Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Introductory Biology covers plant physiology, organismal kingdoms, evolution, and ecology.

offering recorded5 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 Kate McCulloh4.0/5Sarah Edlund4.0/5Daijiang Li3.5/5 +27 more

Summary

1 / 7

The botany portion requires plenty of memorization. Lectures are dense in content but explained clearly and slowly, with pauses for questions.

Grade history

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average GPA
letter grades
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All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

ZOOLOGY/​BIOLOGY/​BOTANY 151

BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152 used by

“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

Kate McCulloh

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

Raw average: 4.33/5 from 27 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: 5.0/5 raw quality · 3.3/5 difficulty · 4 reviews

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

Kate McCulloh teaches the plant physiology portion of Bio 152 with dynamic, engaging lectures that students find interesting and fun. Reviewers highlight her clear explanations, patience with questions, and genuine care for student well-being. Her teaching style is consistently rated highly for making dense content accessible.

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

Raw average: 5.00/5 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: 3.00/5 from 4 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 2025: 3.36 GPA, 54.8% A/AB (n=606 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Prashant Sharma

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

Raw average: 3.31/5 from 29 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 2021: 3.02 GPA, 36.2% A/AB (n=448 letter grades); Fall 2022: 3.32 GPA, 53.5% A/AB (n=469 letter grades); Fall 2023: 3.27 GPA, 52.7% A/AB (n=514 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

No reviews exist for current instructors Daijiang Li, Kate McCulloh, or Prashant Sharma. Historical reviews for David Abbott describe straightforward tests and simplified physiology material. Seth Blair is noted for his enthusiasm, while Tony Stretton's lectures are considered difficult to follow despite being humorous.

ANTONY STRETTON is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DAIJIANG LI is recorded teaching in Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DAVID ABBOTT is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

PRASHANT SHARMA is recorded teaching in Fall 2016, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023. 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 Instruction556 / 66022
LAB 301Classroom Instruction18 / 220
LAB 302Classroom Instruction17 / 220
LAB 303Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 304Classroom Instruction19 / 222
LAB 305Classroom Instruction19 / 222
LAB 306Classroom Instruction20 / 220
LAB 308Classroom Instruction19 / 221
LAB 309Classroom Instruction20 / 221
DIS 601Classroom Instruction18 / 220
DIS 602Classroom Instruction17 / 220
DIS 604Classroom Instruction19 / 222
DIS 605Classroom Instruction19 / 222
LAB 307Classroom Instruction20 / 222
DIS 603Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 606Classroom Instruction20 / 220
DIS 607Classroom Instruction20 / 222
DIS 608Classroom Instruction19 / 221
DIS 609Classroom Instruction20 / 221
LAB 310Classroom Instruction17 / 221
DIS 610Classroom Instruction17 / 221
DIS 611Classroom Instruction19 / 220
DIS 612Classroom Instruction21 / 221
LAB 311Classroom Instruction19 / 220
LAB 312Classroom Instruction21 / 221
LAB 313Classroom Instruction21 / 222
LAB 314Classroom Instruction21 / 221
DIS 613Classroom Instruction21 / 222
DIS 614Classroom Instruction21 / 221
LAB 315Classroom Instruction21 / 222
LAB 316Classroom Instruction18 / 221
DIS 615Classroom Instruction21 / 222
DIS 616Classroom Instruction18 / 221
LAB 317Classroom Instruction21 / 221
LAB 318Classroom Instruction22 / 220
DIS 617Classroom Instruction21 / 221
DIS 618Classroom Instruction22 / 220
LAB 319Classroom Instruction20 / 220
DIS 619Classroom Instruction20 / 220
LAB 321Classroom Instruction21 / 221
LAB 322Classroom Instruction20 / 220
DIS 621Classroom Instruction21 / 221
DIS 622Classroom Instruction20 / 220
LAB 320Classroom Instruction21 / 220
DIS 620Classroom Instruction21 / 220
LAB 323Classroom Instruction20 / 220
DIS 623Classroom Instruction20 / 220
LAB 324Classroom Instruction17 / 221
LAB 325Classroom Instruction20 / 221
DIS 624Classroom Instruction17 / 221
DIS 625Classroom Instruction20 / 221
LAB 326Classroom Instruction20 / 222
DIS 626Classroom Instruction20 / 222
LAB 327Classroom Instruction21 / 220
LAB 328Classroom Instruction21 / 220
DIS 627Classroom Instruction21 / 220
DIS 628Classroom Instruction21 / 220
LEC 001Classroom Instruction3 / 6600
LAB 301Classroom Instruction1 / 220
LAB 302Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 303Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 304Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 305Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 306Classroom Instruction1 / 220
LAB 308Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 309Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 601Classroom Instruction1 / 220
DIS 602Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 604Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 605Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 307Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 603Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 606Classroom Instruction1 / 220
DIS 607Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 608Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 609Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 310Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 610Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 611Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 612Classroom Instruction1 / 220
LAB 311Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 312Classroom Instruction1 / 220
LAB 313Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 314Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 613Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 614Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 315Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 316Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 615Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 616Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 317Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 318Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 617Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 618Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 319Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 619Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 321Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 322Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 621Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 622Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 320Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 620Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 323Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 623Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 324Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 325Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 624Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 625Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 326Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 626Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 327Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LAB 328Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 627Classroom Instruction0 / 220
DIS 628Classroom Instruction0 / 220
LEC 001Classroom Instruction108 / 66016
LAB 301Classroom Instruction5 / 220
LAB 302Classroom Instruction6 / 223
LAB 303Classroom Instruction1 / 221
LAB 304Classroom Instruction5 / 220
LAB 305Classroom Instruction5 / 220
LAB 306Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 308Classroom Instruction5 / 222
LAB 309Classroom Instruction4 / 222
LAB 307Classroom Instruction4 / 221
DIS 601Classroom Instruction5 / 220
DIS 602Classroom Instruction6 / 223
DIS 605Classroom Instruction5 / 220
DIS 606Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 607Classroom Instruction4 / 221
DIS 608Classroom Instruction5 / 222
DIS 609Classroom Instruction4 / 222
LAB 310Classroom Instruction6 / 222
DIS 610Classroom Instruction6 / 222
DIS 604Classroom Instruction5 / 220
DIS 603Classroom Instruction1 / 221
LAB 311Classroom Instruction5 / 221
LAB 312Classroom Instruction2 / 220
DIS 611Classroom Instruction5 / 221
DIS 612Classroom Instruction2 / 220
LAB 313Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 314Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 613Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 614Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 315Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 316Classroom Instruction6 / 220
DIS 615Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 616Classroom Instruction6 / 220
LAB 317Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 318Classroom Instruction2 / 220
DIS 617Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 618Classroom Instruction2 / 220
DIS 619Classroom Instruction4 / 220
LAB 319Classroom Instruction4 / 220
LAB 321Classroom Instruction3 / 221
LAB 322Classroom Instruction4 / 223
DIS 621Classroom Instruction3 / 221
DIS 622Classroom Instruction4 / 223
DIS 620Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 320Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 623Classroom Instruction4 / 220
LAB 323Classroom Instruction4 / 220
LAB 324Classroom Instruction7 / 220
DIS 624Classroom Instruction7 / 220
DIS 625Classroom Instruction4 / 220
LAB 325Classroom Instruction4 / 220
DIS 626Classroom Instruction4 / 220
LAB 326Classroom Instruction4 / 220
DIS 627Classroom Instruction3 / 220
DIS 628Classroom Instruction1 / 220
LAB 327Classroom Instruction3 / 220
LAB 328Classroom Instruction1 / 220

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

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Reviewers describe Kate McCulloh as dynamic and engaging, noting she makes plant biology interesting and fun. Students value her clear explanations and supportive demeanor, with one calling her the best professor seen.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.38 GPA, 57.9% A/AB (n=991 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.36 GPA, 54.8% A/AB (n=606 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.52 GPA, 66.1% A/AB (n=1152 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

The botany portion requires plenty of memorization. Lectures are dense in content but explained clearly and slowly, with pauses for questions.

Students appreciate her supportive approach, including pre-exam calming moments and occasional jokes. Her clear explanations and engagement make the course enjoyable despite the memorization load.

Topics

  • Plant physiology
  • Five major kingdoms of organisms
  • Speciation and evolutionary theory
  • Ecology at multiple levels

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 · 0.12 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.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152 · Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Recorded 2026-09-07
BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152 · Fall 2026

Introductory Biology

Recorded 2026-09-07
BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152 · 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": "1272:205:019263",
    "course_id": "BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152",
    "course_uid": "course_b61b3a2720bc1995e3b37da8",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "019263",
    "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": "1272:208:019263",
    "course_id": "BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152",
    "course_uid": "course_b61b3a2720bc1995e3b37da8",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "019263",
    "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": "1272:970:019263",
    "course_id": "BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152",
    "course_uid": "course_b61b3a2720bc1995e3b37da8",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "019263",
    "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
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

Download the original dataset
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "ee2d31c0f1b5dde4079c312055f77bc4359916bd21f185300aeda86b632d176e",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}