Biological Sciences Program learning outcomes

1. Students should show evidence of mastery of content knowledge across the BSCI curriculum, in a variety of assessment formats.

a. Students should have mastered the critical knowledge at each level in the curriculum necessary to move to the next level in the curriculum. The following are some specific examples of the high-level conceptual mastery students should evidence as they traverse the curriculum.  Specific incarnations of these larger concepts are expressed in individual courses.

•          Basic structure function relationships at molecular, cellular, organismal, and systems levels.
•          Energy flow at all biological levels
•          Evolution as mechanisms that generates diversity
•          The relationship between evolution at a population level and the mechanisms of the Central Dogma.
•          Physical, chemical, mathematical constraints / opportunities in evolution
•          Information in biological systems, central dogma
•          Regulation of biological systems, homeostasis
•          Scaling in biological systems at all levels
•          Interdisciplinary thinking- integrating all science disciplines toward understanding biology

2. Students should be able to integrate and apply basic knowledge to the understanding of new and novel ideas and findings. This outcome is what is commonly called “critical thinking skills”. This includes a demonstrated ability to read, understand, and critique data from existing scientific studies

•          Scientific thinking: data reading and interpretation; considering alternative interpretations of data.
•          Mechanistic thinking: understanding basic steps and processes in biological phenomena
•          Abstract thinking: generation of principles from details and understanding detailed examples of principles
•          Application thinking:  seeing principles in new situations

3. Students should demonstrate an ability to use and apply appropriate quantitative methods in physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology. Some examples of these quantitative skills are:

•          Statistical thinking and application of statistical thinking in interpretation of biological processes and research findings
•          Quantitative  models and representations of biological phenomena
•          Distinctions between discrete and continuous mathematical tools

4. Students should be able to express their understanding of biological and related concepts in written and oral formats, using clear English and scientific writing.

•          Grammar and use of words should be appropriate.
•          Ideas should be expressed clearly and succinctly, without unnecessary words and embellishments.
•          Ideas should be expressed objectively, preferably in third person.

5.  Students at all levels should master the design and execution of scientific studies using appropriate techniques. This skill is addressed primarily in laboratory courses.