NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title: Biology for Non-Science Majors II

Course prefix, number, and section number: BIOL 1409 0340

Semester/Year of course: Spring 2026

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

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

Class meeting location, days, and times: Full lectures are prerecorded and online in Canvas.

Lab meeting location, days, and times: Online in Canvas.

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

Course description: This course will provide a survey of biological principles with an emphasis on humans, including evolution, ecology, plant and animal diversity, and physiology. Laboratory activities will reinforce a survey of biological principles with an emphasis on humans, including evolution, ecology, plant and animal diversity, and physiology. Upon completion, students will be able to describe modern evolutionary synthesis, natural selection, population genetics, micro and macroevolution, and speciation; describe phylogenetic relationships and classification schemes; 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; describe basic animal physiology and homeostasis as maintained by organ systems; compare different sexual and asexual life cycles noting their adaptive advantages; illustrate the relationship between major geologic change, extinctions, and evolutionary trends; 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.

Course prerequisites: None

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:

INCLUDED in the Lion Book Bundle:

• Textbook Title: Inquiry Into Life - Connect Access, ISBN 13: 8220128061321, Publisher: MCG COURSE

NOT INCLUDED in the Lion Book Bundle:

Some materials are required for the course but are not included in the Lion Book Bundle.

Students must purchase these materials on their own or through the bookstore, if available, during the first week of the semester. 

• Textbook Title: OpenStax Concepts of Biology (Chapters 11-18) (access code not required), ISBN: 978-1-50669-653-9, Publisher: OpenStax

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Name of instructor: Audrey Whaley

Office location: Virtual in Canvas.

E-mail address: awhaley@nctc.edu

Office hours for students:

Tuesdays: Online in Canvas via Webex, 11:00am-12:00pm.

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)

10% Lecture Group Project

15% Lecture Unit Quizzes (4)

-40% Laboratory composed of:

10% Laboratory Assignments (12-14)

10% Post-Lab Quizzes (12-14)

20% Lab Practical Exams (2)

Final grade scale: 

90% & up = A

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60- 69% = D

59% and below = 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 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.

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.

Attendance Policy:

Class is online and work for the week should be completed by the assigned due dates.

• Students may be dropped from a developmental course required for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) purposes for non-attendance. Official NCTC TSI rules state that students not passing all sections of the THEA, Compass, or the TSI Assessment test must be enrolled in at least one area of remediation each semester they are enrolled or until all sections are passed, or all remedial requirements have been met.
• 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: Monday, March 30, 2026.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Lecture Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

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. Define modern evolutionary synthesis, natural selection, population genetics, micro and macroevolution, and speciation.
5. Describe 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

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.

Artificial Intelligence Policy: AI STATEMENT

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 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