BIOL 1040

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.