Texts:

Prerequisite:  BIO 315 or instructor approval; Bio 316 recommended.

Course Description:  A broad-based analytical study of evolution including a historical overview and modern evolutionary biological methods, and processes of organic evolution (with emphasis on population genetics and molecular mechanisms as they apply to evolutionary biology research), and the theories of Charles Darwin.

Objective:  The objective of this course is to provide the student with a broad overview of the modern theory of biological evolution, in particular through an understanding of 1) the historical basis, 2) the processes of natural selection, adaptation, and speciation, 3) the genetic basis (Mendelian and population), 3) the evidences of evolution, 4) phylogeny, classification, and biogeography, 5) history of life, 6) macroevolution, 7) coevolution, 8) extinction and biodiversity issues, and 9) on-going controversies related to evolutionary theory.

Lecture Outline:  (Chapter numbers are from Futuyma's Evolution;  Weiner’s Beak of the Finch book will be discussed periodically throughout the semester)

Topics and chapters to be revised to follow Futuyma for Fall 2007 Week 1 (Aug 22-23)  Introduction: Rise of Evolutionary Biology (Chapter )

Week 2 (Aug 28-30)  Molecular and Mendelian Genetics (Chapter )

Week 3 (Sept 4-6)  Evidence of Evolution (Chapter 3)

Week 4 (Sept 11-13)  Exam I; Natural Selection (Chapter )

Week 5 (Sept 18-20)  Natural Selection and Population Genetics (Chapters )

Week 6 (Sept 25-27)  Natural Selection and Population Genetics (Chapter )

Week 7( Oct 2-4)  Random Events and Genetic Drift (Chapters )

Week 8 (Oct 11)  Holiday on Oct 9; Exam II on Oct 13.

Week 9 (Oct 16-18)  Adaptation and Natural Selection (Chapters )

Week 10 (Oct 23-25)  Adaptation and Natural Selection, contd.

Week 11 (Oct 30-Nov 1)  Species and Speciation (Chapters )

Week 12 (Nov 6-8)  Phylogeny and Classification (Chapters ); Exam III.

Week 13 (Nov 13-15)  Biogeography and History of Life (Chapters )

Week 14 (Nov 20)  History of Life, contd.; Holiday on Nov 22.

Week 15 (Nov 27-29)  Rates of Evolution (Chapter 21); Coevolution (Chapter)

Week 16 (Dec 4-6)  Extinction and Biodiversity (Chapter )

Final Exam—Dec 11, 10:30 am.

Homework Assignments:  Homework assignments will consist of questions from the textbooks, other books, videos, or Internet/WWW assignments. Due dates will be announced in class and late assignments will be penalized at the rate of 10% per day.

Graduate Student Projects/Presentations:  All graduate students will develop a powerpoint presentation on a topic approved by the instructor. This presentation, along with a written report, will be worth 150 points. Presentation dates will be assigned to grad students during class, and projects not presented at the scheduled date, without a valid excuse (see Attendance below), will be subject to a 10% penalty per day.

Midterm Grades:  This grade will be calculated on the basis of total available points (lecture exam and homework) at mid-term (different for undergrads and grad students).

Disability Accomadation Statement:  If you are registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please make an appointment with the course instructor to discuss any academic accommodations you need. If you need academic accommodations and are not registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please contact the office on the third floor of the Student Services Building, by email at disabilities@eku.edu or by telephone at (859) 622-2933 V/TDD. Upon individual request, this syllabus can be made available in alternative forms.

Attendance Policy:  Credit for the class will not be allowed if there is a recorded absence of 20% or more (7 absences) in lecture. Eligibility for make-up lecture exams will be at the discretion of the instructor, and will require, at minimum, valid and documented reasons for missing the regularly scheduled exams. Excuses other than documented medical reasons or officially sanctioned university activities will ordinarily not be accepted, and the student will be assigned 0% for the exam. Make-up exams must be taken within one week of the scheduled exam. If students know, in advance, of a scheduling conflict with an exam, the instructor should be informed ASAP (preferably one week in advance).

Evalutaion Methods:
     

3 lecture exams at 100 points each	300 points
Homework Assignments	100 points
Final Lexture Exam	100 points (150 for graduate students)
Project	150 points (grad students only)
Graduate Total	700 points
Undergradute Total	500 points

Class participation points:  up to 25 points (35 for grad students) will be added to the student’s grade point total, at the discretion of the instructor, and based on the degree to which the student participates in class room discussions and other activities.

Course Grade:  Determined as follows based on percentage of the totals:

89.6% to 100%  = A
79.6% to 89.5%  = B
69.6% to 79.5%  = C
59.6% to 69.5%  = D
59.5% or lower  = F

Honor Pledge:  In instances of Academic Dishonesty, penalities can range from a failing grade for the assignment to failure of the course, depending on the severity of the violation. The case can also be referred to the Student Disciplinary Committee, or to the Department Committee on Academic Practices, which can result in the prevention of the student from graduating with honors.

Cell Phone Policy in Class:  Cell phones should be turned off during class sessions. If cell phones ring in class, they should be turned off, not answered. In addition, no cell phones or similar electronic devices can be used (or even visible) during exams (standard calculators—approved by the instructor, are OK for genetics questions); students observed using cell phones during exams can be assumed by the instructor to be cheating, and are subject to the same range of penalties described above.

For more information on Academic Honesty, plagiarism and other topics, see following websites:

http://www.geography.eku.edu/Geo101/academichonesty.htm

http://www.marymount.edu/academic/artandsci/mathandcs/NoCheating.htm

Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus, including the sequence of lecture topics and the scheduling of exams. Students will be informed in advance of any significant changes to the syllabus.