This 8-credit, fall quarter program is intended for both beginning and advanced students who are interested in exploring biology, basic ecology, and natural history though the lens of fungi.

Students will participate in active lectures and discussions of reading material to learn about the fundamentals of fungal biology, ecology, and explore connections between fungi, humans, and the environment. Weekly labs and field work will provide students with hands-on workshops on the morphology, identification, and systematics of mushroom-forming fungi in the Pacific Northwest. Students will learn to formally describe and identify fungi using morphological and microscopic techniques and learn to use a variety of taxonomic resources, including keys and computer programs. At the end of the quarter, students will be able to identify many local mushrooms on sight, including edible, medicinal, and poisonous species. Several day trips will provide students with an opportunity for collecting specimens in varied habitats and to learn about the natural history of western Washington.