BIOL 2010

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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...

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.

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.