1. Biological Systems and Environmental Change
Develop an integrated understanding of biological systems and how their components interact. Students should be able to consider how living systems respond to changing environments and apply biological knowledge to questions of sustainability and resilience.
2. Scientific Method and Ethical Practice
Apply the scientific method accurately and ethically to biological questions. This includes forming testable hypotheses, designing appropriate experiments or studies, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, and reporting findings responsibly.
3. Quantitative and Computational Reasoning
Use quantitative reasoning and critical thinking to investigate and solve problems in biology. Students should be able to work with approaches such as statistics, computational methods, modeling, and simulation and use the resulting evidence to draw well-supported conclusions.
4. Scientific Communication
Communicate biological science clearly and effectively in both written and oral formats. Students should be able to organize scientific information, explain evidence and findings, and present biological ideas in a way that supports understanding and informed discussion.
5. Interdisciplinary Science
Draw on knowledge from other sciences, including chemistry and physics, to better understand biological processes. Students should be able to recognize connections across scientific disciplines and use those connections to communicate and collaborate on complex biological questions.
6. Science and Society
Understand the relationship between biological science and society and consider how scientific knowledge can inform ethical and societal questions. Students should be able to evaluate biological issues with broader consequences, including biological conservation, environmental change, and climate change.