This course will introduce and explore basic concepts and theories of cell biology with an emphasis on its application in understanding human health. Topics include an introduction to cell theory, the chemical composition of cells, cellular functions and cell signaling, reproduction, and genetics. Each of these topics will be explored through course readings, video lectures, and demonstrations, discussions, and a variety of experiential activities, including a course project. Students will demonstrate their mastery of cell biology concepts through quizzes and a cumulative final exam. Students will also have the opportunity to apply the concepts learned in this course to evaluate a human disease.
Our required text is Campbell Biology, and you will be accessing it through the MyLab/Mastering platform.
The MyLab/Mastering platform contains full access to eText, assignments and study aides. It is critical AND required. Students can purchase from the publisher directly OR from the bookstore. There are two options for purchasing, select ONE.
OPTION #1: UNE Bookstore – eText only, 18-Month subscription.
OPTION #2: Purchase through MasteringBiology link in BrightSpace course with the option of selecting 18-Months OR 18-Weeks and purchasing looseleaf.
This course permits the use of a dry-erase whiteboard for scratch work during one or more of your proctored exams. No scratch paper is permitted.
*Note: There is a discount if you order both the webcam and the whiteboard together. Choose “Whiteboard and Webcam Combo.”
You must show your proctor that your whiteboard is clear at the beginning of your testing session, and you must erase your whiteboard in front of the proctor before disconnecting from your session. If you do not do this, your exam will not be credited.
In lecture courses, students should be able to:
In lab courses, students should be able to:
On the course start date, students will have access to orientation materials. These must be completed to be able to gain access to the first module in the course. Students must complete the first module to gain access to the next one. We recommend that students spend about 15 hours per week to complete a course in 16 weeks. When trying to complete the course in less than 16 weeks, we typically see students do this successfully within 12-14 weeks. Instructors will be timely in grading and feedback, but it will not be instant.
Please note that there are three “departmental blocks” built into the Cell Biology course. These blocks are at the end of modules 3, 7 and 10. In each of these modules, you will need to submit the application activity and wait for grading and feedback before progressing to the next module. Please plan accordingly.
There will be a total of six application activities in the course. The intent of the Application Activities is to serve as learning activities that will support your recall, application, and mastery of core cell biology concepts. You are required to research using additional reliable and credible sources (i.e., UNE Library, PubMed, Google Scholar, etc.) to support and supplement the required readings and content in the classroom. Responses to Application Activity questions/scenarios should thoroughly address the questions(s) being asked. These activities count toward 10% of the final grade in the course.
There will be a total of five discussion activities in the course. The first discussion board is an ungraded introductory discussion. The other four discussion assignments are graded, and they are designed to encourage students to reflect on course readings and activities and to collaborate with their peers in the course. Each discussion assignment is worth 10 points, and these activities count toward 10% of the final grade in the course.
Discussion questions cover interesting current events or materials that contribute to a deeper understanding of core concepts and allow you to interact with your classmates. Most of the discussion questions are designed to accompany chapters (see specific discussion questions for more information). Each question will require you to conduct internet research, read additional materials (a short journal or magazine article), visit a specific webpage, or view a short video. Then you will write a response following the guidelines in the discussion. Paraphrased information from sources used to support your writings must be cited per APA requirements. APA information is linked in the Getting Started area of the classroom.
To earn full credit, you will need to post a response and respond to the original posts of at least two other students. For special cases where one or two students are accelerating faster through the course, the instructor will participate in the discussion so that everyone has the opportunity to interact.
Each module contains homework assignments associated with the textbook. You can access these on your Mastering Biology Assignments Page. Below are the Mastering Biology Student Registration Instructions for Brightspace.
You will have five attempts to complete each Mastering Biology homework assignment. The highest score is kept. Doing well on the homework assignments will prepare you for the midterm and final exams. These activities count towards 10% of the course final grade.
Access to your course content
It is recommended that you always enter your Mastering Biology course through Brightspace.
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There are 14 quizzes in this course. All quizzes are open book and open notes and are not timed. Quizzes are taken once. You will be able to see your answers immediately following submission. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback. Doing well on the quizzes will help prepare you for the midterm and final exams. These activities count towards 10% of the final grade in the course.
The Diseases of the Cell Project is a multi-week/module project that students will begin in Module 6 and conclude in Module 14 of the course. The project consists of 4 deliverables. Students will be given specific prompts and instructions for each deliverable of the project. The project is worth 100 points and counts towards 15% of your final grade in the course.
You must purchase a UNE-compliant External Webcam to take your proctored examinations. Remember to order your webcam at least three weeks prior to scheduling your first proctored exam.
A Midterm Exam Review Study Guide will be available to you in Module 8. The midterm exam can be taken once you have completed all assignments for Modules 1 – 8, including the application activities, deliverables (#1 and #2), discussion boards, homework, and quizzes as well as the Midterm Exam Honor Pledge. It is a timed and proctored exam.
This is a closed-book and closed-notes exam. You may have a single whiteboard to use while taking this exam. You must show your proctor that your whiteboard is clear at the beginning of your testing session, and you must erase your whiteboard in front of the proctor before disconnecting from your session. If you do not do this, your exam will not be credited.
You will not have access to any material saved on your or any other computer. No access to the internet or other communication devices is allowed during this exam. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
The exam consists of 65 multiple-choice questions, and you have up to two hours to complete the exam. You will need to arrange to take your midterm exam with Proctor U. Information on the proctoring process is available below.
For all exams, you must review the Proctored Examinations information and requirements in the Policies section of this syllabus.
A Final Exam Review Study Guide will be available to you in Module 16. The final exam cannot be taken until you have completed all the assignments for the course, including the homework, quizzes, discussion boards, deliverables, and the Diseases of the Cell Project, as well as the Final Exam Honor Pledge. The final will be a timed-proctored exam that covers modules 9 – 15.
This is a closed-book and closed-notes exam. You may have a single whiteboard to use while taking this exam. You must show your proctor that your whiteboard is clear at the beginning of your testing session, and you must erase your whiteboard in front of the proctor before disconnecting from your session. If you do not do this, your exam will not be credited.
You will not have access to any material saved on your or any other computer. No access to the internet or other communication devices is allowed during this exam. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
The final exam consists of 65 multiple-choice questions, and you can have up to two hours to complete the exam. You will need to arrange to take your final exam with Proctor U. Information on the proctoring process is available below.
For all exams, you must review the Proctored Examinations information and requirements in the Policies section of this syllabus.
There is a highly recommended Practice Proctored Exam available to all students. The first attempt is free. This exam does not cover course material and is not included in your overall course grade. It prepares test takers for what the testing environment will be like, what forms of identification are needed, and provides a chance to test your external webcam with a live proctor. This is a great way to become familiar with and prepare for your exam!
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Assignment Category | Assignment Weight |
Application Activities | 10% |
Discussions | 10% |
Homeworks | 10% |
Quizzes | 10% |
Diseases of the Cell Project | 15% |
Midterm Exam | 20% |
Final Exam | 25% |
Total | 100% |
Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Module |
Topic |
Text/Chapter |
Assignments |
1 |
Study of Life & Chemical Basis of Life |
1.1 – 1.7 and 2 |
|
2 |
Organic Molecules |
3 |
|
3 |
Tour of the Cell |
4 |
|
4 |
Cells in the Human Body |
20.1 – 20.12 |
|
5 |
The Cell Membrane & Transport |
5.1 – 5.9 |
|
6 |
Homeostasis & Cell Signaling |
20.13 – 20.15 & 11.15 – 11.17 Multimedia videos embedded in the Module |
|
7 |
The Working Cell |
5.10 – 5.16 |
|
8 |
Midterm |
Midterm Exam Review Guide |
|
9 |
Cellular Respiration |
6 |
|
10 |
Cell Cycle & Cell Division |
8.1 – 8.10 |
|
11 |
Sexual Reproduction |
8.11 – 8.23 |
|
12 |
Patterns of Inheritance |
9 |
|
13 |
Molecular Biology of the Gene |
10 |
|
14 |
Gene Expression |
11 |
|
15 |
Biotechnology |
12 |
|
16 |
Final Exam |
Final Exam Study Guide |
|
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you - they will monitor course progression and provide assistance or guidance when needed. Please don’t hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, course materials, billing, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Science Prerequisites page
Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.
The Student Lounge Discussion Board is a designated support forum in which students may engage with each other and grapple with course content. Feel free to post questions, seek clarification, and support each other, but be mindful of UNE's Academic Integrity Policy.
Your instructor will monitor this forum. However, if you are seeking specific and timely answers to questions about course content or your personal grades, please contact your instructor via course messages. For questions about course materials, program policy, and how to navigate and proceed through the course, please contact your Student Service Advisor through the Student Portal.
The University of New England has contracted with ProctorU to provide students with the most convenient online exam proctoring system. This system provides a simple, no cost to the student, secure, online proctor for exams and allows the student to take all the exams at home and on their own schedule.
Upon enrollment into the course, each student will register with ProctorU and establish a login name and password. This will give the student access to all of ProctorU's services. When ready, students will schedule each of their proctored exams with ProctorU. Exams must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid fees. Prior to taking their exams, students must be sure that they have downloaded any required additional software. They must also be sure their testing site's connection meets the minimum requirements by using ProctorU's "Test It Out" utility.
Upon the exam day and hour, students will log in to ProctorU and click on "exams". After following the procedures outlined at ProctorU's website, the student will log in to Brightspace and locate their correct exam. The proctor will then allow student access to that exam.
Students must use ProctorU and must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
Students will receive two attempts at all proctored examinations. The higher score of the two attempts will be calculated into the final grade. Students can schedule their second attempt by following the same ProctorU instructions as with the original exam.
All students are encouraged to utilize a second attempt on their exams in order to improve their overall performance in the course.
Discussion topics cover events or materials related to this course that contribute to a deeper understanding of key concepts and allow you to interact with your classmates and the instructor. Each discussion topic may require you to conduct internet research, read additional materials, visit a specific webpage, AND/OR view a short video before writing a response following the specific guidelines in the discussion topic prompt.
To earn full credit you will need to post a response to the discussion topic, respond to the original posts of other students, and then contribute meaningfully to an ongoing discussion. You may need to post your initial response before you will see any posts from your classmates. For special cases where one or two students are accelerating faster through the course, the instructor will participate in the discussion so that everyone has the opportunity to interact.
Please see Brightspace for a full description, along with specific guidelines, for each discussion topic. Discussion board assignments should be completed, along with all other assignments in the course, in the order that they appear. Due to the course design, you may be unable to take a proctored exam if you do not complete all assignments that appear prior to that exam.
Please also refer to the Grading Policy/Grade Breakdown section of the syllabus to learn the percentage of your grade that each discussion is worth.
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements
A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus. This is, however a self-paced course and you can complete the course in less time.
Please visit the enrollment page to review the withdrawal and refund policies.
Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. View the incomplete grade policy..
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.
To view your unofficial UNE student transcript:
To request your official UNE student transcript:
Please review your Unofficial Transcript prior to requesting an Official Transcript.
After you click Submit Request, your official transcript will be put into the queue to be printed in the Registrar's Office.
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.
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An external webcam is required for proctored exams. If you do not have one, you may order one here: UNE-compliant External Webcam and whiteboard.