Online Biology

BIO 100 - The Living World

Play video

Overview

Can we find life elsewhere in the Universe? This is one of the big questions at the forefront of scientific endeavor. It compels us to explore our celestial neighborhood, searching for signs of life in the Solar System and Earth-like planets beyond. In The Living World, you will learn about the search for life as you master concepts in general biology, including key aspects of biodiversity, evolution, cellular biology, molecular biology, ecology, and human anatomy and physiology.

The Living World is a personalized learning journey at the cutting edge. Given the advanced nature of this course, please note that some lessons, namely the Into the Cell unit (an interactive, virtual, fly-through), are graphically intensive and require a good internet connection and adequate graphics hardware to perform well. You can check system requirements here. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.

Course prerequisites and requirements

To be successful in this course, we recommend English language fluency and computer literacy. We also encourage you to make sure your laptop or desktop computer meets the technical requirements.

Quick facts

Next start date:

Mar. 18, 2025 (8 weeks)

Credits: 4
Length: On-demand, 8 or 16 weeks
Cost: $25 + $400

What you’ll learn

Evolution: The diversity of life changed and diversified over time by processes of mutation, selection, and isolation
Structure and Function: Basic units of structure establish the function of all living things
Information Flow, Exchange, and Storage: The macro and microscopic features of organisms result from the expression of genetic information in context
Pathways of Energy and Matter: Biological systems are built and maintained by chemical transformation pathways that are governed by the laws of thermodynamics
Biological Systems: Living systems are interconnected and interacting
Nature of Science: Science proceeds by developing and testing explanations for patterns observed in nature

What to expect in class

The Living World is an innovative course with a format different from most online courses. It is built around interactive activities with rich adaptive feedback. These are not videos or simple readings and quizzes. Usually they are problem-solving activities through which you will be introduced to key concepts, and master them, in a question-driven 'learn-by-doing' approach. Often they will be designed around game-like simulations that you can manipulate, or virtual field trips that you can explore. In some ways, these activities can feel like a serious game! That's not an accident: that's in fact how the pursuit of science feels to professional scientists.

All activities and assessments occur within the interactive BioBeyond Learnspace, which includes modules and associated point values.

Exams and grading

752 pts

Biology Bootcamp

1000 pts

World Biodiversity Expedition

1055 pts

Journey to the Galapagos

484 pts

Time Traveler’s Guide to Life on Earth

850 pts

Into the Cell

1483 pts

Searching for Signatures

1422 pts

Blue Planet

954 pts

A Mission Beyond

Transcript

This course appears on your transcript identically to how it appears on the transcript of an enrolled ASU student who has taken the course on one of ASU’s campuses. Course attendance dates will be listed on your transcript. An on-demand course will appear on your transcript in the session you complete the course.

This course includes a lab and satisfies 4 credit hours toward the SCIT: Scientific Thinking in Natural Sciences General Studies requirement at Arizona State University. It is strongly encouraged that you consult with your institution of choice to determine how these credits will be applied to their degree requirements prior to transferring your credit.