Course Description
A capstone seminar required for Genetics majors in their senior year. The course is aimed at students finishing their coursework in the major. Faculty will lead students in a detailed examination of the primary scientific literature focusing on a specific topic in Genetics.
Athena Title
Capstone Seminar in Genetics
Prerequisite
(GENE 3000-3000D or GENE 3000H or GENE 3000E) and (GENE 3200-3200D or GENE 3200H or GENE 3200E) and (GENE 4000/6000 or GENE 4200/6200)
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall and spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The major in Genetics is structured with introductory courses in genetics, genomics, and evolutionary biology leading to advanced courses in these areas. The major requires participation in inquiry-based lab courses so that students have experience with generating and analyzing genetic data. The first courses begin the process of introducing students to the primary scientific literature, with advanced courses being increasingly dependent on primary literature. This capstone seminar, focused entirely on reading the primary literature, allows students to consolidate the knowledge and skills accumulated through the major. This capstone seminar, required of all Genetics majors, also serves as an important point of assessment for the major. We expect students completing this course to be able to analyze, evaluate, and interpret the primary literature in a specific topic in genetics. Students should be able to characterize the main hypotheses in primary literature and to evaluate the methods used to test these hypotheses. Students should be able to interpret the results produced in the primary literature. Students should be able to judge critically whether the authors have justified their conclusions and to assess the strength of the support for the conclusions. Students should be able to propose and devise alternate approaches to testing these research questions.
Topical Outline
Each seminar focuses on a different topic in Genetics. The common element is a deep engagement with the primary scientific literature in a specific topic. This seminar also provides the primary point of assessment for the major in Genetics.
Syllabus