Miami University: Documents and Policies: General Bulletin

Advanced Courses

Note:Four semester hours of biological science or permission of instructor is minimum prerequisite for all advanced courses.
MPT 203 Introduction to Plant Cell and Molecular Biology (4): Along with BOT 204, provides a foundation for botany majors and upper-level course offerings in the department. Students learn structure and function of plant cells from cell biological and molecular perspectives. Prerequisite: BOT 115 or 191.
MPT 204 Evolution of Plant Biodiversity: Genes to Biosphere (4): Along with BOT 203, provides a foundation for botany majors and upper-level course offerings in the department. Covers genetic basis of evolution, heredity and genetic continuity, processes of evolution, and systematic and ecological end-products of evolution with an emphasis on plants, algae, and fungi. Prerequisite: BOT 115 or 191.
205 Dendrology (4): Identification and distribution of native and introduced trees, characteristics and use of their woods, and an introduction to forestry practice. 2 Lec. 2 Lab. CAS-D/LAB.
232 Human Heredity (3): Introduction to the basic principles of genetics and their relvance to human society. Does not count toward a maor in botany or zoology. Cross-listed with ZOO 232.
241 Botanical Principles in Landscape Gardening (3): Plant materials in relation to home, garden, and landscape uses.
244 Viticulture and Enology (3): Botanical description of the grape (vitis) and the principles of viticulture (grape growing) and enology (wine making). Various horticultural techniques used throughout the world in these disciplines. Tastings and lab fee. Prerequisite: BOT/MBI/ZOO 115, 116 or BOT 191 or permission of instructor.
255 Introduction to Biotechnology (3): Examination of modern biotechnology and issues emerging from this technology. Emphasis on plant biotechnology and practical application of plants or their components in industry, agriculture, medicine, and the environment. Basic principles of molecular biology and recombinant DNA technology introduced.
290 Introduction to Botanical Investigation and Scholarship (1): Overview of botanical research areas, career alternatives, and the process of scientific investigation designed to serve as a base for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate life.
302 Plant Taxonomy (4): Systematic classification with emphasis on flowering plants. Special attention to local flora. (2 Lec. 1 Lab.)
303 Introductory Plant Anatomy (3): Study of structural characteristics of plant cells organized into functional tissue groups within organs comprising plant bodies. Emphasis placed on identification of plant cell types using histochemistry and light microscopy, how various combinations of cell types form functional vegetative tissues, and how these functional tissues are organized within leaves, stems, and roots to form integrated plant bodies that are able to survive in diverse environments. Prerequisite: BOT 203. Offered odd year spring semesters.
306 Basic Horticulture (3): Principal factors involved in the production of vegetables and fruits. Senior standing recommended.
311 Fundamentals of Plant Physiology (4): Covers a broad range of topics from molecular to whole plant level, focusing on the relationship between structure and function in plants. Includes detailed coverage of modern theoretical aspects and modern experimental methods in lectures and weekly laboratory sessions where writing is an important component. Topics covered are presented in the light of fundamental physical, chemical, and thermodynamic principles. Prerequisite: BOT 203 and organic chemistry (CHM 231) or equivalent.
312 Plant and Fungal Diversity (4): Overview of plant and fungal diversity considering all major groups of non-animal eukaryotes. Although primarily a survey of structural and biochemical characteristics that define each group, the course also examines evolutionary themes among these organisms with particular emphasis on land plant evolution and the polyphyletic nature of the algae and fungi. Prerequisite: BOT 203 and 204 or permission of instructor.
331 Economic Botany (3): Significance of plants in human affairs, useful plants and plant products, and essential aspects of their production and use. Offered infrequently.
340 Internship (1-16): Internship program to supplement basic requirements for a botany major or minor by providing credit for practical work experience. Only four hours may count toward botany degree. Minimum prerequisite: 30 credit hours with 7 in botany and 2.5 g.p.a. See chair or chief departmental adviser.
MPT 342 Genetics (3): Introduction to basic principles of heredity and some of their biological applications. Prerequisite: One year of chemistry. Cross-listed with ZOO 342.
400 Independent Research (1-5; maximum 10)
401/501 Plant Ecology (3): Studies of plant communities, populations, and individuals in relation to their environment. Prerequisite: two advanced courses in biological science or permission of instructor. Laboratory option available as BOT 434, 436.
403/503 Plant Development (3): Study of growth and development of plants. Emphasis placed on methods of study and analytic models of the growth and development of plant embryos, roots, stems, leaves and reproductive organs. Prerequisite: BOT 303 and 251. Offered even year spring semesters.
409/509 Morphology of Vascular Plants (4): Structure, reproduction, life histories, and possible evolutionary relationships of vascular plants with special attention given to Angiosperms. Prerequisite: BOT 211 and 403/503 or permission of instructor. 3 Lec. 1 Lab. Offered infrequently.
411/511 Medical Botany (3): Integrated approach to study of the role of medicinal and poisonous plants and their chemical constituents in development of drugs and in historical and modern medicine and pharmacy. Minimum prerequisite: introductory zoology and at least one semester of organic chemistry desirable. Offered infrequently.
415/515 Plant Tissue Culture (4): Applied laboratory course that includes in vitro propagation, suspension culture, callus culture, organ culture, embryogenesis, protoplast culture, and protoplast fusion in higher plants. Prerequisite: MBI 201 or 18 semester hours of biological science or permission of instructor. 2 Lec. 2 Lab. Offered infrequently.
421/521 Advanced Mycology (3): Detailed study of taxonomy and morphology of fungi with consideration of physiology and genetics of development. Lab study emphasizes methods for selective isolation, culture, and microscopic identification of fungi as well as cultural manipulation of fungal development. Prerequisite: BOT 212, 355, or permission of instructor. 2 Lec. 1 Lab. Offered infrequently.
431/531 Plant Geography (3): Study of factors and conditions that affect distribution of plant families, genera, and species as well as various vegetational patterns on the face of the earth. Prerequisite: two advanced courses in geography or biological sciences or permission of instructor. Cross-listed with GEO 431/531.
432/532 Ecological Foundations of Vegetation--North America (3): Survey of the vegetation of North America with emphasis on distribution, environmental relations, structure, composition, and adaptation. Required field trip. Prerequisite: BOT 401, ZOO 204, physical geography course, or permission of instructor. Cross-listed with GEO 432/532. Offered infrequently.
434/534 Plant Community Ecology Methods (1): Sprint course to introduce methods of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting ecological data on plant communities. Prerequisite: credit or concurrent enrollment in BOT 401/501, ZOO 204, or equivalent.
436/536 Field Methods in Plant Population Ecology (1): Sprint course to introduce field, greenhouse, and laboratory methods used in the study of plant population. Prerequisite: BOT 401/501 or ZOO 204 or equivalent.
470/570 Advanced Botany Field Trip (1-8; maximum 8): Field trips for advanced botany students. Prerequisite and credit vary each time course offered. Continuing prerequisite: permission of instructor. Offered infrequently.
480 Departmental Honors (1-6; maximum 6): Departmental honors may be taken for minimum of 4 credit hours and maximum of 6 credit hours, in one or more semesters of student's senior year.
481/581 Theory of Electron Microscopy (2): Principles and theory of scanning and transmission electron microscopy and advanced microscopies. Cross-listed with ZOO 481/581.
482/582 Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratory (2): Practical course providing training in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Sample preparation, SEM operation, darkroom work, manuscript preparation, and an individual research project. Cross-listed with ZOO 482/582. Prerequisite or corequisite: BOT 481/581 and permission of instructor.
483/583 Transmission Electron Microscopy Laboratory (2): Practical course in transmission electron microscopy: specimen preparation microscope usage, data collection, and photographic plate preparation. Prerequisite or corequisite: BOT 481/581 and permission of instructor. Cross-listed with ZOO 483/583.
MPC 490.A Current Advances and Issues in Botany Capstone (3 hours total: 490.A (1) with concurrent enrollment in 477 (2) Directed Study with faculty member in 490.A): Advances in botanical research and how botany impacts issues of importance to society. Building on Miami Plan and major course work, students evaluate selected issues and scientific advances. Written and oral exercises to enhance critical thinking and communication skills and explore the breadth of career options in botany.
MPC 490.B Research, Internship in Botany Capstone (3 hours total: 490.B (1) with corequisite 400 (2) Independent Research or 477 (2) Directed Study or 340 Internship (2) to complete internship. Ideally, corequisite taken in same semester as 490.B, however, scheduling may necessitate taking corequisites in two semesters.): Students interested in graduate or professional school typically enroll for directed study/research credit to complete research projects with faculty mentors. Students interested in botany-related career choices immediately upon graduation may elect internship experience. BOT 490.B, a seminar course that meets weekly, along with enrollment in appropriate corequisite for two semester hours complete the three-hour Capstone requirement.
MPC 490.C Departmental Honors in Botany Capstone (3 hours total: 490.C (1) with concurrent enrollment in 480 (2) Departmental Honors): Gifted students can pursue a departmental honors project with a faculty mentor and advisory committee. BOT 490.C, a seminar course that meets weekly, along with enrollment in departmental honors course for two semester hours complete the three-hour Capstone requirement.
MPC 490.D Undergraduate Botany Teaching Capstone (490.D for 1 hour with concurrent enrollment in 477 (2) Directed Study with faculty member in 490.C): Many botany undergraduates ultimately teach. This Capstone combines a weekly seminar class with a practicum in which students serve as teaching assistants in regularly scheduled Foundation course laboratories with the supervision of a graduate teaching assistant and faculty member. The goal is to combine training in pedagogy with practical experience, improving the student's knowledge, critical thinking, and teaching skills in the botanical laboratory classroom. One formal class meeting per week plus three contact hours per week of practicum and additional course preparation meetings.
MPC 494 Sustainability Perspectives in Resources and Business (3): Addresses the need for interdisciplinary understanding of the pattern of declining quantities of critical resources and growing public awareness of environmental degradation, an understanding of relevant ecosystems, social and economic institutions and policy, and the prospects for the business community to facilitate resolution of these concerns. Cross-listed with ACC/DSC/ECO/FIN/GEO/GLG/MGT/MKT/ZOO 494. Three alternative prerequisites: (A) senior standing as a business major and one of these--BOT 131 or GLG 121 or ZOO 121; or (B) senior standing as a science major and both of these--ECO 201 and 202; or (C) senior standing and completion of Thematic Sequence ECO 5 Sustainable Systems.
MPC 499.A Field Botany (minimum 3): Field experiences in a group setting. All of these experiences (workshops in the Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, or other venues) immerse students in the subject matter on a 24-hour per day basis and provide culminating experiences, promote integration of content and context, demonstrate personal learning and sharing of results, and place work in societal context.
MPC 499.D/599.D Biodiversity of Kenya (5): Introduction to indigenous cultures and the interdisciplinary nature of problems threatening the biodiversity of Kenya. Explores the impact of conservation preserves, national parks, ecotourism, and population pressures on plant and animal biodiversity. Integrates content and context, and allows for personal reflection. Readings, field observations, interactions with local villagers and researchers, problem-solving sessions, and discussions integrated to provide a critical review of issues facing Kenya. Includes pre-trip and post-trip meetings. Student evaluation based on a detailed field notebook, final project paper, oral presentation, active participation in the field, and discussion. Prerequisite: two semesters of a general biology course or other MPF course in the sciences and permission of instructor.
Note: Senior majors may apply to take 600-level courses. See explanation at the beginning of the Courses of Instruction chapter.
600 Directed Study and Research (1-5; maximum 10): Open to senior majors.
605 Advanced Molecular Biology (3): In-depth study of genome organization, rearrangement, replication, and expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and their viruses, with an emphasis on regulatory mechanisms. Prerequisite: graduate status, a course in molecular genetics, biochemistry, or cell biology, and permission of instructor. Cross-listed with MBI 605 and ZOO 605.
606 Advanced Cell Biology (3): Advanced level study of molecular basis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure/function relationships. Prerequisite: graduate status, course in molecular genetics, cell biology, or biochemistry, and permission of instructor. Cross-listed with MBI 606 and ZOO 606.
621 Advanced Plant Taxonomy (3): Principles of classification with emphasis on modern approaches to study of evolution and relationships of flowering plants. Laboratory study considers major families of flowering plants and their phylogenetic position. Prerequisite: three advanced courses in biological science including course in taxonomy or permission of instructor. 2 Lec. 1 Lab. Offered infrequently.
622 Physiological and Molecular Botany (3): Survey of contemporary plant physiology and genetics, including photosynthesis, regulation of metabolic pathways, molecular genetics, phytochemistry, growth and development, and environmental physiology.
625 Advanced Plant Physiology (4): Advanced theory and methods in modern plant physiology. In-depth course covers aspects of water relations, gas exchange, primary and secondary metabolism, membrane physiology, transport, hormones, and environmental physiology. Prerequisite: undergraduate organic chemistry and plant physiology or permission of instructor. 3 Lec. 1 Lab.
630 Topics in Botany for Teachers (4): Under this number several topics of special interest to teachers may be presented. Examples include dendrology, plant structure and function, survey of plants, plant tissue culture, plant biology, plant ecology, and others. Available only to students in MAT biological sciences program. Prerequisite: BOT 115 and 116 or 191 or equivalent.
650 Seminar in Molecular Biology (1): Discussion of current literature in molecular biology. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Cross-listed with CHM 650, MBI 650, and ZOO 650.
660 Graduate Colloquium (1; maximum 4): Current topics in the field.
664 Ecosystem Ecology (3): Study of structure and function of ecological systems emphasizing ecosystem development, bioenergetics, nutrient cycling, regulation, and response to perturbations. Cross-listed with ZOO 664. Prerequisite: ZOO 204 or BOT 401/501.
665 Plant Biosystematics (3): Examination of species concepts and factors affecting formation of species including genecology, breeding systems, isolating mechanisms, cytotaxonomy, hybridization, polyploidy, and apomixis, etc. Prerequisite: three advanced courses in biological science including BOT 202 or its equivalent.
700 Research for Master's Thesis (1-12; minimum 6, maximum 12)
720 Graduate Seminar (1-2; maximum 8): Topics for advanced study in selected fields of plant science. Prerequisite: graduate standing in biological science.; 720.A Phytochemisry (1-2); 720.B The Plant Cytoskeleton (1-2); 720.C Plant Molecular Systematics (2); 720.D Seminar in Systematic Biology (1); 720.E Contemporary Issues in Ethobotany (2); 720.F Breeding System/Flower Plants (2); 720.G Gravitopism (1); 720.I Tropics in Island Biology (1-2); 720.X Gaduate Seminar (1-2)
750 Advanced Topics in Botany (1-5; maximum 20): Study of specialized topics from current research in the following areas:

750.A Anatomy
750.B Morphology
750.C Phycology
750.D Mycology
750.E Ultrastructure
750.F Ecology
750.G Systematics
750.H Genetics
750.I Physiology
750.J Phytochemistry
750.K Ethnobotany
750.L Molecular biology

790 Research in Botany (1-8; maximum 12)
850 Research for Doctoral Dissertation (1-16; minimum 16, maximum 60)