IU Indianapolis has partnered with Project Lead the Way (PLTW) to provide high schools, teachers and students with innovative, hands-on science programs.
PLTW classes are taught in school during the school day, and every instructor of PLTW courses receives extensive training as well as ongoing support in the courses they teach. While the STEM subject matter is rigorous, the approach is never rigid.
Upon completion of the biomedical sciences coursework, you will receive a course completion certification letter via email. The letter will be emailed in the summer following your high school graduation.
As a matriculated IU Indianapolis student, you can request credit for this completed coursework. There is no fee for the credit if you submit your request during your first semester.
Please note that this is not dual credit offered in high school. It is for college credit at IU Indianapolis.
If you attend a different college/university, you can present the letter to the biology department chair or another school administrator to determine if and how credit may be awarded at that institution. Please note that credit is not guaranteed and is at the discretion of the institution.
IU Indianapolis does not provide college transcripts for PLTW coursework.
The table below lists PLTW high school biomedical sciences courses with their equivalent IU Indianapolis biology elective courses. If you matriculate to IU Indianapolis you may request college credit for these courses. The request must be submitted to the SPAN Division during your first semester at IU Indianapolis.
| PLTW course | IU Indianapolis course |
|---|---|
| Principles of Biomedical Sciences | BIOL-N 115 - Principles of Biomedical Sciences (3 credits) |
| Human Body Systems | BIOL-N 116 - Human Body Systems (3 credits) |
| Medical Interventions | BIOL-N 117 - Medical Interventions (3 credits) |
| Biomedical Innovation | BIOL-N 118 - Biomedical Innovation (3 credits) |
Students investigate the human body systems and various health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, sickle-cell disease, hypercholesterolemia, and infectious diseases. They determine the factors that led to the death of a fictional person, and investigate lifestyle choices and medical treatments that might have prolonged the person's life. The activities and projects introduce students to human physiology, medicine, research processes and bioinformatics. This course is designed to provide an overview of all the courses in the Biomedical Sciences program and lay the scientific foundation for subsequent courses.
Students examine the interactions of body systems as they explore identity, communication, power, movement, protection and homeostasis. Students design data acquisition software to monitor body functions such as muscle movement, reflex and voluntary action, and respiration. Exploring science in action, students build organs and tissues on a skeletal manikin, work through interesting real world cases and often play the role of biomedical professionals to solve medical mysteries.
Students investigate the variety of interventions involved in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease as they follow the lives of a fictitious family. The course is a "How-To" manual for maintaining overall health and homeostasis in the body as students explore: how to prevent and fight infection; how to screen and evaluate the code in human DNA; how to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer; and how to prevail when the organs of the body begin to fail. Through these scenarios, students are exposed to the wide range of interventions related to immunology, surgery, genetics, pharmacology, medical devices and diagnostics. Lifestyle choices and preventive measures are emphasized throughout the course as well as the important roles scientific thinking and engineering design play in the development of interventions of the future.
In this capstone course, students apply their knowledge and skills to answer questions or solve problems related to the biomedical sciences. Students design innovative solutions for the health challenges of the 21st century as they work through progressively challenging open-ended problems, addressing topics such as clinical medicine, physiology, biomedical engineering, and public health. They have the opportunity to work on an independent project and may work with a mentor or adviser from a university, hospital, physician's office, or industry. Throughout the course, students are expected to present their work to an adult audience that may include representatives from the local business and health care community.
Dr. J.R. Russell
Director of Academic Assessment and Certification
Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences
Phone: (317) 274-0382
Email: jrrussel@iu.edu
Dr. Kathleen Marrs
Professor of Biology
IU Indianapolis School of Science
Phone: (317) 278-4551
Email: kmarrs@iu.edu