Welcome Biology 101, offered by the Extended Learning Institute!  

Before you start the course, take the ELI short online quiz, Is Distance Learning For Me. If you decide this method of instruction is appropriate for you, follow all the links under Course Information on Blackboard. Depending on how you work, you may want to print out some of the material, especially the information on the schedule and grades. If you have questions and/or concerns, please contact your professor as soon as possible.  Mechanisms for contacting your instructors by e-mail, telephone, and office hours can be found under Communication on the Blackboard site.

Prerequisite: Satisfactory placement score for English 111.

You will be required to participate in on-campus lab. Lab dates will be posted in Blackboard course site. The on campus laboratories are held in the science labs in the Bisdorf buildling on the Alexandria campus. 

If you feel you lack any of these, please contact us immediately.

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

1. describe the scientific method and its applications
2. describe basic characteristics, categories, and interrelationships of living things
3. read and use basic chemical terms, symbols, and notations; explain the theories of atomic composition and chemical reactivity; explain basic biochemical concepts
4. use the metric system and common laboratory equipment
5. describe cells and their parts, and the functions of the parts; distinguish between plant cells, animal cells, and non-cellular organizations such as viruses
6. explain the basic principles of thermodynamics and how cells generate energy for life
7. describe cell division and reproduction. Explain and apply the basic principles of Mendelian and molecular genetics
8. describe the basic ideas behind population genetics and the theory of evolution

Your course grade will be determined by the following:

The laboaratory exercises include virtual labs and on-campus labs. The virtual labs worth 150 points and the on-campus labs worth 45 points.

Your instructor will also provide an extra credit assignment which worths 30 points.

There are 5 proctored exams in this course.

We are here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact us when they do:

You may email us to schedule a meeting in person, either at ELI or our campus offices in Alexandria. 

Last Updated: December 11, 2009