Degree/Program Title:	Biology - Ecology/Field Honors Emphasis
Sponsor(s):	Jeffrey S. McKinnon
Department(s):	Biological Sciences
College(s):	Letters and Sciences
Effective Term:	Spring 2002

Check if:
 

______		New Degree: Intent to Plan
______		New Degree: Final Proposal
______		New Major: Intent to Plan
______		New Major: Final Proposal
______		New Submajor: Minor
___x___	New Submajor: Emphasis/Track
______	New Submajor: Certificate Program
______	Module: Intent to Plan
______	Module: Final Proposal
______	Other ___________________

1) Tentative Catalog Description:

This emphasis is designed for two groups of students: 1) those seeking the most thorough possible training to prepare themselves for graduate school and a career in research; 2) those seeking entry to competitive professional programs and wishing to obtain a degree that recognizes their exceptional dedication and ability.  In this broadfield major, students take the same Biology courses as in the Ecology/Field emphasis, with certain additional restrictions, plus a set of courses in the physical sciences which includes calculus.  They are required to complete a substantial research project, to be written in the form of a thesis, in their senior year.  No minor is required but a minimum 3.4 GPA is mandatory and this program also satisfies the requirements of the University Honors program.

2) List of Courses to be included in the program

(a) Biological Sciences Courses:

    (Ecology/Field)

BIOLOGY 141 Biology I Plant Focus 4 Cr
BIOLOGY 142 Biology II Animal Focus 4 Cr
BIOLOGY 251 Introduction to Genetics 3 C
BIOLOGY 253 Introduction to Cell Biology 3 Cr
BIOLOGY 257 Introduction to Ecology 3 Cr
BIOLOGY 353 Plant Taxonomy 3 Cr
BIOLOGY 390 Biology Colloquium 0.5 Cr
BIOLOGY 400 Senior Biology Colloquium 0.5 Cr
BIOLOGY 375 Invertebrate Zoology 3 Cr or BIOLOGY 454 Vertebrate Field Biology 3 Cr
BIOLOGY 457 General Ecology 4 Cr Or BIOLOGY 467 3 Cr
BIOLOGY 446 Organic Evolution 3 Cr
Recommended: 345 Animal Physiology 4 Cr, or BIOLOGY 417 Plant Physiology 3 Cr, BIOLOGY 493 Internship in Biology 1-2 Cr

MATH 243 Short Calculus for Business and Social Sciences 3 Cr or MATH 250 Applied Calculus Survey for Business and the Social Sciences 5 Cr or MATH 253 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I 5 Cr (each usually preceded by MATH 152)
CHEM 102 Introductory Chemistry 5 Cr
CHEM 104 Introductory Chemistry 5 Cr
CHEM 251 Organic Chemistry 3 Cr
CHEM 261 Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2 Cr
CHEM 252 Organic Chemistry 3 Cr
CHEM 262 Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2 Cr
PHYSCS 160 General Physics I 4 Cr
PHYSCS 161 General Physics Laboratory I 1 Cr
PHYSCS 162 General Physics II 4 Cr
PHYSCS 163 General Physics Laboratory II 1 Cr
BIOLOGY 303 Planning and Presenting Biological Research 4 Cr
Recommended for Cell/Physiology students: CHEM 456 Biochemistry 3 Cr

BIOLOGY 499 Thesis in Biology 2 Cr (first semester), then 3 Cr (second semester)

Rationale for Selection of Courses:

The honors emphasis is built around our current ecology/field biology and cell/physiology emphases. Essentially, then, we will have an honors ecology track and an honors cell track, though we will refer to them only as a single emphasis which can be completed in two ways. The biology courses come primarily from these two tracks, but are more restrictive to ensure that honors students take "electives" which give them a more rigorous, comprehensive training than ordinary majors. For example, all honors students will be required to take 630-303 Planning and Presenting Biological Research; this course is optional for majors.

The courses in the physical sciences are based partly on the physical sciences minor and are all courses commonly required by graduate and professional programs in biology. Calculus is only sometimes required but included here to enhance the rigor of the program and require students to develop their quantitative skills. We have permitted any of three different calculus courses to satisfy the calculus requirement so that students can, with their advisors, choose the most appropriate course.

The thesis is unique to this emphasis and is at its core. The thesis simultaneously tests a student’s ability to carry out a demanding project and gives the student an opportunity to distinguish him/herself by producing an outstanding piece of work. A defense will be required, which will test the student’s ability to perform "on her feet" in a challenging setting.

3) Goals and learning objectives of the program

This program seeks to extend the learning objectives of the current Biology emphases. The principal goal of the program is to train our better students more thoroughly so they can more often enter, and succeed in, highly competitive professional and graduate programs. The main learning objective is to produce students with strong research and analytical skills.

4) An explanation of the relation of the proposed program to the institutional mission, strategic plan, goals and objectives

The proposed program supports the following missions of the university cluster institutions:

4. Offer a program of pre-professional curricular offerings consistent with the university's mission.

The proposed program will be an enhancement of our pre-professional offerings.

5. Expect scholarly activity, including research, scholarship and creative endeavor, that supports its programs at the associate and baccalaureate degree level, its selected graduate programs, and its approved mission statement.

The proposed program will strengthen both undergraduate and faculty research.
 

The proposed program supports the following missions of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater:

1. Offer an extensive range of undergraduate programs and degrees, including interdisciplinary programs in letters, sciences, and the arts, as well as programs and degrees leading to professional specialization.

The proposed program widens our range of available undergraduate programs and strengthens the university honors program.

3. Expect scholarly activity, including research, scholarship and creative endeavor, that supports its programs at the associate and baccalaureate degree level, its selected graduate programs, and its special mission.

The proposed program will strengthen both undergraduate and faculty research.
 

The proposed program supports the following of the Chancellor’s goals :

Research and Service #4. Increase funding to support undergraduate student research.

This strengthening of the biology undergraduate research program will enhance the ability of our students to apply for external funding and of our faculty to apply for funding on their behalf.

Students # 5. Create international learning opportunities for 10% of all students.

The meshing of this emphasis with the university honors program will make the resources of the latter program, including funds for international travel, available to more biology students.

Students #6. Increase experiential learning experience for students by 15%.

Undergraduate research, the key form of experiential learning in science education, will be enhanced through this program.

5) A 4-year Plan of Course Offerings

All required courses are currently offered, with the exception of BIOLOGY 499 which is being activated with submission of a memo to Richard Telfer. All courses are part of current Biology emphases or minors commonly taken by biology students, again with the exception of BIOLOGY 499. A complete sequence of courses over 8 semesters, satisfying all graduation requirements, is available upon request.

6) An assessment plan for the program

Program assessment will be integrated into an existing departmental assessment plan.

7) Resources needed to support the program

No additional resources are required as all elements of the program are in place with the exception of the thesis. Moreover, the thesis is essentially a modification of the existing independent study course and will not require additional resources beyond those already committed by the College of Letters and Sciences and the Dept. of Biological Sciences. In fact, this program would give students access to travel and other funds available through the University Honors program and could be an excellent vehicle for fund-raising efforts.

8) The need for the program, including information on student demand and market demand for graduates

The Biological Sciences faculty are convinced that an honors program with a thesis will greatly enhance the ability of our better students to gain entry to competitive programs. This opinion is based on our own educational experiences, our discussions with faculty and admissions officers from better graduate and professional programs, and our experiences with our own students. Moreover, our students can be expected to perform better once in such programs (student demand discussed below).

9) Student Need/Demand for the Program

Biological Sciences students are clearly interested in the core elements and goals of the proposed emphasis. Biology students are interested in research: in 2000/2001 35 biology students, working with 11 different mentors, presented at UW-Whitewater Research Day. Nineteen of these students went on to present at NCUR. Biology students are ambitious and are applying to strong professional and graduate programs: at least 11 students were accepted to competitive graduate and professional programs in 2000/2001. The number would almost certainly be larger with complete data (and additional students either applied to such programs or are planning to apply). At least 48 majors currently maintain the required GPA of 3.4 or higher and informal discussions indicate that a substantial proportion of these students would be interested in a program which allows them to become more competitive post-graduate applicants.

10) Relation of the program to other programs on campus

This will be the first program of its kind, in which an honors emphasis is intertwined with the university honors program, on campus. It may serve as a model for future programs in other majors.

11) A discussion of the relationship of the proposed program to other academic programs in the UW System, the region and, if appropriate, the nation

We have not systematically surveyed other Wisconsin comprehensive institutions, but it is our impression that Biology honors programs with a thesis are rare in the Wisconsin system. However, they are nearly standard at the best undergraduate colleges and large research schools (e.g. Reed College, Amherst College, Harvard College, the University of British Columbia).