What type of proposal are you submitting?For courses to be taught only once, choose "one-time cou...
Long-term Addition to the Curriculum
Michael Lerner
Biophysics
Physics and Astronomy
Biology (depending on Biology approval)
Suggested course number or course level (eg 2XX) Note that X8X and X9X course numbers are reserve...
- Again, depending on Biology approval.
Email address of the home department convener. This person will receive an email asking him/her t...
Please mark the appropriate division for divisional distribution credits. Note our policy on cros...
Natural Sciences
Fall semester 2020-21
Semester-long (15 weeks)
For those courses that were not submitted with your department's unit plan, please indicate the d...
This will be submitted with the unit plan
Letter grades
Credits Credits must be equivalent to seat-time per week for 15 weeks (from the Curriculum Guide ...
3 credits
2-3 hours of work outside of class are expected per 1 hour of seat time.Estimated number of hours...
3 credits: 3 hrs in class, 6-9 hrs out of class
Course caps are granted at the discretion of the Associate Academic Dean (not by CPC as a whole)....
Writing Intensive course, standard cap of 19 students
Physics 125, Physics 235, Math 280
Academic level of the course and description of the students for whom this course is intended, in...
This is an intermediate/advanced course, not appropriate for first year students. We expect to see students primarily from physics, biology, biophysics (if it’s approved as a major or track), biochemistry, and pre-health in the class. We will use background from the introductory physics alongside mathematical techniques to apply physical models to biological systems. I have taught a version of this course in which I required only one semester of physics; that background was not really sufficient for the course goals.
Place of this course in department and/or program curricular map(s) and goals. Please also consid...
Nothing depends on this course, so it can be taken in any available year.
For biophysics majors and minors, this is a core course.
For physics majors, it is possible that this course could be counted as an upper-level course at the discretion of the department. We expect physics majors to take it as a general-interest course, and to obtain a biophysics minor.
For biology majors, it the bio department is still deciding if this counts one of the upper-level electives.
Biochemistry is still deciding on if/how to count the course.
The combination of this course and the proposed astrophysics course take up all of the potential slack in our curriculum, and we expect that our 2-year course rotation will become completely rigid unless we receive additional resources.
Please provide a 50-word course description for the registrar's office to use in the course catalog.
What sorts of patterns do we expect to find in biology? When molecules are diffusing randomly through a cell, and when are they being moved around actively? What are the main forces governing protein folding? We'll apply a small number of fundamental physical models to a broad range of biological problems. You'll explore your own interests through a significant independent project.
Please mark the General Education designation(s) you feel are appropriate for your course. Consul...
The main focus of the course is the development of a small set of physical models, the application of those models to real-world data sets, the re-evaluation of the models in the context of that data, the extraction of general knowledge from those models, and the application of those models to yet more systems.
Communicate effectively and work collaboratively across diverse contexts via multiple media. Effective communication involves both social and expressive skills and the ability to communicate in multiple settings and cultures.
Investigate and analyze information, materials, problems and texts using a variety of techniques. Thoughtful and careful analysis requires the ability to collect, understand, interpret and evaluate multiple pieces of evidence, with systematic understanding and overt application of qualitative, quantitative, analytical and abstract reasoning.
Integrate knowledge, experience, and skills across domains and contexts. Integration involves connecting and developing ideas, as well as synthesizing and transferring learning to new and complex situations.
Create and innovate across a variety of disciplines. Creativity and innovation require a willingness to take risks, be open to new possibilities, and produce new knowledge and artistic and social forms.
Reflect critically on their learning experiences, ethical and vocational choices, lifestyle, and beliefs in light of multiple understandings of the world. Reflection involves the ability to examine past experiences and apply their lessons to future contexts.
Apply knowledge and skills to real world problems and situations as well as to improve their own mental, spiritual and physical well-being. Applying learning effectively is a key skill of a lifelong learner.
Communicate: an independent project is a significant portion of the course. Students will effectively present their projects to the rest of the class, in both written and oral forms. Throughout the course, students will work collaboratively on group problems sets.
Investigate: biological data will be used to develop physical models.
Integrate: this interdisciplinary course involves physics, biology, biochemistry, mathematics, and computer science.
Create: an independent project is a significant portion of the course.
Reflect: after we develop and apply each model, we will reflect on the successes and failures, strengths and limitations of that model.
Apply: each of these models will be applied to real-world biological data.
Communicate - weekly or bi-weekly assignments, three exams, and one significant independent project. The grades the student receives will partially reflect the degree to which the student accurately communicates across multiple domains and contexts.
Investigate - deeply embedded in each class period, homework, and assignment. The grades the student receives will partially reflect the degree to which the student investigates new materials and problems.
Integrate - deeply embedded in each class period, homework, and assignment. The grades the student receives will partially reflect the degree to which the student integrates knowledge, experience, and skills across domains and contexts.
Create - although this is threaded throughout the course, the bulk of this comes in the significant independent project, designed and carried out by the student. The grade the student receives on this project will significantly reflect the degree to which the student creates and innovates across a variety of disciplines.
Reflect - weekly or bi-weekly assignments require the student reflect on the models, and the class as a whole. The independent project also requires students to reflect explicitly on their multiple understandings of the project material. The grades the student receives will partially reflect the degree to which the student reflects critically on their experiences, choices, and beliefs.
Apply - again, weekly or bi-weekly assignments, three exams, and one significant independent project all directly require students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems. The grades the student receives will significantly reflect the degree to which the student applies their knowledge and skills to real-world problems.
Is this course Writing Intensive (https://proxy.qualtrics.com/proxy/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fearlham.edu%2Fcurriculum-guide%2Fwriting-intensive%2F&token=kZIljpeGO2aYUVcqGMw8s4UVuQa8cqjxWSWy6xpba5I%3D) or Rese... Writing Intensive
If your course should be marked as Writing Intensive or Research, please describe the way your co...
Sophomore or Junior level is recommended.
Reading and writing is a major focus (the significant independent project in particular, and the weekly or bi-weekly assignments to a lesser degree. Rewrites are allowed on some assignments, and the independent project has detailed, structured feedback). These count for the majority of the grade.
Engagement with challenging texts (defined broadly) around a theme: primary literature in biophysics and a challenging textbook.
Use of primary and secondary sources: several articles from the primary literature. The textbook, in this case, is both secondary and tertiary literature.
Feedback with chances to incorporate feedback for an improved product: the bulk of this comes with the independent project, for which students turn in first, second, and final drafts. Feedback is given after the first and second drafts. Students are also provided feedback on weekly or bi-weekly assignments, and are allowed to resubmit some of those assignments.
Includes multiple forms of written products and writing contexts: weekly or bi-weekly assignments, written independent projects, presentation materials (typically powerpoint) for the independent projects.
Strong disciplinary element in the writing: students will be writing in a biophysical context, incorporating biological data into physics-based models, and evaluating the results in a clearly-communicated fashion.
Writing is approached as a process, with feedback at multiple steps (explained above in regards to the independent project and the assignments).
Capped courses so that quick turn around of work is possible: Yes.