Principles of Genetics covers transmission, molecular, and evolutionary genetics in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, including genetic engineering and societal issues.
Grades rely almost entirely on exams, which make up the vast majority of the final score. Students note that non-exam work like discussions and attendance is minimal, though one reviewer found pre-lecture expectations heavy.
All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
(ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY/BOTANY 151 or BIOCORE 381 or BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130 or ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY 101 and 102) and (CHEM 104 or CHEM 109 or CHEM 115). Not eligible to enroll if credit earned forGENETICS 467 or 468
“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Chris Hittinger is described as helpful, knowledgeable, and funny, with fair exams and supportive office hours. However, some students find his lectures confusing or unhelpful, noting that he sometimes struggles to explain concepts clearly.
Critics label Hittinger as terrible, citing unclear expectations and lectures filled with useless information. Others feel he prioritizes research and expects prior experience, making lectures less useful than self-study.
Christopher Tilmann demonstrates strong subject matter expertise, though reviewers note he often assumes prior student knowledge rather than explaining concepts clearly. Some students appreciate his flexibility with grade cutoffs, while others find his teaching style ineffective for beginners.
Reviews frequently criticize his exams for being vague, confusing, or disconnected from lecture content, with some describing them as trick questions. Students report that lectures feel like riddles rather than instruction, and the heavy reliance on exams creates significant pressure.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.38 GPA, 60.0% A/AB (n=185 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.36 GPA, 58.5% A/AB (n=164 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.67 GPA, 79.6% A/AB (n=147 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
Historical reviews of Christopher Day: Christopher Day is described as a great guy who is willing to help, though students must take the initiative to see him. He taught the course in 2013, and reviews highlight his helpfulness despite requiring student effort.
ALLEN LAUGHON is recorded teaching in Fall 2007, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Fall 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
BARRY S GANETZKY is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2009, Spring 2011, Spring 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
CHRISTOPHER TILMANN is recorded teaching in Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 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.
FRANCISCO PELEGRI is recorded teaching in Spring 2008. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JOHN DOEBLEY is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2008, Fall 2010, Fall 2012, Fall 2014. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JOHN POOL is recorded teaching in Spring 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
QIANG CHANG is recorded teaching in Spring 2010, Spring 2012, Spring 2014, Spring 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
WILLIAM ROBERT ENGELS is recorded teaching in Fall 2007, Fall 2009, Fall 2011, Fall 2013, Fall 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 192 / 340 | 0 |
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Chris Hittinger is generally viewed as helpful and knowledgeable, though his lectures can be confusing or fast-paced. Christopher Tilmann receives polarized reviews, with some finding him fair and others citing vague exams and poor communication.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.38 GPA, 60.0% A/AB (n=185 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.36 GPA, 58.5% A/AB (n=164 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.67 GPA, 79.6% A/AB (n=147 letter grades).
Grades rely almost entirely on exams, which make up the vast majority of the final score. Students note that non-exam work like discussions and attendance is minimal, though one reviewer found pre-lecture expectations heavy.
Students frequently criticize unclear exam questions, trick questions, and a lack of explanatory support in lectures. Some reviewers also report frustration with unresponsive email communication and a teaching style that assumes prior knowledge.
– average GPA
Approximate 80% prediction interval
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 · 0.25 GPA average error.
Through Fall 2026
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.
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.
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Principles of Genetics
Recorded 2026-09-07[
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"semester": "1272",
"observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
"offering_id": "1272:412:008128",
"course_id": "GENETICS 466",
"course_uid": "course_2a73ec290c5e665c8b699fbb",
"term_id": "1272",
"source_course_id": "008128",
"source_subject_id": "412",
"title": "Principles of Genetics",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 3,
"typically_offered": "Fall, Spring, Summer"
}
]Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
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}