Being successful in this course will require the following:

-  A digital camera .... with good resolution, time stamping option, preferably with both telephoto and macro capabilities.
-  Time ....  to spend in the field; to observe and photograph; to identify; to present your specimens to the class
-  Ready and consistent access to a wide variety of Field Guides and other references.

No exams, no quizzes, no tests.  The sole requirement for this course is the submission of an original photographic collection, with descriptions, of various naturally occurring plants, animals, and fungi.  This course runs the entire summer so there will be plenty of time for the completion of the collections.

This course is designed for the student who wants to explore and learn about the natural world around us.  Students taking this course probably already have an appreciation of the diversity of natural ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them.  Being a “Field Biology” course naturally means that the student will spend a great deal of time….in the field.  In fact if this course were being taught in a regular classroom setting, the vast majority of time would be spent on multiple field trips to a wide variety of ecosystems and natural communities.  The fact that this is an “Internet” course does not diminish this activity.  You will still be spending time outdoors, on your own, without my direct guidance, observing and learning about the huge array of life surrounding us….in essence, studying Natural History.