Biology Courses and Program Themes

The Biology Department offers a comprehensive biology education with an emphasis on experiential, lab and field-based learning. All students will develop a comprehensive background in biology and have the option of focusing on one of three overlapping themes (Health Sciences, Biodiversity and Ecology, and Genetics and Evolution), if that aligns with their interests and career goals. Each theme builds on the Biology Core.

The following table lists courses that we generally offer each year, clustered by program theme. While most of these courses are offered every year, exceptions may occur depending on availability of faculty.

Please contact Lisa Taul for a copy of the course syllabus, including archived syllabi if you need one from an earlier year. Brief descriptions of each course are also available in the most recent Academic Calendar.

Class times and schedules may be found through myAcadia and by following the links on Self Service.

 

Courses

Course Code

Name

Hands-on lab?

Health Sciences Theme

Biodiversity and Ecology Theme

Genetics and Evolution Theme

Course Type

BIOL 1113

Organisms and Their Environment 1

Y

Y

Y

Y

Core

BIOL 1123

Organisms and Their Environment 2

Y

Y

Y

Y

Core

BIOL 1813

Human Biology 11

 

 

 

 

 

BIOL 1823

Human Biology 21

 

 

 

 

 

BIOL 1853

Applied Human Biology 12

Y

 

 

 

 

BIOL 1863

Applied Human Biology 22

Y

 

 

 

 

BIOL 2013

Cell and Molecular Biology

Y

Y

 

Y

Core

BIOL 2033

Principles of Ecology

Y

 

Y

Y

Core3, Field Work

BIOL 2043

Biodiversity of Plants and Algae

Y

 

Y

Y

Core3

BIOL 2053

Microbial Biodiversity

Y

Y

Y

Y

Core3

BIOL 2073

Animal Biodiversity

Y

Y

Y

Y

Core3

BIOL 2173

Research Skills in Biology

Y

 

 

 

Research

BIOL 2253

Microbial Biodiversity1

 

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 2553

Plants in the Modern World

 

Y

Y

Y

Open Acadia

BIOL 2563

Marine Biology

 

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 2663

Marine Biology

 

 

Y

 

Open Acadia

BIOL 2813

Human Physiology and Anatomy 1

 

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 2823

Human Physiology and Anatomy 2

 

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 2853

Physiology and Anatomy 14

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 2863

Physiology and Anatomy 24

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 3013

Natural History and Field Biology

Y

 

Y

 

Field Based

BIOL 3063

Introductory Neuroscience

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 3123

Parasitology

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 3143

Animal Behaviour

Y

Y

Y

Y

Field Work

BIOL 3153

Principles of Development

Y

Y

Y

Y

 

BIOL 3173

Animal Physiology 1

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 3183

Animal Physiology 2

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 3193

Entomology

Y

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 3243

Plant Growth and Development

Y

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 3293

Flora of Nova Scotia

Y

 

Y

 

Field Work

BIOL 3373

Aquatic Ecology

Y

 

Y

 

Field Work

BIOL 3383

Data Science in Ecology

Y

 

Y

 

Research Skills

BIOL 3413

Research Topics 1

Y

 

 

 

Research

BIOL 3423

Histology 1

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 3463

Evolution

 

 

Y

Y

 

BIOL 3553

Immunology

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 3573

Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 3583

Eukaryotic Microbiology

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 3613

Principles of Genetics

Y

Y

 

Y

 

BIOL 3623

Molecular Genetics and Genomics

Y

Y

 

Y

 

BIOL 3663

Introductory Mycology

Y

 

Y

 

Field Work

BIOL 3693

Eco-Immunology and Disease Ecology

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 3753

The Arctic Environment

 

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 3853

Marine Invertebrate Biology

Y

 

Y

Y

Field Work

BIOL 3883

Chemical Ecology

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 3993

Special Topics in Biology

 

 

 

 

Varies by year

BIOL 4003

Plants, Habitats, and Climate Change

 

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 4103

Animal Physiology and Climate Change

Y

Y

Y

 

 

BIOL 4023

Intellectual Origins of Modern Biology

 

Y

Y

Y

 

BIOL 4033

Scientific Writing

 

 

 

 

 

BIOL 407T

Honours Thesis 1

 

 

 

 

Research

BIOL 408T

Honours Thesis 2

 

 

 

 

Research

BIOL 4113

Fish Biology

Y

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 4123

Mammalogy

Y

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 4183

Becoming Human

 

Y

 

Y

 

BIOL 4353

Pathogenic Microbiology

Y

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 4413

Research Topics 2

 

 

 

 

Research

BIOL 4423

Conservation Biology

Y

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 4443

Comparative Physiology

 

Y

Y

Y

 

BIOL 4543

Coastal and Estuarine Science

Y

 

Y

 

 

BIOL 4663

Bioinformatics

Y

Y

Y

Y

 

BIOL 4673

Molecular Techniques

 

Y

Y

Y

Research Skills

BIOL 4683

Biology of Cancer

 

Y

 

 

 

BIOL 4773

Natural Products Chemistry

 

 

 

 

(CHEM 4773)

BIOL 5013

Research Methods in Biology 1

 

 

 

 

 

BIOL 5023

Research Methods in Biology 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Cannot be used for major credit (exceptions may apply)
2 Course is only available to Kinesiology majors
3 Biology majors are required to complete two of these four courses. All four may be completed for major credit.
4 Required for Nursing students