microscopic view of green algae

Introductory Series

The Department of Biology offers four initial courses in introductory Biology:

What is the intro series?

The Biology Introductory Series (BIOL 180, 200, and 220) introduces students from across UW majors to the wonder of Biology. In each course, students focus on a different area of Biology to learn content, methods, and ways of knowing for each discipline. Our instructional teams use evidence-based practices to support all students who join our courses. The intro series prepares students for future coursework at UW. 

Intro Series Course Coordinators 

Please contact the course coordinator for each course directly with questions about registration or the course structure. 

Registering for the Intro Series 

  • How to Register:  If you are able to register without assistance, do so. If the course is full, keep checking back during the first week of class as many students change schedules and spaces frequently become available. 

  • Use the Notify.uw.edu service to enable alerts for openings in lecture and lab sections.

  • Non-matriculated and repeating students should email course coordinator (see contact information above) for registration assistance.

  • Course time conflicts of one hour or less do not need a faculty signature, so you can process that paperwork for yourself. If you have a conflict longer than one hour per week and you intend to be at all lectures, labs, and exams for our class, then we will sign the agreement. This assumes that you will complete all work by the normal deadlines. We will not waive, reschedule, prorate, or provide alternates for any exam, lab, assignment, or other class activity missed due to time conflicts with other courses. If your registration requires our signature, see the information we provided at that time.

  • You are responsible for all course work even if you are not yet enrolled in the course:  If you add late, you may miss a few small assignments. These are unlikely to greatly influence your final grade, and may be used as your dropped scores if applicable.

Learning Objectives and Syllabi 

BIOL 118 (Non-majors Survey of Physiology)  

  • Reflect on how your understanding of physiology applies to your prior learning in other disciplines and to your personal health care decisions.

  • Use the powerful general models of physiology (flux, mass balance, Le Chatelier’s principle, and homeostatic control systems) to make predictions about novel physiological phenomena.

  • Provide mechanistic, causal explanations, that cross scales (e.g., molecule, cell, organ, organism), for how physiological phenomena occur.

  • Describe the societal impacts of biological research on health equity issues and how people from a variety of backgrounds have contributed to science.

  • Implement strategies for learning human physiology that are based on scientific evidence and thus are active, collaborative, and effective.

BIOL 119 (Elementary Physiology Laboratory)

  • Develop a basic understanding of physiological principles

  • Develop your ability to communicate and summarize your understanding in written, graphical, and oral form

  • Develop lab practical skills and understand a few of the major issues associated with your personal health. 

BIOL 180 (Introductory Ecology and Evolution) 

In addition to providing a solid conceptual foundation in evolution, genetics, phylogenetics, and ecology, Biology 180 faculty have identified the following goals for your learning this quarter. We believe all students can master these skills and habits of mind, and we have built the course around them:

  • Nature of science: Understanding how hypothesis testing works and what scientists accept as valid evidence.

  • Experimental design and data analysis: Generating predictions made by alternative hypotheses, designing rigorous observational or experimental studies, analyzing results, and presenting those results effectively.

  • Selection thinking: Grasping how natural selection works and avoiding common misconceptions.

  • Population thinking: Becoming comfortable with analyzing events in terms of their probabilities or frequencies in populations (e.g. of enzymes, membrane proteins, cells, or individuals).

  • Tree thinking: Constructing and interpreting phylogenetic trees.

  • Biodiversity: Appreciating the diversity of life, and recognizing key innovations and events that have promoted diversification over time.

  • Ecological thinking: Gaining the ability to analyze the array of biotic and abiotic conditions and interactions that affect organisms continuously and simultaneously, and appreciating that they vary through time and across space.
     

BIOL 200 (Introductory Cellular and Molecular Biology) 

Learning objectives: 

BIOL 220  (Introductory Animal and Plant Physiology) 

Learning Outcomes: After successfully completing this course, you will:

  • Use the powerful general models of physiology (flux, mass balance, Le Chatelier’s principle and control systems) to make predictions about novel physiological phenomena, not just in the classroom but in future research and career endeavors.

  • Provide mechanistic, causal explanations, that cross scales (e.g., molecule, cellular, organ, organism), for how novel physiological phenomena occur.

  • Think critically and ethically about how and by whom science is conducted and the societal impacts of biological research.

  • Implement strategies for learning biology majors that are based on scientific evidence. That is, strategies that are active, collaborative, and effective.

  • Be prepared to confidently advance to higher-level science courses.