Anonymous AY25/26 Sem 1

About the Instructor:

First half is more of like normal lecture style. Second half of the sem gets a bit more interesting when we start to have debates or group discussions, focusing less on technical knowledge but more on debatable topics. Prof is very keen to listen to our opinions during class discussions.

Content (Structure/Organization): 

The course is pretty well-designed, the first half of the sem we focus more on basic biological concepts like molecular genetics. The later half is more on current issues like bioethics, AI, implants, etc. Having jc/high school knowledge would be sufficient to follow the content easily. In fact the course is designed such that it is not too hard for people without biology background to understand.

Manageability of Workload: 

10% class part 10% response paper 10% quiz 20% newspaper article 20% presentation 30% term paper

As I have a little bit of biological background, I would say this is the easiest module I have taken in NUSC (less than two hours per week) Other than the quiz, the assignments are designed such that no grinding on scientific concepts are needed, so I would say the workload is quite manageable.

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:

Prof gives clear rubrics and instructions for assignments, I would say as compared to other modules, it is not so hard to score a good grade in this course as long as you follow the instructions carefully. Prof also gives samples of previous seniors' work to help us understand what exactly is he looking for.

Learning Value/Recommendation: 

This course gives a very good overview on the current biotechs. If you are interested in biology but have limited background knowledge, this will be a good choice to give a thorough bird eye's view.

Anonymous AY21/22 Sem 1

About the Instructor

very approachable to answer questions, and is especially good since the prof is someone who is currently working in the field and thus he does share about his experiences

Content (Structure/Organization)

Starts with the biological concepts before moving to case studies/current issues of biology

Accessibility

Very accessible

knowledge about biological concepts which are then used to view certain issues(gene-editing, artificial corps etc)

Manageability of Workload

Rather manageable workload,

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades

Prof is quite particular with what he wants to see in his paper so pay attention to that

Learning Value/Recommendation

quite an interesting module, a accessible introduction to biological concepts. Highly recommend

Ng Jia Yeong (@jy_jaywhy) AY20/21 Sem 1

About the Instructor

He's really passionate about teaching biology! He used to be a USP student (fun fact he himself took biomolec as a student) so I think he understands how to make the content and assessments manageable for students of different backgrounds. I find it pretty impressive how he was working full-time (he has a few portfolios outside) and still teaches us at 6pm twice a week, and his passion for the content and for teaching shines through even through zoom. 

Content (Structure/Organization)

The first half of the mod is the more technical portion like genes, DNA and cells, and the second half is about recent advances in biotechnology and how they relate to our everyday life. I think the assignments are also quite well thought out, if slightly catered to arts-inclined students; there was a technical quiz and lab report, but also a presentation and essays that allowed us to explore the different facets of biology. I personally preferred the second half of the module as we had class discussions and debates about various issues in biology which I thought was a great way to introduce us to the topics and learn more effectively (technical bio stuff isn't my thing).

Accessibility

Not bad. From the perspective of a student who hasn't done biology since 'O' levels, I'll say I managed to relearn most of the technical content taught. 

The technical stuff doesn't go much beyond 'O' Level bio, and tbh I think that's enough for most of us to make sense of the advances made in biology recently. Another noteworthy skill in this mod is to distill complex and technical biology concepts into simple language directed at the layman. Prof Mahesh encourages us to go in-depth but be mindful of a non-technical audience.

Manageability of Workload

Not bad. You might struggle a little at the beginning learning the bio concepts, but for the most part I think it's manageable. It might've helped that he removed one component this time as compared to previous iterations though.

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades

Prof makes his marking rubric really clear and even shares the work of previous students who have done well so the grading is quite transparent. As I said earlier, there are two components to grading (technical detail and clarity of expression) which are both important which is what he's looking for.

Learning Value/Recommendation

It made me less scared of understanding biotechnology so that's something. We did get quite a bit of experience dealing with technical aspects in classes and the assessments. Would recommend if you're interested in the world of biotech (there's a lot going on in the field right now).

Anonymous AY19/20 Sem 1

About the Instructor

Prof Mahesh is a great teacher. If you like biology you will like his content. If you are not interested you will find his presentations a bit dry.

Content (Structure/Organization)

The most up-to-date biomolecular revolutions like stem cell therapy and how they change our lives

Manageability of Workload

One 500 word response paper, one pair presentation, one newspaper article and 1 term paper. Not light at all but not unbearably heavy either. Assignments get harder in that order as well.