The American Jewish Life of DNA
Explores relationships between DNA and American Jewish life, from Biblical genealogies and early twentieth-century racial science to the post-Auschwitz era shaped by the double helix discovery.
Summary
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.59 GPA, 72.7% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.55 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=20 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.67 GPA, 88.9% A/AB (n=9 letter grades).
What you’ll be able to do
articulate informed answers to central questions at the intersection of Jewish Studies and Science and Technology Studies
identify key themes, movements, and people in twentieth century American Jewish Studies and the history of the biological sciences
analyze a range of sources, including material objects and digital media as well as written texts from religious, ethnic, and scientific communities
employ an expanded range of religious literacy, including skills for identifying, evaluating, and interpreting the interrelationships and impact of religious and scientific worldviews and communities in the United States via a variety of theoretical ideas and methodologies in the social sciences and humanities
employ stronger research and writing skills, including textual analysis, primary source analysis, synthesis of scholarly ideas, persuasive writing, oral communication, active listening, and critical empathy
participate more effectively in creating open, engaging, fun, and collaborative learning environments that seek academic excellence, honesty, and integrity
Source: UW Guide 1· UW Guide 2
Grade history
↗All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
Prerequisites
Course mapSophomore standing
- Sophomore standing
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Prerequisite text tree
- Sophomore standing
Professors
Spring 2027No instructors recorded for this selection.
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Calendar & sections
Spring 2027Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
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Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections.
Meeting source records
No records available.
Student experience
the class
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.59 GPA, 72.7% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.55 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=20 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.67 GPA, 88.9% A/AB (n=9 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
No workload feedback recorded.
Topics
- Prehistory of Jewishness and genetic science: Biblical genealogies and early twentieth-century racial science.
- Second half of the twentieth century: The impact of the double helix discovery and the atrocities of Auschwitz on American Jewish relationships to DNA.
- Key themes, movements, and people in twentieth-century American Jewish Studies and the history of biological sciences.
Skills
- Analyze material objects, digital media, and written texts from religious, ethnic, and scientific communities.
- Identify, evaluate, and interpret the interrelationships and impact of religious and scientific worldviews using social science and humanities methodologies.
- Develop research and writing skills including textual analysis, primary source analysis, synthesis of scholarly ideas, persuasive writing, oral communication, and critical empathy.
Grades
Latest available · Spring 2024— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
Grades over time
Through Spring 2024
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.
Sources & history
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
No offering records for the selected term.
Raw records
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Student reviews
Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Read original reviews
No records available.
Grade history
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Model outputs & technical records
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces
Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
Model & dataset provenance
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"requirements_status": "valid",
"dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
"observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
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