Course Offerings

• BI110: Unifying Life Processes
• BI226: Genetics
• BI266: Life on Earth: Plants
• BI276: Life on Earth: Microbes
• BI300: Environmental Toxicology
• BI301: Global Ecology and Biogeography
• BI302: Evolution
• BI330: Fundamentals of Histology
• BI349: Embryology
• BI358: Animal Form and Function
• BI363: Plant Ecology
• BI368: Plants: Form and Function
• BI376: Microbial Physiology
• BI390: Field Studies - OUPFB
• BI392: Field Studies ll - OUPFB
• BI393: Biostatistics
• BI401: Life and Endosymbiotic Theory
• BI416/HE431: Pathophysiology
• BI417/HE434: Immunology
• BI426: Genome Dynamics
• BI441: Recombinant DNA Technology
• BI451: Fish Physiological Adaptations
• BI463: Environmental Stress Biology of Plants
• BI470/HE432: Biomedical Virology
• BI475: Microbial Ecology
• BI484: Fundamentals of Parasitology
• BI488: Invertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation
• BI496Y: Plant Root Mutualisms
• BI499: Thesis
  • To apply for our BI499: Thesis course, you will have to complete the BI499 Intent to Register Application Form and attach a letter of motivation.
• WASC101: Issues in Water & Environmental Health
• WASC302:Limnology

• BI111: Biological Diversity and Evolution
• BI236: Cell and Molecular Biology
• BI256: Life on Earth: Animals
• BI296: Communication and Critical Thinking Skills in Biology
• BI308: Animal Behaviour
• BI309: Population Ecology
• BI338: Cells: Form and Function
• BI346/CH351: Advanced Molecular Biology
• BI359: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
• BI369: Plant Physiology
• BI374: Physiological Applications of Microbiology
• BI390: Field Studies - OUPFB
• BI400: Topics in Environmental Toxicology
• BI402/CH454: Bioinformatics
• BI405: Community Ecology
• BI409: Conservation Biology
• BI421: The Human Microbiome
• BI439: Vertebrate Microscopic Anatomy
• BI449: Developmental Biology
• BI456: Environmental Physiology of Animals
• BI458: Vertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation
• BI459: Endocrinology
• BI464: Plants and People
• BI468: Plant Biodiversity and Conservation
• BI476: Microbial Disease
• BI496C: Science Communication
• BI499: Thesis
  • To apply for our BI499: Thesis course, you will have to complete the BI499 Intent to Register Application Form and attach a letter of motivation.
• WASC201:  Wetland Science
• WASC301:  Water Policy & Legislation
• WASC303:  Field Methods in Applied Water Science
• WASC401:  Water Protection and Aquatic Risk Management

The following courses contain a laboratory component:

• BI256
• BI266
• BI276
• BI300
• BI308
• BI309
• BI338
• BI349
• BI358
• BI359
• BI367
• BI368
• BI369
• BI374
• BI402/CH454
• BI405
• BI431
• BI439
• BI441
• BI449
• BI456
• BI475
• BI476
• BI484
• BI488
• HN210
• HN220

1. No more than 1.0 (two-term or equivalent) irregular course credit may be counted toward a General degree, and no more than 3.0 toward an Honours degree.
2. Only students who have successfully completed 5.0 credits may register in an irregular course.
3. Only students registered in a major or Honours program in a subject may register in a directed studies course in that subject (except with permission of the Dean).
4. No more than one directed studies course credit with the same instructor may be counted toward a degree (except with permission of the Dean).

This seminar-based course is a core requirement for all students in the MSc in Integrative Biology. Over the course of the term the group will explore the principles underlying integrative approaches to biology.

Fall 2017

• F 8:30-11:20 a.m., M. Wilkie

This course explores biodiversity from the level of populations to communities. Biodiversity is one of the key biological issues of the 21st century, applications of which extend from the description of new species to the unravelling of historical relationships among organisms and the conservation of threatened systems. Topics include population genetics, metapopulation theory, speciation, systematics and community diversity. The course considers the diversity of organisms in all three domains of life.

This course explores recent advances in the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical development of ecology and evolutionary biology. Research exploring the nature and causes of variation in natural systems will be examined, with an emphasis on the formulation of research questions, research design, and methodologies for comparative data analysis and interpretation. Specific topics will be selected with a view to integrating the findings of curiosity-based research at all levels of biological organization to critical societal problems in such areas as conservation, agriculture, ecosystem integrity, and human health and welfare.

This integrative course examines the physiological adaptations used by prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms to survive within their environment. Areas of focus may include extreme habitats (high altitude, deserts, the deep sea as well as pH, temperature and salinity), degraded environments, seasonal or other variability, the impact of climate change or other conditions that alter ecological conditions and require animals to alter their physiology.

Discussions on current research or current techniques in plant biology will take place in a seminar format. Students will present seminars and participate in discussions on recent advances in specific areas of plant biology such as plant development and plant physiology. Topics may include, among others, plant-pathogen interactions, plant hormone perception and signalling, supracellular organism: intercellular communication, and current perspectives on genetically modified foods.

This course examines the totality of issues related to data collection, management and analysis for biologists: from the development of hypotheses, the design of experiments, measurement and sampling, to statistical analyses and final publication of results in formats acceptable for scientific reports and papers. Emphasis will be placed on the application of wide variety of statistical methods using statistical software rather than theory, and stress the practical aspects of biostatistics. A problem solving approach to graduate research planning, data acquisition, analysis and publication.

Winter 2018

• T 8:30 a.m. - 11:20 p.m., D. Gray

This course examines development, integrating topics from the genome to the whole organism.  Emphasis is placed on using cell biology to understand evolution and development, as understanding the changes that drive developmental processes at the cellular level is fundamental for a broad understanding of plant and animal development. Emphasis is also placed on the genetic control and signalling events in embryonic development, plant morphology and flowering time, and on the different mechanisms of gene regulation, comparing the differences and similarities between plant and animal systems.

The course will investigate recent advances in molecular approaches to the study of prokaryotic and specialized eukaryotic cells. An organismal perspective will be enhanced through detailed examination of molecular processes. Specifically, cellular composition and output related to biochemical, biophysical and bioprocessing aspects will be discussed. Areas of focus may include genetic organization, protein structure and function, and byproduct formation. Throughout the course, students will be exposed to modern and emerging techniques used in the integration and understanding of these processes.

This course allows students to study organisms in living environments, and may also include human issues (e.g., harvesting, indigenous land use) where appropriate. The timing and location of the course will vary depending on the interests of the faculty and students involved, and may include high latitude, alpine, coastal, or tropical studies.

An individual reading course focussing on current literature in an area not covered by currently offered courses. This course may be taken with any faculty member in the Department of Biology, including the student's thesis advisor, with the approval of the graduate coordinator and the student's supervisory committee.

Because students cannot register for a directed studies course on LORIS, you must fill out the Graduate Program Change Request form, a blue Directed Studies Card and a Letter of Agreement form (three forms in total). These forms can be obtained from the administrative assistant in Biology or from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies directly.

2.0 credits

Students will complete a thesis based on original research and defend it before an examining committee.

Ongoing: Register each fall, winter and spring term for the duration of your program (including the term in which you plan to defend).