Rice University

The Department of

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

EEB Major Tracks

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. 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.

 

Answers to questions about majors

1) Are the EEB majors well suited for pre-med students?

Yes. The compact, flexible requirements in the physical sciences, rigorous training in the life sciences, and flexible requirements in upper-level courses make these degrees an excellent choice for pre-med students.

2) What happened to the Group A and Group B designations?

These corresponded closely with 300 or higher level courses in BCB (group A) or EEB (group B). These now appear in the EEB majors as “BIOC 300 or 400 level lecture course” and “EBIO 300 or 400 level lecture course”, respectively.

3) What happened to list of “advanced lab” courses?

The list was essentially all the lab courses at the 300-level or above so the requirement was simplified to be “lab at 300-level or above”.

4) Can I take a lab in BIOC and have it count for the EEB majors?

Yes.

5) Are the tracks required for students?

No, they are optional.

6) Where do I go for advising?

The major advisor for 2010 is Evan Siemann.
The major advisors for 2011 are Amy Dunham and Nik Putnam.
For more information contact Laura Johnson in the EEB Office.

7) Where is the EEB office?

130 Anderson Biology Lab in the section in between the main part of Anderson Biology Lab and Earth Science.

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
  • EBIO 326 - Insect Biology
  • EBIO 336 - Plant Diversity
  • EBIO 340 - Global Biogeochemical Cycles

EEB lab courses

  • EBIO 204 - Environmental Sustainability (Community Agriculture)
  • EBIO 316 - Field Ecology Lab
  • EBIO 327 - Biological Diversity Lab
  • EBIO 330 - Insect Biology Lab
  • EBIO 337 - Field Bird 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
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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 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
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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]

Other Bioscience Courses of interest:

This set of courses has been compiled from a variety of course offerings at Rice to provide the students with the ability to broaden their knowledge in areas the post-genome era is beginning to leave its mark. Students are encouraged to choose courses from the following compilation.

  • BIOC 307 - Genetics: Science and society
  • EBIO 323 - Conservation biology
  • EBIO 321 - Behavior
  • EBIO 325 – Ecology
  • EBIO 326 – Insect biology
  • EBIO 336 – Plant diversity
  • ENST/ESCI 102 - Evolution of the earth
  • KINE 300 - Human anatomy
  • KINE 301 - Human physiology
  • PHIL 313 - Philosophy of science
  • HUMA 260 - Genomics and social transformation
  • STAT 305 - Introduction to statistics for biosciences (required)

 

Suggested for 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

 

Suggested for molecular genetics focus: This set of courses is meant as a course 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 should acquire a basic understanding of organismal- and molecular biology, should be able to approach computational and mathematical problems from an applied perspective, and understand scientific publications where analytical and/or computational developments are presented.

Students need to take at least one intro lab course covering organisms and/or biological diversity (EEB), we require EBIO 333L, one introductory molecular biology lab (BCB), and one introductory lab in computational biology, computer science, statistics or applied mathematics (EBIO, COMP, STA, MATH, CAAM).

EEB lab courses in Biology:

  • Required for EEG - EBIO 333L Evolutionary bioinformatics lab
  • One lab that covers organismal biology and/or diversity (EBIO 316, EBIO 317, EBIO 337).

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)
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Human Biology Track

This track is targeted towards students with an interest in human biology.

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
  • BIOE 260 - Introduction To Global Health Issues  
  • BIOE 320 - Systems Physiology Lab Module
  • BIOE 320 - Systems Physiology Lab Module
  • BIOE 362 - Bioengineering For Global Health Environment
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