Students will choose 9 units of elective courses from the following list.
Astronomy 300A
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Dynamics in Astrophysics
Biochemistry 384
Foundations in Biochemistry
Structure and function of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, with a focus on understanding the molecular function of essential biomolecules.
Biochemistry 385
Metabolic Biochemistry
Fundamentals of metabolism and nucleic acid biochemistry at the cellular and organismal levels, with a focus on key pathways and regulatory mechanisms.
Biochemistry 462A
Biochemistry
Introduction to the properties and metabolism of proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and lipids. Designed primarily for majors and minors in chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. For honors credit register for 5 units.
Biochemistry 462B
Biochemistry
Introduction to the properties and metabolism of proteins, nucleic acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and lipids. Designed primarily for majors and minors in chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. For honors credit register for 5 units.
Cellular & Molecular Medicine/Ecology/Mollecular & Cellular Biology 479
Art of Scientific Discovery
Techniques of posing questions and solving puzzles encountered in scientific research, with emphasis on life sciences and mathematics.
Chemistry 400B
Chemical Measurements Laboratory
This course concerns the teaching of modern experimental methods in physical chemistry. The goal is to illustrate concepts in thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and chemical kinetics, taught in the lecture courses 480A and 480B, through experiments concerning heat capacities, liquid/vapor equilibria, surface tension, viscosity, quantum dots, and atomic and molecular spectroscopy. Practical training is provided in the use of vacuum systems, detection electronics, oscilloscopes, simple lasers, and other modern tools in the physical chemistry laboratory, as well as in quantitative error analysis and scientific writing.
Chemistry 480A
Physical Chemistry I
Fundamental principles of physical chemistry. The course is designed for undergraduates in majors in chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry, and the life sciences, and related majors. Topics covered include properties of solids, liquids, gasses; thermodynamics; and chemical kinetics.
Chemistry 480B
Physical Chemistry II
Fundamental principles of physical chemistry. Course design includes quantum mechanics; atomic and molecular structure; molecular spectroscopy; statistical mechanics and transport.
Chemistry 481
Biophysical Chemistry
Fundamental principles of physical chemistry as applied to biological systems. Course design emphasizes physical theories and laws with applications to proteins, membranes, and nucleic acids. Topics include quantum mechanics and molecular structure; biomolecular spectroscopy; crystallography; biopolymers; statistical mechanics and transport.
Ecology 408L
Genes, Biotechnology and the Environment
This course is an intensive summer lab course in DNA technology for secondary school science teachers and pre-service teachers. Students use molecular techniques of PCR, DNA sequencing, and computer BLAST searches to learn how genes and molecules are linked to the ecology of many species. The course may include field trips and may involve high school student participants.
Ecology 426
Population Genetics
General introductory course on empirical and theoretical population genetics. it will involve two weekly lectures, weekly problem sets, and regular readings from the primary literature. A major goal of this course is to make students familiar with basic models of population genetics and to acquaint students with empirical tests of these models. As much as any field of biology, population genetics has been divided into a theoretical and empirical branch. However, these two bodies of knowledge are intimately related and this course will cover both in roughly equal amounts. We will discuss the primary forces and processes involved in shaping genetics variation in natural populations (mutation, drift, selection, migration, recombination, mating patterns, population size, and population subdivision), methods of measuring genetic variation in nature, and experimental tests of important ideas in population genetics. The course will also cover a few more specialized topics such as transposable elements, the evolution of multigene families, and molecular clocks.
Ecology 453
Functional & Evolutionary Genomics
Computational, functional, and evolutionary approaches to genomics, including bioinformatics and laboratory methods relevant to many modern research approaches in biology.
Ecology 496N
Non-Linear Dynamics of Biological Systems
Non-linear dynamics of biological systems with applications in biochemistry, ecology, epidemiology, and molecular biology. Student/faculty presentations, opportunity for independent projects.
Environmental Sciences/Microbiology 425
Environmental Microbiology
Current concepts in microbiology across environments, including soil, aquatic, and air. Emphasis on the role of microbes in remediation and biogeochemistry.
Geosciences 302
Principles of Stratigraphy & Sedimentation
Basic principles and methods of stratigraphic and sedimentologic analysis; sedimentation processes and depositional environments, facies relations, stratigraphic analysis and classification, correlation, and dynamics of basin fill.
Geosciences 430
The Chemical Evolution of Earth
Chemical differentiation and evolution of Earth's mantle and crust according to major-element, trace-element, and isotopic characteristics of neodymium, hafnium, strontium, lead, and other isotopes.
Geosciences 466
Stable Isotope Geochemistry & Paleoclimate
An examination of stable isotopes in paleoenvironmental reconstruction, emphasizing O, C, H and N isotopes in the ocean, rivers, ice, lakes, soils, speleothems, and fossils. The class includes in-class presentations and a lab project.
Geosciences 478
Global Change
Analysis of the Earth system through an examination of its component parts (particularly climate and biogeochemistry) and their interactions with human activities, emphasizing information needed to understand modern and future environmental changes.
Geosciences 497K
Dendroecology
Dendroecology is the study of ecology through the use of the tree-ring record. Ecological variable in the tree-ring record, theory, and techniques of dendrochronology, applications to forest ecology. Lectures, laboratory training, and a multi-day field trip including data collection.
Molecular & Cellular Biology 396I
Career Exploration & Professional Development
This course was developed to encourage students to study science, to prepare to enter the scientific workforce and to take advantage of mentoring opportunities that will assist them to advance to positions of scientific leadership. The premise is that through developing a broad understanding of issues related to science and through professional development, students will gain access to information and to the formal and informal networks needed to progress to successful careers in science. part of the course is devoted to interactions with those in science-related fields who can share experiences and provide guidance.
Molecular & Cellular Biology 414
Science & Theology
Exploration of the interface between science and theology to understand the obstacles to their rational integration.
Philosophy/Ecology 421
Philosophy of the Biological Sciences
Laws and models in biology, structure of evolutionary theory, teleological explanations, reductionism, sociobiology.
Planetary Sciences 407
Chemistry of the Solar System
Abundance, origin, distribution, and chemical behavior of the chemical elements in the Solar System. Emphasis on applications of chemical equilibrium, photochemistry, and mineral phase equilibrium theory.
Planetary Sciences/Astronomy/Geosciences 442
Mars
In-depth class about the planet Mars, including origin and evolution, geophysics, geology, atmospheric science, climate change, the search for life, and the history and future of Mars exploration. There will be guest lectures from professors and research scientists with expertise about aspects of Mars. The course may include visits to Mars exploration centers at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. There will be lots of discussion of recent results and scientific controversies about Mars. All students are expected to have a knowledge of basic calculus.
Planetary Sciences/Geosciences/Astronomy/Physics 403
Physics of the Solar System
Survey of planetary physics, planetary motions, planetary interiors, geophysics, planetary atmospheres, asteroids, comets, origin of the solar system.