Public Health

Students who choose the Public Health emphasis will complete many of the same courses as in the general biology degree, but some of the electives have been replaced with community development, social work, and specific biology classes to help build out the degree.

This degree is offered as both a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science degree. Both degrees include at least eight credit hours of lab work and some field work, while the Bachelor of Science degree requires an additional senior research project. The Bachelor of Science is suggested for those intending to pursue graduate school. The Bachelor of Arts degree is encouraged for those who intend to enter the work force after graduation, or who would like the option of a double major.

Core Classes

• General Zoology: A study of the anatomy, physiology, ecology, taxonomy, and economic importance of the invertebrate and chordate animals. Three lectures and one laboratory period of three hours per week.
• Cell and Molecular Biology: An introduction to molecular mechanisms in living organisms. Topics include structure and functions of cellular components, gene structure and expression, and recombinant DNA technology. Concepts of reductionism and evolutionary theory will be addressed. Three lectures and one laboratory period of three hours per week.
• First Semester Seminar: An introduction to scientific inquiry and the skills necessary to flourish in the sciences. Students will learn to think like scientists, read and evaluate scientific writing, consider how their faith informs their science, and learn about contemporary science/faith issues as they begin to participate in the community of learning and research on Dordt’s campus.
• Principles of Ecology and Field Biology: An introduction to ecological studies including topics in ecosystem and community structure, nutrient cycling, energy flow, limiting factors, and population interrelationships. The laboratory will emphasize study of local flora and fauna via field work. Three lectures and one laboratory period of three hours per week, plus one or two Saturday field trips.
• Advanced Microbiology: An upper-level course in the study of microbes, their history, their cell biology, and inter-organism (symbiotic) processes. Topics will include and build on pro- and eukaryotic distinctions, in-depth study of viruses and plasmids, anaerobic metabolism, biofilms, endosymbiosis, antibiosis, antibiotic resistance, disease mechanisms, how host immune responses develop and adapt. Laboratory work will include basic microscopic observation, culturing, and identification. Isolation and characterization of bacteria, viruses, and potential antibiosis will be featured as “unknown” work. Intended for biology majors and pre-medical students. Students cannot receive credit for both Biology 302 and 310. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
• Advanced Genetics: A study of the relationship between genetic information and the organism. Topics include population genetics, selection, speciation, recombination, mutations, epigenetics, and systems biology. A variety of bioinformatics tools will be used for genomic analyses. Laboratories will involve crosses and analysis, molecular techniques, and computer applications. Includes discussions of God’s providence and evolutionary theory. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
• Human Anatomy: A detailed study of the organ systems of the human body, with an emphasis on dissections, including cadaver dissections. Three lectures and one laboratory per week.
• Human Physiology: An advanced study of the functions of the human body and how it responds to stress and disease. Three lectures and one laboratory per week.
• Medical Terminology: The course is designed for students in pre-health professions and secretarial science–medical emphasis. Students will learn medical terminology and its meaning within the context of the healing professions. Programmed texts and computer software will be used with regular testing periods throughout the semester.
• Principles of Chemistry: A study of the fundamental principles of chemistry and an introduction to foundational issues in science. Topics include atomic and molecular structure, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics, chemical thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. An introduction to laboratory safety and chemical hygiene is included in the laboratory. This is the first course in chemistry for majors in the physical and life sciences. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period per week.
• Organic Chemistry: Structure and Mechanism: In this foundational organic chemistry course, students will learn the foundational topics and problem-solving skills needed to understand the plethora of chemical reactions that involve compounds containing carbon. A working knowledge and application of topics such as nucleophiles, electrophiles, acids, bases, stereochemistry, mechanism, kinetics, substitution reactions, elimination reactions, carbonyl chemistry, and conformational analysis will be developed. Through a detailed understanding of the chemistry, an honest discussion of ethical implications, and a thoughtful interaction with the material we will develop an understanding of how God reveals himself through his creational structure.
• Biochemistry: Study of the foundations of biochemistry, starting with the structures and functions of small biomolecules—amino acids, monosaccharides, fatty acids and nucleotides—to macro-biomolecules—peptides, proteins (enzymes), oligosaccharides, nucleic acids and lipids. With this knowledge of biomolecules, the principles of metabolism, enzyme kinetics, catalytic strategies, regulatory strategies, and allosteric enzymes will be studied. Introduction to transduction and energy storage involved with glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, the citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid metabolism. After exploring God’s beautiful design of biomolecules, the students will understand how God’s hand is working in living cells and thereby give glory to God.
• Helping Communities Flourish: Christians are called to love their neighbors and can do so by working to strengthen communities in North America and throughout the world. In this course we will examine community development strategies and practices (historical and current) used in domestic, international, urban, and rural settings. Our goal will be to identify those that fit well with a Christian view of the world and are likely to help communities flourish in the long term. We will also explore how these practices and strategies can be successfully implemented.
• Community Development and the Kingdom of God: An exploration of the opportunities community development professionals have to live as kingdom citizens. This course will build on the framework established in Community Development 201, extending the theoretical and practical concepts and examining how they relate to our calling as Christians to work toward restoration and shalom in urban, rural, domestic, and international settings.
• Introduction to Psychology: Explaining human behavior is a wonderfully complex task, and this course introduces students to the scientific study of topics such as memory, personality, development, social influence, disorders, and others. Along the way, we will use a bio-psycho-social (spiritual) model to frame our study and will compare a biblical perspective on being human to several historical perspectives in psychology.
• The Social Psychology of Persons: We influence and are influenced by culture, social structures, groups, personality, family, and the media, just to name a few. Studying the situational and personal/interpretive factors that influence an individual’s social behavior can reveal new insights about the grace and sin at work in our relationships and social situations. Utilizing a biblical perspective on the social psychology of persons, this class will explore how students can function as faithful Christians within all of these situations.
• Diversity and Inequality: Students examine the historical and contemporary factors related to diversity and inequality in North America and increase their appreciation for the contributions of diverse groups in culturally-pluralistic societies. The course assumes that human diversity is created good and explores how to discern that goodness after the Fall. Students assess their own biases in light of course material and increase their sensitivity to diversity.
• Introductory Statistics: An introductory course in statistical techniques and methods and their application to a variety of fields. Topics include data analysis, design of experiments, and statistical inference including confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Exposure to statistical software and a substantive student project are also part of this course.
• Accelerated Introductory Statistics: This course covers the same content and learning objectives as Statistics 131 but in half the time. This course, along with Statistics 202 and Statistics 203, also serves as preparation for Actuarial Exam SRM. Additionally this course, along with Statistics 202, Statistics 203, Statistics 220 and Statistics 352, serves as preparation for Actuarial Exam MAS I. Offered first half of spring semester.
• Applied Statistical Models: This course surveys multivariable design and statistical methods used across various disciplines and seen in peer-reviewed research. Topics include multiple and non-linear regression, general linear models, multivariable statistical models, and multifactor experimental design emphasis is on active-learning using group activities and projects, critiquing research, and statistical software. Offered second half of spring semester.

Additional Core Classes for a B.S. Degree in Chemistry

• Introduction to Biological Research: This is a mini-course designed to prepare students for directed senior research. The course will introduce the idea and practice of biological research. It will include the nature and scope of a research project, how to conduct literature searches, and how to design methods and protocols for problem solving. The class will meet weekly in seminar or tutorial format. Students will make weekly presentations of their progress, finalize their proposal for Biology 380, and (if appropriate) begin the work for the directed research project. Graded on a pass/no record basis.
• Directed Senior Research: A senior-level research course that focuses on problem solving and critical thinking in the biological sciences. The project will be chosen and conducted interactively with a staff mentor(s). Research should begin in the context of earlier courses and library literature and extend to the lab and field on or off campus. Project results will be presented in a peer seminar.
• One chemistry course with lab numbered 200 or above

See the course catalog for more information.