Jiqiang Ling | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
Jiqiang Ling BSCI443 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/13/2025	I loved this class, it might even be the most engaging class, like legit had me looking forward to a 9:30 class haha, I've taken - final exam grade permitting lol. The content is super interesting (think BSCI283 on crack, except none of the busy work), and Dr. Ling lectures in a way that makes complicated processes super digestible and easy to understand. If you enjoyed BSCI283 (or 223, depending on what you took), you'll definitely enjoy this class! The only 'warning' I have for this class is maybe look towards another upper-level course if you're someone who tends not to do super well with courses that have pretty exam-dependent grades. Your grade is based on your Exam I (50 pts), Exam II (75 pts), Final Exam (150 pts), Poster Presentation (125 pts for poster; 50 pts for discussion leader), Attendance (20 pts), and Participation (30pts), so there aren't a lot of small assignments that potentially buffer your grade, and these exams can be pretty conceptual/require a firm understanding of the course material. However, there's a small curve built into the class, with a 450/500 points being considered an A, so there's a bit of wiggle room! I also recommend taking BSCI462/463 before taking this course instead of as a co-req. Exam II is very metabolism-heavy, and having a good background of processes like beta oxidation/glycolysis/Krebs was really helpful for me! The poster presentation can also be a bit daunting, since the journal articles can be quite confusing, and if you get a bit of presentation anxiety (like me lol) it can be scary considering these presentations are 30-45 minutes, a significant portion of your grade, and require a solid understanding of the figures/presented material. However, you get assigned a partner, which definitely helps, and Dr. Ling is very kind with his feedback/grading :) Overall, I've had a great experience (fingers crossed that the final will make this a PERFECT experience), Dr. Ling is an amazing professor and a hidden gem in the BSCI department - I can't recommend him enough!
Jiqiang Ling BSCI443 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/17/2024	Dr. Ling is an excellent professor. I genuinely enjoyed his lectures and found them to be very informative. Many of the concepts covered in BSCI223/283 are revisited in this course, but in much greater detail. He does spend some time reviewing metabolism, so having a background in metabolism from Biochemistry can be helpful, though it’s not strictly necessary. Exams can be challenging, so it’s important to study hard. Dr. Ling allows you to bring in a cheat sheet with notes, and he also provides an exam study guide that outlines important concepts. These study guides were extremely helpful when preparing for the exams. Additionally, he grades students on participation and attendance, which means every point counts. Be sure to participate throughout the semester and attend class regularly. Dr. Ling truly wants everyone to succeed. This class reignited my interest in microbiology and is by far one of the best upper-level biology courses I have taken at UMD.
Jiqiang Ling BSCI443 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/12/2023	AMAZING! My favorite UMD teacher (honestly all of them have made science garbage for me) He is extremely organized which I love and his slides are perfect. He is a straightforward teacher who explains things really well. The exams are so fair and his study guides prepare you well for them. You learn so much in this class. This class is far from easy, to get an A+ on each of the exams I'd study a little every day 2 weeks prior and then then 2 days before dedicate all the time to making the cheat sheet he allows. Make sure to watch the lectures and take notes on what he adds to the slides and you will secure an A :)

Jiqiang Ling
BSCI443

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/13/2025

I loved this class, it might even be the most engaging class, like legit had me looking forward to a 9:30 class haha, I've taken - final exam grade permitting lol. The content is super interesting (think BSCI283 on crack, except none of the busy work), and Dr. Ling lectures in a way that makes complicated processes super digestible and easy to understand. If you enjoyed BSCI283 (or 223, depending on what you took), you'll definitely enjoy this class! The only 'warning' I have for this class is maybe look towards another upper-level course if you're someone who tends not to do super well with courses that have pretty exam-dependent grades. Your grade is based on your Exam I (50 pts), Exam II (75 pts), Final Exam (150 pts), Poster Presentation (125 pts for poster; 50 pts for discussion leader), Attendance (20 pts), and Participation (30pts), so there aren't a lot of small assignments that potentially buffer your grade, and these exams can be pretty conceptual/require a firm understanding of the course material. However, there's a small curve built into the class, with a 450/500 points being considered an A, so there's a bit of wiggle room! I also recommend taking BSCI462/463 before taking this course instead of as a co-req. Exam II is very metabolism-heavy, and having a good background of processes like beta oxidation/glycolysis/Krebs was really helpful for me! The poster presentation can also be a bit daunting, since the journal articles can be quite confusing, and if you get a bit of presentation anxiety (like me lol) it can be scary considering these presentations are 30-45 minutes, a significant portion of your grade, and require a solid understanding of the figures/presented material. However, you get assigned a partner, which definitely helps, and Dr. Ling is very kind with his feedback/grading :) Overall, I've had a great experience (fingers crossed that the final will make this a PERFECT experience), Dr. Ling is an amazing professor and a hidden gem in the BSCI department - I can't recommend him enough!

Jiqiang Ling
BSCI443

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/17/2024

Dr. Ling is an excellent professor. I genuinely enjoyed his lectures and found them to be very informative. Many of the concepts covered in BSCI223/283 are revisited in this course, but in much greater detail. He does spend some time reviewing metabolism, so having a background in metabolism from Biochemistry can be helpful, though it’s not strictly necessary. Exams can be challenging, so it’s important to study hard. Dr. Ling allows you to bring in a cheat sheet with notes, and he also provides an exam study guide that outlines important concepts. These study guides were extremely helpful when preparing for the exams. Additionally, he grades students on participation and attendance, which means every point counts. Be sure to participate throughout the semester and attend class regularly. Dr. Ling truly wants everyone to succeed. This class reignited my interest in microbiology and is by far one of the best upper-level biology courses I have taken at UMD.

Jiqiang Ling
BSCI443

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/12/2023

AMAZING! My favorite UMD teacher (honestly all of them have made science garbage for me) He is extremely organized which I love and his slides are perfect. He is a straightforward teacher who explains things really well. The exams are so fair and his study guides prepare you well for them. You learn so much in this class. This class is far from easy, to get an A+ on each of the exams I'd study a little every day 2 weeks prior and then then 2 days before dedicate all the time to making the cheat sheet he allows. Make sure to watch the lectures and take notes on what he adds to the slides and you will secure an A :)