  • BIO 305 - Evolution of the Iowa Flora

    4 credits (Fall)
    Investigations of the history of Iowa’s plant diversity from three perspectives: 1) taxonomy and systematics; 2) paleoecology and community assembly; and 3) population structure, biogeography, and conservation. Three lectures and one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Eckhart
  

  • BIO 325 - Fungal Biology

    4 credits (Fall)
    An integrative survey of the fungal kingdom, emphasizing current topics in developmental biology, physiology, genetics, evolution, systematics, ecology, and human interactions with fungi. Emphasis is on interactive learning through field and laboratory investigations. Combined lecture/lab periods meet two times each week for three hours.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: K. Jacobson
  

  • BIO 334 - Plant Physiology

    4 credits
    An assessment of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms underlying the life processes of plants. This course will examine major plant functions with emphasis on the physiology and biochemistry of photosynthesis, respiration, nutrient metabolism, translocation, control of growth, and response of plants to environmental stress.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252  or BCM 262 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: DeRidder
  

  • BIO 339 - Biogeochemistry

    4 credits (Spring)
    Study of the effects of life on the Earth’s chemistry. This course will examine the interactions among biological and chemical processes that determine the cycling of biologically significant elements in soils, sediments, waters, and the atmosphere. Lectures and discussions focus on current topics, with particular emphasis on the effects of human activity on biogeochemical cycles. Field and laboratory investigations emphasize quantitative analysis and experimental design. Three lecture/discussions and one laboratory per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 , or BCM 262 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: P. Jacobson
  

  • BIO 340 - Aquatic Biology

    4 credits (Spring)
    An examination of the biology of freshwater systems, including lakes, rivers, and streams, and the linkages between aquatic and terrestrial environments. Lectures and discussions focus on current topics in freshwater biology. Laboratory and field investigations emphasize quantitative analysis and experimental design and include an independent project. One laboratory meeting and two lecture/discussion sessions each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: P. Jacobson
  

  • BIO 343 - Comparative Vertebrate Morphol

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    This class will analyze the structure and evolution of the vertebrates, emphasizing functional morphology. We will consider vertebrate evolution and diversity, integument, biomaterials, and skulls; vertebral columns, lateral flexion, and the transition to terrestrial locomotion; circulatory systems; osmoregulatory structures; gas exchange; and sensory structures. In the lab, we will dissect animals such as sharks and cats and analyze other materials. We will close by focusing on morphological design and locomotion, and students will write a research proposal.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 , or BCM 262 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Queathem
  

  • BIO 345 - Advanced Genetics

    4 credits (Fall)
    Genetics is an experimental approach that has been applied to questions in all areas of biology, answering fundamental questions about inheritance, cell mechanics, human disease, and evolutionary change. This course will introduce students to advanced genetic principles and techniques. We will then explore how these techniques have been applied to answer fundamental questions in biology by reading both classic and recent papers from the primary literature that utilize genetic approaches. We will also discuss some of the limitationsof genetics as a scientific approach. The laboratory will emphasize multiweek projects using genetic techniques to study biological problems. Two three-hour meetings per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 , or BCM 262 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Praitis
  

  • BIO 346 - Environmental Microbiology

    4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    In this course we will examine the species concept and the dynamic nature of microbial populations in the environment, including how to define and measure relevant microbial populations. We will investigate the roles of microorganisms in key environmental processes including biogeochemical cycling and bioremediation of pollutants. Further topics include environmental pathogens, symbioses, and niche specialization. In the lab, students conduct seven-week independent projects. Two three-hour meetings per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 , or BCM 262 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Hinsa-Leasure
  

  • BIO 350 - Animal Development

    4 credits (Spring)
    An examination of the cellular and molecular aspects of development in a variety of organisms, with a focus on animals. The experimental basis for our current knowledge of developmental processes is presented. The laboratory includes work with vertebrate and invertebrate embryos. Three lectures, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Sullivan
  

  • BIO 355 - Developmental Genetics

    4 credits (Spring)
    We explore how scientists identify and characterize the genes required for animal and plant development, by reading and discussing papers from the primary literature that utilize molecular and classic genetic techniques. Topics include axis determination, cell fate decisions, tissue formation, sex determination, environmental influences on development, and evolutionary conservation of developmental mechanisms. In the laboratory, students do independent research projects on the model system C. elegans. Two three-hour meetings per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 , or BCM 262 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Praitis
  

  • BIO 363 - Neurobiology

    4 credits (Spring)
    This course examines the structure, function, and development of the nervous system. Cellular and molecular mechanisms are emphasized and examples are drawn from throughout the animal kingdom. Three lectures and one scheduled laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 251 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Lindgren
  

  • BIO 364 - Animal Physiology

    4 credits (Spring)
    This course examines the integrated function of tissues, organs, and organ systems from a molecular, cellular, and organismal perspective. Emphasis is placed on mechanisms underlying physiological processes found throughout the animal kingdom. Three lectures and one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Lindgren
  

  • BIO 365 - Microbiology

    4 credits (Fall)
    The structure, physiology, and genetics of the prokaryotes. Lectures include discussion of papers from the current literature. Laboratory features multi-week investigations. Two lectures and one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 251 . BCM 262  is recommended.
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Hinsa
  

  • BIO 368 - Ecology

    4 credits (Fall)
    Study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and of relationships between organisms and environments. Laboratories emphasize quantitative analysis and experimental design in ecology and include several field projects. Lectures focus on the development of ecological concepts and theory. Three lectures and one laboratory per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Eckhart
  

  • BIO 370 - Advanced Cell Biology

    4 credits (Fall)
    This course examines selected topics that are the focus of current research describing the molecular biology of eukaryotic cells. Events occurring in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and at the cell surface are considered. Laboratories emphasize techniques to study proteins in a variety of cell types including cells growing in culture.

    Prerequisite: BIO 251 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Sullivan
  

  • BIO 373 - Mechanisms of Evolution

    4 credits (Spring)
    This course examines the mechanisms of evolutionary change at both the micro- and macroevolutionary scales. Topics include the maintenance of genetic variation, population structure and speciation, molecular evolution, systematic methods and applications, and macroevolution. Three two-hour sessions per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Brown
  

  • BIO 380 - Molecular Biology

    4 credits (Spring)
    An examination of the molecular biology of the cell and associated technology. The application of techniques such as molecular cloning, PCR amplification, DNA sequencing and hybridization to contemporary issues in biology are emphasized in lecture and laboratory. Two lectures and one laboratory per week.

    Prerequisite: BIO 252 , or BCM 262 .
    Instructor: DeRidder, Gregg-Jolly
  

  • BIO 399 - Directed Research

    2 or 4 credits
    See Directed Research.

    Instructor: Staff

Chemistry
  

  • CHM 129 - General Chemistry

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    An introductory course. Primary emphasis on stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, dynamic equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics, electronic structure, and intermolecular interactions. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 210 - Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    Leads to advanced work in the department. Principles of inorganic chemistry and elementary quantitative analysis, including ionic equilibrium, electrochemistry, and acid-base chemistry. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 129 .
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 221 - Organic Chemistry I

    4 credits (Fall)
    A comprehensive study of structures, reactions, syntheses, and spectroscopy of aliphatic and aromatic compounds, which emphasizes modern mechanistic models. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 129 . (Students with AP/IB credit or other off-campus credit to substitute for CHM 129  must take CHM 210 .)
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 222 - Organic Chemistry II

    4 credits (Spring)
    A comprehensive study of structures, reactions, syntheses, and spectroscopy of aliphatic and aromatic compounds, which emphasizes modern mechanistic models. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 221 .
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 325 - Advanced Organic Chemistry

    4 credits (Fall)
    Selected topics in organic chemistry, including spectral methods of identifying organic compounds, reaction mechanisms, and modern methods of organic synthesis. Laboratory emphasis on spectral, chromatographic, and synthetic methods. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 222 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 330 - Enzyme Mechanisms

    4 credits (Fall)
    Examination of the mechanisms of enzyme reactions. Topics include enzyme structure, catalytic strategies, and methodologies to study enzyme mechanisms. Emphasis on enzymes that require a coenzyme (pyridoxal phosphate, flavin, etc.) to carry out their chemistry. Labs stress spectroscopic and kinetic techniques. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: BCM 262 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Trimmer
  

  • CHM 332 - Biophysical Chemistry

    4 credits (Fall)
    Exploration of advanced topics in biochemistry with an emphasis on physical methodologies (thermodynamics and kinetics) and techniques. Topics include ligand binding theory, protein folding, and structure determination, etc. Secondary emphasis involves topics in molecular neuroscience, such as second messenger systems and ion channels. Laboratory employs some of the techniques discussed and includes an independent project. Three classes, one laboratory each week. Completion of the introductory physics sequence and CHM 363  is recommended.

    Prerequisite: BCM 262  and completion of or concurrent registration in PHY 131 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available. Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Levandoski
  

  • CHM 358 - Instrumental Analysis

    4 credits (Fall)
    Analytical chemistry, including both theory and applications of spectral, electrochemical, chromatographic, and other commonly employed methods of analysis and separation. Two classes, two laboratories each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 221 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Lyons, Sharpe
  

  • CHM 363 - Physical Chemistry I

    4 credits (Fall and Spring)
    An introduction to physical chemistry that emphasizes experimental and theoretical aspects of chemical thermodynamics, chemical and physical equilibrium, and kinetics. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 222 , and MAT 133  or equivalent, and PHY 131  or equivalent, and completion of or concurrent registration in PHY 132 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Hernandez-Soto, Marzluff
  

  • CHM 364 - Physical Chemistry II

    4 credits (Spring)
    Selected topics in physical chemistry with emphasis on molecular structure and chemical bonding and the application of thermodynamic and quantum theory to a variety of physical chemical phenomena. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 363 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Marzluff, Hernandez-Soto
  

  • CHM 390 - Seminar: Current Topics in Chemistry

    2 credits (Fall or Spring)
    An investigation of a selected topic in chemistry with readings from the recent literature discussed in a seminar format. Specific topic announced at least a semester in advance. May be repeated a second time for credit.

    Prerequisite: CHM 222 .
    Note: Not offered every year.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 399 - Directed Research

    4 credits
    See Directed Research.

    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHM 423 - Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

    4 credits (Spring)
    Selected topics, including atomic structure, bonding, acid-base theories, coordination chemistry, crystal structure, and inorganic reactions. Three classes, one laboratory each week.

    Prerequisite: CHM 363 .
    Note: Plus-2 option available.
    Instructor: Minelli
  

  • CHM 499 - Mentored Advanced Project

    2 or 4 credits (Fall or Spring)
    See Mentored Advanced Projects

Chinese
  

  • CHI 101 - Beginning Chinese I

    5 credits (Fall)
    An introductory course to modern (Mandarin) Chinese that teaches the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructional emphasis is laid on both linguistic aspects (pronunciation, vocabulary, and structures) and on sociocultural strategies in communication. Students learn approximately 550 frequently used core graphs and their use in context.

    Prerequisite: None.
    Instructor: Cook
  

  • CHI 102 - Beginning Chinese II

    5 credits (Spring)
    An introductory course to modern (Mandarin) Chinese that teaches the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructional emphasis is laid on both linguistic aspects (pronunciation, vocabulary, and structures) and on sociocultural strategies in communication. Students learn approximately 550 frequently used core graphs and their use in context.

    Prerequisite: CHI 101 .
    Instructor: Cook
  

  • CHI 211 - Practicum in Chinese/Japanese Calligraphy

    1 credits
    Cross-listed as: JPN 211 . Guided practice in the different styles of Chinese character writing. Recommended for students in CHI 102  and JPN 102  and above. Does not count toward Chinese major. May be repeated for credit with the permission of instructor. (A maximum of eight practicum credits may count toward graduation.)

    Prerequisite: CHI 101  or JPN 101 , or permission of instructor.
    Instructor: Staff
  

  • CHI 221 - Intermediate Chinese I

    4 credits (Fall)
    Reinforcement and expansion of the grammatical basis and communicative competence gained in CHI 101  and CHI 102 . Continued practice of oral and listening skills, but with increased emphasis on reading and writing skills. Stress is on the acquisition of core graphs (to approximately 1,500), vocabulary, and complex sentence patterns. Simplified characters are also introduced.

    Prerequisite: CHI 102 .
    Instructor: Feng
 

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