The course category is wrong. It did not allow me to select HC70A so just to be clear I took HC70A.

Anyway, I took HC70A this past quarter and it is the best course I have taken here at UCLA. Yes, the class does require a lot of commitment but if you are willing to accept the challenge you will definitely not regret it. Like some of the other posts stated: there are weekly take home quizzes, a take-home midterm, an all class oral midterm, and an all class oral final. Everything you are tested on will be reiterated in lecture, the readings, and discussion so it's not too bad. Aside from the class itself, you have the opportunity to create some strong friendships with fellow classmates because it is just very interactive.

Overall, if you decide to enroll in the class then just stick with it. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as my fellow classmates and I did.

Look, everyone's comment is absolutely on target, whether they loved or hated this course. Now let me share my perspective from a life science major's point of view. I just got done taking LS 3 in Fall after taking HC 70A in Winter, and I felt HC 70A gave me a solid, solid foundation in the area of molecular biology that I would other wise not have from my other science courses and research experience(after going through hell for HC 70A, getting an A in LS 3 wasn't as hard for me as it was for others). For those who love CHALLENGES, this course is for you. For MCDB majors, you have the option of petitioning HC 70A AND HC 70AL in lieu of LS 3 (I didn't take HC 70AL, but I would recommend taking HC 70A and LS 3 because the materials complement rather than replace each other). After the first day of class, someone of you WILL drop, esp. because Goldberg IS intimidating. With that said, he is correct in saying that at the end of the class, you will be able to do what you don't think you are capable of doing. During the oral final (yes, oral final where you are given a microphone and he grills you), everyone in the class actually stepped up their performance and put on a show. It was bittersweet after all the LONG, LONG hours spent EVERY Wednesday or Thursday nights working on the quizzes. The Socratic Seminar method does not involve hand holding. Everyone at one point or another was embarrassed by him. I have to say he could have done it in a more "nicer" way (like the ways his TAs did b/c they utilized the SS method in discussion too). Nonetheless, I believe he did it in the interest of his students by pushing all of us to our limits. Any of us that are pre-law (and I definitely know a few from the course who are) surely benefited from this type of learning. This is the only class where you get a microphone when you speak in class, eat dinner with the professor on his tab, and get to meet with some very, very impressive guess speakers at the reception after the guest speaker speaks (i.e. Greg Stock). At the end of the day, it's not that bad. The fact that you are able to survive it means something. One big tip for all you future HC70Aers out there, form STUDY GROUPS. Make sure the members in your study group is a good fit with each other. Word of caution, avoid big study groups (tempers may flare and fights may break out). Plus in large groups, you guys will go off track. My best advice is to form a close knit study group with 4 or 5 people,and then work with/contact other groups if there's something your group doesn't get. There is NO curve in the course. After all, science is all about collaborating. So collaborate. As for whether I would do it again or not, I actually would. Do your other courses get compromise? Yes. Is it worth it? Only you can decide. Some of us did form some sort of bond, esp. from surviving hell together. You can't really put a price on that.

Simply put, he's a jerk. Only take him if you are too and/or enjoy watching your fellow students turn bright red.

Granted, he is very intelligent and accomplished, but that just doesn't make up for being a pompous, hurtful prick. He humiliated me in front of the entire class for being nervous about presenting. A professor is supposed to be a mentor. Goldberg is not that. I got a good grade in the class, but given the chance to go back, I would never in a million years consider taking this class again. If you need an honors collegium, take Robert Gurval's HC5. He's just lovely!