General introductory courses here at Penn can be some of the toughest in the curriculum. The “econ scream” is a testament to that. And anyone who has suffered through Chemistry, Biology or Physics 101 will tell you — it wasn’t fun.
These courses are designed to provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge. Classes are large, curves are usually prodigious, and breadth takes precedence over depth.
Some schools are trying to change this. At Cornell, for example, professors have suggested amending the biology curriculum to rid it of large introductory classes and instead offer 5-6 smaller, more specialized classes.
Sure, the field of biology is becoming so large that it’s hard to cover even half of the basic concepts in two semesters. Changing these classes would also allow students to specialize earlier on.
But what if you’re unsure about immediately committing to a Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry major?
For me, the value in the introductory classes was not necessarily in memorizing specific facts or equations, but in learning how to think about the subject. They’re also invaluable for finding out what specific area of the larger subject you’re really curious about.
I would definitely not the mind smaller class size — but that doesn’t mean the curriculum has to change.
So Penn: protect our 101’s. Even though we complain about them nonstop, we love them nonetheless. Please don’t take tips from Cornell … although I hear they have a kick-ass wine-tasting class — one of the most popular courses at the University. Get on that one, eh?
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