Courses

Courses by semester

Courses for Fall 2023

Complete Cornell University course descriptions are in the Courses of Study .

Course ID Title Offered
BIOEE1540 Introductory Oceanography
This class relies more on intuitive reasoning rather than complicated mathematical formulas to convey basic concepts about how the ocean works. For this reason, the class is very accessible to non-science majors. The class covers standard material about how the ocean works, but also includes current environmental threats facing the ocean such as global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing and coastal pollution. Students will gain a depth of knowledge about the ocean and global warming to enable them to speak and write confidently about contemporary public issues regarding the health of the ocean, global warming and a sustainable future. This course satisfies the Physical and Biological Sciences (PBS) requirement for students in most colleges. For students in A&S and CALS, this course counts as "in-college" credit.

Full details for BIOEE 1540 - Introductory Oceanography

Fall.
BIOEE1560 Introductory Oceanography with Laboratory
This class relies more on intuitive reasoning rather than complicated mathematical formulas to convey basic concepts about how the ocean works. For this reason, the class is very accessible to non-science majors. The class covers standard material about how the ocean works, but also includes current environmental threats facing the ocean such as global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing and coastal pollution. Students will gain a depth of knowledge about the ocean and global warming to enable them to speak and write confidently about contemporary public issues regarding the health of the ocean, global warming and a sustainable future. This course satisfies the Physical and Biological Sciences (PBS) requirement for students in most colleges and the Introductory Life Sciences/Biological Sciences requirement for students in CALS. For students in A&S and CALS, this course counts as "in-college" credit.

Full details for BIOEE 1560 - Introductory Oceanography with Laboratory

Fall.
BIOEE1610 Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment
This course provides an introduction to ecology, covering interactions between organisms and the environment at scales of populations, communities, and ecosystems. Ecological principles are used to explore the theory and applications of major issues facing humanity in the 21st century, including population dynamics, disease ecology, biodiversity and invasive species, global change, and other topics of environmental sustainability.

Full details for BIOEE 1610 - Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment

Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOEE1640 FWS: Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
The First-Year Writing Seminar provides the opportunity to write extensively about issues related to ecology and evolutionary biology. Topics vary by section.

Full details for BIOEE 1640 - FWS: Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Fall, Spring.
BIOEE1780 An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology and Diversity
Considers explanations for pattern of diversity and the apparent good fit of organisms to the environment. Topics include the diversity of life, the genetics and developmental basis of evolutionary change, processes at the population level, evolution by natural selection, modes of speciation, long-term trends in evolution, origin of humans.

Full details for BIOEE 1780 - An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology and Diversity

Fall, Spring.
BIOEE1781 Introduction to Evolution and Diversity
Considers explanations for pattern of diversity and the apparent good fit of organisms to the environment. Topics include the diversity of life, the genetics and developmental basis of evolutionary change, processes at the population level, evolution by natural selection, modes of speciation, long-term trends in evolution, origin of humans.

Full details for BIOEE 1781 - Introduction to Evolution and Diversity

Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOEE2525 Ecology and Conservation of Wildlife in the Neotropics
This on-campus and international field course combination provides participating students with a broad introduction to the research process in field ecology, with literature and hands-on examples drawn from the fauna and flora of coastal Patagonia (Argentina), an area that provides us with unprecedented access to both marine and terrestrial wildlife as well as exposure to conservation challenges and success stories. The course begins in the latter part of the Fall semester (BIOEE 2525) when it meets twice weekly for seven weeks, largely to discuss relevant papers from the scientific literature with an emphasis on best practices in designing field studies to address questions in Neotropical ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology. During the 2+ week field component in January (BIOEE 2526), students travel among field sites in Patagonia and put this knowledge to work in an experiential context by designing and implementing a series of research projects, including numerous short 'blitz' projects and several longer, more intensive independent projects; many of these field studies involve close-hand observations of marine mammals, penguins, or other seabirds. The course (BIOEE 2527) is focused on building skills in data analysis and scientific writing, based on the data collected in the field by each student.

Full details for BIOEE 2525 - Ecology and Conservation of Wildlife in the Neotropics

Multi-semester course: Fall.
BIOEE3610 Advanced Ecology
This course provides an in depth survey of ecology emphasizing conceptual foundations and the integration of experimental and quantitative approaches, including population and community ecology, ecosystem biology, and ecological modeling. Current and classical ecological research is used to introduce major concepts and methods, derive major ecological principles, and critically discuss their applicability on multiple organizational levels, on multiple scales, and in a variety of ecosystems. Weekly discussion/lab sections focus on measurement techniques and computation (modeling, simulation and data analysis using the R language).

Full details for BIOEE 3610 - Advanced Ecology

Fall.
BIOEE3611 Field Ecology
Exercises designed to give students direct experience with field research to address ecological hypotheses, with emphasis on developing observational skills and basic methods in population and community ecology. Topics include methods in plant succession, niche relationships, influence of herbivores and competitors on plant communities, aquatic food web analysis, use of scientific collections, and presenting research results in written and oral form. We will visit a diversity of habitats and natural areas in Central New York.  Students will conduct an independent research project and present their findings.

Full details for BIOEE 3611 - Field Ecology

Fall.
BIOEE3640 Birds and Climate Change
In this course the students will find, read, summarize, critically evaluate and discuss papers from the primary literature related to effects of climate change using birds as examples. At the end of the course each student will present to the class a critical summary on a relevant topic of their choice, and submit an essay in which they articulate their ideas.

Full details for BIOEE 3640 - Birds and Climate Change

Fall.
BIOEE3780 Digital Morphology through CT
This course is an introduction to CT visualization for its applications in comparative biology of the vertebrates. Students will learn and practice the exploration of vertebrate anatomy with OSIRIX 3-D visualization software or its future replacement; work on student-designed projects and/or a large survey of the vertebrates based on CT scans from specimens in the Cornell museum as well as the Smithsonian and other museums around the world.           

Full details for BIOEE 3780 - Digital Morphology through CT

Fall.
BIOEE4560 Stream Ecology
Lecture examines patterns and processes in stream ecosystems, including geomorphology and hydrology, watershed-stream interactions, trophic dynamics, biogeochemistry, disturbance, and conservation and management. Field and laboratory exercises focus on experimental and analytical techniques used to study stream ecosystems, including techniques to measure stream discharge, physical habitat, water chemistry, and stream biota. Field project with lab papers.

Full details for BIOEE 4560 - Stream Ecology

Fall.
BIOEE4700 Herpetology, Lectures
Lectures cover various aspects of the biology of amphibians and reptiles, including evolution, zoogeography, ecology, behavior, and physiology.

Full details for BIOEE 4700 - Herpetology, Lectures

Fall.
BIOEE4752 Ornithology, Worldwide Avian Diversity Laboratory
Birds present a wondrous diversity of behaviors, ecological lifestyles, and appearances. This course provides an in-depth survey of the natural history and evolutionary relationships of all Orders and Families of living birds from across the globe. Cornell is the home of the Birds of the World online resource which provides background information on worldwide avian diversity, and BIOEE 4752 also makes extensive use of the avian specimen materials of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, where the weekly lab sessions are held.

Full details for BIOEE 4752 - Ornithology, Worldwide Avian Diversity Laboratory

Fall.
BIOEE4795 Vertebrate Paleontology: Dinosaurs and Other Stories from Deep Time
Vertebrate paleontology is a dynamic and increasingly synthetic field, combining information from extinct and extant specimens with tools from geology, anatomy, development, climatology, ecology, behavior, and systematics. We trace the evolutionary history of vertebrates by considering hundreds of example fossils spanning the last 542 million years. We explore key stories, such as the evidence for vertebrate origins, the ever-growing literature on Mesozoic dinosaurs, extinctions, climate change, and how the evolution of land plants and insects impacted vertebrates. We consider human historical and cultural aspects of vertebrate paleontology and ask why people everywhere are so fascinated with dinosaurs. Designed to complement existing offerings in vertebrate biology (BIOEE 2740) and paleobiology (EAS 4790), this course offers a deeper exploration of the history of vertebrate life on Earth.

Full details for BIOEE 4795 - Vertebrate Paleontology: Dinosaurs and Other Stories from Deep Time

Fall.
BIOEE4940 Special Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
The department offers "trial" courses or seminars under this number. Offerings vary by semester. The same course is not to be offered more than twice under this number. For 2022-2023 descriptions, please go to the department website.

Full details for BIOEE 4940 - Special Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOEE4980 Teaching Experience
Designed to give qualified undergraduate students teaching experience through actual involvement in planning and assisting in biology courses. This experience may include supervised participation in a discussion group, assisting in a biology laboratory, assisting in field biology, or tutoring.

Full details for BIOEE 4980 - Teaching Experience

Fall, Spring.
BIOEE6900 Seminar in Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases
Graduate-level discussion of the ecology, epidemiology, genetics, and evolution of infectious disease in animal and plant systems. Weekly discussion of research papers published in the primary scientific literature. Participation in discussion and presentation of at least one paper required for course credit.

Full details for BIOEE 6900 - Seminar in Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases

Fall, Spring.
BIOEE7600 Special Topics in Evolution and Ecology
Lectures and intensive study of special topics in the field of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Content varies each semester.

Full details for BIOEE 7600 - Special Topics in Evolution and Ecology

Fall, Spring.
BIOEE7640 Plant-Insect Interactions Seminar
Group intensive study of current research in plant-insect interactions. Topics vary from semester to semester but include chemical defense, coevolution, insect community structure, population regulation, biocontrol, tritrophic interactions, and mutualism.

Full details for BIOEE 7640 - Plant-Insect Interactions Seminar

Fall, Spring.
BIOEE7670 Current Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Critical evaluation and discussion of theory and research in ecology and evolutionary biology. Lectures by faculty and student-led discussions of topics in areas of current importance.

Full details for BIOEE 7670 - Current Topics in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Fall.
BIOEE7800 Graduate Seminar in Ornithology
Group intensive study of current research in ornithology built around a research seminar series covering a wide variety of projects and topics in ornithology and related disciplines, including avian ecology, evolution, conservation, behavior, and physiology. Each weekly seminar is followed by informal discussion and networking that builds connections among the large community of Cornell students and scholars with an interest in avian biology. All students with an interest in this subject area are welcome and deep knowledge of ornithology is not expected or required. Instructor permission is not required for enrollment.

Full details for BIOEE 7800 - Graduate Seminar in Ornithology

Fall.
BIOEE9990 Ph.D. Dissertation Research
Dissertation research conducted by a Ph.D. student in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology with advice and consultation of a major professor who is a member of the field.

Full details for BIOEE 9990 - Ph.D. Dissertation Research

Fall, Spring.
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