Biology major to change
Courses added, replaced, renumbered
Katie Rose McEneely
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: News
Biology majors who haven't yet declared will have an easier approach to their discipline starting in the 2010 fall semester.
Frank Steiner, professor and chair of the biology department, said the changes are mostly organizational, though some new courses will be implemented.
"There are no changes in the number of credits or requirements or anything like that," he said. "It's basically housekeeping - hopefully it will make the major easier to understand."
Once of the changes is replacing mammalian anatomy with a gross anatomy class, which will allow biology majors an opportunity for extensive human cadaver dissection.
The biology department has been discussing the possibility of these changes for about 20 years, Steiner said. But they didn't get serious about implementing these changes until two years ago, when another professor joined the biology department.
"When [Assistant Professor of Biology Jeffrey VanZant] came on board, we started talking more seriously about substantive changes," Steiner said.
Another reason for the changes in course numberings is the new core adviser system. While students with an adviser in their major field of study are aware of the intricacies of their program, those with non-science faculty aren't informed that some course numbers don't align with when a class must be taken. For instance, genetics is listed as Biology 509, but is intended as a sopho-more-level class, not an upper-level one, Steiner said.
Science majors have another set of requirements they must take alongside of the core, and these classes are offered on a schedule that can be difficult to decipher.
"It's something most core advisers haven't had to deal with in the past," Steiner said. "We need to do a better job of disseminating this information, especially to freshmen" who don't have an adviser familiar with their prospective major.
The changes "are more in line with out majors, and to help advisers in the new program to un-derstand what comes first in the [biology] core."
Freshman Sami Ward, who plans to major in the pre-med biology program, said the clarifications are welcome.
"So much is thrown at us in the first few days," she said. "It's a lot of work to figure out what classes you should take."
Ward was initially assigned an adviser from the English department, but switched a few days af-ter arriving to campus.
"I figured having a biology adviser would be more beneficial," especially because she already knew what she wanted to study, she said.
Frank Steiner, professor and chair of the biology department, said the changes are mostly organizational, though some new courses will be implemented.
"There are no changes in the number of credits or requirements or anything like that," he said. "It's basically housekeeping - hopefully it will make the major easier to understand."
Once of the changes is replacing mammalian anatomy with a gross anatomy class, which will allow biology majors an opportunity for extensive human cadaver dissection.
The biology department has been discussing the possibility of these changes for about 20 years, Steiner said. But they didn't get serious about implementing these changes until two years ago, when another professor joined the biology department.
"When [Assistant Professor of Biology Jeffrey VanZant] came on board, we started talking more seriously about substantive changes," Steiner said.
Another reason for the changes in course numberings is the new core adviser system. While students with an adviser in their major field of study are aware of the intricacies of their program, those with non-science faculty aren't informed that some course numbers don't align with when a class must be taken. For instance, genetics is listed as Biology 509, but is intended as a sopho-more-level class, not an upper-level one, Steiner said.
Science majors have another set of requirements they must take alongside of the core, and these classes are offered on a schedule that can be difficult to decipher.
"It's something most core advisers haven't had to deal with in the past," Steiner said. "We need to do a better job of disseminating this information, especially to freshmen" who don't have an adviser familiar with their prospective major.
The changes "are more in line with out majors, and to help advisers in the new program to un-derstand what comes first in the [biology] core."
Freshman Sami Ward, who plans to major in the pre-med biology program, said the clarifications are welcome.
"So much is thrown at us in the first few days," she said. "It's a lot of work to figure out what classes you should take."
Ward was initially assigned an adviser from the English department, but switched a few days af-ter arriving to campus.
"I figured having a biology adviser would be more beneficial," especially because she already knew what she wanted to study, she said.
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