Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Comparative Vertebrate Studies Lab (Face-to-Face)

BIOL 3455-02

Course: BIOL 3455-02
Credits: 1
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: BIOL
CRN: 12557

Course Description

Lab to accompany BIOL 3450. One three-hour meeting per week. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a biological science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other biology course. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Co-requisite(s): BIOL 3450

Required Texts

Any edition of:
Kardong, K.V. 2019. Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution. Eighth Edition. McGraw, Hill. ISBN: 978-1-259-7009 (bound edition), 978-1-260-398-56-4 (loose-leaf edition)
Kardong, K.V. and E. Zalisko. 2019. Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy: A Laboratory Dissection Guide. Eighth Edition. McGraw, Hill. ISBN: 978-12600093339
Shubin, Neil. 2008. Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion Year History of the Human Body. Pantheon Books, New York. ISBN: 13:978-0-375-42447-2 

Learning Outcomes

The goal of this course is to introduce you to the study of evolution, development, structure, and behavior of vertebrates. Biological processes play key roles in our lives and knowing how organisms are constructed, how they cope with life on Earth, and how they are related to each other is basic to an understanding of life. An integration of topics including anatomical complexity, physiology, development, environmental adaptation and evolutionary history of organisms provides the basis for comprehending vertebrate evolution and diversity.

Course Requirements

Lecture activities and online discussions: In class activities and discussions will take place and you will be able to participate in class or through Canvas for online activities. If you will not be able attend you need to to make arrangements to make these up.

Canvas: Lecture notes, assignments and grades will be available on Canvas. Check for updates! Some course materials are made available on Canvas under the course number in the files section. You will find copies of the syllabus and course announcements at these sites and it is expected that you will log into these sites at least once a week to download and print any required assignments and materials. Course assignments will including project reports will be due on Canvas. You will also be able to track your grade so make sure you check often and verify the grades as they are entered.

Exams: Exams will be done in the testing center. Exams will consist of a mix of multiple-choice questions, short answers, matching, diagrams, definitions, and one or more short essay questions. Exams 1-3 will be worth 100 points each. The final exam will be comprehensive, but there will be an emphasis on material covered since Exam 3. It will be worth 150 points. In addition to the lecture material exams will cover lab material. 

Practical Exams: There will be two practical exams each worth 50 points that will cover material from the lab. These exams will be based on identifications of structures, specimens and other topics covered in the class. There will be overlap between the material presented in the lecture and laboratory and so you can expect questions from either lecture or lab on the exams and practicals.

Quizzes: There will be a quiz given each week. Each quiz will cover material from the labs and lecture and will be given during the lab class.

Assignments: We will be reading and discussing Neil Shubin's Your Inner Fish with online discussions. Check Canvas and make sure you participate weekly to earn your points. 

Research Project: You and up to two other students will propose, carry out, write, and present a research project based on a topic of your choice. Group proposals (introduction, outline of methods, & two annotated citations) are due on Feb. 1 (turned in using Canvas). On Feb. 12 you will discuss your proposal and finalize it after a 10 minute meeting with the instructor. At the end of the semester, your group’s final products for the project will consist of an oral presentation and a written paper. Turned in using Canvas.

Lab Exercises: Each week you will complete a laboratory exercise. You will need to complete diagrams and drawings of the material from each lab (including your dissections) and will be collected at the start of the next lab.

Treatment of live animals: In this course, we will conduct experiments using live animals. These animals are to be treated with respect at all times. In addition, any vertebrate animal used in this course is covered by protocols and permits under the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (http://www.iacuc.org). IACUC has strict requirements for the ethical care and use of animals in research and educational settings. Guidelines for animal care set forth by IACUC will be followed at all times. Failure to comply with IACUC guidelines will result in a failing grade for the research project. Students do not have the authority to make decisions regarding proper animal care and use. All decisions should be made in conjunction with the instructor.

Grading Scale (the exact grades will depend on the point distribution in the class)
 94-100% A   74-76% C
 90-93% A-   70-73% C-
 87-89% B+  67-69% D+
 84-86% B    64-66% D
 80-83% B-   55-63% D-
 77-79% C+  <55% F

Grading Criteria Points
 Exams – 100 points each, 3 exams + 50 point practical 350 
 Comprehensive Final Exam – 150 points 150 
 Quizzes – 10 points each, 5 quizzes 50 
 Project Proposal – 20 points 20
 Project report – 100 points 100
 Presentation – 50 points 50
 Lab Exercises – 10 points each, 10 collected 100
Assignments – 10 points each (online)  90 
 Total Points 910 

One grade will be given for both the lecture and the laboratory.

Course Outline

Tentative Lecture Schedule
Week Topic and Book Chapter 
1   Lecture: Introduction, Systematics, Evolution Chapter 1
     Lecture: Origin of Chordates, Vertebrate Story Chapters 2-3 
2   Lecture:Origin of Chordates, Biological Design, Life History Chapters 4-5
     Lab 1: Introduction to the Scientific Method and Hypothesis testing
3   Lecture: Biological Design, Life History Chapters 4-5
     Lab 2: Protochordates Chapter 2: Hemichordata, Urochordata, Cephalochordata 
4   Lecture: Tissues and Integument Chapter 6 
     Assignment: Torques and Levers
     Lab 3: Agnathans Chapter 3: Lamprey (Petromyzoniformes): Examination and dissection Hagfish (mixini)
5  Lecture: Skeletal System: Skull and Axial skeleton Chapter 7-8
     Lab 4: Vertebrate Integuments Chapter 4: Skin sections, Specializations of integument
6   EXAM #1 In testing center all week
     Lecture: Skeletal System: Appendicular skeleton Chapter 9 
     Lab: Proposal Review
Lecture: Finnish Skeletal System start Muscular Chapter 10
     Lab 5: Skeletal Systems Chapter 5: Tissues: Cartilage, Bone, Skeletons, and Skulls
8   EXAM #2 In testing center all week
     Lecture:Muscular Chapter 10
     Lab Practical Exam
9   Lecture:Respiratory Chapter 11
     Lab 6: Muscular systems and External Anatomy Chapter 6: Shark, Necturus (salamander/newt) and Rat Dissection
10  SPRING BREAK – No Class
11 Lecture: Circulatory Chapter 12
     Lab 7: Circulatory and Respiratory systems Chapter 8: Shark, Necturus (salamander/newt) and Rat dissection, Sheep heart
12  Lecture: Digestive Chapter 13  
     Lab 8: Digestive systems Chapter 7: Shark, Necturus (salamander/newt) and Rat dissection
13  EXAM # 3 In testing center all week
     Lecture: Urogenital Chapter 9
     Lab 9: Urogenital systems Chapter 9: Shark, Necturus (salamander/newt) and Rat  dissection: Sheep kidney
14 Lecture:Nervous and Sensory Chapter 16 and 17
     Lab 10: Nervous systems Chapter 10: Sharks, Necturus (salamander/newt) and Rat dissection, Sheep brain
15  Lecture: Nervous and Sensory Chapter 16 and 17
     Lab Practical Exam
     Final Presentations and Paper Due
16  Final Exam

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All assignments are due at the start of your assigned lab period. All students who will be absent from a specific lab due to an emergency or SUU sponsored activity must make arrangements before you leave! 

Attendance Policy

All students who will be absent from a specific lab due to an emergency or SUU sponsored activity must make arrangements before you leave! 

Strategies for Success: I have high expectations of my students, and I want to see them succeed in understanding and applying the material presented in my class. The following suggestions may help you understand and retain the material more effectively:

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.