Foundations of Evolution
Foundations of Evolution explores major themes and debates in evolutionary biology from the last 50 years by reading key papers, debating competing viewpoints, and reflecting on their contemporary relevance.
Summary
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2017: 3.70 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=5 letter grades); Fall 2022: 3.83 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades).
What you’ll be able to do
Explain important evolutionary concepts, including basic population and quantitative genetics.
Identify key ideas and controversies in evolutionary biology.
Develop an ability to think about evolution in the manner of a professional in the field.
Interpret and critique conceptual theories using rigorous logic and references to established biological phenomena.
Summarize, interpret, and synthesize scientific concepts orally and in writing.
Communicate and debate in a respectful and constructive manner with fellow evolutionary biologists, including as a peer reviewer.
Source: UW Guide 1· UW Guide 2· UW Guide 3· UW Guide 4
Grade history
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Prerequisites
Course mapGraduate/professional standing
- Graduate/professional standing
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- Graduate/professional standing
Professors
Spring 2027No instructors recorded for this selection.
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
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Calendar & sections
Spring 2027Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
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Student experience
the class
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2017: 3.70 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=5 letter grades); Fall 2022: 3.83 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=6 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
No workload feedback recorded.
Topics
- Important themes and debates in evolutionary biology over the last 50 years.
- Basic population and quantitative genetics.
- Relevance of historical controversies to contemporary evolutionary biology.
Skills
- Explain evolutionary concepts, including basic population and quantitative genetics.
- Identify key ideas and controversies in evolutionary biology.
- Interpret and critique conceptual theories using rigorous logic and references to established biological phenomena.
- Communicate and debate respectfully with peers, including acting as a peer reviewer.
Grades
Latest available · Fall 2022— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
Grades over time
Through Fall 2022
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Catalog & offerings
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Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Model outputs & technical records
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Model & dataset provenance
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