BI/0020 (sec
001)
The Foundation of Living Systems
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Professor: Stein, Miller
Course format: Lecture w/lab Number of respondents: 306 Total Enrollment: 338
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“The Foundation of Living Systems” is an introduction to the discipline of biology, surveying such topics as ecology, evolution, and biochemistry. This course (or equivalent placement) is required for all biology concentrators. Since it is an introductory course, you don’t need any prerequisites or prior knowledge to take it; however, some reviewers mentioned that it helps if you took biology in high school.
Professors Stein and Miller were truly a dynamic duo. Both were praised as excellent lecturers who used jokes and anecdotes effectively. Professor Miller lectured at quite a fast pace; this led some students to praise him for his enthusiasm, but it annoyed others. By contrast, Professor Stein was much slower-paced; again, respondents were split on whether this was a good thing. Reviewers generally felt that the professors responded adequately to their needs and interests, considering that the huge class size prevented them from having much individual contact with students. In particular, class members loved the PowerPoint lecture outlines that were posted on the Internet before each lecture.
Assigned readings included a textbook, some articles, and James Watson’s The Double Helix. Most reviewers enjoyed the Watson book and found the other readings useful, but the general consensus was that the reading wasn’t entirely necessary. The other requirements were weekly labs, a few other homework assignments, and three midterms. Respondents were generally happy with these, and especially enjoyed the instructors’ policy of dropping the lowest exam grade.
Most reviewers reported spending between two and six hours a week on the course, although some invested significantly more time. This matched their expectations. Overall, if you’re a biology concentrator, you have no choice but to take this course. Whether you’re a concentrator or not, however, the course comes highly recommended; it’s an excellent introduction to the subject, provided by a pair of exceptional teachers.
View BI/0020 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.
