This is a class that's hard to enjoy unless you have kept on top of your reading. Kittlesen's lectures make a lot more sense if you've prepared. The reading is important and you have to completely understand the experiments he outlines in class. Pay close attention in lecture and you'll be okay. Also, do the practice exams he gives out, but don't only study the material on those exams- they're not always indicative of what the exam will be like.

So awesome. Most people on here say it is one of the harder electives; I found it to be much easier than any other electives or core classes since being at the University, mostly because the information is so interesting and he presents it in an alluring way. This class has even inspired me to look into Grad programs. I recommend it

Easily my favorite class I have taken at UVA thus far. Professor Kittlesen is an enthusiastic lecturer who is able to make even the most complicated topics of this course seem logical. Each test is curved, but the class itself is not. The test material focuses heavily on things he introduces in lecture that are not in the textbook, such as experiments and disease examples, so DO NOT miss class (not that you'll want to!). The material is very difficult and requires a lot your of time devoted to studying, but if you even have a remote interest in the human body, medical science, or cell biology--take this course! You won't regret it :)

Kittlesen is perhaps the best lecture at UVA. He is passionate about immunology and it shows in his lectures. He challenges you to critically think and apply your knowledge on his tests. This has been my favorite class so far at UVA and it covers an extremely interesting topic.

Professor Kittlesen is the best lecturer I have had so far at UVA. He does a great job explaining everything. His tests can be tricky, but you learn how to study and do well on them. I strongly recommend taking this class. Although, you need a strong background in biology to understand some concepts.

Definitely one of the harder bio electives, but also one of the most interesting ones as well. Kittlesen expects you to know his lectures and the books, but there is a lot of overlap. If you read the textbook before class, you'll know what you need to pay close attention to in class, and what is sitting at home in your textbook. The tests are straightforward and fair, if you know the material you will do well.

This is an amazing, but extremely difficult course. It is fundamental for anyone seeking to go to medical school or do any kind of molecular biology research.

You learn a great deal for sure that will be helpful down the road! I found the class challenging at first, I didn't know how to study for this class. Need to know your notes and the book- beyond just the general idea because there is always one question that tests the nitty gritty from the book (tho it's only worth a few points out of the total test score). What helped me was to take notes on the chapters and (after listening to lecture recordings), go over the book notes with the powerpoint. But it's not a memorization test overall. Good luck!!

Kittlesen is an excellent professor and one of my favorites at UVa, but I'd advise pre-meds to stay away! This course is extremely difficult and intended for those people who just love and click with Biology. If you are trying to protect your GPA and questioning your strengths in Biology at all, avoid this class! I really wish someone told me before I enrolled in it. That said, you do learn a ton and the material is quite interesting.

Incredibly interesting topic. Incredibly useful if you're interested in doing research in immunology, biomedical sciences, or cell biology. However, this was one of the hardest science classes I have ever taken in terms of understanding & applying concepts. Kittlesen does a great job teaching. Although the exams are fair, they are definitely difficult.