Course Syllabus

BIOL 155: Introduction to the Biology of Aging (3): Examination of human aging from a biological perspective. Population demographics, physiological and pathological changes, and healthy lifestyles are discussed. Students who have passed BIOL 409 may not schedule this course.

Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Specifications | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies

Overview

Biology 155 is a 3 credit lecture course designed to give both science and non-science majors a basic understanding of the aging process, with special emphasis on aging as it relates to the human body and health. The first third of the course will discuss important aging terminology, methods of measuring aging, current theories of the aging process, and research models used to study aging. The later two thirds of the course will review aging as related to specific body systems. As such, portions of lessons will review normal anatomy (structure naming) and physiology (body function) of these body systems. In this later section, details of both senescence and age-related disease processes will be discussed.

return to top of page

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will:

return to top of page

Materials

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can

You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service.  The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.


return to top of page

Technical Specifications

Technical Requirements
Operating System Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher
*Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version
Processor 2 GHz or higher
Memory 1 GB of RAM
Hard Drive Space 20 GB free disk space
Browser We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion, and for advice on downloading a supported version, please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows
from Penn State websites.

Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching,
older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses.
Plug-ins Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Additional Software Microsoft Office (2007 or later)
Internet Connection Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM Required
Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers Required
Monitor Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!


return to top of page

Course Requirements and Grading

Your course grade will be based upon your performance on the lesson assignments and two examinations. The lesson assignments will be 1/3 of the final course grade, with the mid-course counting as 1/3 and the final counting as the last 1/3. Examinations will have 40 multiple choice, matching and true/false questions, worth 80% of the exam points, and the remaining 20% of the exam points will be performance on a short essay and term definitions. The mid-course exam will stress material developed in lesson assignments 2-7. The final exam will stress material developed in lesson assignments 9-14, and will not be comprehensive. That said, some broad concepts developed throughout the course, could be found in some questions.

Lessons (average score for 2-7, 9-14): 33.3%
Mid-Course Exam (Lessons 2-7): 33.3%
Final Exam (Lessons 9-14): 33.3%

Grade scale:
A = 93-100%
A- = 90-92%
B+ = 87-89%
B = 83-85%
B- = 80-82%
C+ = 77-79%
C = 70-76%
D = 60-69%
F = below 60%


Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies. If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.

For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
return to top of page

Course Schedule


BIOL 155 is 15 weeks in length for the spring and fall semester offerings and 13 weeks in length for the summer semester offerings. The course covers all the lessons as outlined below for all semester offerings. Check the World Campus online catalog for actual semester dates.

Lesson 1: Getting Started

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 2: Overview of Aging and Life Expectancy

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 3: Theories of Aging

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 4: Aging and Population Demography

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 5: Cancer, Aging, and the Immune System

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 6: Cutaneous Aging

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 7: Aging of the Musculoskeletal System

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 8: Mid-Course Exam

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 9: The Nervous System and Aging

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 10: Special Senses and Aging

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

11: Aging and the Cardiovascular System

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 12: Aging of the Respiratory and Urinary Systems

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 13: Endocrine Changes in the Elderly

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 14: Reproductive System Aging

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Lesson 15: Final Exam

ASSIGNMENTS and ACTIVITIES

Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.

Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success. Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.
return to top of page

Academic Integrity

According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.

Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.

How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, as well as a civil community.

In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.

All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .

return to top of page

University Policies

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.

  1. Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor.  As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
  2. Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
  3. Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
  4. Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
    1. Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
    2. Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
  5. Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
  6. Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
  7. For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
    1. Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
    2. Penn State Values.

The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.

return to top of page

The Pennsylvania State University © 2008