These tracks within the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology majors serve to guide students in their choice of courses such that they are well prepared for further study or careers in different areas within ecology and evolutionary biology. The tracks are also intended to make students aware of relevant courses that may be available in other departments. No additional designation will appear on the diploma and students do not have to complete a track if they choose to design their own individualized course of study.
Conservation Biology / Environmental Biology Track
This track is appropriate for students interested in gaining in-depth training in the areas of Conservation Biology and Environmental Biology. For such students, useful courses include::
EEB lecture courses
- EBIO 323 - Conservation Biology
- EBIO 325 - Ecology [required of all EEB majors]
- EBIO 326 - Insect Biology
- EBIO 340 - Global Biogeochemical Cycles
- EBIO 372 – Coral Reef Ecosystems
EEB lab courses
- EBIO 204 - Environmental Sustainability (Community Agriculture)
- EBIO 237 - Field Bird Biology Lab
- EBIO 316 - Field Ecology Lab
- EBIO 319 - Tropical Field Biology
- EBIO 327 - Biological Diversity Lab
- EBIO 330 - Insect Biology Lab
Non-EEB courses
- CEVE 306 - Global Environmental Law
- CEVE 307 - Energy and the Environment
- ENGL 368 - Literature and the Environment
- ENST 312 - Environmental Battles in the 21st Century: Houston as Microcosm
- ENST 313 - Sustainable Design
- ENST 314 - Environmental Health
- ESCI 450 - Remote Sensing
- HIST 425 - US Conservation Movement
- SOCI 367 - Environmental Sociology
Evolutionary Biology Track
Students considering graduate work in evolutionary biology will typically need a full year of physics and a full year of chemistry, and sometimes organic chemistry or biochemistry. Statistics and computer skills are desirable. Other useful courses include:
EEB lecture courses:
- EBIO 321 - Animal Behavior
- EBIO 326 - Insect Biology
- EBIO 328 - Evolution of Genes and Genomes
- EBIO 331 – Biology of Infectious diseases
- EBIO 333 - Evolutionary Bioinformatics
- EBIO 334 - Evolution [required of all EEB majors]
- EBIO 336 - Plant Diversity
EEB labs:
- EBIO 317 - Lab Module in Behavior
- EBIO 327 - Biological Diversity Lab
- EBIO 330 - Insect Biology Lab
- EBIO 337 - Field Biology Bird Lab
Other lecture courses:
- BIOC 344 - Molecular Biology and Genetics
- COMP 571 - Bioinformatics: Sequence Analysis
- ECON 340 - Introduction to Game Theory
- ANTH 203 - Human Antiquity: An Introduction to Physical Anthropology and Prehistory
Human Biology Track
This track is targeted towards students with an interest in human biology, including but not limited to those with an interest in the health professions (e.g. medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing).
EEB lecture courses:
- EBIO 328 - Evolution of Genes and Genomes
- EBIO 329 - Animal Biology and Physiology
- EBIO 331- Biology of Infectious Diseases
- EBIO 333 - Evolutionary bioinformatics
EEB labs:
- EBIO 333L - Bioinformatics Lab
- EBIO 328L - Genomics Lab
- EBIO 306 - Independent Research (conducted at Texas Medical Center)
Non-EEB courses:
- BIOC 344 - Molecular Biology and Genetics
- BIOC 372 - Immunology
- BIOE 260 - Introduction To Global Health Issues
- BIOE 320 - Systems Physiology Lab Module
- BIOE 362 - Bioengineering For Global Health Environment
Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics Track
The Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics (EGG) Track is designed to train students to apply a genomic toolkit of concepts, skills and techniques, including computational analyses and molecular lab techniques, with an emphasis on evolutionary biology. In addition to the pattern-oriented and applied perspectives adopted in many bioinformatics programs, students who pursue the EGG Track will understand the processes leading to the evolution of genomic sequences (e.g. the relative roles of selection and genetic drift), and their relationship to important scientific problems in evolutionary biology.
The track consists of a set of core courses, plus a list of suggested courses from which students can choose.
Core EGG EEB lecture courses:
- EBIO 328 - Evolution of genes and genomes
- EBIO 333 - Evolutionary bioinformatics
- EBIO 334 - Evolution [required of all EEB majors]
Quantitative/Computational focus:
This set of courses is meant as a course selection guide for students who are interested primarily in the applications of computational biology in evolutionary research.
- BIOC 533 Bioinformatics & computational biology
- BIOE 391 - Numerical methods
- COMP 100 - Introduction to computing and information systems
- COMP 571 - Bioinformatics: Sequence analysis
- COMP 572 - Bioinformatics: Network analysis
- MATH 111/112 - Fundamental theorem calculus/calculus and its applications
- MATH 212 - Multivariable calculus
- STAT 100 - Data, models, and reality
- STAT 423 - Probability in bioinformatics and genetics
- STAT 453 - Biostatistics
- STAT 670 - Statistical genetics
Molecular Genetics focus:
This set of courses is meant as a guide for students who are interested primarily in the molecular genetic and genomic techniques conducted in evolutionary research laboratories.
- BIOC 344 -Molecular biology and genetics (required)
- BIOC 301 - Biochemistry
- BIOC 302 - Biochemistry
- BIOC 443 - Development
- STAT 675 - Gene expression and proteomics
Labs:
Students are advised to take at least one intro lab course covering organisms and/or biological diversity (EBIO), one introductory molecular biology lab (BIOC), and one introductory lab in computational biology, computer science, statistics or applied mathematics (EBIO, COMP, STA, MATH, CAAM). EBIO 333L is strongly recommended as an advanced lab.
EEB lab courses:
- One lab that covers organismal biology and/or diversity (EBIO 316, EBIO 317, EBIO 319, EBIO 327, EBIO 337)
- EBIO 333L Evolutionary Bioinformatics Lab.
Non-EEB lab courses in Biology:
We suggest Lab Modules in Molecular Biology I and II or Lab in Cell and Developmental Biology
- BIOC 311 and 312 - Advanced experimental biosciences and experimental molecular biology
- BIOC 313 - Advanced Molecular Biology
- BIOC 318 - Laboratory studies in applied microbiology
Non-EEB lab courses in computation, mathematics and statistics:
- COMP 110 - Computation in science and engineering
- CAAM 210 - Introduction to engineering computation (equivalent to COMP110)