Lecture, three hours; laboratory, two hours; one optional field trip. Designed for nonmajors. Exploration of biology, evolution, and extinction of dinosaurs and close relatives, in context of history of biosphere. Information from paleontology, biology, and geology. P/NP or letter grading.

Review Summary

Clarity
8.3 / 10
Organization
6.7 / 10
Time
5-10 hrs/week
Overall
10.0 / 10

Reviews

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A

    One of my favorite classes at UCLA, fun and interesting GE while not being too difficult. Attendance for discussion sections are required, because you need to fill out a worksheet each week, but it's very engaging and almost like a mini scavenger hunt examining different fossils. The TA will give plenty of hints if you get stuck. The readings aren't completely required, but you will need to at least skim them in order to complete the weekly quizzes. Midterm and finals were open-note.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A+

    Interesting class, professor talks really fast and ends class a bit early sometimes. Professor is really passionate about what she teaches!

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A+

    This was an interesting and easy GE that offers lab credit. Labs were about interacting with different fossil (replica) and interpreting them, and I truly looked forward to my lab every week. The TA basically gave away the answer to us, so as long as you show up and pay attention, you'd get 100 on the labs. The lectures were recorded and not mandatory and I definitely shouldn't have procrastinated as much because it was painful to catch up when it came the midterm and final. I also found lectures quite boring, but that's just me. The midterm and final are easy if you take notes and review properly (and actually go to class). Thankfully it was online and open notes the quarter I took it; if it were in-person or closed note, I definitely wouldn't have got the grade that I did. Overall an easy A, and I'd recommend to everyone.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2022 In-Person
    Grade: A

    class was easy-- bulk of exams were at home, remote. the labs though were super interesting-- we got hands-on time with fossils and replicas!

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2023 In-Person
    Grade: B

    Ignore my grade, that was my fault for handing in multiple labs late. Take this class to get rid of the lab credit. It's fun and you get to learn about dinosaurs. It's also not super time consuming.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2023 In-Person
    Grade: A

    Pretty simple class as long as you do the readings. The labs rarely took more than an hour and we were always allowed to leave early.

    Quarter Taken: Spring 2023 In-Person
    Grade: A+

    Easy GE. Only hard part is memorizing a boat load of terms that all sound the same and regurgitating them for the midterm and final exam. Labs were also pretty chill, just analyzing fossils and filling out worksheets that you turn in when you're done. Overall, highly recommend.

Course

Instructor
Caitlin Brown
Previously taught
24S 23S 22S 21S 20S 19S
Formerly offered as
E&S SCI 17

Grading Information

  • No group projects

  • Attendance not required

  • 1 midterm

  • 10th week final

  • 57% recommend the textbook