This 16-week course is designed to provide an introduction to the general biological principles needed to understand life on earth. To do this, we will study life at all levels, from the atoms that comprise all matter on earth to the interactions of organisms with their environment. We’ll tackle questions such as how human DNA is 96% identical to chimpanzees but yet we are so different, what it means to “discover” a new species on our planet, and why humans are more closely related to a sea star than we are an insect – all while learning the process of science!
Whether this is your first online course or whether you are a seasoned online student, I want to set you up for success in this course. Please read the Fall 2025 Welcome Letter for information on how the course is structured as well as whether a hybrid online format is a right fit for you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I'm really looking forward to working with you this upcoming semester!
General Course Overview
This section of BIO 11 is a hybrid online class with REQUIRED weekly, on-campus laboratory meetings on the Ocean Campus in in our new STEAM Building, in Room 206, every Wednesday, from 10:10-1:00PM. Our course starts the week of September 2, 2025, so be ready to review the course complete the first set of assignments. I will have office hours that week (Tuesday, 11-12pm in STEAM 203B) to answer any questions -- I hope to see you there!
Please note that I will drop anyone who does not complete our first set of assignments that will be due by Thursday, September 4, so that I can add others who are interested in the course. I will also drop anyone who does not show up to our first in-person meeting. As such, if you are looking to add (whether on the wait list or not), please submit a class add request and plan on attending our first in-person meeting on September 3!
BIO 11 is a 4-unit course that fulfills the Area C, Natural Science CCSF requirement and meets requirements for transfer to CSU and UC.
Instructor: Eliza Woo, Ph.D. Email: eliza.woo@mail.ccsf.edu
However, please use the Canvas Inbox for course-related issues once the course goes live! The Canvas Inbox will be my preferred method of contact! Here, I will respond within 24-48 hours (and by Monday morning if you email me over the weekend).
City College of San Francisco, Department of Biological Sciences Ocean Campus, 50 Frida Kahlo Way, San Francisco, CA 94112
What are the real challenges encountered by both new and experienced online students, and how can you be successful? Tune into this short tutorial video to help debunk common myths about online learning.