Course Syllabus
Course: BIOL 2200
Division: Natural Science and Math
Department: Biology
Title: General Microbiology
Semester Approved: Fall 2022
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2027
End Semester: Summer 2028
Catalog Description: This general microbiology course is designed for those with a basic understanding of biology and chemistry. The course will cover the morphology, reproduction, metabolism, microbial and molecular genetics, biotechnology, ecology, and diversity of microorganisms. An emphasis will be placed on bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and their role in the environment and human disease. The lecture must be taken concurrently with the lab BIOL 2205.
Semesters Offered: Spring
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
Prerequisites: CHEM 1210 or CHEM 1110 and BIOL 1610 or BIOL 2420, or instructor permission
Corequisites: BIOL 2205
Justification: The course will advance the students understanding of the biology of microorganisms, and microbial and molecular genetics. The course follows the recommendations of the American Society for Microbiology and will serve as a core course for microbiology majors. In addition, it will serve as a support course for other biology and pre-professional majors. Many pharmacy schools and veterinary medicine schools now require a general microbiology course before students can be accepted. Clinical laboratory science majors also need microbiology for science majors. Similar courses are taught at other USHE institutions.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to identify structures that are found in bacteria, archaea, eukaryotic cells and acellular agents. Students will be assessed via short answer, essay questions, and other questions on exams and optionally via quizzes and/or written assignments.
Students will be able to determine how microbes grow, how growth is controlled, and metabolic pathways found in microbes. Students will be assessed via short answer, essay questions, and other questions on exams and optionally via quizzes and/or written assignments.
Students will be able to understand the diversity of microbes in the world around them. Students will be assessed via short answer, essay questions, and other questions on exams and optionally via quizzes and/or written assignments.
Students will be able to determine how microbes help sustain life on earth as we know it. Students will be assessed via short answer, essay questions, and other questions on exams and optionally via quizzes and/or written assignments.
Students will be learn how microbes cause disease in humans and other animals and how the immune system protects us. Students will be assessed via short answer, essay questions, and other questions on exams and optionally via quizzes and/or written assignments.
Students will learn how bacterial genes are structured and regulated and how they contribute to recombinant DNA technology. Students will be assessed via short answer, essay questions, and other questions on exams and optionally via quizzes and written assignments.
Students will read and discuss key scientific literature to gain skills necessary to discern credibility of sources of scientific information. Students will demonstrate their awareness of such concepts through case studies and/or library projects.
Content:
Course content will be covered by reading assignments in the textbooks, handouts, lecture and class discussion, and library project(s). Any topic not so covered remains the responsibility of the student to explore. Brief history of microbiology; Microbial cell biology and physiology: information flow within a cell, regulation of cellular activities, cellular structure and function, cell energy metabolism); Microbial and molecular genetics: inheritance of genetic information, cause, consequences and uses of mutations, exchange and acquisition of genetic information; Microbial growth: measurement and growth curves, mathematics of growth, nutrient limiting and continuous culture, environmental factors on growth; Interactions and impact of microorganisms and humans: physical and chemical control of microorganisms, antibiotics and chemotherapy, symbiotic associations, microbial pathogenic mechanisms, disease, food microbiology, genetic engineering, biotechnology; Interactions and impact of microorganisms in the environment: microorganisms and their role in ecosystems, marine and terrestrial environments; Viruses and microbial diversity: microbial taxonomy, Archaea, bacteria, fungi, algae, protists The diversity of the microbial world will be discussed. In addition, there will be discussions on how microbes affect humans in regard to age, race, other socio-economic backgrounds and overall general health.
Key Performance Indicators:
Midterm Exams 30 to 70%
Library Projects 10 to 20%
Case Studies 0 to 10%
Written Assignments 0 to 10%
Quizzes 0 to 10%
Compressive Final Eam 20 to 30%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Representative text include: Prescott's Microbiology, Willey, Sherwood, Woolverton.
Pedagogy Statement:
Many teaching methods will be used to encourage students to be involved when possible. These will include, but not be limited to: traditional lecture with feedback questions, flipping some parts of the class where possible, encouraging group work and study groups outside of class, and aligning the lectures with the labs so cohorts of students can work together as much as possible. Instructors will work to become aware of the unique experiences of all students from diverse backgrounds by creating a positive classroom environment through attitude, expectations, behavior, and learning students' names/backgrounds/identities.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture
Maximum Class Size: 24
Optimum Class Size: 12
