Asking about MICB306 (virology) and Biol334 (basic genetics)

[Guest Paulchemguy]

If you took either of these courses, how did you find them? I have to choose between those 2 courses.

 

My friends have been telling me totally different things about virology. What's your opinion?

 

Also, did anyone take MICB407 (viral infections in humans)? How is it? Difficult?

 

What about all the other "Advanced Topics in..." courses?

 

Thanks guys,

Paul

[Guest osjx82]

if you're planning to take the MCAT, I think genetics is more helpful. I don't know about virology.

[Guest Paulchemguy]

I'm alreayd taking the mcat, so i dont need to take this course to prepare for it. but any ohter poeple with good advice please?

[Guest kakashifan]

hey Paulchemguy!

what is your objective? to get a high mark? to learn more about ___ ?

if it's still the same as two years ago, micb 306 is pretty easy. it's all memorization. the lectures are ok and sometimes interesting. when i took it, it was at 8am in the morning. i think last year, it was in the afternoon.

so in this class, if you study, you'll do well.

for biol 334, the midterms and finals are 'tough'. just several big questions for your marks. so you can get 100% or 50%. your choice. depends if you have a head for mendelian genetics.

as for the advanced in... i think those are seminar topics. it's a nice and cozy class. you'll (self) learn how to make powerpoint presentations and read scientific papers. you will most likely get a high mark but you will work for it for sure.

hope that helps. it's been awhile since i took these classes.

=0. k

[Guest Paulchemguy]

Thanks kakashifan for your advice!

 

Who was the prof when you took virology? Horwitz? I heard he's very disorganized and notes are just graphs or something and textbook useless. Is that true?

 

How about the "Viral Infections in Humans" course? Did you take it?

 

By the way, about ur nickname, does it have anything to do with an anime?

[Guest kupo]

heh, you should have seen when dr. jean was teaching micb 306. his notes were all over the place. however, overall, i found his lectures good, the approach to the material from researcher's point of view excellent, and I learned a lot, despite is different way of teaching. micb 306 was different every year because all of our assignments and exams were based on the most current (like yesterday) publications.

 

Kupo

[Guest kakashifan]

man... i just lost what i wrote... argh... here i go again.

yup.. i did have horwitz. it was his first year at ubc and i guess it could have been more organized but he was very considerate. he had ppts to print out before lectures altho sometimes it was very short notice. but i would expect that he would have improved since then.

i actually didn't mind the textbook and actually read it unlike in other courses. graphs? yeah i remember those confusing lectures but just go to him during office hours and he'll explain them slowly to ya.

viral infections in humans... i really wanted to take it but didn't have the time. i heard it was a great course. i really liked courses that focused on the human aspect on anything. (IHHS 400 was a GREAT course!)

 

and mochiron! kakashi-sensei from naruto! :b

[Guest Nicksinbc]

Hey Paul:

 

I took both courses. I liked the virology course but found that it was mostly memorization. If you study...you will do well. Biol 334 was one of my most favorite courses ever. You have to use your head and think outside the box. It challenges you to think critically while simultaneously teaching you important concepts. Having said this though I was a microbiology/genetics major...so I liked that type of material. Choose what interests you...the marks will follow.

 

Good luck...

[Guest not rex morgan]

Cell Bi/Genetics was my major. The genetics 334 course was my worst mark in university. As said before, the exams are few and far between, and the questions are worth tons. I mulitiplied by two somewhere where I shouldn't on a mid term, and got a 50% on the exam. The doc (can't remember his name, short, mediterranian ethnicity) told me that I would possibly kill someone as a doctor for multiplying by two where I shouldn't, so therefore, I deserved barely a passing grade on the exam.

 

I didn't particularly find the course interesting, however, it was a prereq for my fourth year, which had some great courses in it.