BIOL 2010

Professor Kittleson is one of my favorite professors at UVA because he genuinely cares about his students and wants them to succeed. He tries to make the class fun by cracking a few jokes and using his own personal examples to relate back to the content. If I could recommend anything it would be to stay on top of things. You should read the book before lectures and take the homework seriously. There is a lot of important concepts you can learn from the homework. This course is not about memorization but rather applying the concept to the questions that are on the exam. One thing that helped me review the material is to do the multiple-choice questions at the end of every section in the book. They are very similar in the application of knowledge to what the exams are like. Everything that is on his exams is from the lecture but the book does go into better detail if there is something you are confused about. It is easy to get a good grade in this class if you put in the effort. Overall really good course.

Dave is such a good professor!! I took the class during the Summer session 3 over zoom (bc covid-19) and he really tried his best to make it a good experience for us. He is a pretty engaging professor and you can tell he really cares about his students. ** He will not test you on anything he does not go over in class so study his lectures before tests ** Textbook reading is important for knowing what's going on in the class, but the lectures are most important.

Looking through course forum and I see everyone hating on my man Dave. I took this class with orgo and physics and honestly this was way way way easier than the other two. Lectures are super cool, Dave is a great guy, and the lab portion of the class is very chill. Anyone who says the tests are unfair must not have been taking good lecture notes because I did not come across a single test question the whole semester that was something that we hadn't seen in lecture. I recorded lectures to study and that was super helpful. His questions are clear and unambiguous (yes I'm @ing Manson rn). I would recommend this class to everybody, even if it doesn't apply to your major or career goals.

I love Dave!! Really interesting guy, and his lectures keep your attention. Read the textbook the day before the lectures, and record them so you can go back if your notes do not make sense. I enjoyed his class.

Kittlesen is surprisingly engaging for such a large class. He does lots of activities that keep it from being the typical boring lecture. He is also very knowledgeable and friendly, and his tests are fairly reasonable. The lab is required with the course, which can be interesting, but also annoying if you don't need it for anything. The labs are really simple, but seem to take forever.

Dave Kittlesen is a really great professor, and quite funny too. His powerpoints are very diagram-heavy, so it's important to listen very carefully and take detailed notes. He is very helpful outside of class if you do not understand the material (plus it is useful to review with fellow classmates). The lecture includes a lot of information to absorb, and it is very important that you read the textbook. Tests are curved pretty reasonably. The lab is connected with lecture, is not very complicated, and frequently lets out early (depending on how fast your group works).

DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE NOT PRE MED. I could go on and on about my feelings on this class. This had to be the hardest class I took my first semester FOR NO REASON. THe tests were extremely difficult( I would study for hours, do good on mastering bio, and still score low on the exams). The problem with the tests was how it felt as if it was an SAT; meaning rather than being tested on how much material you knew, it felt as if you had to choose between two what seemed to be good answers. Kittlesen is not a bad professor, but his exams really do not let you prosper in life, Typical weed out course. If you dont think youre ready for a heavy courseload please do not ruin your GPA with this class, espeically your first semester. Its definitely not an easy A; heck it is not even an easy B. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Dave is great! He's definitely worth taking a class with, even if you aren't a bio/pre-med student. He makes classes fun and the new, cutting-edge science towards the end of the semester is very coo to learn about. The downside is that the class is massive and getting to Dave to ask questions is really challenging. Also, tests are pretty tough, especially if you haven't ever taken a biology class before.

Kittlesen is amazing! He is passionate about the subject and it comes across in the lectures. He is funny and experienced as well. He knows exactly what confuses students and he tries to explain these topics with great care. However, the tests are no cake walk. They're tricky. Definitely record lectures because much of the test relies on this! Always keep up with the reading, you'll be lost without it. Overall, great course but a hard one. You really have to put in the time.

professor kittleson is really nice and tries to simplify information as much as possible! However sometimes he does not answer the questions you have in a comprehensible way or he answers your question by talking about what he wants to talk about and not necessarily what you asked. However, if you just ask him to elaborate im sure he would as he really cares for his students and tries to make it as easy on us as possible. IF YOU WANT A GOOD GRADE READ THE CHAPTERS BEFORE THE CLASS!!!! when i did not do this I was so lost. Also do the supplementary material and go to office hours! If you do this you will probably get a B or higher. Not to bad for a science at UVA

fun professor but you just need to put in the time and effort for the grade!

Kittlesen is a FANTASTIC professor. He does his best to make his lectures engaging and easy to understand. Many complaints here are that his exams are tricky-- he certainly tricks you on class iclicker questions (which are optional) but the tricks will always have a lesson behind them and he will always explain them. The test questions were reasonable, always about major concepts or ideas he emphasized in class. His primary intention is clearly to help us learn, and I think it works.

Kittlesen was not an easy professor. His lectures were good but his tests are incredibly hard. He TRYS to trick you on his tests which always seemed unfair. By all means, this class was super interesting but just not easy. You definitely have to read the book, go to lecture, and study in advance to earn a good grade in the class. #tcf2016

Professor Kittleson is a great professor. He emphasizes Understanding the material over pure memorization. While his class is far from a cakewalk, it is definitely worth taking if you want a geat biology foundation.

If you do not need to take this class, DO NOT take it! The tests are extremely challenging and the class requires a lot of work to do well in. I would study for a week for the exams and still get a high B. That being said, if you love Biology you will learn a lot and truly understand it.

David Kittlesen is an amazing professor who really knows his shit. If you are pre-med or a bio major and want to learn about the cell biology, you must take this class. If you want to get an A make sure to read the chapters before his lectures and attend his office hours because they are like mini lectures where you can ask questions. He wont stall, but answer you with the most clear and concise explanations.

This class is no joke. That being said, I loved it and my respect for Professor Kittlesen is super high. Just by the amount of email he sends, you can tell that he really cares and he really wants his students to do well. He knows an insane amount of biology and he will answer literally every question you have about the class if you need him. He is always trying to make his lectures interesting and his energy level is always high in class, he REALLY loves biology. I studied the most I have every studied in my life for this class and I ended up with around a 97 in the course. An A is absolutely possible if you make this class a priority. Each exam is 20% of your grade, four total including the final. 10% is mastering bio which is easy to get a 100 on. The last 10% comes from lab which is also not hard to do well on. For the tests, I began studying a full week in advance and probably studied around 4 hours a night until the exam. You really must understand the material, as the tests are not about memorization. Usually if there is a question on an exam that is unreasonably hard, Kittlesen will make it extra credit afterward. His tests are fair, you just have to truly invest time in reading the textbook and paying attention in lecture. Overall, this course was really rewarding and I have never known this much about biology in my life. Also, sometimes I think Kittlesen is my dad.

Kittlesen t is an engaging, funny lecturer. A little under half the material on tests come from the lecture (especially for the final). You will not get an A in this class if you don't read or go to lecture. Sometimes he gets going on a subject in lecture that is very complicated and its easy to lose him, so you need to pay full attention. Manageable class with a fair amount of work.

Kittlesen. Is. Awesome. He is so enthusiastic about his teaching method and he has so many demonstrations and examples to help you figure out what's going on. Be warned, however, that you MUST attend lecture - his exams have material from lecture. Make sure you can take notes fast because he talks at light speed. The subject material is amazingly fun and interesting; this class inspired me to be a bio major. The midterms are relatively straightforward if you keep up with readings and notes, but beware of the final; despite whatever Kittlesen says it IS cumulative. There are reading questions that will either help or kill your grade, so try to keep up with the readings; the rest of your grade is based on exams. Kittlesen does curve, but not by much.

If you are not required to take this class, please don't take this. This class is intended to weed out pre-med students. Don't be fooled by the difficulty of midterms, you will face Hell for your final exam if you underestimate the finals. Try to read your textbook carefully.

I learned a lot from this class and got an A but to get this you have to put in a lot of work. I went to office hours, read the book, took really good class notes, and studied a week in advance. I would recommend staying on top of your work in this class and going to class. He is a great lecturer!

If you have to take General Bio for your major, then this is a pretty okay class. Kittlesen is a really great professor and makes lectures really fun (which is good because they are NECESSARY to go to!)! Again, go to lectures because they really help clear things up and sometimes the exams cover things that are in lectures that aren't in the textbook. He gives online assessments with each textbook reading that you can work on with other classmates and are also open book, so they really help boost your grade. His exams can be difficult depending on the topic and because his questions can be a bit tricky, but reading the textbook and going over lecture notes will really help prepare you. His office hours are kind of conference-style where it's him with a lot of other students around a table, so those are great to go to if you have specific questions. Also, he curves each exam and is pretty fair about it.

This is a tough course, but if you keep up with the reading, do the preclass assignments, and go to lecture to get iClicker points you should be fine. I got Cs and Bs on every test, but there's a generous curve and I got a B for the semester. You really do need to understand the material, not just memorize information. Friday review sessions are pointless.
I really did enjoy Kittlesen's passion for this subject! He's a funny and sweet guy and he made lecture fairly interesting with stories and demonstrations.

Extremely hard class but definitely manageable because I ended up with a A. Make sure to do all the reading and go to every lecture because his tests combine both of them. Study for his tests and understand the concepts because they can be tricky. Also, discussion sections were pointless so don't worry about missing them.

I loved Kittlesen but barely scraped by with a C. DO NOT take this class unless you need it for your major (looking at you, premed). Lectures tended to not be that useful because he would analyze some obscure case that seemed to be not very related to the textbook, which was what the content for most of the exams tested on. There was pre-class before nearly every class with reading assigned for each pre-class. 4 exams, and bonus iClicker (component for participation and component for correctness). The exams were very hard and you could tell certain questions were designed to trip you up. The best way to study is to print out all the pre-class assignments for the chapters he's testing on.

Dave is awesome. He is so energetic. THERE'S A CURVE. Don't go to Friday review sessions. They don't help. Readings can be a lot sometimes, but they don't pile up because you have to do the readings to complete the pre-class assignments. Readings can also be confusing from time to time, but Kittlesen explains it while during class. With that being said, lecture makes a lot more sense if you actually do the reading.

Don't zone out during class. You're probably going to miss that one important sentence, and the rest of class isn't going to make any sense. This has happened to me a couple times.

It is very important to really understand (not just memorize) the material in order to do well on tests.

There is a lot of reading, but the textbook is very good.

The tests rely mostly on lecture material, but Professor Kittleson's lectures are mostly explanations of confusing textbook concepts.

The pre-class assignments are important and meant to help (both grade-wise and content-wise).

Going to Kittleson's office hours is VERY helpful!

The TA Friday review sessions were NOT helpful--oftentimes they made the content more confusing. If you have questions I recommend attending professor office hours instead of the Friday review sessions.

So easy. Went to none of the lectures and got an A. Easy prereq (Dave is the man)

Dave is really interesting in class! Most part of the exams come from the lectures, but also closely related to the textbook. So do read the textbook before or after class and review your notes before exams.

stay away, regret taking it but its a req so...

My biggest regret in college is not having AP credit for this class. As great of a guy Kittleson is, I find his little art projects to teach about DNA replication futile. His exams can be tricky (and he sort of admits it in his syllabus). I dreaded going to his class. But many are forced to take this class and all I can say is its boring. Lecture is a must.

Loved this course. Yes, you have to work hard and yes, his tests are tricky but a good grade is very attainable and Kittlesen is the best professor I have ever had by far. Putting the work in to really understand (NOT memorize) the material is important; if there is something you didn't follow in lecture or the book make sure you figure it out. The tests are very fair but he does expect you to understand everything in lecture very well, as well as know some details from the book. Office hours are extremely helpful. I went every week even if I had no questions. Definitely recommend this class, it's very interesting and rewarding if you're willing to put in the effort.

Dave is a crazy dude. A lot of students enjoy his lectures because he puts a fun spin on it. I thought Kittlesen was a great teacher, I just kept getting distracted in his class by the 50 people around me all on facebook and twitter. If I could retake it, I would have paid more attention. Interesting material though. Make sure you do go to lecture because some material on the test he only teaches in the lectures and is not in the book.

Dave Kittlesen is an amazing professor. Taking this course was actually what made me want to become a Bio major. Dave has a knack for presenting even difficult topics in a logical, linear manner. The reading is pretty light, he usually breaks it up into 1 or two chapter sections per class which is about 10 pages or so. There is a pre-class before each lecture, but they are pretty simple, about 5 questions that you can usually answer by skimming the reading. A word of caution is that Dave's tests are extremely lecture-heavy. He only uses the book for fundamental ideas, but test questions are tricky and pull from much more complex concepts. Stay on top of the reading and pay attention in lecture and the class should be a breeze!

Professor Kittlesen is by far the best professor I have had during my time at UVa. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what he is teaching. I'm not sure if I would have taken this class if I was not required to for my major, but I ended up learning far more than I imagined I would have. Do all of the readings, pre-class assignments, homework, and bring your clicker to class every day and you will be successful. I'm sad Dave isn't teaching 2020

Don't take the class if you aren't premed. It really hurt my GPA this semester. I signed up for the course because I enjoyed bio in high school and thought that it would be an interesting class to take even though I don't plan on going into any science field in my future. Thoroughly regretting taking this class even though Dave did make the lectures entertaining.

Before I came to college, I hated biology. I cringed when I hear the word. But Kittlesen made me love biology. Before each class, he would make you read the book for the pre-class assessments. They are generally pretty easy and you could do it without reading the book (BUT READ THE BOOK ANYWAY so you can spread out your readings.) Then, in lecture, he explains all the difficult concepts in the book very well. Sometimes he adds in very interesting facts/experiments that seem difficult and irrelevant at first, but afterwards, you realize that they are very fun and helpful for the course. He is one of the best lecturers at UVA and you shouldn't miss out on any opportunity to take his class.

People are complaining way too much about Kittleson's tests. I went to class, but had trouble paying attention. Before tests, I would just go over the textbook and I've done pretty well in the class.

I loved Kittleson. He was always upbeat and happy to answer questions. He does clicker questions in a way that really helped me learn. If you have taken AP before, this class should be a pretty smooth next step.

Professor Kittlesen is absolutely brilliant. I am lucky enough to have him as an adviser as well. Although Kittlesen is extremely kind and helpful, his exams are extremely tricky. You cannot simply read the textbook or even be at lecture for than matter, you must be fully engaged in the material in order to do well in this class. I went to office hours, read everything, and went to every lecture and I'm still on track to make a B- in the class. Biology is even my major. Once again, you must be completely engaged in the material. Whether or not you do well in the class, you'll definitely take some fantastic information from Kittlesen. I highly suggest taking this class if not for the information, for the opportunity to be around Dave!

He is a good teacher, but his tests are not commensurable to what he lectures. Very tricky tests.

Really hard class, but not because the material is difficult; it's because the tests are really tricky and memorizing the terms and textbook doesn't help at all. Going to office hours even if you don't have questions really helps, so even though this class met MWF, it also really met for an extra 1:15 on MT as well for office hours. Good professor, just crazy tests. Learn how to take the tests and it'll be fine.

Great professor for sure. Easy if you listen

Awesome class. Kittlesen is one of the best teachers I've had at UVa. Such a boss.

Kittleson is outrageously entertaining even if the lectures can be a little bit dry. He's very passionate about the topic and brings in his research experience as it relates to the topic. Midterms are multiple choice and can be quite difficult.

This class really wasn't that hard. You just have to learn how to deal with the kinds of questions he asks. If you follow along in lecture, it's really not that hard. Sometimes he has these long sweeping explanations that are meant to clarify things. They aren't for everyone, but make sure you understand what he's trying to say because they usually show up on the test.

Dave was a great professor, who was just quirky enough to make the material, which would normally be somewhat dry, somewhat enjoyable. That said, I wouldn't recommend this class to someone with just a passing interest in biology.

Great lecturer - entertaining, quirky, and enthusiastic. I learned a lot in this class - you don't really have a choice. It's learn the processes completely, or get a bad grade. The only work is the tests, in which he really probes your understanding of the processes, not your ability to regurgitate facts. Tough class, but if you're willing to put forth the effort, an A is absolutely do-able.

Kittlesen is a nice guy, you can just go and ask him questions right after class, and he has patience answering your questions. While he is friendly and really eager to help you understand the concept, he barely talked about the stuff discussed on the textbook, he has slides to show in his class and his lecture is all about his slides. Make sure to do the readings before class and take notes in the class, it would be really helpful. Not an easy class, and it is hard to get a good grade without going to his lecture, unless you are a genius and can search online and understand the concepts on his slides, where only pictures are shown and there is barely descriptions and explanations.

Horrible lectures that don't correlate to the text material.

Kittlesen is a great professor!! He made intro bio a lot of fun!! his tests are not easy, but manageable, as long as you make sure you read all the chapters and understand all the ppt slides.

Kittlesen (or Skittles) is one of the greatest teachers ever! His attitude, his passion, his character combine to produce a performance of a class. This is a class you'll want to attend whether there are clicker questions or not! I wish he was as passionate about other things, because I'd want him to teach all of my classes!

I definitely learned a lot in this class, but at the expense of my sanity. The tests are very difficult. He expects you to exactly understand everything and be able to apply it to his very advanced immunology examples...not easy for intro biology students. Do your reading (multiple times before the exam) and take really good notes during lecture. Go to the review sessions, study with people, etc. Not an easy class but with a lot of hard work and prayers it comes out ok in the end.

This class should only be taken by those who need it. Do not expect an A if you are taking this class, as it is almost impossible (set at a 94). There is no room for redemption if you do badly on one of the 4 tests, as nothing gets dropped. It is the definition of a premed weeder and is irksome as anything

Professor Kittlesen is awesome. He is very engaging and enthusiastic about what he teaches. He designs the class so it actually challenges you to critically think and integrate information (not just memorize and regurgitate on the exam). Overall, this is a excellent class and I feel that my knowledge about Biology has increased exponentially.

Dave is definitely knows his biology. I didn't find him to be the best teacher though. His lectures assume you know and understand everything you read in the book, and that's assuming you can keep up with all the reading. I barely got anything out of the lecture because they were so fast-paced and disorganized. What I will give him is that his way of teaching forces you to think like a biologist. He always emphasizes analyzing hypothetical situations, like predicting a certain molecule's action. Tests were very hard, and got exponentially harder as the semester went on. Final was long and impossible. People in Orgo said it was much harder than their final.

i dont know why people think he's good. His tests are ridiculously hard, and doesn't cover the material. His lectures are extremely disorganized. He's a nice guy and everything, but I would try to avoid this class like the plague

To this day I still don't understand why people think he is great. Sure, he makes the occasional funny. But his lectures are often-times disorganized and the material on tests are "hard" because he actually doesn't ever cover it, specifically. I'm sure he is a nice guy, but there is a reason why people get his clicker questions wrong. I've done better than majority of the people who think he is a great teacher that I've spoken to, so this isn't out of spite for the man. I just don't believe that his tests are actually fair and that his lectures could use some improvements. Don't take this class unless you need to.

One of the best teachers at UVA. He definitely knows what he's talking about and I'd recommend this to anyone who can handle a hard class like this. His tests were extremely hard, but manageable. Can't memorize, must understand concepts. Seems like a pre-med weed out.

Kittlesen is a fun, enthusiastic prof. Not an easy A, especially for the last couple of tests, but he uses informal Clicker questions to see if everyone's drawing a blank and re-explains if a high enough percentage of the class doesn't get it. Tests are tricky, but if you read beforehand and study you'll be ok.

Dave's lectures are too appealing to ignore. His method of teaching incorporates key examples from the textbook with discussions of his research and knowledge of immunology. The key to succeeding in his class is to read the chapters before lectures; this allows you to grasp his ideas much better. His exams are a bit difficult, but they are definitely fair and his curves are sensible. Dave's use of clicker questions in lectures are perfectly timed with the ideas he presents, so you can always check to see your understanding of the material. I would recommend this course to anyone who cares enough about biology. Dave talks like Scooby Doo and makes lectures awesome. Talk about manly...

Great guy, fun class. All you have to do is work hard.

Concepts were understandable during lecture, but the exams were very difficult

Great teacher and a very worthwhile class. Dave presents the material in a way that supplements the textbook well in addition to adding personal insights such as his research or recent examples. Read the textbook and go to lecture and you'll be fine.

Awesome class because the material is so fascinating. We also learn about Mr. Kittlesen's research which is awesome, but sometimes confusing. You have to take thorough notes because he does expect you to understand and analyze the material he covers in class as well as the material in the book. Yeah, you have to memorize, but more than that, you have to analyze. Grades consist primarily of exams and iClicker questions. He gives hypothetical scenarios that you have to analyze after understanding the material in class. The final isn't cumulative, which is nice. I liked the textbook because it reiterates material you may have forgotten from past chapters, which Kittlesen sometimes expects students to remember. Study hard for his exams and be forewarned about the practice exams he gives; they aren't good indications of what's going to be on the exam because those are much simpler than the actual exams.

Difficult but very rewarding class. It's difficult to teach biology, but Kittlesen manages to make it interesting. The grade is 100% based on tests and the exams demand comprehension and ability to apply concepts learned in class as well as memorization. Final is not comprehensive. Very time-consuming but well worth the effort.

The material in this class was pretty interesting to me, but the way that you were tested on it was frustrating. Kittlesen likes to add additional things in lectures, making that part of the class mandatory, and on the tests he asks lots of hypothetical "what if" questions that you just have to reason out on your own. Another killer on the tests is that he likes to throw in "all/none of the above" as one of the answer choices, so that can screw with you if you're shaky on the material. That being said, this class wasn't too bad as clickers count for up to 2 points bonus added onto your final grade and he curves every test. The non-cumulative final was a plus as well.

Do not take this class as your science elective if you are in the E-School! I made that mistake thinking this was going to be an enjoyable class learning about cells. That might have been the case if I had any background biology experience, but it was definitely overwhelming. I would say there was a decent amount of assumed knowledge I already needed to have but did not. The three tests and a final are the only grades, and they are fair. Kittlesen is a very enthusiastic professor, I will give him that. It is possible to tough this class out, but its not going to be easy or a GPA booster.

Dave is a great professor! His lectures are very entertaining and fun to go to. He deeply cares about his students and is always ready to help. Just go to his office hours. The class is overall enjoyable, and all you have to worry about are the test. He tends to ask question to see how much you understand rather than how much you know. So in that way his tests can be a bit tricky.

this class really isn't that bad as long as you take good lecture notes, make sure you understand the principles of what he talked about in lecture, and read/understand the chapters. if you're having trouble, reading/skimming the chapter before class helps a lot. tests aren't easy but you have lots of time to think through the tougher questions. definitely a worthwhile class.

Dave is extremely passionate about Biology and especially immunology, so if you have an interest in disease and such--this is a good class for you! The tests can be very tricky though, I can see how it could be hard for students who are not science oriented.

Kittlesen is probably one of the most enthusiastic teachers I've ever met. His lectures are both entertaining and engaging, and you can tell that he really wants to convey the material to you in the best/most efficient way possible. The tests aren't difficult as long as you take good notes during lecture and read the book.

Easily the hardest class I have ever taken. Tests are impossible even if you attend every lecture, go to office hours, meet with a study group, and spend 10+ hours pouring over the text each week. DO NOT TAKE if you just have a casual interest in bio. Suffer through only if you must for Pre-Med. THIS IS NOT THE CLASS FOR YOU if you are simply trying to fulfill a science requirement!

Professor Kittlesen is both entertaining and willing to help his students. His exams are tough but only if you haven't kept up with the readings and lectures.

Professor Kittlesen is a great lecturer. Do the reading, go to class, and ACTUALLY LEARN the material, and you will do fine. Kittlesen's test have a bad reputation, but they are quite fair.

I LOVE DAVE! esp when his voice cracks! :)

Good professor, ethusiastic, energetic, and weel versed

Fun Class. Not too hard. You will learn a lot.

I didn't find Kittlesen to be nearly as hard as some suggest. His tests are all multiple choice and very straightforward. Just go to class and read the chapters he assigns and you'll be fine. Really.

Having said that, take this class! I learned a LOT. Kittlesen likes to inject his own work as a case study, which some find egotistical, but I find I can appreciate a subject better when I know how it's used to save lives.

Intro Bio is definitely challenging. You really have to know the material in order to apply it in a new way on the test. Although Dr. Kittlesen makes the lectures interesting, he focuses on things that are not emphasized in the textbook, so I think that it's important to go to class. Besides, you get extra credit points for iclicker participation. Nevertheless, the tests are tricky and some of the questions seem to come out of nowhere. It is a rewarding class, but not a truly fun class.

Bio is bio. And when Kittlesen says that you'll be expected to apply knowledge rather than merely memorize facts, that means that you have to be able to apply knowledge AS WELL AS memorize every corner of the text. The lecture is pretty much useless, unless Kittlesen presents experimentals that are not presented in the book. Those always appear on exams. Exams are extremely tricky; it does help, however, that he posts previous exams, at least for the first 3 midterms. A rewarding class, but not enjoyable by any means.

Very difficult class. the tests are very very difficult, no memorization of facts but actually have to apply biology in broader questions. professor very lively, and interesting to listen to.

What can I say about Dr. Kittleson? Hes an awesome guy and he gives a very straighforward class structure. Either you know it or you dont. He presents it all and thats all I can ask from a prof. It prepared me for 300 and 201 is a MUCH better course than 202. Kittles is awesome

Slides are posted online previous to class, so they can be printed off to take notes on during class. Dave uses interesting examples to explain topics, from his own experience as well as current events. 4 exams given, each counting for 25% of the grade. Exams come from lecture notes and textbook readings. To do well in this class you have to study from both, paying attention to concepts rather than factual information. Do not memorize facts, but rather learn concepts and be able to apply to different situations.

Yes, this is a difficult class. Do not take if you don't like science. Personally, I LOVED this class!! Kittlesen is a great lecturer and his tests really do test if students have a very deep understanding of material presented IN CLASS AND IN THE BOOK. I suppose this could be considered a hard class but mostly you just have to read and study. Use the book website for extra help, it is really good and has video tutorials.

Very engaging and interesting teacher but his tests are hard.

David Kittleson is an excellent teacher. He is funny, and I really enjoyed the class as a whole. However, it is a very difficult class. Also, the TA was boring and not helpful.

Great teacher, passionate about what he teaches. Lectures got a little more convoluted as the semester went on, but when Kittlesen is on top of his game, he's very impressive.

Kittlesen is wonderful! I disagree with a few comments posted below me. His lectures are extremely useful, though you WILL need to read the book to fully follow them. But, um, if you don't do the work, don't complain that you don't understand the material. I love this guy--he is nice, approachable, funny, reasonable, fair, and clear. Great class!

Tests, at least for Kittlesen, are 3 per semester and a final that counts as a fourth (all are worth 25%). About 50 multiple choice questions during a 2-hour test period. All of the material comes straight from the book and going to lecture is unnecessary as long as one's done a thorough reading of the chapters assigned in the book. Kittlesen is an entertaining and nice guy, but his lectures are a little difficult to decode and do not offer a lot of usable information.

This class was challenging, but also rewarding. It was imperative to keep up with the reading. If you study hard for the exams, your grade will reflect that. Kittlesen's exams were a little tricky, but overall fair.

Good professor. Look like he has a lot of passion in the subject that he is teaching. The tests are written in a way to make you think.

Kittleson is a great lecturer and general nice guy. His tests are hard but fair.

If the only experience in Bio that you have is from high school freshman year don't expect this class to be in any way easy. A lot of pre med and science majors take this class therefore the class is geared more towards them so be prepared to have a lot expected from you. It was a hard class for me but the majority of the students said it was a fairly easy class. The tests are fair.

I took this class for science requirements, which turned out to be so hugely difficult. I'm an english major and this class is so intense -- meant for pre-med students, I think. It's interesting, but way too fast paced and detail-oriented for me when I've got 3 novels a week to read for my english classes, which come higher in my priorities. Definitely recommend Kittleson to the sciencely-minded, though, as he is certainly a good professor and an awesome lecturer, even if I have no idea what exactly protein synthesis entails.

Biology 201 has been the most difficult class I have taken at this school. I would recommend having a very strong background in Biology and being prepared to know all biological processes down to the most minute detail

generally an entertaining class on top of being informative about bio basics

Kittlesen is an excellent prof- funny and very approachable. His in-class 'demos' are hilarious and suprisingly helpful. He's pretty casual in class but his midterms are designed to make you think- overall, a great course.