Natural Science Online
Summer/Fall 2004

Cracking the Code:
An Introduction to Human Genetics
Course Orientation Page

Sign up for NSC-1409 Section 30
Dr. M. A. Clark (mclark@txwes.edu)
McFadden 211B, Campus Phone 4896

Click here to hear the Genetic Code

What is this course about?

NSC 1409-30 will focus on human genetics and the human genome. This course is meant for non-science majors and meets the general education requirement for a laboratory course in Natural Science.

Drafts of the human genetic manuscript were completed in 2001 and several human chromosomes are now fully sequenced. We will discuss human inheritance patterns and the basic structure and operation of genes. We will browse though the human genome itself and discuss how our expanding knowledge of human genetics has been applied to medicine, historical questions, anthropology and forensic investigations. The course will be given fully on line, except for the midterm and final exams. Midterm and final exams will be given on campus. Students that want personal assistance with course assignments may consult with the instructor via E-mail, WebCT Chat or an office visit. There is no required textbook for this course; all instructional materials are online. Students will need to obtain a small take-home kit of laboratory materials from the Wesleyan Biology Department (McFadden 211 -- ask for Doug Thurman).

Is this Online Course Right for You?

• Do you need the flexibility and convenience of an online course?
• Do you have regular daily access to a computer with an Internet connection, preferably through a high-speed modem or cable?
• Are you and your computer on friendly terms? Are you comfortable with electronic communication, e.g. sending E-mail and posting to bulletin boards? See the Skills Test on the Course Orientation Page.
• Do you have access to a refrigerator with a freezer? (You will need this only for about a week at the beginning of the course.)
• Can you easily read, understand and follow written directions?
• Do you have the self-discipline and time management skills required to complete assignments on schedule?
• Have you taken previous courses that used WebCT? (this is helpful, but not essential)

  If you have answered yes to the questions above, NSC1409-30 may be the course for you!

  Call (Campus 4896) or E-mail Dr. Clark (mclark@txwes.edu) if you would like to have more information about this course.