Hardest courses in Biology

Plan ahead for courses where students have earned lower grades.

Lowest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.

Find your fit

6 courses

Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.

#1 ·BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 101

Animal Biology

3 credits

Animal Biology covers general biological principles including evolution, ecology, cell structure, genetics, and human physiology.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Sharon Thoma, Lauren Riters

Exams were described as challenging, with one student noting Lauren Riters' test was the hardest of the semester. Sharon Thoma's exams required significant study time, and students were advised to use the Learning Center and office hours to prepare.

Sharon Thoma Lauren Riters+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#2 ·BIOLOGY/BOTANY 130

General Botany

5 credits

General Botany introduces plant biology principles, focusing on evolutionary sequences and structure-function relationships from molecules to communities, with lectures, labs, and discussions.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Linda Graham

Weekly quizzes included specific details only covered in lecture, making attendance necessary despite the textbook-based teaching style.

Hiroshi Maeda Kate McCulloh+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#3 ·BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151

Introductory Biology

5 credits

Introductory Biology covers cell structure, cellular metabolism, information flow, genetics, and selected topics in Animal Physiology.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Simon Gilroy

The course was moderately difficult and memorization-heavy on exams, which some students found tricky. Labs required outside class hours, but TAs were helpful in guiding students through completing lab reports.

Simon Gilroy Carol Lee+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#4 ·BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 102

Animal Biology Laboratory

2 credits

Introductory animal biology lab focusing on evolutionary relationships, body plans, and dissections of earthworm, mussel, squid, sea star, and rat.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Sarah Edlund

The biology content could feel overwhelming, though the instructor made learning the lab material fun and enjoyable.

Gale Oakes

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#5 ·BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152

Introductory Biology

5 credits

Introductory Biology covers plant physiology, the five major kingdoms, speciation, evolutionary theory, and ecology across biological scales.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Kate McCulloh

The course demanded plenty of memorization for the botany portion, while lectures were noted to be dense in content.

Simon Gilroy David Baum+1 more

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#6 ·BIOLOGY/GENETICS 522

Communicating Evolutionary Biology

2–3 credits

Communicating Evolutionary Biology exposes students to diverse contemporary topics through guest lectures on primary research, developing critical thinking and communication skills; the 3-credit version deepens outreach to varied audiences.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Chris Hittinger

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026