Biology 102 is the second semester of a two-semester sequence and Biology 101 is a prerequisite for Biology 102. Biology 101 explores fundamental characteristics of living material from the  molecular to the cellular level. Biology 102  examines the whole organism and the ecosystem levels. It also examines the structure and function of a variety of organisms, both plant and animal, and makes some comparisons of the evolutionary relationships of various organisms with emphasis on general biological principles and their applications to everyday life and general health.

The ELI Biology 102 requires on-campus attendance for one lab at the Alexandria campus of NVCC. The remaining labs are performed by the student outside of a formal lab setting. This may include the home, a zoo, and various outdoor environments, most to be selected by the student. About one third of the lab work is made up of an investigative lab in which the individual student plans, organizes, and carries out an experiment, and writes a scientific laboratory report on the work. Further information and suggestions can be found in the ELI Study Guide/Lab Manual or by getting in contact with me via telephone or e-mail. Each student will also perform a community service project as one part of the lab.

Prerequite: BIO 101 or permission of instructor

Requires attendance at one of several on-campus lab sessions. For dates, please see the Notes in the Schedule of Classes.

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

1. Describe the levels of organization of multicellular organisms.
2. Describe the structure and functions of the major organ systems in animals.
3. Describe the evolutionary development of the major organ systems in animals.
4. Describe the mechanisms, principles and processes involved in the maintenance of homeostasis in animals.
5. Describe the main features of animal development.
6. Describe the relationship between structure and function in plants.
7. Describe the regulation of growth and development in plants.
8. Relate the basic principles of ecology to the diversity and distribution of organisms on the earth.
9. Outline the main principles governing ecosystems and describe how the activites of humans affect ecosystems.

Your course grade will be determined according to the following.

Final grades will be based on this scale:

There are 4 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. 

Last Updated: December 11, 2009