Spring 2027

Molecular Ecology

Molecular Ecology covers basic principles including population genetics, molecular phylogenetics, rates and patterns of evolution, genome evolution, and molecular ecology.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Sean Schoville3.8/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Sean Schoville

The course featured a hard exam with written answers that the student found very subjective. The reviewer noted that the exam was significantly more difficult than expected.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Identify and describe common molecular genetic techniques.

  • Demonstrate knowledge about the significance of genetic diversity in species biology.

  • Differentiate how ecological and evolutionary processes shape genetic variation.

  • Analyze genetic data and communicate the results.

  • Evaluate whether genetic data are appropriate for answering scientific questions.

  • Summarize and critique the primary literature in the field of Molecular Ecology.

Source: UW Guide 1 UW Guide 2 UW Guide 3

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

GENETICS 466, 467,BIOCORE 383, or graduate student standing

ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 624

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.00/5 from 23 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: 1.0/5 raw quality · 5.0/5 difficulty · 1 reviews

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

Past student reviews · Sean Schoville

Sean Schoville taught the course using written answer exams that one student found very subjective. That reviewer described the exams as hard, reported being graded lower than the average, and stated that the instructor promised but did not curve for undergraduates. They advised undergraduates to avoid the class.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2021: 3.86 GPA, 88.9% A/AB (n=18 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.80 GPA, 86.7% A/AB (n=15 letter grades); Spring 2025: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=8 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

SEAN SCHOVILLE is recorded teaching in Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Fall 2021, Spring 2023, Spring 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

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 300
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 300
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 300

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

Past student reviews · Sean Schoville

Sean Schoville's teaching was rated poorly by one student who found the course subjective and inequitable. The reviewer strongly advised undergraduates to avoid the class due to these concerns.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2021: 3.86 GPA, 88.9% A/AB (n=18 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.80 GPA, 86.7% A/AB (n=15 letter grades); Spring 2025: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=8 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Sean Schoville

The course featured a hard exam with written answers that the student found very subjective. The reviewer noted that the exam was significantly more difficult than expected.

Past student reviews · Sean Schoville

One student felt grading was inequitable, stating they were graded lower than the average despite the instructor's promise to curve for undergraduates. This lack of fairness was a major frustration.

Topics

  • Population genetics, molecular phylogenetics, rates and patterns of evolution, genome evolution, and molecular ecology.

Skills

  • Identify and describe common molecular genetic techniques.
  • Demonstrate knowledge about the significance of genetic diversity in species biology.
  • Differentiate how ecological and evolutionary processes shape genetic variation.
  • Analyze genetic data and communicate the results.
  • Evaluate whether genetic data are appropriate for answering scientific questions.
  • Summarize and critique the primary literature in the field of Molecular Ecology.

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2025— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2025

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.

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
ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 624 · Spring 2027

Molecular Ecology

Recorded 2026-10-14
ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 624 · Spring 2027

Molecular Ecology

Recorded 2026-10-14
ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 624 · Spring 2027

Molecular Ecology

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records
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Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Model & dataset provenance
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