Zoology
Science Course | |
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Course Code | ANSC |
Year Opened | 1996 |
Sites Offered | ATN, BRI, HAV, SUN |
Previously Offered | FRS, TOW |
Course Description
From the CTY Summer Catalog:
From microscopic investigation to the basics of veterinary medicine, Zoology covers principles of comparative animal anatomy, physiology, and genetics.
This course begins with an overview of key concepts in zoology as students examine the characteristics of the animal cell and discuss heredity and issues of evolution, including natural selection. They then turn to taxonomy, as they study increasingly complex types of animals. Students gain a solid foundation in comparative anatomy through laboratory dissections of animals ranging from perch to rats. They become familiar with the different systems—digestive, nervous, immune, endocrine, reproductive, and circulatory—in each species they examine.
As students progress through the course, they research and discuss topics including animal behavior, environmental adaptation, husbandry and domestication, and the human impact on animal life—including environmental degradation and species extinction.
In lab work and in the field, students put science into practice: they learn to formulate research questions, gather and analyze data, and interpret results. On field trips to nearby zoos or veterinary facilities, students observe animals and meet with scientists to discuss current medical research and animal care.