BIOL 1040

If you don't have to take this class I suggest you don't take it. Although the topic is interesting, the tests include information about DNA that is a little irrelevant or unimportant. Taylor is a cool guy, but personally I did not like his teaching style. I think he made things too simple at times. I found it really difficult to attend lectures, so I would just take notes on the slides.

I don't really recommend this class, but I know a lot of other people enjoyed it. It is definitely interesting and current.

Perfect class for a non-science major looking to fulfill a requirement. This is not very sciency- only the first unit has bio and genetics topics, but it then gets into ethical and societal concerns of genomics and privacy which is really interesting. Doug is actually the best. He truly cares about his students' learning and interests and will accommodate the class as needed. 2 midterms exams, 1 final, and 5 easy assignments to complete throughout the semester. The exams weren't bad at all - based on lecture slides and a few articles. Doug just wants you to enjoy this class, learn about genomics, and do well (grade-wise) in his course. I went to every lecture, spent about 4 hours total to study for the midterms, and finished with an A. Easy, interesting, and low time commitment.

This course was very informative and relevant. As a person who hadn't taken any form of biology in years, I found there to be an initial learning curve at the beginning of the course, which was smoothened out over the course. However, the teacher was very helpful in explaining any concept which didn't make sense. The teacher welcomed all people with various backgrounds and opinions, so this class was a very open class for open discussion from all viewpoints on topics relating to genomics.

There were 3 exams (non-cumulative midterms), 5 HW assignments, and a few small assignments along the way. The HW assignments were spaced throughout the semester, so the workload for this class is quite low. Studying for exams (and the exams themselves) were a little tricky, but I would recommend asking the TAs for help or going to office hours whenever possible to understand the general messages.

I am now convinced that genomics is relevant to us as students and as citizens of the larger society, so this course prepares you with the basic information about genomics, its history, its uses, and where it could be headed in the next few years. #tCFfall22

One of the BEST classes I have ever taken and I am not a bio major. The course material is so fascinating and Douglas presents the info in such a clear manner. You can tell he genuinely cares about his students and wants them to enjoy the class and share their opinions. He would always ask for our feedback on how to improve the class (literally no one does that!). Def need to study for the exams carefully, all multiple choice questions. You also complete a group policy paper on a topic you are interested in (worth 20%). Extra credit assignment also available to improve your grade (very easy)!

This class was very interesting to me, a philosophy major, because it deals with ethical questions surrounding genetics and disease. Of course, its focuses on biology, but it ties in history in order to frame ethical considerations. Professor Taylor was a kind and laid-back guy, and his lectures were interesting (if sometimes tangled). There was virtually no work outside of class (apart from the group essay, which wasn't difficult), and the tests were fairly easy, although it's necessary to remember details. You still learn a lot in this class. I would definitely recommend it, especially for non-science majors. #tCFfall2021

I took this class to fulfill my disciplines requirement. It wasn't too difficult, but I thought it was insanely boring. I was not interested at all in the course, but that's not the case for everyone. A lot of other people find it really interesting, but it just wasn't for me. He almost never assigns homework, and there's one 3-4 page paper that you write with 4-5 other people so it's pretty easy. All you really need to do is go to the lectures to do well on the tests (i got 90s or higher on all of them) , and he and his TA also hold review sessions before the test which are really helpful. That being said, I pretty much never went to lectures because the class was online and I struggled to pay attention, so I would just watch them on 2x speed later. He goes on a lot of tangents and tells you a bunch of unrelated anecdotes, so if you are someone who has trouble paying attention, this might not be the best class. #tCFfall2021

I really struggled in this class. It seems easy at first but the tests are ALL multiple choice and super annoyingly worded so even if you are pretty sure about your answer, you're probably wrong. The content itself is quite interesting, especially towards the end of the semester and we talk about COVID, but Professor Taylor tends to go on super long tangents of information you are not tested on. What is good is that studying for tests are easy because he posts all of the slides on Collab, but even then there is a lot of information to memorize for tests. It fulfills a requirement but for more work than you initially think. Especially since this semester was online, the lectures are even more dull. If you get distracted easily, don't take this class because I promise you won't learn a thing.

I would recommend this course if you are looking to fulfill a requirement. The topics are actually very interesting and easy to comprehend for non-science majors. I wouldn't go as far as to say the course was an easy A, but as long as you put in some effort and go to lectures, you should be able to get an A or A- no problem since Professor Taylor curves the course pretty aggressively. Professor Taylor is obviously very knowledgable and passionate about the topic, but sometimes that works against him since he can go off on really technical tangents that can be hard to understand. Overall though, he is a great professor that teaches an interesting course that requires little to no work outside of class. Definitely would recommend

Wow, I've never thought about bioethics and DNA before, so this class was really fun. He introduces really interesting topics such as eugenics and 23andme. The semester I took it, there were take-home tests and almost no other homework. Although the class was fairly easy, it is still fascinating enough that you won't fall asleep.

This is a really good class to take if you're looking for science credit, interested in the topic or just looking for a relatively easy course to add to your schedule. Professor Taylor is really nice and chill. The lectures can get a little boring sometimes, but overall, they're not too bad. He allows for quite a bit of voluntary class discussion, which makes them a little more interesting. He posts slides on Collab, but you have to attend class most of the time to get participation points on Learning Catalytics. There were three 25 questions multiple choice exams and one 1,000 word group paper. All exams were take home. The first exam and the final exam were pretty easy. The 2nd exam was absolutely brutal. I think the average was in the high 60s. The group paper was pretty straight forward and easy. He curved the final course grade so the average was a B+. Overall, this is a great class that requires minimal outside work.

What a great course for both non-science and science majors. Professor Taylor is very engaging and loves teaching. There are three online exams and one group paper. Very manageable and enjoyable!

This class has three multiple choice tests and a short position paper that is completed in a group. Professor Taylor is obviously very invested in the topic, and it is cool to see how this class topic is unfolding on a global scale while you are taking it.

Professor Taylor is so sweet and really cares about what he is teaching. He wants you to do well and tries to be very fair. Love him!

So interesting and so sweet! Not a lot of weekly work.

You could show up to class never but to take the tests (if they are in class; we had 1 in class and 2 online) and just review his powerpoint slides, the test questions come right from that. However, after looking at what I got wrong on tests and looking at the slides sometime his wording is incorrect or tough to understand, and he accommodates it by giving credit for some questions. He was more interested in you wanting to learn than grading you harshly. At the end of the semester it seemed clear that he would bump people up from a B- to a B, B to a B+, and so on. However, it was not the case for me as I stuck at a high B+. I tried contacting him to see if he had maybe made a mistake (surely fine if he did not and turned me away), but as soon as final grades went in he seemed to evaporate from the earth leaving now chance to communicate with him. He is a slow grader but a helpful and fair grader. I took this as a class to fill math/science requirement and I would recommend it.

Honestly, the gpa makes it look like an easy A but it's not. His test questions are pulled from nowhere and it's pointless to even go to class. His lectures are crazy boring and irrelevant. Your best bet, is studying a couple hours before. It's a science class, but not once was there a science base question on the test. This class really shouldn't have the Biol tag, it's more of a random facts class.

This class is by far one of the most interesting and fun I have ever taken at UVA. Professor Taylor is incredibly nice and knowledgeable in the current events of DNA discoveries. He teaches the class because he believes it is important that more than just scientists understand the implications of the touchy and ever changing subject. As for the people who think this class was hard and professor Taylor tests unfairly, I do not understand where they are coming from. Professor Taylor gives sample questions before the first test so you know what to expect and then all the tests follow the same format of the first. Most, if not all, of the questions are rooted in his take away slides that he posts periodically throughout the powerpoints to help you understand what is important and what is not. Overall it was a very interesting and engaging class taught by an incredible professor and a great way to knock out your science requirement.

This is NOT an easy A course!! Taylor is an awful lecturer and often goes way off topic into irrelevant discussions. The exams are surprisingly hard because they do not cover what was most emphasized in class. Didn't learn much at all. Do not take this.

This class is great for someone who is looking to fulfill a science requirement. It is easy, relatively interesting (especially if you are interested in ethics and/or law), and the professor is great. There is no textbook, very little homework, and only three tests (including final exam). All tests except the first are online, and the professor explicitly said that if scores were low he might just drop them. There is one harder assignment which is the group 'policy paper', but Doug really guides you through it. If you go to class consistently and put the tiniest amount of effort in, you will get an A, any less, probably a B+. It is a great class to take... highly recommend.

Proffesor Douglas really does love what he teaches and it shows, but he a very disorganized professor. I suppose it's because it's a new class, but he takes unreasonably long to return grades and makes test questions ambiguous. Overall it's an easy science class that requires minimal effort.

Professor Taylor is really cool and really enthusiastic. He really just cares about you having a general idea about what's going on currently in the field of genomics. The class is basically designed for non-science majors who are just trying to fill their science requirement. You learn a couple of phrases that you may not have learned in your high school bio class, and you go over the central dogma basally. You have to go to class because there is no book, however his powerpoints are pretty good so if you miss you can read the powerpoint and catch the drift with some google searches. 2 exams and a take home final and no homework. I think you'd be hard pressed to find an easier class to fill a science requirement.