Basic Skills

The following is a list of the basic set of skills and proficiencies that all graduates of the Suffolk University Undergraduate Program in Biology should acquire prior to completion of their studies:

S1. Ability to read and comprehend the primary literature in biology.

S2. Ability to design, conduct, and interpret the results of experiments in biology. This assumes the attainment of basic laboratory and research skills, including:

  • S2a. Ability to culture, rear, and/or prepare specimens by appropriate and ethical methods.
  • S2b. Ability to collect and interpret data via qualitative and quantitative observations and measurements.
  • S2c. Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, in teams, and in interdisciplinary endeavors.
  • S2d. Recognition and understanding of the importance of laboratory safety precautions.

S3. Ability to write about biology in a scientific style, including proper citation of sources.

S4. Ability to present biological information to others in informal and formal settings.

Ecology and Evolution

EE1. Understanding the importance of evolution as a unifying principle for interpreting patterns (from molecules to ecosystems) in living systems.

EE2. Understanding the link between genetic inheritance and the mechanisms of evolution, including variation, competition, selection, and equilibrium in natural populations, and the importance of stochastic processes.

EE3. The process of speciation.

EE4. Exploring the history and evolution of life on Earth, including that of humans.

EE5. Comprehending the diversity of life as it currently exists, including the process of phylogenetic systematics.

EE6. Examining comparative animal development.

EE7. Organismal structure and function. Physiology and homeostasis.

EE8. Exploring species interaction and community ecology, including predation, competition, symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism, parasitism, and trophic relationships and cascades.

EE9. Participating in on-site exploration of the ecology and/or evolution of a natural ecosystem.

EE10. Examining consequences and ethical ramifications of human activities upon species distribution and abundance and the functioning of ecosystems.|

Molecular and Cellular Biology

MCB1. Understanding the fundamental laws governing matter and energy and how these underlie structure and function in living organisms.

MCB2. Understanding the macromolecules of life, including carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

MCB3. Understanding the relationships between nucleic acid and protein structure and function.

MCB4. Understanding the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation.

MCB5. Examining the molecular basis of evolutionary processes.

MCB6. Understanding the mechanisms of Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance.

MCB7. Understanding the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

MCB8. Understanding the basic mechanisms of cellular signal transduction and the regulation of gene expression.

MCB9. Understanding cell physiology and the basic mechanisms of cellular communication and metabolic function, including cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

MCB10. Obtaining practical experience in laboratory methods for studying and manipulating genes, proteins, and cells.

MCB11. Developing the skills to utilize protein and nucleic acid sequence databases to study the structure and function of nucleic acids and proteins.

MCB12. Appreciating ethical ramifications of molecular and cellular research.