MCBI 1100 General Biology

Name: General Biology
Rating: 4.31 (123 reviews)

General Biology provides students with a basic introduction to cellular and molecular biology of cells. A major focus of this course is the eucarytoic cell. An introductory section on biochemistry will provide the framework for understanding the biology underlying cellular organization and function, nutrient transport, cellular respiration, mendelian genetics and the cell cycle. The course examines information flow, including integration of DNA replication, gene transcription, and protein synthesis. General Biology is a particularly good choice for students whose interests lie within the life sciences. The course fulfills one requirement of the natural science core.

Course overview

Department: Messina College
School: MCBC
Credits: 3
Level: Undergraduate
Offered: Every Fall, Every Spring

Catalog details

Satisfies core: Natural Science

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

University Core: Natural Science (All undergraduates)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Course evaluations

Response-weighted averages from Boston College’s official course evaluations (Avalanche/Blue).

Course rating: 4.31 / 5 · Very Good
123 responses
Instructor rating: 4.55 / 5 · Excellent
123 responses
Terms evaluated: 4
Most recent: Spring 2026

Scales: overall ratings run from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent); agreement questions from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); weekly effort from 1 (up to 1 hour) to 5 (10 or more hours).

Evaluations by term and instructor
Term	Instructor	Course overall	Instructor overall	Well organized	Clear learning objectives	Intellectually challenging	Helpful assignments	Applicable beyond course	Attendance necessary	Weekly effort	Responses
Spring 2026	Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina	4.5	4.5	4.7	4.7	4.8	4.5	4.4	4.3	4–6 hrs/week	17 of 21
Spring 2026	Lara Kazo	4.5	4.5	4.8	4.7	4.2	4.7	4.6	4.7	4–6 hrs/week	19 of 21
Fall 2025	Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina	4.3	4.6	4.8	4.8	4.5	4.2	4.5	4.7	4–6 hrs/week	22 of 30
Spring 2025	Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina	4.1	4.5	4.5	4.5	4.7	4.2	4.2	4.3	7–9 hrs/week	15 of 19
Spring 2025	Vena Offen	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.3	4.9	4.7	4.6	4–6 hrs/week	25 of 29
Fall 2024	Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina	3.8	4.4	4.4	4.3	4.6	4.6	4.3	4.7	—	25 of 27

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-10-09. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina
Spring 2027, Fall 2026, Spring 2026, Fall 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2024 · Official rating 4.49/5
Lara Kazo
Spring 2026 · Official rating 4.47/5
Vena Offen
Spring 2025 · Official rating 4.80/5

Sections

Section 01
Spring 2027 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 108 MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM · Offered
Section 02
Spring 2027 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 108 MWF 11:00AM-11:50AM · Offered
Section 03
Spring 2027 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Science Building 200 Tu 05:00PM-05:50PM · Offered
Section 04
Spring 2027 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Science Building 200 Th 05:00PM-05:50PM · Offered
Section 05
Spring 2027 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 115 Tu 05:00PM-05:50PM · Offered
Section 06
Spring 2027 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 115 Th 05:00PM-05:50PM · Offered
Section 01
Fall 2026 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 108 MWF 10:00AM-10:50AM · Offered
Section 02
Fall 2026 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 113 M 12:00 Noon-12:50PM · Offered
Section 03
Fall 2026 · Gerardo Serrato-Capuchina · Ashby Hall 113 W 12:00 Noon-12:50PM · Offered