BIO 298 - Intro to Evolutionary Biology

Evolution is the central unifying theory underlying all the modern biological sciences. It is the scientific explanation for the diversification of life as we know it, and can provide profound and sometimes surprising insights into why the natural world is the way that it is. This course will introduce students to the basics of evolutionary biology including the history of evolutionary thinking, what evolution is, the overwhelming evidence for evolution, how the mechanisms of evolution really work and have led to the diversification of life at multiple levels, and how the application of evolutionary thinking is used to inform the modern biological sciences. The goal of this course is to provide a solid foundation in understanding what evolution is, how it works, and how to view the world through the prism of evolution.

Prerequisites
BIO 114 or BIO 215 or Ap/IB Credit. Students who have completed BIO 303 may not enroll in this class. BIO 111 also accepted for students who entered Wheaton prior to Fall 2021.

Credits 4

Notes
From time to time, departments design a new course to be offered either on a one-time basis or an experimental basis before deciding whether to make it a regular part of the curriculum. Last offered Spring 2023.

Area
Natural Sciences

Division
Natural Science

Compass Attributes
Natural Science