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College Course Content Summary
Course Prefix and Number -- Course Title
BIO 205: General Microbiology (4 cr.)
VCCS Course Description
Examines morphology, genetics, physiology, ecology, and control of microorganisms.
Emphasizes application of microbiological techniques to selected fields. Prerequisites one year
of college biology and one year of college chemistry or divisional approval. Lecture 3 hours.
Recitation and laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
General Course Purpose
Microbiology is a rigorous course designed for Biology majors or nursing majors who want to
expand their knowledge of the microscopic world, in general, or for use in professional or
graduate school. The major themes, as stated below are general principles for growth, evolution
and classification, description of microbiological life forms, uses of microorganisms, and
microorganisms in disease. Students will be expected to develop an understanding of these
topics, and be able to use them in class, in the laboratory, and in exams.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
ENG 111, BIO 102 and CHM 112 or permission of instructor
Course Outcomes
Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:
1. discuss the roles played by Leuwenhoek, Spallanzani, Semmelweis, and Joseph Lister in
the development of the science of microbiology.
2. describe the basic cellular structures and their functions for a typical prokaryotic cell.
3. describe the diverse functioning of unique prokaryotic metabolic systems.
4. discuss the importance of nutrients, temperature, oxygen, osmotic potential, and pH on
bacterial growth.
5. outline basic methods for killing microbes, including heat, irradiation, and filtration.
6. describe the major disinfectants and antibiotics, including how each chemical functions to
kill or inhibit bacteria.
7. discuss various modes of viral reproduction.
8. outline the major groups of DNA and RNA viruses that infect humans.
9. discuss the major industrial products produced by microbes, including yeast, steroid
Departmental Approval: Spring 2014
bioconversions, and large-scale productions of alcohol, foods, enzymes, vitamins,
antibiotics, food additives, and chemicals.
10. outline the major components of microbial taxonomy.
11. outline the major taxonomic bacterial groups including sample species in each group.
12. list the mechanisms utilized by bacteria and viruses to function as pathogens.
13. describe the major Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria that cause diseases in
humans, including basic bacterial physiology, methods of transmission, symptoms,
complications, and treatment regimens.
14. outline the major human viral diseases, including viral structure, methods of
transmission, symptoms, complications, and treatment regimens.
15. handle bacterial and viral cultures safely and appropriately, use current methodologies for
collecting, quantifying, and determining the nature of selected representative bacteria and
human parasites.
General Education Outcomes
7.1 generate an empirically evidenced and logical argument
7.2 distinguish a scientific argument from a non-scientific argument
7.3 reason by deduction, induction, and analogy
7.4 distinguish between causal and correlational relationships, and
7.5 recognize methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge
Major Topics to be Included
1. An overview of microbiology including a historical perspective of microbiology
2. Organization and structure of prokaryotes
3. Overview of microbial energetic and biosynthetic processes.
4. Bacterial replication, recombination, DNA transfer in prokaryotes
5. Microbes and biotechnology
6. Microbial growth and factors affecting microbial growth
7. Viruses
8. Industrial uses of microbiology; cells, bioconversions, cellular products
9. A survey of the major prokaryotic groups
10. Major human diseases of microbial origin
Laboratory:
1. aseptic technique
2. common staining procedures
3. pure culture isolation
4. culture methods and media preparation
5. bacterial and fungal isolation methodology
6. antibiotic sensitivity testing
7. various diagnostic and biochemical methods (test media)
8. common parasites and parasitic diseases
9. isolation and characterization of staphylococci, baccilus, lactobacilli, streptococci and
other microbes.
Departmental Approval: Spring 2014