Revision of Introductory Biology at UC Davis
The BIS 2ABC series, introduced in 2008, has been a cornerstone of the campus biology curriculum. Starting in 2018, UC Davis faculty initiated a comprehensive evaluation of the series, culminating in the formation of the Dialogue, Discovery, and Design (DDD) community of practice. This group, comprising approximately 40 cross-college faculty members, convened during the 2021-22 academic year to explore potential revisions.
As a result of the DDD’s efforts, two committees were established in October 2022: the Introductory Biology Curriculum Committee (IB-C) and the Lab Committee (IB-L). From November 2022 to June 2023, these committees reviewed core concepts and competencies critical to the introductory biology series. Their work included examining the current course structure, incorporating insights from previous faculty reviews, and prioritizing a streamlined focus on core concepts. They also explored ways to integrate diverse and engaging lab experiences aimed at achieving specific learning outcomes and fostering experiential learning.
The committees’ initial proposals were shared with cross-college faculty teams interested in teaching introductory biology. As of December 2024, these revised courses are progressing through the Academic Senate approval process and are expected to be implemented during the 2025-26 academic year.
Timeline of Core Revision
| 2008-2009 | Current BIS 2ABC courses replace BIS 1ABC |
| 2017 | CBS Faculty Executive Committee Appoints ad hoc review committee to review intro bio core including upper and lower division, chaired by Prof. Harmer and Wilson. |
| 2017-2018 | Harmer and Wilson Report: “CBS core courses are generally perceived to be effective by both faculty and students. However, we identified multiple specific issues that could be addressed to improve these courses.” |
| 2021-22 | Community of Practice (DDD: Dialogue, Discovery and Design) established including > 40 faculty from 4 colleges. Meets monthly for a full year with many subgroups to produce a charge for moving forward. |
| 2022-23 | Two CBS committees established to design Curriculum (Intro Bio – Curriculum) and Lab (Intro Bio – Lab). |
| 2023-24 | Reports of Committees and a Proposal shared broadly.
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| 2024-2025 | Proposals Sent to CUCEP for review.
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| 2025-2026 | Proposed launch of new BIO 1 and 1L course in Fall, BIO 2 and 2L in Winter, BIO 3 in Spring. |