Biological & Environmental Sciences
21 courses · Antelope Valley College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Winter 2027 · Spring 2027
BIOL 100 Elementary Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 90 contact hours total
This course covers the basic structure and function of the human body. Knowledge obtained may be used by students entering either an allied health science or non-transfer level field.
BIOL 102 Human Biology
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 108 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL 101 or placement by multiple measures.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course explores the principles of biology using the human species as its primary tool. It is an introductory level, transfer course designed for non-science majors, students who want to further their professional development, or to enrich their knowledge of biology in general and their bodies in particular. Topics discussed include the scientific method, cell biology, genetics, evolution, aging, major concepts of structure, function and pathology of most organ systems, as well as how humans interact with their internal and external environment.
BIOL 103 Introduction to Botany
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 108 contact hours total
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This is an introduction course in the study of plants. This course deals with the structure of plants, how plants grow and function and types of plants. Plant ecology and geography will also be discussed.
BIOL 104 Environmental Biology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101) A general education biology course dealing with current environmental issues.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Topics include environmental sustainability, ecological principles, human population impact, energy, climate change, species extinction, pollution and toxic wastes.
BIOL 104H Environmental Biology Honors
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- ENGL 101.
This honors course, intended for students in the Honors Transfer Program, is a general education biology course dealing with current environmental issues. Topics include environmental sustainability, ecological principles, human population impact, energy, climate change, species extinction, pollution and toxic wastes. The honors course provides more content and requires greater intensity and depth of study than the non-honors class. (UC, CSU, AVC) Note: Students may take either BIOL 104 Environmental Biology or BIOL 104H Environmental Biology Honors. Duplicate credit will not be awarded.
BIOL 110 General Molecular Cell Biology
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 72 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 126 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of Intermediate Algebra or higher or placement by multiple measures and completion of or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 110 or CHEM 110H.
- Advisory
- Completion of a general biology course is recommended and eligibility for ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H or placement by multiple measures.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- BIOL 190
A comprehensive and in-depth introduction for all biology majors (as well as physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, and math majors who will concern themselves with biology) to the unifying principles of modern cellular biology, molecular biology and biochemistry. Topics include the structure of the atom, quantum mechanics, the nature of the chemical bond, general principles of thermodynamics and equilibrium, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure, lipid chemistry and membrane biology, protein structure and function, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and their role in protein synthesis, principles of classical and molecular genetics, the control of gene expression, cell signaling systems, molecular embryology, evolutionary developmental biology, and biotechnology. Lab work includes investigations with live bacteria, protists, flowering plants and fruit flies as model organisms, and includes experiments in photosynthesis, enzymology, gel electrophoresis, genetics and biotechnology. This course stresses evolutionary mechanisms.
BIOL 120 General Organismal, Ecological and Evolutionary Biology
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 72 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 126 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of Intermediate Algebra or higher or placement by multiple measures.
- Advisory
- Completion of a general biology course and/or BIOL 110.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- BIOL 140
A comprehensive, in-depth course designed for biology majors to complement the cell-molecular perspective presented in BIOL 110. A survey of unicellular and multicellular organisms, emphasizing morphology, systematics, evolution, physiology, heredity, development, behavior and ecology. Laboratories consist of dissection and analysis of representative taxa and student projects. Data analysis and preparation of scientific reports are taught and applied to individual research projects.
BIOL 199 Work Experience Education
- Units
- 1-8
- Hours
- 432 lab hours
- Transfers to
- CSU
Students must also attend a scheduled orientation or meet individually with the supervising instructor for an individual orientation. Work Experience Education is supervised employment designed to provide students a realistic learning experience through work. The ultimate goal is to teach students skills and attitudes that will equip them to function and adapt as an employee in a variety of situations and jobs. Work Experience Education is supervised employment extending classroom-based occupational learning in an on-the-job learning situation related to the students' educational major or occupational goal. Credit may be accrued at the rate of one to eight units per semester.
BIOL 201 General Human Anatomy
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 108 lab hours, 144 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of BIOL 100 or 101 or 102 or 110 or 120.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- BIOL 110B
Introduction to the structure and function of the human body. Included are lectures and demonstrations using models, isolated specimens and multimedia images of human anatomy. Laboratory study includes demonstrations and dissections of a cat and other animal and human material, including the cadaver. Completion of this class requires full participation and use of all lab materials. NOTE: This course is taken by students who wish to enter the Associate Degree Nursing Program, students who plan to combine their education in various healthcare fields, and students who plan to transfer to four-year institutions to major in biology.
BIOL 202 General Human Physiology
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 108 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of BIOL 201 and CHEM 101.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- BIOL 120B
An analysis of basic processes of the human body, emphasizing the coordinated physical and chemical mechanisms of cell biology, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, skeletal, integumentary, immune, renal, endocrine and reproductive systems. Includes work with computerized instrumentation and living animals. Completion of this class requires full participation and use of all laboratory materials. NOTE: This course is necessary for students entering many healthcare professions including the Associate Degree Nursing Program. It is also applicable for transfer students in the biological sciences.
BIOL 203A General Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 108 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of BIOL C1001 and BIOL C1001L or BIOL 102 or BIOL 110.
- Transfers to
- CSU
Completion of Chem 101 is required. An analysis of basic processes of the human body, emphasizing the coordinated physical and chemical mechanisms of cell biology and neuromuscular. Includes work with computerized experiments. Completion of this course requires full participation and use of all materials. NOTE: This course is necessary for students entering many healthcare professions including the Associate Degree Nursing Program. It is also applicable for transfer students in biological sciences
BIOL 203B General Human Anatomy and Physiology II
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 108 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of BIOL 203A.
- Transfers to
- CSU
Continues the study of the structure and function of the human body including the endocrine, sensory, circulatory, immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and male and female reproductive systems. Includes work with computerized experiments. Completion of this course requires full participation and use of all materials. NOTE: This course is necessary for students entering many healthcare professions including the Associate Degree Nursing Program. It is also applicable for transfer students in biological sciences
BIOL 204 General Microbiology
- Units
- 5
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 108 lab hours, 162 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of BIOL 101 or 110 or 120, and CHEM 101 or CHEM 110 or CHEM 110H.
- Advisory
- Completion of BIOL 201, BIOL 202, and CHEM 102.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course is designed to present an overview of the biology of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and helminths. Information is directed towards students in preprofessional programs for nursing, dental hygiene, surgical technology, physicians assistant, food science, environmental monitoring, animal and crop sciences as well as biological science majors. Wherever possible, new development in Biotechnology, Virology and Immunology are discussed to provide students with current knowledge in this important field of science. The laboratory introduces a broad spectrum of microorganisms and the concepts and techniques required to identify and classify unknown bacteria.
BIOL 205 Introduction to Biotechnology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 90 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of BIOL 110 or higher, and CHEM 101 or higher.
- Advisory
- Completion of BIOL 204.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
The course will introduce the student to theoretical and applied concepts of Biotechnology- the use of living organisms or their products to enhance our lives and our environment. The content will cover the concepts of DNA structure, gene expression and protein synthesis. The laboratory techniques used in the Biotechnology industry will be learned and practiced by the students, including keeping a detailed lab notebook, learning and using calculations for solution preparation, preparing and analyzing DNA and protein samples by enzyme digest and gel electrophoresis, amplifying DNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction, and isolation of protein and DNA with separation techniques. Applications of these techniques in the Agricultural, Medical, Pharmaceutical and Forensic fields will be discussed.
BIOL 206 Introduction to Bioinformatics
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 90 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- BIOL 110 Project-based course which will analyze complex biological data including, but not limited to, nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences.
- Transfers to
- CSU
The course introduces students to the tools such as Multiple Sequence Alignments (MSA) and Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) used for computational exercises relevant to current biotechnologies and computational biology. Students will further learn to navigate through bioinformatic databases such as GenBank, EMBL, Swiss-Prot, OMIM, KEGG amongst others to extract sequences, analyze sequences, calculate statistical significance through E-scores, and demonstrate evolutionary relationships of not just nucleotide sequences, but also amino acid sequences, through phylogenetic tree diagrams.
BIOL 304 A Survey of Emerging and Remerging Infectious Diseases
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101).
This is an upper division General Education course, covering a survey of selected emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, addressing the Biological, Historical, Sociological, Geographical, and Epidemiological factors that have had an impact on the human populations worldwide throughout history. The content will cover the basic concepts of infectious disease agents (Viruses, Prions, Bacteria, Protozoa, and Helminths), human biology, and the Public Health measures used to identify, treat, and prevent these diseases. Also covered are the various human factors that have influenced the trends of these diseases, including historical events, Geopolitics, and cultural and Sociological changes affecting human populations.
BIOL 990 Research Practicum
- Units
- 0
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 72 contact hours total
An immersive research practicum course that involves the supervised practical application of previously studied theories and concepts in biology and biotechnology. Under supervision of biology faculty mentors, students will select a research project, write a literature review and research proposal, conduct preliminary experiments, and write and present (oral or poster) research report. Research methods and experimental design will be emphasized, including the location and study of articles from the professional literature. The undergraduate research projects will help students develop valuable research skills, and it will provide students with an opportunity to apply scientific knowledge in the context of "real world" problems. Participation will also open up opportunities for students to take part in analyzing data and conducting field research.
BIOL 991 Methods in Biological Sciences
- Units
- 0
- Hours
- 54 lab hours, 54 contact hours total
Methods in Biological Sciences provides students with a comprehensive introduction to a wide range of investigative approaches applicable across all levels of biological systems from molecules to ecosystems. Specific tools, equipment, and techniques will vary depending on the expertise of the instructing faculty, offering diverse perspectives and methodologies. Coursework may involve both laboratory-based and field-based investigations, reflecting the breadth of experimental contexts in the biological sciences. The skills gained could be used to find entry level position as lab or field technician.
BIOL 992 Communication and Storytelling in Biology
- Units
- 0
- Hours
- 18 lecture hours, 13.5 lab hours, 31.5 contact hours total
This course is designed to introduce students to the ways that biologists communicate, both with each other and with the broader public. The focus will be threefold: 1) describing data, 2) describing process & product, and 3) presenting biology. The aim is to foster confidence in a scientific style of communication. Conciseness, clarity, and exactness are the hallmarks of successful written and oral presentation in science. By completing Communication and Storytelling in Biology students will develop these traits in their written and oral expression.
BIOL C1001 Introduction to Biology
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Corequisite
- Concurrent enrollment in BIOL C1001L.
This lecture course provides the non-biology major with an introduction to living things and their environment. Students develop important critical thinking skills as they learn about the process of science, the building blocks of life, the role and regulation of DNA, how populations change over time, the movement of energy within and between life forms, and how species interact with each other and their surroundings. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply an understanding of biological concepts to current issues and their impacts on society. Formerly BIOL 101 (UC, CSU, AVC) NOTE: Biology majors should take BIOL 110 and BIOL 120 instead of this course.
BIOL C1001L Introduction to Biology Lab
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 54 lab hours, 54 contact hours total
- Prerequisite
- Completion of or concurrent enrollment in BIOL C1001.
This laboratory course provides the hands-on application of concepts learned in the Introduction to Biology lecture (BIOL C1001) for the non-biology major. Students use experimentation and investigation to develop important critical thinking skills. Students engage in the process of science to explore the building blocks of life, the role and regulation of DNA, how populations change over time, the movement of energy within and between life forms, and how species interact with each other and their surroundings. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with some of the equipment and techniques used by biologists. Formerly BIOL 101L (UC, CSU, AVC) NOTE: Biology majors should take BIOL 110 and BIOL 120 instead of this course.