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Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University

BIOL 2341: Introduction to Genetics

In this introduction to a fascinating and controversial area of contemporary science, students are presented with basic terms, principles, and research methods used in the study of genetics. Students learn about the transmission, distribution, arrangement, and alteration of genetic information and how it functions and is maintained in populations.

Learning outcomes

  • Describe the basic Mendelian principles of heredity and use those principles to analyze genetic data.
  • Recognize the common extensions to Mendelian inheritance, including multiple alleles, lethal alleles, pleiotropy, epistasis, and sex-linkage.
  • Describe the phenomenon of recombination in the context of meiosis and use recombination frequencies to construct genetic linkage maps.
  • Write a concise well-ordered argument in paragraph form, drawing upon sound scientific evidence.

Course topics

  • Unit 1: Basic Principles of Heredity
  • Unit 2: Genes and Biochemical Pathways
  • Unit 3: Linkage, Generic Recombination, and Mapping

Required text and materials

The following Open Education Resource (OER) textbook, free of charge, is required for this course:

  1. Ramroop Singh, N. (2021). Open Genetics [adapted]. Thompson Rivers University. Retrieved June 30, 2021, https://opengenetics.pressbooks.tru.ca/

Assessments

Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.

To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the final mandatory exam.

Assignment 1: Basic Principles of Heredity Worksheet 15%
Unit 1 Quiz 10%
Assignment 2: Genes and Biochemical Pathways Worksheet 15%
Unit 2 Quiz 10%
Assignment 3: Linkage, Genetic Recombination, and Mapping Worksheet 15%
Unit 3 Quiz 10%
Final Exam (mandatory) 25%
Total 100%

Open Learning Faculty Member Information

An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.

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