Prerequisites: ANTH 150 or ANTH 151 or ANTH 262 or BIOL 100 or BIOL 101 or BIOL 106; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Forensic Anthropology has been popularized in recent years by a range of popular media. But what can human remains really tell us? In this class, we will review the methods used by physical anthropologists to study the human skeleton and critically examine the array of information that can actually be scientifically extracted from human skeletal remains. Based on this knowledge, we will analyze the biological and cultural information bones may yield about past human populations. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning or D1 Social Sciences.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. In-depth examination and interpretation of astronomical discoveries occurring at the time the course is taught. Reading includes both background material and current periodicals accessible to upper division, General Education students. Likely areas of discussion include spacecraft exploration of the solar system, satellite observations of high-energy radiation from space, exotic astronomical objects (e.g., double quasars, black hole candidates), and new cosmological data. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. No prior knowledge of biology is required. This course popularizes the processes of biological evolution, evidence that evolution has occurred, dips into how evolution guides research, and serves as a conceptual theme and sketches evolutionary history retrospective from humans. Not for credit in the Biology major. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. For non-science majors to acquaint them with the classification, behavior, ecology and distribution of the more important plants and animals of Southern California. Lecture 3 hours. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning).
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Not for credit in the Biology major. From the shore to the depths, analysis of the diversity of life in the world’s oceans with emphasis on the Southern California biota. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Our influence on the environment and the influence of the environment on us. Lecture 3 hours. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning or E Lifelong Learning.) (IC)
Prerequisites: BIOL 100, or BIOL 101 and BIOL 101L, or BIOL 102/L, or BIOL 106 and BIOL 106L, or BIOL 107 and BIOL 107L and completion of the lower-division writing requirement. Available for Biology minor credit but not for Biology major. Description of biological events leading up to ovulation, emission, conception, implantation and pregnancy, and the resulting stages of human development, including placenta development and birth, with a discussion of biological aspects of genetic counseling, birth defects, miscarriage, and abortion. Lecture 3 hours. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisites: BIOL 100 and BIOL 100L, or BIOL 101 and BIOL 101L, or BIOL 102/L, or BIOL 106 and BIOL 106L, or BIOL 107 and BIOL 107L passed with grades of “C” or better and completion of the lower division writing requirement. A non-technical introduction to current topics in genetics and their impact on society and life. Students will learn about the application of genetics to agriculture, environment, human health, and medicine. Students will understand issues pertaining to genetic engineering, cloning, gene therapy, stem cells, etc. Lecture 3 hours. Not for credit in Biology major. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Biological aspects of the major diseases of humans, including heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, hereditary diseases, and bacterial and viral diseases will be presented. Principles of immunology, chemotherapy, and genetic engineering will also be introduced. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Basic concepts, experimental approaches and the therapeutic potential of human embryonic stem cells, human adult stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells in regenerative medicine will be discussed in this course. The politics and ethics of this emerging field of medicine and how these will affect you will be a major component of this course. This course emphasizes active student participation. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning or E Lifelong Learning.) (IC)
Prerequisites: GEOG 101 or GEOG 101A or GEOG 103 or GEOG 103A or ASTR 152 or GEOL 100 or GEOL 110 or GEOL 122; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Explanations of rain, wind, smog, etc. Basic principles of energy transfer. 3 hours lecture. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Recommended Corequisite or Preparatory: GEOG 316L. Introduction to the principles of environmental geography with special emphasis on the connections between human activities and the physical (natural) environment. Emphasis will be placed on identifying the historical and contemporary impact of humans on the natural environment. 3 hours lecture. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisites: GEOG 101 or GEOG 101A or GEOL 101; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Analytical and descriptive study of physical processes responsible for development and evolution of Earth’s surface features. Aspects of local geomorphology will be observed on field trips. 3 hours lecture. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisites: A lower division science course from Physical Geography, Geological Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, or Biology; completion of the lower division writing requirement. From a geographical perspective, comprehension of environmental hazards, their spatial distribution, their magnitude and frequency of occurrence and human perception of environmental hazards. Course emphasizes impact of environmental hazards on land utilization, settlement patterns, economic development and transportation systems. 3 hours lecture. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of the relationship between humans and the Earth and the application of geology to environmental problems. Topics include geological hazards, pollution, mineral and energy resources, land use planning and environmental impact. 3 hours lecture, field trips. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course is a study of dinosaurs and the world in which they lived from the time of their first appearance to their extinction. The evolutionary patterns exhibited by dinosaurs are explored via an examination of their spatial and temporal distribution through time, considering connections to the evolving Mesozoic world’s paleogeography, paleoclimate, and paleo-environment as interpreted from the rock record. Topics include Dinosaur origin, anatomy, reproduction, diets, diversity, and classification, as well as a survey of other vertebrate animals that lived at the same time. Hypotheses for dinosaur extinction are compared and contrasted. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. A comprehensive introduction to the application of geoscience to criminal investigations and forensic problems solving. The course explores the use of geological evidence (rocks and minerals, soils, geochemistry, etc.) to aid in forensic investigation. Students review case studies in criminal justice, national security and environmental contamination. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Investigations of aspects of California geology. California-related topics may include: plate tectonic history, earthquakes, geologic hazards, geology of national parks, climate record and hydrogeology. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course addresses two areas at once: the nature of human language and how linguistics and its practitioners study it. It provides students with opportunities to systematically examine and analyze aspects of human language, of which–as we all are–they have been largely unaware. From learning, applying, and questioning the methodologies underlying these analyses, students develop critical insight regarding the framework and mechanisms of scientific study, as they look at the subfields of linguistic inquiry that crucially engage with these. Importantly, students will come away not only with knowledge from the science of language but also with an appreciation of the central role of scientific inquiry, and developing skills for recognizing and formulating fruitful questions. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisites: Multiple Measures Placement in GE-level Mathematics, or credit in MATH 093 or MATH 196QR or MATH 196S. Completion of the lower division writing requirement; Upper division standing. A course designed to give students an appreciation of the diversity of mathematics and the spirit in which it is employed in various applications. The character and origin of key topics from different branches of mathematics are explored. The contributions of various cultures to the field are studied, along with the use of mathematical models for physical problems. The development is conceptual rather than axiomatic, and includes several supervised reading and writing assignments. One significant writing assignment is required. Strongly recommended for prospective teachers in all fields. Not available for credit toward the major or minor in Mathematics. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course is currently taught entirely and only online. History and development of the science of sound and music, physical concepts necessary for the study of wave motion, mechanics of the construction of sound and musical tones, and basic physical principles involved in the production of sound in instruments and the human voice, including studies of the production of language. A good understanding of the composition of sounds and musical tones is obtained without detailed mathematics through experiments carried out in the home or other locations using the student’s computer with installed software. A final project is required. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (IC)
Prerequisite: Completion of the Lower division writing requirement. Why do ice skaters spin faster when they pull their arms in? Why does a golf ball have dimples? How does a baseball pitcher make a ball curve? Why does a quarterback throw a spiral? These and similar questions can be understood via the laws of physics. In this course, students use sports to explore the laws and concepts of physics: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, angular momentum, energy, and power. For each physics concept studied, students explore real-world applications in sports. At the end of the course, students will embark on a project where they apply what they learn to a situation in their favorite sport. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course introduces students to the biology of sex, gender, and sexual orientation. Students will gain an understanding of the biological determinants of sex, including the role of specific genes on human development and how hormones influence gross anatomy as well as brain development. Students will learn how to critically assess scientific literature and how the scientific method can be used to address issues of sex and gender. The biological evolution of sex from asexual to sexual reproduction will be discussed and students will be exposed to current hypotheses of the biological basis of sexual orientation. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.)