Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Introductory Biology covers cell structure, metabolism, genetic information flow, genetics principles, and animal physiology.

offering recorded5 credits

Summary

1 / 7

The course requires outside class hours to grasp lecture material and complete lab reports.

Grade history

average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Not open to students with credit forBIOLOGY/​ZOOLOGY 101, 102 or BIOLOGY/​BOTANY 130

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Fall 2026
/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.43/5 from 87 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2008: 3.00 GPA, 28.2% A/AB (n=308 letter grades); Fall 2009: 2.87 GPA, 28.8% A/AB (n=288 letter grades); Fall 2011: 2.84 GPA, 20.2% A/AB (n=312 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.24/5 from 50 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.67/5 from 6 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.15/5 from 13 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 3.0/5 raw quality · 3.0/5 difficulty · 1 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Farrah Madison lectures well but is considered less engaging than her colleagues, requiring students to spend more outside time to understand topics. Her labs demand additional hours, though TAs are helpful with reports.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 3.01 GPA, 34.9% A/AB (n=740 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.09 GPA, 39.3% A/AB (n=722 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.69/5 from 58 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Historical reviews of Simon Gilroy: Simon Gilroy is described as an engaging and funny lecturer who makes content easy to learn through his cheerful attitude, though his exams are considered tricky and not fully representative of lecture material. Reviewers also note that Gilroy is the best of the three instructors, making the moderately difficult, memorization-heavy course accessible.

DAVID BAUM is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Fall 2011. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DONNA FERNANDEZ is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2010, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DOUGLAS I ROUSE is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Fall 2011, Fall 2012. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

FARRAH MADISON is recorded teaching in Fall 2023, Fall 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

PHILLIP NEWMARK is recorded teaching in Fall 2019, Fall 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SETH BLAIR is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SIMON GILROY is recorded teaching in Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2019, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction398 / 4640
LEC 002Classroom Instruction399 / 4640
LAB 301Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 302Classroom Instruction23 / 240
LAB 304Classroom Instruction23 / 240
LAB 305Classroom Instruction23 / 240
LAB 306Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 307Classroom Instruction22 / 240
LAB 308Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 309Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 310Classroom Instruction22 / 240
DIS 601Classroom Instruction19 / 240
DIS 602Classroom Instruction23 / 240
DIS 604Classroom Instruction23 / 240
DIS 606Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 607Classroom Instruction22 / 240
DIS 609Classroom Instruction19 / 240
DIS 610Classroom Instruction22 / 240
LAB 401Classroom Instruction22 / 240
LAB 402Classroom Instruction19 / 200
LAB 403Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 404Classroom Instruction24 / 240
LAB 406Classroom Instruction20 / 240
LAB 407Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 605Classroom Instruction23 / 240
DIS 608Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 701Classroom Instruction22 / 240
DIS 702Classroom Instruction19 / 200
DIS 703Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 704Classroom Instruction24 / 240
DIS 706Classroom Instruction20 / 240
DIS 707Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 311Classroom Instruction20 / 240
LAB 312Classroom Instruction18 / 240
LAB 313Classroom Instruction16 / 240
LAB 314Classroom Instruction23 / 240
LAB 411Classroom Instruction16 / 200
LAB 412Classroom Instruction20 / 240
LAB 413Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 415Classroom Instruction17 / 240
DIS 611Classroom Instruction20 / 240
DIS 612Classroom Instruction18 / 240
DIS 613Classroom Instruction16 / 240
DIS 614Classroom Instruction23 / 240
DIS 711Classroom Instruction16 / 200
DIS 712Classroom Instruction20 / 240
DIS 713Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 715Classroom Instruction17 / 240
LAB 408Classroom Instruction19 / 240
DIS 708Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 416Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 417Classroom Instruction22 / 240
DIS 716Classroom Instruction19 / 240
DIS 717Classroom Instruction22 / 240
LAB 303Classroom Instruction13 / 200
LAB 315Classroom Instruction20 / 220
LAB 409Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 410Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 418Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 603Classroom Instruction13 / 200
DIS 615Classroom Instruction20 / 240
DIS 709Classroom Instruction19 / 240
DIS 710Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 718Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 316Classroom Instruction18 / 200
LAB 317Classroom Instruction19 / 200
LAB 318Classroom Instruction18 / 200
LAB 405Classroom Instruction21 / 240
LAB 414Classroom Instruction20 / 240
LAB 419Classroom Instruction19 / 200
LAB 420Classroom Instruction17 / 200
DIS 616Classroom Instruction18 / 200
DIS 617Classroom Instruction19 / 200
DIS 618Classroom Instruction18 / 200
DIS 705Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 714Classroom Instruction20 / 240
DIS 719Classroom Instruction19 / 200
DIS 720Classroom Instruction17 / 200
LAB 319Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 619Classroom Instruction21 / 240
DIS 620Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LAB 320Classroom Instruction19 / 240
LEC 001Classroom Instruction2 / 4640
LEC 002Classroom Instruction3 / 4640
LAB 301Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 302Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 304Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 305Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 306Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 307Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 308Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 309Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 601Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 602Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 604Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 606Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 607Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 609Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 310Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 610Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 401Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 402Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 403Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 404Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 406Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 407Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 605Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 608Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 701Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 702Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 703Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 704Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 706Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 707Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 311Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 312Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 313Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 314Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 411Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 412Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 413Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 415Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 611Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 612Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 613Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 614Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 711Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 712Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 713Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 715Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 408Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 708Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 416Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 417Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 716Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 717Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 315Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 409Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 410Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 418Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 603Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 615Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 709Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 710Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 718Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 316Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 317Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 318Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 405Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 414Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 419Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 420Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 616Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 617Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 618Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 705Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 714Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 719Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 720Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 319Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 619Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 320Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 620Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LEC 001Classroom Instruction57 / 4640
LEC 002Classroom Instruction59 / 4640
LAB 301Classroom Instruction5 / 240
LAB 302Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 304Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 305Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 306Classroom Instruction2 / 240
LAB 307Classroom Instruction2 / 240
LAB 308Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 309Classroom Instruction4 / 240
DIS 601Classroom Instruction5 / 240
DIS 602Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 604Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 606Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 607Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 609Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 310Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 610Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 605Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 608Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 401Classroom Instruction2 / 240
LAB 402Classroom Instruction0 / 200
LAB 403Classroom Instruction2 / 240
LAB 404Classroom Instruction0 / 240
LAB 406Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 407Classroom Instruction3 / 240
DIS 702Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 703Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 704Classroom Instruction0 / 240
DIS 701Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 706Classroom Instruction4 / 240
DIS 707Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 311Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 312Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 313Classroom Instruction6 / 240
LAB 314Classroom Instruction1 / 240
LAB 411Classroom Instruction4 / 200
LAB 412Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 413Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 415Classroom Instruction6 / 240
DIS 611Classroom Instruction4 / 240
DIS 612Classroom Instruction4 / 240
DIS 613Classroom Instruction6 / 240
DIS 614Classroom Instruction1 / 240
DIS 711Classroom Instruction4 / 200
DIS 712Classroom Instruction3 / 240
DIS 713Classroom Instruction3 / 240
DIS 715Classroom Instruction6 / 240
LAB 408Classroom Instruction4 / 240
DIS 708Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 416Classroom Instruction5 / 240
LAB 417Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 716Classroom Instruction5 / 240
DIS 717Classroom Instruction2 / 240
DIS 603Classroom Instruction7 / 200
DIS 615Classroom Instruction4 / 240
DIS 709Classroom Instruction5 / 240
DIS 710Classroom Instruction3 / 240
DIS 718Classroom Instruction2 / 240
LAB 418Classroom Instruction2 / 240
LAB 409Classroom Instruction5 / 240
LAB 410Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 315Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 303Classroom Instruction7 / 200
DIS 616Classroom Instruction2 / 200
LAB 316Classroom Instruction2 / 200
DIS 617Classroom Instruction1 / 200
LAB 317Classroom Instruction1 / 200
DIS 618Classroom Instruction1 / 200
LAB 318Classroom Instruction1 / 200
DIS 705Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 405Classroom Instruction3 / 240
DIS 714Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 414Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 419Classroom Instruction1 / 200
DIS 719Classroom Instruction1 / 200
LAB 420Classroom Instruction3 / 200
DIS 720Classroom Instruction3 / 200
DIS 619Classroom Instruction3 / 240
LAB 319Classroom Instruction3 / 240
DIS 620Classroom Instruction4 / 240
LAB 320Classroom Instruction4 / 240

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records

Student experience

the class

Farrah Madison lectures well but is less engaging than other instructors, requiring more outside study time to understand topics.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.00 GPA, 39.4% A/AB (n=404 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.93 GPA, 30.6% A/AB (n=888 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.93 GPA, 33.7% A/AB (n=445 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

The course requires outside class hours to grasp lecture material and complete lab reports.

TAs are helpful in guiding students through the completion of lab reports.

Topics

  • Cell structure and function
  • Cellular metabolism
  • Information flow (DNA, RNA, protein)
  • Principles of genetics
  • Animal Physiology

Skills

  • Understanding cell structure and function
  • Understanding cellular metabolism including enzymes, respiration, and photosynthesis
  • Understanding information flow from DNA to RNA to protein
  • Understanding principles of genetics
  • Understanding selected topics in animal physiology

Grades

Historical instructor

Fall 2026 · Projected

Before grades are released

average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.10 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Fall 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Selected offering source records
BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 · Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Recorded 2026-09-07
BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 · Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Recorded 2026-09-07
BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151 · Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records
[
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:205:019262",
    "course_id": "BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151",
    "course_uid": "course_4722ef6b23bfedc23131f60d",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "019262",
    "source_subject_id": "205",
    "title": "Introductory Biology",
    "credits_min": 5,
    "credits_max": 5,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:208:019262",
    "course_id": "BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151",
    "course_uid": "course_4722ef6b23bfedc23131f60d",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "019262",
    "source_subject_id": "208",
    "title": "Introductory Biology",
    "credits_min": 5,
    "credits_max": 5,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:970:019262",
    "course_id": "BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151",
    "course_uid": "course_4722ef6b23bfedc23131f60d",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "019262",
    "source_subject_id": "970",
    "title": "Introductory Biology",
    "credits_min": 5,
    "credits_max": 5,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "f9ea352007f5697412e7717ac208a507f50ffdb23ac6d29994dab552ba2b7011",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}