Reptile & Amphibian Diversity

Catalog description

The goal of this course is to provide an introduction to the field of herpetology. Students will 1) become familiar with the diversity of form and function exhibited by living reptiles and amphibians, 2) gain an introductory understanding of the evolutionary histories and relationships of reptiles and amphibians to each other and to other tetrapods, 3) follow the steps of the scientific method to design and carry out experiments to test hypotheses they devise, and 4) gain experience with field and laboratory methods used to study amphibians and reptiles. The class will involve a lecture component and a hands-on laboratory component. This class is only open to high school students participating in the Tulane Science Scholars Program (TSSP). For students who pass this course with a B or higher and choose to enroll at Tulane University, this course can be applied toward three hours of general elective credit. These credits will not count toward any of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department majors.