This has been my favorite class at UVA! Kittlesen is such a knowledgeable guy, he's very approachable, explains tough concepts amazingly well, and makes the class so much fun. It is really hard though, because your grade is determined only by 5 tests that are each about 28 multiple choice questions. The tests are during the 50 minute class period, and he hands out practice tests for the first 4 tests (very similar to his intro bio class). Homework is optional (but can boost your grade by 2%) and is through a site called Rocketmix. He said this was the first year he was doing the homework for extra credit, so that might change. Every second of class time is chalk full of information, so I would highly suggest recording it. Near the end of the course he goes over some really applicable topics such as vaccine development, how we eradicated polio, and immunotherapy of cancer. Overall a very interesting class taught by a really passionate and funny professor! Would highly recommend.

Best science course at UVA with the best professor! By far the hardest class I took at UVA but also my favorite! I'd recommend taking this class 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year. The course is a lot of work and I didn't keep up with the readings in the textbook too well, and skimming the reading before each lecture definitely would've helped. I got a B+ in the class which was great considering the material is so dense and very detailed, just it can be overwhelming at times, but I found recording Dave's lectures and re-listening to them to study was the best! I also found asking Dave questions after lecture was beneficial.

I took this class after reading all the reviews and they were right. This is a great class and Kittlesen is a great professor. But you have to work really really hard in this class. You have to keep up with the readings and you have to study every day pretty much if you want to do well in this class. You also cannot mess up on a single exam because that brings your grade down. Go to office hours and ask all the questions because they will help you when it comes to the exam.

This is in my top three classes at UVA. Furthermore, in this class more than any other I have walked away feeling like I actually gained a mastery of a subject that I can apply in med school, reading immunology literature about cancer, and just explaining what happens when you get sick. Professor Kittlesen likes to teach big concepts through walking you through experiments so you can "think like an immunologist." This can be frustrating at times, but I can promise that it works. To succeed in this class I would reccomend keeping up with the readings before class so you aren't lost and then studying for tests ~4 days prior to tests in a group that transcribes his lectures and reads the book, generating questions for each other and Kittlesen to ask him. Even with that high level of preparation, grading is brutal in this class and a 93.5 is an A, with no "curve" in the conventional sense. He "curves" by building points into the test, so that if you missed every question you would still get like a 30. Not the most helpful but an A is still attainable. Absolutely reccomend but would encourage a strong bio background because it makes the sometimes complex material manageable.

This has been my favorite class at UVA so far. Professor Kittlesen really focuses on big ideas and themes of immunology instead of minute details. His exams test conceptual understanding over memorization, which is different from a lot of other biology professors, but very refreshing! Don't let the GPA or difficulty stats scare you away from taking this class. Before I signed up, many friends warned me it was the hardest biology elective according to course forum. Since this is the first elective I've taken in the department I can't argue against that, but it certainly isn't a difficult class if you're willing to put in the time to understand the material. I would definitely recommend skimming the readings before lectures. Also, don't be afraid to raise your hand during class if you need clarification; Kittlesen encourages it!

This was the best, most engaging, most interesting class I have taken at UVA. Kittlesen is phenomenal and makes the material so easy to understand and class so much fun. His anecdotes are incredibly interesting and he goes above and beyond to keep the class entertaining and insightful. I wish I could take this class again. It made me more excited to learn than I have been in any other class here. 100% would recommend. The material can be a little difficult but it's SO interesting it's easy to study and totally worth it! Not to mention, the structure was 5 non-cumulative exams which reduced test anxiety for me and made the chunks of material very manageable.

Dave is a very round-about professor. He likes to tell stories about the discoveries in immunology that are sometimes poorly constructed and it's difficult to figure out what he's trying to get across. If you are trying to learn immunology for the hell of it, good for you, and I would recommend youtube and alternative methods that are a little more concise than Dave. Immunology is a tough subject to digest, trying to understand Dave's testing techniques is even more difficult. But hey, different strokes for different folks I guess.

Even if this class is one of the harder bio electives, it's truly a fascinating subject and you learn a lot of awesome information that will probably come up later on especially if you're pre-health. Plus, Dave is an immunologist by trade and is truly enthusiastic about the subject - the best advice is this is one of those classes where you HAVE to do the reading. The textbook is pretty good so this isn't terrible, but reading before will make the lectures make more sense and you will have a much better hold on the material. The tests are tough and too short for comfort but not impossible, and it still feels worth it if you really enjoy the subject.

Incredibly good professor! Reading and material can be very tough, but one of those classes where you actually feel like it's worth it! Glad I took it for sure! You gotta do the reading though or else you'll be completely lost in class. Class notes and experiments are important on the test, can't just read the text.

I went to about 20% of the lectures for this course, studied for about two days before each test, would've gotten A except that I did not know that the tests had free response questions until I showed up for the first exam. Don't be me, and you'll get an A.