# Hardest courses in Biological Systems Engineering | UW–Madison [View on UW Courses](https://uwcourses.com/departments/BSE/hardest) ## Dataset ### revision e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349 ### repository twangodev/uwcourses ### schema version 6 ### importer version 7 ### projection id 52a78527ff09011d88cb04c7d43867d9fbfec2930bf1dd2ec359ebd2844e0b07 ### observed at 2026-09-07T15:55:43.033547+00:00 ### built at 2026-09-10T19:50:42.743001+00:00 ### courses 8951 ### current instructors 5754 ### limited false ### terms * 1272 * 1264 * 1262 * 1254 * 1252 * 1244 * 1242 * 1234 * 1232 * 1224 * 1222 * 1212 * 1204 * 1202 * 1194 * 1192 * 1184 * 1182 * 1174 * 1172 * 1164 * 1162 * 1154 * 1152 * 1144 * 1142 * 1134 * 1132 * 1124 * 1122 * 1114 * 1112 * 1104 * 1102 * 1094 * 1092 * 1084 * 1082 * 1074 * 1072 ### term 1272 ### departments | subject | count | | --------- | ----- | | AAE | 90 | | ABT | 20 | | ACCTIS | 36 | | ACTSCI | 14 | | AFAERO | 10 | | AFRICAN | 87 | | AFROAMER | 71 | | AGROECOL | 21 | | AMERIND | 53 | | ANAT\&PHY | 7 | | ANATOMY | 2 | | ANESTHES | 8 | | ANSCI | 57 | | ANTHRO | 95 | | ART | 125 | | ARTED | 10 | | ARTHIST | 121 | | ASIALANG | 129 | | ASIAN | 109 | | ASIANAM | 28 | | ASTRON | 38 | | ATMOCN | 69 | | BIOCHEM | 51 | | BIOCORE | 10 | | BIOLOGY | 14 | | BIOMDSCI | 18 | | BME | 66 | | BMI | 41 | | BMOLCHEM | 10 | | BOTANY | 69 | | BSE | 44 | | C\&ESOC | 73 | | CBE | 48 | | CHEM | 101 | | CHICLA | 52 | | CIVENGR | 133 | | CLASSICS | 47 | | CNP | 10 | | CNSRSCI | 50 | | COMARTS | 137 | | COMPBIO | 15 | | COMPLIT | 11 | | COMPSCI | 138 | | COUNPSY | 78 | | CRB | 19 | | CS\&D | 71 | | CSCS | 40 | | CURRIC | 193 | | DANCE | 93 | | DERM | 8 | | DS | 88 | | DYSCI | 35 | | ECE | 155 | | ECON | 145 | | EDPOL | 114 | | EDPSYCH | 97 | | ELPA | 70 | | EMA | 53 | | EMERMED | 17 | | ENGL | 206 | | ENTOM | 40 | | ENVIRST | 148 | | EP | 15 | | EPD | 67 | | ESL | 16 | | F\&WECOL | 60 | | FAMMED | 22 | | FINANCE | 50 | | FOLKLORE | 40 | | FOODSCI | 43 | | FRENCH | 63 | | GEN\&WS | 145 | | GENBUS | 72 | | GENECSLR | 17 | | GENETICS | 60 | | GEOG | 113 | | GEOSCI | 83 | | GERMAN | 82 | | GLE | 48 | | GNS | 38 | | GREEK | 27 | | HDFS | 41 | | HEBR-BIB | 13 | | HEBR-MOD | 10 | | HISTORY | 233 | | HISTSCI | 56 | | HONCOL | 13 | | ILS | 43 | | INFOSYS | 9 | | INTEGART | 7 | | INTEGSCI | 22 | | INTER-AG | 18 | | INTER-HE | 11 | | INTER-LS | 22 | | INTEREGR | 16 | | INTLBUS | 21 | | INTLST | 50 | | ISYE | 83 | | ITALIAN | 53 | | JEWISH | 56 | | JOURN | 88 | | KINES | 128 | | LACIS | 26 | | LANDARC | 61 | | LATIN | 24 | | LAW | 120 | | LEGALST | 48 | | LINGUIS | 35 | | LIS | 89 | | LITTRANS | 78 | | LSC | 52 | | M\&ENVTOX | 7 | | MARKETNG | 62 | | MATH | 153 | | MDGENET | 8 | | ME | 130 | | MEDHIST | 43 | | MEDICINE | 60 | | MEDIEVAL | 32 | | MEDPHYS | 39 | | MEDSC-M | 29 | | MEDSC-V | 41 | | MHR | 68 | | MICROBIO | 45 | | MILSCI | 16 | | MM\&I | 22 | | MOLBIOL | 6 | | MS\&E | 59 | | MUSIC | 165 | | MUSPERF | 126 | | NAVSCI | 20 | | NE | 44 | | NEURODPT | 11 | | NEUROL | 7 | | NEURSURG | 4 | | NTP | 11 | | NURSING | 111 | | NUTRSCI | 65 | | OBS\&GYN | 18 | | OCCTHER | 39 | | ONCOLOGY | 14 | | OPHTHALM | 5 | | OTM | 43 | | PATH | 34 | | PATH-BIO | 29 | | PEDIAT | 26 | | PHARMACY | 31 | | PHILOS | 77 | | PHMCOL-M | 11 | | PHMPRAC | 45 | | PHMSCI | 60 | | PHYASST | 37 | | PHYSICS | 88 | | PHYSIOL | 3 | | PHYTHER | 37 | | PLANTSCI | 52 | | PLPATH | 35 | | POLISCI | 192 | | POPHLTH | 58 | | PORTUG | 33 | | PSYCH | 101 | | PSYCHIAT | 22 | | PUBAFFR | 54 | | PUBLHLTH | 23 | | RADIOL | 11 | | REALEST | 41 | | RELIGST | 90 | | RHABMED | 9 | | RMI | 24 | | RP\&SE | 102 | | S\&APHM | 17 | | SCANDST | 73 | | SLAVIC | 89 | | SOC | 149 | | SOCWORK | 87 | | SOILSCI | 46 | | SPANISH | 83 | | SRMED | 21 | | STAT | 94 | | STDYABRD | 52 | | STS | 8 | | SURGERY | 25 | | SURGSCI | 33 | | THEATRE | 91 | | URBRPL | 60 | | UROLOGY | 5 | | ZOOLOGY | 89 | ## subject BSE ## collection hardest ## results ### items ```json [ { "course_uid": "course_c3456a6976e4f7f36ddc6600", "course_id": "BSE 249", "title": "ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES FOR BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 2.863, "badges": [], "description": "Applies basic engineering principles like mass/energy balances and fluid flow to agricultural and biological systems.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 9, 7, 51, 15, 56, 14, 0 ], "count": 152, "gpa": 2.4802631578947367, "topShare": 10.526315789473683, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_c3456a6976e4f7f36ddc6600", "uid": "instructor_87c9d3322f95730e07ffc089", "name": "Robert Anex", "quality": 2.7842698797481082, "quality_count": 16, "instructor_url": "/instructors/ROBERT_ANEX" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2015-02-20 20:01:04 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "dbac49d3521ecaf9e9850729", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI0NDAwMjg4", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2015-04-10 18:48:38 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "fbd62f4bd06382aa38c726b4", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI0NTc2ODUy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2017-03-14 18:55:56 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "e402bd8bb7d6967645af174b", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3OTA3Mjc2", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Jessica Drewry", "review_date": "2020-01-17 20:17:53 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "61531882ba29e29c0ac470eb", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2463846", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMyODQ2NDgz", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2463846", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Historical reviews of Jessica Drewry, Troy Runge: Runge's homework requires EES software and can be challenging, though exams are often considered manageable with practice. Drewry's course was rated difficult, with students finding her lectures hard to follow." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_c3456a6976e4f7f36ddc6600-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_159c6ad76d7ffad6a2830fba", "course_id": "BSE 270", "title": "INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.279, "badges": [], "description": "Introduction to computer aided design (CAD) concepts, techniques, and design synthesis.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 54, 40, 36, 13, 1, 1, 4 ], "count": 149, "gpa": 3.3523489932885906, "topShare": 63.08724832214765, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_159c6ad76d7ffad6a2830fba", "uid": "instructor_ac4a18f05fb0c0ecc930eb06", "name": "Christopher Choi", "quality": 3.591404819622163, "quality_count": 4, "instructor_url": "/instructors/CHRISTOPHER_CHOI" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Christopher Choi", "review_date": "2025-12-26 03:29:21 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "55dde05cd82a652ff68d82a8", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2592505", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTQyMzk4OTI1", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2592505", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Students should expect 3-6 hours of weekly work, with exams described as hard but curved, and all assignments completed online." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_159c6ad76d7ffad6a2830fba-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_b1e74384649dc59474b8332a", "course_id": "BSE 380", "title": "INTRODUCTORY DATA SCIENCE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL AND LIFE SCIENCES", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.554, "badges": [], "description": "Introductory data science course teaching coding and numerical analysis for agricultural and life sciences challenges.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 105, 32, 22, 5, 3, 2, 6 ], "count": 175, "gpa": 3.5342857142857143, "topShare": 78.28571428571428, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_b1e74384649dc59474b8332a", "uid": "instructor_58b35b08e7c7ee851a2a75fd", "name": "Paul Stoy", "quality": 3.8830714862888294, "quality_count": 4, "instructor_url": "/instructors/PAUL_STOY" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": null, "reviewFiles": [] } }, { "course_uid": "course_0953f4d85f3f4545ed6a67cd", "course_id": "BSE/ENVIRST 367", "title": "RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.429, "badges": [], "description": "Covers state-of-the-art renewable energy applications and engineering calculations for power availability and system integration.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 592, 185, 139, 28, 19, 4, 1 ], "count": 968, "gpa": 3.6616735537190084, "topShare": 80.26859504132231, "firstTerm": "1224", "lastTerm": "1264" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_0953f4d85f3f4545ed6a67cd", "uid": "instructor_43532e72ea4ded0ecbc4ec7f", "name": "Nesli Akdeniz Onuki", "quality": null, "quality_count": null, "instructor_url": "/instructors/NESLI_AKDENIZ_ONUKI" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Doug Reinemann", "review_date": "2013-12-10 19:09:57 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "482de31c016d0ac2e1c59d3e", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1711130", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTIyNDk2NzE1", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1711130", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Doug Reinemann", "review_date": "2015-04-22 18:37:54 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "3fb0f1a32bcb6d0ffaa5c64f", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1711130", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI0NjQ5MTQw", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1711130", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Doug Reinemann", "review_date": "2016-05-05 22:34:41 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "ae37a61f4059765d5ea4ea5b", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1711130", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI2NDg0NzE3", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1711130", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2016-11-10 13:02:41 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "7123fc0370d4977e3c5043bf", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3MTYzMTY2", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2016-12-11 18:16:21 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "b6c20b951fe73b7f89fd20cc", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI3NDM0NjMw", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2017-12-24 10:40:30 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "1fa9d097dc6161d892620deb", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI5MzI5Mjgy", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2017-12-28 16:16:29 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "9cbce3564220b6c5b35e908a", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI5MzUxNDM0", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2018-05-04 22:26:06 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "b9c01e1ac1ae56d42201bd71", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTI5OTkyMDI5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2018-05-11 14:20:08 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "ff23cb09d45b4882508a3247", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMwMDczMDA4", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" }, { "instructor_name": "Troy Runge", "review_date": "2018-12-24 04:42:36 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "9fd99eb18aeed3f3c8e73e17", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:1986240", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTMxMTQ4MTI5", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/1986240", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Historical reviews of Doug Reinemann, Troy Runge: The RETScreen group project is a major time commitment. Exams require substantial preparation, with some reviewers noting questions outside lecture scope, while others find them similar to homework." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_0953f4d85f3f4545ed6a67cd-0.json" ] } }, { "course_uid": "course_7ce912989a41e6df793c30b1", "course_id": "BSE 509", "title": "BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DESIGN PRACTICUM II", "credits_min": 3, "credits_max": 3, "gpa": 3.483, "badges": [], "description": "BSE 509 is a design practicum where students work on biological systems engineering projects, focusing on problem identification, solution analysis, and selection methodology.", "discovery": { "term": "1272", "offered": true, "history": { "counts": [ 89, 39, 10, 0, 0, 0, 2 ], "count": 140, "gpa": 3.732142857142857, "topShare": 91.42857142857143, "firstTerm": "1232", "lastTerm": "1262" }, "instructors": [ { "course_uid": "course_7ce912989a41e6df793c30b1", "uid": "instructor_964d52dcce2db9fb81795020", "name": "Kody Habeck", "quality": 1.888832040339911, "quality_count": 71, "instructor_url": "/instructors/KODY_HABECK" } ], "instructorHistory": null, "courseComparison": null, "claim": { "citations": [ { "instructor_name": "Jessica Drewry", "review_date": "2022-04-14 23:28:10 +0000 UTC", "review_id": "ff0bf0ee7346dc80d304aae7", "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4", "source_instructor_id": "rmp:2463846", "source_review_id": "UmF0aW5nLTM2MDgxNzUz", "source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2463846", "type": "review" } ], "text": "Historical reviews of Jessica Drewry: Reviewers report that grading appears uncorrelated to effort, with unclear assignment expectations and nitpicking leading to low grades regardless of time invested." }, "reviewFiles": [ "/data/e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349/reviews/course_7ce912989a41e6df793c30b1-0.json" ] } } ] ``` ### total 5 ### page 1 ### kind course ### q ### term 1272 ### availability offered ### filters #### ranking hardest #### subject BSE