Anatomy & Physiology

The Anatomy & Physiology (A&P) sequence (BI 112, BI 231Z, BI 232Z, BI 233Z) gives you the knowledge, study skills, and credits you need for health career programs. This page will help you register for these classes and succeed in them.

What is important to know about the A&P sequence at Lane?

1. We offer all courses in the sequence each term, including summer. 
   1. See Term Chart for more info. All classes are integrated lecture/lab science courses. Course formats (modalities) include: 
      1. Traditional in-person classes
      2. Hybrid/In-Person classes
      3. Online classes with required in-person proctored testing. 
2. Students report that they have needed to invest more time in these courses than on other college level courses. Tips for success include:
   1. Budget 18-24 hours per week (including class time)
   2. Read course materials
   3. Listen to lectures and videos multiple times
   4. Take notes
   5. Draw diagrams
3. These courses are fast paced and build upon each other, so prepare and minimize absences. 
   1. Opportunities to do makeup work or fill any knowledge gaps are more limited than in many other courses because the body systems are deeply interconnected and knowledge builds as you progress.
4. This sequence is in high demand and has a partial exception to year round registration dates. 
   1. Read Top Registration Issues below for more info
5. We have great support and resources for our Anatomy and Physiology sequence students!
   1. Read the FAQ below to learn more

Top Registration Issues for A&P Sequence

It is important to know that sometimes issues come up when trying to register for the A&P sequence because these courses are in high demand, some courses have prerequisites, and there are some special registration dates. You don’t have to navigate registration issues alone. The science office scienceoffice@lanecc.edu can help you with any registration issues. Here are four common registration problems and some basic advice to get you started.

1. BI 112 classes fill up fast and can have long waitlists. This sequence is the most popular sequence of classes at LCC and often the BI 112, the first one, is the hardest to get a spot in. Here’s some advice on registration. 

• Browse for classes.  Learn how to read this information 

This means of the 25 seats, all of them are taken by other students and there are 16 people on the waitlist.

If you look at all the classes you can then tell which one(s) have the smallest waitlist. 

• It is important to get yourself on a waitlist even if they all seem long. This is because if LCC is able to add one or more classes they use the waitlist to notify students that classes have been added and you may be able to get a spot in the newly added class.. 
• Once you’re on a waitlist, you’ll want to set up text alerts when prompted and monitor information from the registration systems closely. If you’re offered a spot you’ll only have 12-hours to enroll (and this could be overnight!). Read the waitlist section of this page for more detailed information on how the waitlist works and what to do.
• If all of the waitlists seem too long to expect to get a spot, make sure you are on at least one waitlist, but also register for a class in the next term. For example, you can stay on the waitlist for Fall and be registered for Winter. In the meantime, consider taking other suggested courses to help you be successful when you do get a spot.

2)  Make sure you’ve met both prerequisite requirements for BI 231Z. This class requires two prerequisites and you must meet both requirements for the system to allow you to register. The system will accept BI 112 or BI 221 with a C- or better AND  MTH 052 or higher, or a score of 21 or higher on the Math Placement test called ALEKs.

• Note: If you’ve previously taken math at another college or have recent Smarter Balanced, ACT, SAT, or GED scores, use your Lane email address to email your unofficial college transcripts or test scores to scienceoffice@lanecc.edu. Be sure to include information about what course (CRN and title) you’re trying to register for and your L#. You will then receive an email with further instructions.

3) Be aware that the A&P sequence has special Winter & Spring Registration Dates for BI 231Z, BI 232Z, BI 233Z, BI 234.

• The A&P sequence has a partial exception to Lane’s Year Round Registration system. 
  • Summer and Fall term registration opens with the whole college in May for BI 112, BI 231Z, BI 232Z, BI 233Z, and BI 234. 
  • Winter 27 and Spring 27 are visible in the schedule but BI 231Z, BI 232Z, BI 233Z and BI 234 will be locked with a code that says “Special Registration Dates”. Winter and Spring terms will open for registration according to the chart below. 
  • These dates are shown at the section level with the course description, on the Science by Term Chart web page.

4)  BI 233Z and BI 234 can be taken concurrently. Often, students who want to meet a certain application deadline, might want to take BI 233Z and BI 234 in the same term. This is allowed as long as students earn an A- or higher in their BI 232Z class. In terms of registration, as long as you are registered for BI 232Z the system will allow you to register for BOTH BI 233Z and BI 234 in the next term. However, if you don’t get an A- or higher in your BI 232Z, you will be dropped automatically from BI 234. Then you will have to take the BI 234 class once you have passed BI 233Z. 

More information on prerequisites

Are there any required prerequisites for BI 112?

No. However, the recommended prerequisite/corequisite for BI 112 is CH 112 (Chemistry for Health Occupations), or a recent chemistry background, including high school chemistry. Note: Some programs require a college chemistry class. Check your program requirement and take it before or with BI 112, if it is required for you.

Why is CH 112 or a recent chemistry class recommended?

In BI 112 we spend the first ~3 weeks covering necessary chemistry at an accelerated pace. For example we review atomic structure, chemical reactions, pH, and the structure and properties of molecules and macromolecules (including polarity). If you don't have any experience with chemistry or know that learning science topics at an accelerated pace doesn't work well for you, it is recommended that you take Ch 112 first to avoid stressful start to your coursework. Most students that have recently taken both at the same time were glad that they took both classes.

What is recommended prior to BI 231Z?

The two required prerequisites for Bi 231Z are discussed in the Top Registration Issues section of this page. We also strongly recommend completing medical terminology (HP 100) prior to BI 231Z. Anatomy and physiology is very heavy in Latin and Greek words, letters, and roots, and is often described as learning a new language.  Medical terminology prepares you to understand that language, making the difficult study of anatomy and physiology easier.  Many programs require it, and students who take it before the AP sequence often perform better and report that it was helpful. 

Learning A&P is difficult especially in an online format. If you plan to take any of these courses online we strongly recommend taking Effective Digital Learning (EL121). This course introduces students to the major skills and knowledge needed to learn effectively in digital environments and from digital texts. Students will gain an understanding of time- and self-management strategies, critical digital literacy skills including active online reading and media comprehension strategies, and media analysis skills for use in fully online, partially online, and face-to-face classes where digital texts may be used. 

More information about modalities

What do the different course modalities look like in the A&P Sequence at Lane? What is the Online w/In-Person Testing modality (OT)?

• Overall, our courses follow the modality descriptions provided by the Distance Education Course Modalities | Online & Distance Learning | Lane Community College guide. Courses of all modalities require consistent attendance, active participation, and good communication with your instructor. 
• We offer all courses in the sequence each term, including summer. Modalities we offer include traditional in-person classes, Hybrid:In-Person classes, and online classes with required in-person proctored testing. Our goal is to offer one online section and one evening hybrid section of each course each term. The exception is summer term when we do not offer fully online sections of BI 231Z-233Z.  Online courses tend to fill up quickly, so mark your calendar with the dates registration will open if you need online courses. Please read the sections on registration and modalities below for more details.
• Each section of each course, across all instructors and modalities, share the same list of core learning objectives. Sometimes students think that online courses will be easier, however, this myth does not hold true for the A&P sequence because of our shared learning objectives and consistent grading policies. If anything, more self-motivation is required for online courses so they may be more challenging for some students.

• Online courses in this sequence are all offered only in the Online w/In-Person Testing (OT) modality. These courses offer asynchronous instruction (meaning no scheduled required class online meetings for instruction) with 1-4 exams given at the campus testing center or proctored elsewhere.
  • Online instruction typically relies on a mix of recorded lectures (some instructors allow students to attend optional “live” recordings of lectures), computer simulations or websites, discussion forums, and assigned activities w/ instructor feedback. Students considering online courses MUST have reliable high-speed internet for video and computer simulation use. Students expecting to rely upon a technology loan from the LCC library need to turn in a request form ~2 weeks before the term starts. 
  • In-Person Testing means that students will need to come to the LCC Instructional Testing Center on the main campus or another testing center (if you are out of the area) to take 1-4 proctored exams. The testing center hours each term may vary, but instructors typically make sure exams are available for drop-in testing for a minimum of three days. Instructors consider testing dates carefully and usually offer tests when students can take advantage of the testing centers' evening and Saturday hours. Additional testing or quizzes beyond the proctored exams will require LCC-provided video proctoring software using Respondus Lockdown Browser, which requires you to have a webcam. If you live outside of the area, Lane’s Online Testing Team will help you to find a proctor or approve one that you’ve located. 
• Many courses in the A&P sequence are offered as Hybrid:In-Person courses. These courses have required on-campus synchronous sessions in addition to required asynchronous online or other independent learning work. Each instructor will have different requirements for the online asynchronous portion of the class, but anticipate 2-6 hours per week for online work/recorded lectures in addition to regular study (12-18 hours per week). This may include watching recorded lectures, using computer simulations like SimBio Virtual Labs or PhET simulations, building diagrams, answering practice questions, or participating in online discussions. In-person class time often involves work on content that is more difficult to learn online, so material is presented in the classroom alongside using physical or digital models, microscopes, case studies, specimens, or other materials. Summative assessments (test/exams) are often given in-person during scheduled class time. Given the way courses in the A&P sequence are designed, hybrid courses are not recommended for students anticipating absences. 
• Traditional In-Person classes rely on 2-three hour class sessions per week that integrate lecture, active learning, and lab. Students who enroll in these courses benefit from the maximum face-to-face time with their instructor and classmates. Students often work independently or in groups with physical or digital models, microscopes, case studies, specimens or other materials. Summative assessments (test/exams) are given in-person during scheduled class time. Of note, BI234 is only taught in this modality. 

How does taking these courses in the summer differ from taking them during the school year?

• Usually, each course in the sequence is taught in either Traditional in-person class or Hybrid:In-Person format each summer. We do not offer the online with in-person testing modality in the summer.
• Courses in the A&P sequence cover the same learning objectives in the summer as they do the rest of the academic year. This information is delivered over a condensed time-scale of 8-weeks, which means courses may feel faster-paced and tests/exams may cover more topics at a time. Tutoring and other campus resources are available during the summer, with reduced hours relative to the rest of the academic year. Campus does not offer any services on Fridays in the summer, so the library, tutoring, and other support services are not available.

More information about waitlists

How does the waitlist work? 

• When you try to register for a full class the registration system allows you to get on the waitlist. PAY ATTENTION to the instruction regarding signing up for waitlist text alerts. This is the most sure way for you to get a spot if you are invited to register from the waitlist.

• You are allowed to be both in a class and on waitlists at the same time. You are also able to sign up for as many waitlists as you feel are appropriate for your schedule. Please note that signing up for or staying on waitlists you don’t intend to use does have an effect on the rest of students so please keep it realistic.

• You may notice that some classes with waitlists appear to have open seats/spaces when you are exploring the class schedule. These open spaces are being offered in sequence to students on the waitlist and are not open for the purposes of general registration. For example, if you are looking at a class and it shows one seat available and a waitlist of 10, that open seat is in the process of being offered to the student in the #1 position on the waitlist. 

• If you are no longer interested in a class, please remove yourself from the waitlist or the regular roster. This will help the automated system offer places to interested students, which increases the likelihood that waitlisted students can join in a timely manner.

I’m on a waitlist for a future class, what now?

• Once on a waitlist, monitor your email and text notifications from the registration system regularly. If a space in a class you are waitlisted for becomes available, you will receive notification and have only 12-hours regardless of the time of day, to register before the space is offered to the next waitlisted student. The system does not automatically register you when a seat becomes available. 

My course has started and I’m still on the waitlist; What now?

• Be aware that if for some reason your position on the waitlist during week 1 of the term is still high (>5) , you are unlikely to be offered the opportunity to be enrolled in a course using Lane’s automated system. For example, if you are in position 10, each student in positions 1-9 will have up to 12-hours to register for an opening, and many students allow this process to time out. Automated waitlists close on Wednesday of week 1. As of Thursday morning of week 1, classes are locked and waitlists turned off. In some cases open spots may be offered to students at instructor discretion, however, it is typically hard to catch up at this point; most instructors will not add students after Wednesday of week 1. 
• Instructors generally do not give permission for students to be added to their course after the first week of class because the courses are so fast-paced. 
• Register early (as soon as registration is available) for a future term. Also make sure you’ve taken all of the recommended prerequisites so you’re likely to be successful when you can get into an A&P sequence course.

FAQs

I’ve heard these courses are challenging. What support or resources are available to me as an A&P student? 

Having adequate support and resources for our students is very important to us, since we know that studying A&P takes more than just attending or participating in class. 

• Your instructor will have 1-3 hours per week dedicated to student meetings. Often called office hours or student hours, this time is set aside to support you in your coursework. Your instructors truly look forward to getting to know you and are here to support your academic success.
• Many students rely on the STEM Learning Zone (in Building 16) to support their academic success. The learning zone will allow you to work with physical models, use computers and microscopes, access a large collection of textbooks and reference materials, and provide in-person and online tutoring at no cost. Visit Lane’s Tutoring website to see current hours and learn how to sign up for an appointment. Due to the high demand for free A&P tutoring, it is recommended that you sign up for appointments as early in the term as possible.
• The Anatomy and Physiology discipline was generously gifted an Anatomage Table for A&P sequence students to use. This digital tool provides lifesize, interactive, 3D-models of multiple digitized cadavers. You can access the table in the STEM Learning Zone to virtually dissect structures, quiz yourself on anatomical structures, and visualize how organs and body systems are connected. 
• Physical model kits are available for A&P students to check out. Many students, particularly in A&P 1, take advantage of being able to check out life-sized models of human bones to practice identifying bone names and key features.
• Many other campus resources are available to support all Lane Students with both academic and basic needs. We encourage you to take advantage of the help that is available to put yourself in the best position to be successful with this challenging sequence.

Do sections of these courses vary from instructor to instructor? 

• Overall, all courses are taught to the same learning objectives, and the bulk of your grade will be based on quizzes/tests/exams (or what is called summative assessments). Instructors may vary in how they deliver material, with some instructors offering more guided practice (homework, learning checks, feedback on labs) than others. Some instructors give homework assignments (formative assessments) that they may or may not give points for.  Since these are practice opportunities they will not exceed 15% of your overall grade for BI231Z-233Z, the points/credit earned does not typically impact success in courses but is beneficial in providing guidance and motivation to some students. Instructors may also vary in the number and frequency of summative quizzes/tests/exams. 

How are courses in the Anatomy and Physiology Course Sequences graded at Lane CC? 

• Your grade in these courses will be primarily based on proctored summative assessments like tests and quizzes. In BI 112: Cell Biology for Health Occupations, 75% or more of your grade will be based on summative assessments. In the rest of the Anatomy and Physiology sequence, BI 231Z-233Z, 85% or more of your grade will be based on summative assessments. Courses in this sequence do not offer personalized or individual extra credit, and extra credit points offered to the whole class are limited to less than 2% of the course total. These policies support consistency across sections and support the development of your test-taking skills in preparation for your programs and licensure exams.  
• Your preparation and work outside of A & P sequence classes is critical to your success. Your instructor will guide you towards what you need to study, but you still will need to put in the work to memorize/learn/process the information outside of class time. Students are encouraged to write out a detailed example weekly schedule that looks at time that could be devoted to class after accounting for time for work, commutes, self-care, and other responsibilities. Most students need 12-18 hours per week outside of class to be successful in these courses. That means that with six hours of lecture/class time, you should budget 18-24 hours per week to your A&P course.  Students report that completing recommended prerequisites, like completing medical terminology prior to BI 231Z, may help to reduce your outside study time on some sections of the course.

What textbook or resources do these courses use?  

• In the A&P sequence, we try to minimize costs to students by relying on lower-cost or Open Educational Resources (OER) as much as we can. Individual instructors provide a variety of learning resources to supplement these resources to compensate for some limitations of our OERs.
• Our OER texts have been built from OpenStax Biology 2e (for BI 112) and Anatomy and Physiology for (BI 231Z-233Z). A PDF of the OER text for your course will be provided alongside other course resources you will need for class. You can use the PDF online or print sections yourself. If you would prefer a professionally printed and bound copy of our OER text you are encouraged to order it through this Lulu link for Bi112  and this Lulu link for BI 231z-BI 233z. There is a 10-day to 3-week lead time on these professionally bound and printed materials so you may wish to order them in advance of the start of the term.
• BI 112 also uses SimBio modules (computer simulation and text) in its active learning system alongside the OER text. SimBio access is provided through student fees attached to this course, and an access code will be provided by your instructor. Your completion of SimBio work is a component of the lab credit for the course.

How do the courses within this sequence differ? 

• BI 231Z is heavy on structure (memorization), with some physiology. BI 232Z is approximately 50/50 anatomy and physiology, while BI 233Z is nearly all physiology. Successful students modify their study habits based on the type of material. What you do for a memorization section will not likely work for a physiology section.  Study habits/resources will sometimes change week to week. Additionally, what you do to succeed in BI 231Z may not produce the same results in BI 232Z or BI233Z. Adaptability/flexibility is very important for successful completion of the sequence, as it is in the healthcare field.

Who can I talk to if I have more questions? 

• Reach out to an advisor if you’re wondering….
  • Which classes are required for your major/degree/program?
  • How do you build a class schedule that balances timely completion with the demands of taking multiple courses simultaneously?
  • What are the impacts to my GPA or financial aid status dropping or failing a class? 
  • What is the pass/no pass grade option? When will I need to
• Reach out to the Science office staff if you’re wondering…
  • Who can help me answer my registration questions specific to science courses, including special registration dates for the A&P sequence?
  • Who can help me understand the waitlist process, understand course cancellations (relatively uncommon), and/or know if and when it is likely that we will be adding more sections?
  • Is my previous coursework equivalent to required prerequisite courses?
• Reach out to your individual instructors if you’re wondering –
  • How will my special circumstances (e.g. college athlete, CAR accommodation, anticipated absence) be handled in a course I have starting soon? Is the modality and section I’m enrolled in a good fit?
  • Can I have a copy of a past syllabus to answer my questions regarding typical course structure (how many exams, assignments, due dates, etc)? Note:  Finalized syllabi and due dates for an upcoming term may not be available until close to the start of the term.  Faculty work hard to take care of their current class/students and strive for continuous improvement in their courses. For this reason, many instructors are simply unable to provide finalized syllabi well in advance of the term.
  • What is my instructor’s individual teaching style (prerecorded lectures, provide notes, record lectures, etc)?
• Important note: Not every instructor works/teaches every term; instructors are not paid and generally do not work during the breaks (Winter and Spring), and most faculty are not paid and do not work during the summer.  If you are not getting a response to your email, this may be the reason.  If it is a general question, feel free to contact the Science Office.