Welcome! You have arrived at this page either from the COS Online Schedule page, or a direct link from somewhere else. Bio 91 is an online, non-transferable, non-degree applicable, 1 unit pre-requisite course for the major level biology courses (Principles, Zoology, Botany), Physiology, and Microbiology at the College of the Siskiyous. This webpage will serve as the portal into the Fall 2010 section that starts on Nov 1. The site will probably open early, so check back here in mid-October.

SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: "I already have some science classes, can I get the Bio 91 prerequisite waived?"
Answer: The quick answer is yes, depending on what classes you had, and when you had them, we will waive Bio 91. HOWEVER, we encourage everyone to take the course anyway. The reason is pretty simple. Students who think they already know all the basics Bio 91 will cover fall into two groups. The first group consists of those who are right - they DO know everything they need to know. When this group takes the course they finish in just a couple of hours with the knowledge that they indeed were already well prepared. Generally, these students like that they had a review and are happy they took the course. The second group consists of those who - after completing the course - tell us something like "I thought I was ready, but I was weak in Chemistry" or "I never really understood Membrane Transport. If that's going to be essential for understanding the concepts (it is) then I'm really glad I took the course." or..... So, the bottom line is - if you take the course and it turns out that you didn't really need to, all it cost you was a couple of hours (see the question below about the time commitments) and you find out that you're indeed prepared. And if it takes more time than a couple of hours that's an indication that you needed the review!

Question: "What will my time commitments be, both how much and when?"
Answer:...... because the section start times are somewhat artificial, essentially you can start working on the course from the moment you're enrolled, even if your section hasn't 'officially' started. The only constraint is that you finish by the date your section ends. As for how much time, that depends on how much knowledge you come in with (see the question above). Some, who are already pretty prepared, complete it in a couple of hours. Others will take several days.

Question: "Will this count as a GE class, or even as a survey of biology, if that's what I'm interested in?"
Answer: This is not in any way, any where, a general education class. It will not count anywhere as a general education class. The scope is limited to 1) A brief overview of basic biological concepts, 2) an introduction to basic chemistry, and 3) an introduction to the cell. These sections are designed to give you a leg up when you start your core class (Micro, Phys, Majors Bio, Zool, Bot).

Question: "What kind of work is required for this course?"
Answer: There are no assignments to be turned in, no papers to write, no mandatory discussion groups, no extra reading assignments. There are three sections (Basic Science, Basic Chemistry, Basic Cell) and each section is organized exactly the same. For each section there is a set of objectives, reading assignments from the text, online material, and some practice quizzes. When you think you are ready, you take an exit quiz (all multiple choice questions). When you pass, you move on to the next section. If you don't pass the first attempt at the exit quiz, you'll get more attempts. When you've passed the Cell Exit Quiz you are DONE with the course. No final exam. There's more detailed information about how this works once you get into the course.

BIO 91 is NOT located on COS' ETUDES site. So, if you're used to finding your online course there you'll be out of luck. You MUST use the 'Door to the Course' below to gain entry into the course.

If you need to contact me about the course please do so through the bio91 email address below.

Read some statements from the first group of students to finish the class.

The course is self-paced and we expect students to be able to complete the course in a few weeks.

Read about textbooks for this course.

Door to the Course has instructions to the formally enrolled student.