Marlene:
At our college, the Micro. course is open to majors and non-majors,
though the class is almost always 2/3 pre-nursing/nursing/dental
technology majors
and 1/3 Biology majors. We only have the one Microbiology course; I run
it and teach all of the daytime classes. We require one semester of
college-level
chemistry and one year (a.k.a. two semesters) of either General Biology
(majors only) or Anatomy & Physiology. These requirements were set up
before I arrived 4 years ago, but I think they are alright. Before each
class, I go over the class list, pull transcripts and find those who
don't have the prerequisites. I also emphesize the danger of working with
microbes in the lab; even though we don't use highly virulent pathogens,
we do use some mildly virulent pathogens.
Hope this helps.
Jeff Lee
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Dr. Jeffrey N. Lee, Biology Dept. E-mail:lee at sol.essex.edu
Essex County College Phone: (201)-877-3535
Newark, NJ 07102
"And all this science, I don't understand.
It's just my job, five days a week,"
- E. John and B. Taupin -
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On Thu, 7 Nov 1996, Marlene DeMers wrote:
> Hi,
> I recently sent a question concerning suggestions for teaching
> non-majors Microbiology to these newgroups. But, I really
> would appreciate information from any of you on the following
> question.
>> What prerequisites should be required or are being required
> for Microbiology courses that are for pre nursing, food and
> nutrition, pre physcian assistants, physical therapist,and
> community health majors?
> Should they be required to take general and organic chemistry
> with labs as well as an introductory Biology class?
> In other words should we allow Freshmen into this course that
> includes a laboratory, expecting them to handle possible
> disease causing organisms, and work with chemicals, fluids,
> pipettes etc. without some previous exposure and background?
> Could some one tell me what prerequisites you require, if any,
> in a similar course (for non-majors) that you might teach or
> be familiar with?
> Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.
> Sincerely,
> Marlene
>>
