NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title: Biology for Science Majors II

Course prefix, number, and section number: BIOL 1407 0190

Semester/Year of course: Spring 2026

Semester start and end dates: January 12, 2026 - May 9, 2026

Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Hybrid

Class meeting location, days, and times: Wednesdays 12:30 PM-1:20 PM; Gainesville Campus and Online Courses, Room 410

Lab meeting location, days, and times: Wednesdays 1:30 PM-4:20 PM; Gainesville Campus and Online Courses, Room 402

Semester credit hours: 4 (48 lecture hours + 32 laboratory hours)

Course Description: The diversity and classification of life will be studied, including animals, plants, protists, fungi, and prokaryotes. Special emphasis will be given to anatomy, physiology, ecology, and evolution of plants and animals.

Laboratory activities will reinforce study of the diversity and classification of life, including animals, plants, protists, fungi, and prokaryotes. Special emphasis will be given to anatomy, physiology, ecology, and evolution of plants and animals.

Course prerequisites: BIOL 1406

Course Materials

Starting in Spring 2026 NCTC is partnering with Barnes & Noble College (BNC) to make purchasing course materials easy and affordable.  When students register for classes, they are automatically opted in to the Lion Book Bundle which will provide students first day access to course materials.  In this program students are charged $24 per credit hour ($96 for a 4-hour class) as a fee on their NCTC student account. (This is labeled as “Book Fee” on NCTC invoices). Students may choose to opt out of this program, but would then be required to purchase needed class materials on their own. If opting out, students would receive a refund on their NCTC student account. Students may choose to opt out starting one month prior to classes beginning through the first week of class. Students might benefit from opting out if they are enrolled in classes that use OER (free course materials).  Note: The Lion Book Bundle applies to all classes a student is registered for in a given semester (both 16-week and 8-week). A student must either opt in or out for ALL classes—not each class individually.  If you want to take advantage of the Lion Book Bundle, no action is needed as students are automatically opted in.  If you would like to opt out of the program, you must go to the Opt-out page.

Click here for more information: Lion Book Bundle information

Required course materials:

Nitrile gloves (or another suitable alternative) will be needed to conduct lab dissection. Other materials may include a laptop or device to complete online assignments or exams. Materials and required textbooks must be purchased by the students during the first week of class.

Required Textbook/ISBN:

INCLUDED in the Lion Book Bundle:

• Campbell Biology, Edition 12, by Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, Orr with Access Pearson/MyLab and Mastering, ISBN 13: 8220144726273. As well as Exploring Biology in the Laboratory by Pendarvis, Publisher: TOPHAT CC, ISBN 13: 8220149234735.

Name of instructor: Audrey Whaley

Office location: Tuesdays, Online in Canvas via Webex

Telephone number:

Email address: awhaley@nctc.edu

Office hours for students: Office Hours outside of the listed can be scheduled via email

Online Office Hours, Thursdays, 11:00am-12pm.

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:

- 60% Lecture composed of:

35% Exams (3 exams, Optional Final to replace lowest exam grade)

15% Lecture Unit Quizzes (4)

10% Lecture Group Project

-40% Laboratory composed of.

20% Lab Practical (2)

10% In Class Lab Work and Pre-Lab 10% Group Project

Final grade scale:

90 – 100          A

80 – 89            B

70 – 79            C

60 – 69            D

59 – 0              F

Late work policy: Assignments are due by the stated time on the syllabus, Canvas, and/or the date on the worksheet. No late assignments will be accepted. The Canvas Calendar can be used to keep track of due dates.

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 constitute a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable as prescribed by Board policies. Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion.

Cheating

• Using materials not authorized by the person giving the test. Cellular phones, Pads, smart watches and any other electrical equipment will not be allowed so do not have them open during the quiz or tests. That is what the lockdown browser does.
• Collaborating with another student during a test.
• Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of a test.
• Bribing another person to obtain a test from that semester or any other previous semester.
• Any use of smart devices, including but not limited to cell phones, smart watches, smart glasses, wireless earbuds, hidden cameras, smart rings, or the use of another computer or laptop to assist in completing assessments, is strictly prohibited and considered a form of cheating. Students will be asked to remove such devices during an exam. In the case of smart glasses, students must either take the exam without them or provide a backup pair that is not smart-enabled.

Plagiarism means the appropriation of another’s work and the unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own written work offered for credit.

Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration, unless allowed by the instructor, with another person in preparing written work offered for credit. Possible punishments for academic dishonesty may include a grade of 0 or F in the particular assignment, failure in the course, and/or recommendation for probation or dismissal from the College System. (See the Student Handbook)

Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:

1. A zero “0” for the assignment and/or Exam.
2. A “Scholastic Dishonesty Report Form” will be submitted regarding the incident.

Artificial Intelligence Policy: This course assumes that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups. Students should not have another person/entity do the writing of any substantive portion of an assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write assignments and using artificial intelligence tools without the official permission from the instructor.

Attendance Policy:

• Attendance will be taken for in-person classes.
• Regular and punctual attendance is expected and required for all students in their registered classes.
• The instructor should be notified via email if absences are due to participation in an approved college-sponsored activity.
• Students are responsible for making up assignments and materials regardless of reason for absence.
• Continued and unjustified absences from class time can be considered sufficient reasoning for the instructor to drop a student from class.
• An excess of 3 missed in person classes may be subject to be dropped from the course.

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: March 30, 2026.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Lecture Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. 1. Describe modern evolutionary synthesis, natural selection, population genetics, micro and macroevolution, and speciation.
   2. Describe phylogenetic relationships and classification schemes.
   3. Identify the major phyla of life with an emphasis on plants and animals, including the basis for classification, structural and physiological adaptations, evolutionary history, and ecological significance.
   4. Describe basic animal physiology and homeostasis as maintained by organ systems.
   5. Compare different sexual and asexual life cycles noting their adaptive advantages.
   6. Illustrate the relationship between major geologic change, extinctions, and evolutionary trends.

Lab Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Apply scientific reasoning to investigate questions and utilize scientific tools such as microscopes and laboratory equipment to collect and analyze data.
2. Use critical thinking and scientific problem-solving to make informed decisions in the laboratory.
3. Communicate effectively the results of scientific investigations.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of modern evolutionary synthesis, natural selection, population genetics, micro and macroevolution, and speciation.
5. Distinguish between phylogenetic relationships and classification schemes.
6. Identify the major phyla of life with an emphasis on plants and animals, including the

basis for classification, structural and physiological adaptations, evolutionary history, and ecological significance.

7. Describe basic animal physiology and homeostasis as maintained by organ systems.
8. Compare different sexual and asexual life cycles noting their adaptive advantages.
9. Illustrate the relationship between major geologic change, extinctions, and evolutionary trends.

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