Independent study in a topic related ot Biology, arranged by the student with a faculty sponsor. Enrollment by permission only.

Independent research requiring a written proposal, a thesis, and a final public presentation (e.g. the Undergraduate Research Conference). Intended for biology majors completing biology Honors-in-major requirements. Contact biology program coordinator prior to senior year to arrange supervision and obtain permission. Two consecutive semesters. (4 credit minimum total; 8 credits maximum).

Design and analysis of biological and ecological research experiments. "Real world" studies used to discuss the identification of hypotheses, appropriate experimental design, and the application of statistical analyses including ANOVA, ANCOVA, correlation and regression, cluster analysis, classification and ordination techniques. Theoretical statistical concepts tailored to consider students' own thesis and dissertation research, allowing statistical problems to be addressed at various stages of the research process. Common computer packages used for analyses include Excel, JMP, Systat and R.

Marine bioacoustics is a highly interdisciplinary field of science that requires knowledge of marine biology, oceanography, physics, and engineering. This course provides an introduction to the role of acoustics in aquatic biological systems and how acoustics is used to study biological processes and ecosystem dynamics. Topics include: marine animal hearing; sound production; behavior; echolocation; remote sensing; research methods; and the impacts of sounds on marine animals. It is suggested that students have a strong background in biology. College level physics and calculus is suggested.