NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: BIOLOGY FOR SCIENCE MAJORS I
Course prefix, number, and section number: BIOL 1406 0342
Semester/Year of course: Fall 2025
Semester start and end dates: 8/25/2025 – 12/13/2025
Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Online
Class meeting location, days, and times: Online
Lab meeting location, days, and times: Online
Semester credit hours: 4
Course Description: Fundamental principles of living organisms will be studied, including physical and chemical properties of life, organization, function, evolutionary adaptation, and classification. Concepts of cytology, reproduction, genetics, and scientific reasoning are included. Lab required. Laboratory activities will reinforce the fundamental principles of living organisms, including physical and chemical properties of life, organization, function, evolutionary adaptation, and classification. Study and examination of the concepts of cytology, reproduction, genetics, and scientific reasoning are included.
Course prerequisites: MATH 1314 or concurrent enrollment in higher level mathematics
Required course materials:
Textbook: Campbell Biology, Edition 12, by Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, Orr with Access Pearson/MyLab and Mastering. E-book. See Start Here Module in Canvas for details. This is NECCESARY to perform the assigned homework, which represent 20% of your grade.
Lab Kit: Purchase Lab Kit thru Science Interactive or voucher through Bookstore. See Start Here Module in Canvas for details.
Access to Respondus Webcam Lockdown Browser. See Start Here Module in Canvas for details.
Name of instructor: Robert Fenton
Office location: Online
Telephone number: 940-668-4252 – Wendy Perkins, Division Assistant
E-mail address: rfenton@nctc.edu
Office hours for students: Available by appointment in Denton or Corinth
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments:
Homework: 20%
Labs: 30%
Exams: 30%
Final Exam: 20%
Final grade scale:
90-100: A
80-89: B
70-79: C
60-69: D
<59: F
Late work policy: 5% Late penalty per day for late lab reports
Unit exams will be taken online using Respondus Webcam Lockdown Browser or at a NCTC Testing Center. In the interest of being fair to all students, NO MAKE-UP EXAMS will be given. Chapter Assignments and Labs are due the date of the Unit Exam and access will close.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:
- Loss of grade for the assignment of exam
- Grade of “F” for the course and removal from class
Artificial Intelligence Policy: See college general statement is below
Attendance Policy: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College
Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: November 3, 2025
Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Describe the characteristics of life.
- Explain the methods of inquiry used by scientists.
- Identify the basic requirements of life and the properties of the major molecules needed for life.
- Compare and contrast the structures, reproduction, and characteristics of viruses, prokaryotic cells, and eukaryotic cells.
- Describe the structure of cell membranes and the movement of molecules across a membrane.
- Identify the substrates, products, and important chemical pathways in metabolism.
- Identify the principles of inheritance and solve classical genetic problems.
- Identify the chemical structures, synthesis, and regulation of nucleic acids and proteins.
- Describe the unity and diversity of life and the evidence for evolution through natural selection.
- Apply scientific reasoning to investigate questions and utilize scientific tools such as microscopes and laboratory equipment to collect and analyze data.
- Use critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions in the laboratory.
- Communicate effectively the results of scientific investigations.
- Identify the basic properties of substances needed for life.
Core Objectives:
Critical Thinking
Communication
Teamwork
Empirical and Quantitative Analysis
COLLEGE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
AI STATEMENT
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Jaime Noles
Office location: Gainesville 408
Telephone number: 940-668-7731 ext. 4930
E-mail address: jnoles@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Mary Martinson
Office location: Gainesville 1403
Telephone number: 940.668.7731 ext. 4377
E-mail address: mmartinson@nctc.edu