NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title: Introduction to Biology for Non-Majors I

Course prefix, number, and section number: BIO 1408-0490

Semester/Year of course: Fall 2025

Semester start and end dates: August 25-December 13, 2025

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

Class meeting location, days, and times: Tuesday 5:30-6:50pm in COR room 264

Lab meeting location, days, and times: Tuesday 7:00-8:50 COR room 259

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

Course description: Provides a survey of biological principles with an emphasis on humans, including chemistry of life, cells, structure, function, and reproduction.

Course prerequisites: None

Required course materials:

Inquiry Into Life by Mader & Windelspecht with McGraw-Hill Connect. 

You will need to purchase an access code for this course.  This will give you access to all assignments and labs.  You can register for Connect LTIA directly from Canvas by clicking on the McGraw-Hill Connect LTIA tab in the menu on the left-hand side of the Canvas course page. 

Name of instructor: Ryan Hunt

Office location: Corinth, room 331.

Telephone number: Contact me via email or Canvas.

E-mail address: rhunt@nctc.edu

Office hours for students: Tuesday: 4:00-5:00pm; Friday 4:00-5:00pm, virtually on Webex.

All other times by appointment.

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:

Lecture assignments: Twelve to sixteen lecture assignments at twenty points each.

Discussion Boards: Periodically throughout the semester for twenty points each.

Unit exams: Five exams, which includes the final, at one hundred points each. The lowest lecture exam score will be dropped after taking the final. The schedule will be found on Canvas.

Laboratory: Ten to twelve in-person labs that correspond to the lecture material for 20 points each.

Extra credit: At the instructor’s discretion.

Make-up policy: Students will not be allowed to make up an examination or other assignments or labs missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor.

Final grade scale:  Grades are determined as follows:

A= 89.5-100%

B= 79.5-89.4%

C= 69.5-79.4%

D=59.5-69.4%

F=<59.5%

Late work policy: All assignments are due on the due date. No late assignments will be accepted. The Canvas Calendar can be used to keep track of due dates. It is strongly encouraged for students to turn in assignments early. All assignments except for the Exam will be open when the Unit opens.  Considerations will be made for technical issues.

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 of being engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB (LOCAL)]”. 

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.

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 incidence

3)          Academic probation for the rest of the semester

2)           In the case of a 2nd offense, there will be immediate suspension for the semester

Specific Use

Use of ChatGPT (or other similar tools that generate text) is allowed in this class for specific assignments only. When use of the tool is allowed, it will be explicitly noted in the assignment directions. If you utilize ChatGPT for any part of the assignment (from idea generation to text creation to text editing), you must properly cite the source. (from UVM Center for Student Conduct)

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 sickness or emergencies which are approved by the instructor, or due to participation in an approved college-sponsored activity (which requires written approval from the appropriate Dean or Director).

The instructor is responsible for judging the validity of any reasons given for 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. Students may be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been unjustifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course's objectives.

Simply logging in to an online course does not constitute attendance. The U.S. Department of Education calculates the last date of attendance by the last time a student participated in an online discussion or made contact (interacted) with a faculty member and this standard is applied to online courses.

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:

Lecture Learning Outcomes

1. Distinguish between prokaryotic, eukaryotic, plant and animal cells, and identify major cell structures.

2. Identify stages of the cell cycle, mitosis (plant and animal), and meiosis.

3. Interpret results from cell physiology experiments involving movement across membranes, enzymes, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration.

4. Apply genetic principles to predict the outcome of genetic crosses and statistically analyze results.

5. Describe karyotyping, pedigrees, and biotechnology and provide an example of the uses of each.

6. Identify parts of a DNA molecule, and describe replication, transcription, and translation.

7. Analyze evidence for evolution and natural selection

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. Effectively communicate the results of scientific investigations.

4. Distinguish between prokaryotic, eukaryotic, plant and animal cells, and identify major cell structures.

5. Identify stages of the cell cycle, mitosis (plant and animal), and meiosis.

6. Interpret results from cell physiology experiments involving movement across membranes, enzymes, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration.

7. Apply genetic principles to predict the outcome of genetic crosses and statistically analyze results.

8. Identify the importance of karyotypes, pedigrees, and biotechnology.

9. Identify parts of a DNA molecule, and describe replication, transcription, and translation.

10. Analyze evidence for evolution and natural selection.

Core Objectives:

Critical Thinking

Communication

Teamwork

Empirical and Quantitative Analysis

COLLEGE POLICIES

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.

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 other such 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 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