Faculty Syllabus
BIOL-1308 Biology Fundamentals
Bryan Hudson
Credit Spring 2026
Section(s)
BIOL-1308-022 (15439)
LEC MW 9:00am - 10:20am RRC RRC3 3330.00
Course Requirements
Course Description
Paired course: This course is designed for students entering into professional programs, with a focus on those pursuing careers in allied health. Many community college students interested in allied health and higher medical programs can benefit from gaining a background in basic biology prior to attempting more demanding and conceptually challenging classes. This course will cover many of the topics necessary to do well in your prerequisite course work and clinical course work. It will also provide you with a foundation in laboratory skills and hone your problem-solving abilities. The first five weeks of the course will revolve predominantly around BIOL1308 (introductory biology) while the second eleven weeks of the course will focus predominantly on BIOL2401 (introduction to anatomy and physiology I).
Course Description BIOL1308 (Introduction to Biology): An introduction to basic biological concepts including the metric system, physical and chemical properties of life, cell structure and function, cell reproduction, and metabolism. Critical thinking skills, study skills, and basic math skills are also included. This course is designed to prepare students to take the anatomy and physiology assessment tests, anatomy and physiology courses (BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, BIOL 2404), and general biology courses (including BIOL 1408 and BIOL 1406). This course is not part of the core curriculum.
BIOL 2401: Anatomy and Physiology I is the first part of a two course sequence. It is a study of the structure and function of the human body including cells, tissues and organs of the following systems: integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and special senses. Emphasis is on interrelationships among systems and regulation of physiological functions involved in maintaining homeostasis. The lab provides a hands-on learning experience for exploration of human system components and basic physiology. Systems to be studied include integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, and special senses.
SKILLS REQUIREMENTS: Reading, writing, and mathematics proficiency as determined by the COMPASS or ASSET test, or by the statewide THEA test, or by providing an official transcript from another college.
PREREQUISITES: This course has skill prerequisite R which means you must have reading skills at ACC placement skill level 5 or above or you must have passed a state-approved assessment test (TASP or COMPASS) in reading or you must be exempt from assessment through transcript hours from another college or you must have appropriate ACT, SAT, TAKS, or TASS scores. For more details see http://www.austincc.edu/support/assessment/assessmenteligibility.php.
If you do not have the required skill and course prerequisites you must withdraw from the class. If you do not withdraw, the instructor will drop you from the class.
Course Rationale:
This course is designed for students entering professional programs such as nursing school. It provides a foundation for the clinical topics covered in those courses by requiring mastery of factual material, laboratory techniques, and problem-solving skills. This course is a prerequisite for Introduction to Microbiology (BIOL 2420) and Anatomy and Physiology II (BIOL 2402) and is intended to adequately prepare students for these courses and for health sciences programs.
General Education:
As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:
- Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information.
- Interpersonal Skills - Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
- Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.
- Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
Departmental Common Course Objectives:
The ACC Biology Department has specified the content for this course in the departmental common course objectives. The departmental objectives are located at http://www.austincc.edu/biology/ccobjectives. (click on the “Common Course Objectives” link).
Course Subjects
|
Wk Wk |
Date |
Lecture Topic |
Lab Topic |
Due Dates |
|
1 |
Mon Jan 19 |
MLK JR Day |
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Tue Jan 20 |
Syllabus/Introduction to A&P |
Lab 1: Safety Training/Intro to Human Body 1 |
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Wed Jan 21 |
Levels of Organization and Anatomy terms |
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Thu Jan 22 |
Body Cavities, Membranes, Regional terms |
Lab 2 Intro to Human Body 2 |
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2 |
Mon Jan 26 |
Metric system and practice |
|
Group study guide for Intro 1 and Intro 2 due |
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Tue Jan 27 |
Metric system and practice |
Lab 3: Intro to Metric system |
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Wed Jan 28 |
Atoms & Molecules Dimensional Analysis and practice |
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Thu Jan 29 |
Molecules & Bonds |
Lab 4: Dimensional Analysis & Graphing |
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3 |
Mon Feb 2 |
Molecules & Bonds |
|
Group Lab Report due: Metric and dimensional Analysis |
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Tue Feb 3 |
Molecules & Bonds |
(lecture): Properties of Water and case study |
Case study due before leaving class. |
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Wed Feb 4 |
pH/Acids and Bases/Buffers |
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Thu Feb 5 |
pH/Acids and Bases/Buffers |
Lab 5: pH lab |
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4 |
Mon Feb 9 |
Biomolecules: Intro and Carbs |
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Group Lab Report due: pH |
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Tue Feb 10 |
Biomolecules: Proteins |
Lab 6: Intro to Microscope lab. |
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Wed Feb 11 |
Biomolecules: Fats |
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Group study guide for Microscopes is due |
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Thu Feb 12 |
Biomolecules: Nucleic acids |
Lecture: Plasma Membrane |
All Unit 1 Cengage Hwk due Saturday, Feb 14th |
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5 |
Mon Feb 16 |
Exam 1: Water, properties of matter, chemical reactions, pH, biomolecules |
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Tue Feb 17 |
Practical 1 (Labs 1-6) |
Lecture: Membrane Transport |
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Wed Feb 18 |
Membrane Transport |
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Thu Feb 19 |
Membrane Transport and Osmolarity |
Lab 7: Cell Membrane lab |
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6
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Mon Feb 23 |
Finish transport; Membrane Potentials |
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Group study guide due: Membranes |
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Tue Feb 24 |
Cell organelles |
Lab 8: Passive Transport |
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Wed Feb 25 |
Overview: DNA Replication/Transcription |
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Group Lab Report due: Passive |
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Thu Feb 26 |
Gene Expression Lecture |
Lab 9: Cell lab |
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7 |
Mon Mar 2 |
Tissues 1 |
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Group Lab report due: Cell anatomy |
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Tue Mar 3 |
Tissues 2 |
Lab 10: Tissues 1 E.T. |
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Wed Mar 4 |
Integumentary system (Unit 3) |
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Group study guide due: E.T. |
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Thu Mar 5 |
Integument system (Unit 3) |
Lab 11: Tissues 2 C.T.
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Group study guide due: C.T. Unit 2 Homework due Saturday, Mar 7th |
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8 |
Mon Mar 9 |
EXAM 2: Membrane (structure, transport, potentials), organelles, DNA replication & transcription, body systems, tissues |
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Tue Mar 10 |
Practical 2 (Labs 7-11) |
Lab 12: Integumentary |
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Wed Mar 11 |
Skeletal Tissues |
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Group study guide Integumentary due |
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Thu Mar 12 |
Skeletal 2 |
Lab 13: Skeletal 1 Axial |
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SPRING BREAK MAR 16TH-20ST
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Date |
Lecture Topic |
Lab Topic |
Due Dates |
|
9 |
Mon Mar 23 |
Skeletal 3 |
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Tue Mar 24 |
Skeletal 4 (joints) |
Lab 14: Skeletal 2 Appendicular |
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Wed Mar 25 |
Overview: Cell Respiration (unit 4) |
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Skeletal guides 1 and 2 due |
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Thu Mar 26 |
Overview: Aerobic/Anaerobic Respiration (unit 4 exam material) |
Lab 13 and 14: Skeletal review and practice practical |
Unit 3 HW due Sat Mar 28th |
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10 |
Mon Mar 30 |
Exam 3: Integument, Skeletal system |
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Tue Mar 31 |
Practical 3 (Labs 12-14) Skeletal anatomy |
Muscles 15 (Muscle Tissues) |
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Wed Apr 1 |
Muscles 2 |
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Muscle 15 study guide due |
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Thu Apr 2 |
Muscles 2 cont. |
Lab 16: Muscle 1 lab |
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11 |
Mon Apr 6 |
Muscles 3 |
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Muscle 16 study guide due |
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Tue Apr 7 |
Muscles 4 |
Lab 17: Muscle 2 lab |
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Wed Apr 8 |
Nervous Tissue (Unit 5 material) |
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Muscle 17 study guide due |
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Thu Apr 9 |
Nervous system 2 (Unit 5 material) |
Lab 18: Neurons and brain (Unit 5 material) |
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12 |
Mon Apr 13 |
Exam 4: Cell respiration, muscle tissues, muscle system |
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Tue Apr 14 |
Practical 4 (Labs 15-16) Muscle anatomy |
Lab 18: Brain cont. |
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Wed Apr 15 |
Nervous system 3 |
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Lab 18 study guide due |
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Thu Apr 16 |
Nervous system 4 |
Lab 18 & 19: Brain and Cranial Nerves |
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13 |
Mon Apr 20 |
Nervous system 5 |
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Lab 19 study guide due |
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Tue Apr 21 |
Nervous system 6 |
Lab 20: Brain dissection |
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Wed Apr 22 |
Nervous system 7 |
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Lab 20 study guide due |
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Thu Apr 23 |
Start Sensory (Unit 6 material) |
Lab 21: Spinal cord/PNS |
Lab 21 study guide and Unit 5 HW due Sat, Apr 25th |
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14 |
Mon Apr 27 |
Exam 5: Nervous Tissues, CNS, PNS |
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Tue Apr 28 |
Practical 5 (Labs 18-21) |
Lecture and Lab 22: Sensory 1 (Eye) with Eye dissection |
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Wed Apr 29 |
Sensory 2 Intro Sensory Physiology |
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Sensory 1 Eye study guide |
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Thu Apr 30 |
Sensory 3 Intro Sensory Physiology Cont. |
Lab 24: Sensory Anatomy 2 (Ear) |
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15 |
Mon May 4 |
Sensory 4 Eye Physiology |
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Sensory 2 Ear study guide |
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Tue May 5 |
Sensory 5 Ear Physiology |
Lab 25: Sensory Physiology 1 |
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Wed May 6 |
Sensory 6: Olfactory/Gustatory |
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Lab 25 report due |
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Thu May 7 |
Autonomic Nervous System |
Lab 26: Sensory Physiology 2 |
Lab 26 lab report due Sat May 9th |
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16 |
Mon May 11 |
Autonomic Nervous System |
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Unit 6 HW due Mon, May 11th |
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Tue May 12 |
ANS Case Studies (case studies due on blackboard) |
No lab |
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Wed May 13 |
Exam 6 (ANS, sensory) |
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Thu May 14 |
Practical 6 (Labs 23-26) |
Required Online Comp final due Sun, May 18th |
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![MCj03499660000[1]](data:image/wmf;base64,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)
* Changes to the schedule may occur: if they do, changes will be announced in class. ![MCj03499660000[1]](data:image/wmf;base64,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)
PPE for lab class.
***ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AT 12PM (MIDNIGHT)***
Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
Learning Outcomes for Lecture
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
- Describe basic physiochemical concepts that underlie the structure and function of cells
- Describe the structure and function of the four classes of biomolecules
- Describe the structure and function of eukaryotic cells and their organelles
- Describe the processes by which substances move into and out of cells
- Describe the structure and function of enzymes
- Discuss energy transfer in cells and the pathways of cellular respiration
- Describe DNA replication, protein synthesis, mitosis and meiosis
- Analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information
- Apply mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods
- Use anatomical terminology to identify and describe locations of major organs of each system covered.
- Explain interrelationships among molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ functions in each system.
- Describe the interdependency and interactions of the systems.
- Explain contributions of organs and systems to the maintenance of homeostasis.
- Identify causes and effects of homeostatic imbalances.
- Describe modern technology and tools used to study anatomy and physiology.
Learning Outcomes for Lab
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
- Apply appropriate safety and ethical standards.
- Locate and identify anatomical structures.
- Appropriately utilize laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, dissection tools, general lab ware, physiology data acquisition systems, and virtual simulations.
- Work collaboratively to perform experiments.
- Demonstrate the steps involved in the scientific method.
- Communicate results of scientific investigations, analyze data and formulate conclusions.
- Use critical thinking and scientific problem-solving skills, including, but not limited to, inferring, integrating, synthesizing, and summarizing, to make decisions, recommendations and predictions.
Office Hours
T Th 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM RRC 3315
NOTE Or by appointmentM W 12:00 PM - 2:50 PM RRC 3315
NOTE Or by appointmentPublished: 01/17/2026 17:10:43