BIOL 449Public Health Microbiology
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Science
- Subject
- Biology
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
How the health of human populations is influenced by microbial communities. Aspects of the epidemiology of infectious diseases, factors influencing the emergence of microbial pathogens and antibiotic-resistant strains, means to control undesired microbial populations in habitats such as water, biodegradable materials, and food will be discussed. Approaches to the regulation and monitoring of microbial agents will also be examined.
Prerequisites
- Must have completed the following:
- BIOL241 - Introduction to Applied Microbiology (0.50)
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 6804 | 0 / 200 | TTh 13:00–14:20 |
| LEC 701 | 2549 | 200 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
68% liked it69% easy60% useful
From 25 ratings and 14 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Macdonald is one of the worst profs I have ever had. If you have Jacqueline Macdonald...RUN
Mar 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Taken W26, midterm and exam (20% and 40%), weekly in-class open-book assigned group work quizzes (15% total), 5% participation, and a 20% case-study group work assignment (20%). What to even say... I had never taken a Dr. MacDonald course before this and I'm happy about that. She is super engaged in the course with answering questions and trying to make things more group-work oriented and stuff... but the way she tests is just so odd to me compared to any other course I have taken. I just don't think you can "test on understanding" in a course with one lecture a week where there are like two sentences per slide... it feels like I am just teaching myself the whole time. All in all the course…
Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
jacqueline is jacqueline, the course is easy but the way the content is presented is a bit dry. there's only one actual lecture per week, the other lecture slot is used for group discussions (which are really useful for actually understanding the content)
Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
took this on W26, and it was pretty chill !! Dr. MacDonald is a great prof when it comes to courses she likes to teach/has taught in the past. grade breakdown consists of weekly quizzes: 15%, participation: 5%, group assignments (case study): 20%, midterm: 20%, final: 40%. Also movie week on like the last few weeks of the term and she brings snacks #mother. She curated her course structure perfectly, because she strives on wanting you to succeed in her course. It's every monday = class, and on wednesday = group works (basically discussing the lecture and engaging with the course material by quizzes). It really helps to review the lecture you just had and discuss it with your peers. I wish…
Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Not a fun course, I took 447 with MacDonald and she was so much better there. I also got a 95+ in that course with her since she was much clearer and not trying to trick you. This course feels like her much neglected middle child. Professor MacDonald does not engage with her students in a fruitful manner and chooses to instead say "if you guys are done talking it means you havnt understood the content enough" Realistically there is only so much a group can talk and mashing together a group of 5 awkward students does not always give the most fruitful results. She barely really teaches, mostly reads off of her slides, but occasionally she will go on tangents that are not on the slides so if…
Apr 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
23 posts and comments in 21 threads mention BIOL 449, December 2018 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
I am looking to get a high average my 3rd and 4th year in Honor Science any course tips? 9 points, 7 comments
“I currently have completed all my pre-requisite courses for the postgraduate program I want to apply for. The only thing I am missing is the high average for my best 2 years of undergrad. …”
u/mustard_tiger6: “The easiest science courses in my experience are BIOL 433 with Lemieux, BIOL 449, BIOL 359 for biology. If you can code a bit, BIOL 469 and BIOL 365 are reasonable too. I would use uw flow and look at chem, kinesiology, health, psychology, sociology, anthropology courses.”
Anyone taken biol 370/371/383/441/442/449/450?? If so what are your thoughts? I’d appreciate some help :) 1 point, 3 comments
Spring 2023
WINTER 2024 COURSES Science Students 1 point, 3 comments
“Hi! I want to get an idea of what courses Honours Science or SCIBUS students in third year are taking for the Winter 2024 term”
u/B0b-loblaww: “… For 3B I took Biol 449, Biol 359, Earth 122, Psych 212, and Smf 101 (this was a chill af term). However, the courses you take are extremely dependent on what your goals are for the future. …”
Spring 2022
Fourth Year Bio Courses 2 points, 0 comments
u/Godatgaming111222: “Right now I have selected Biol 447 and 439 but I heard that 439 might be kind of difficult now. Has anyone taken one of these courses or if anyone has taken anyother fourth year bio courses that were relatively easy. I have already taken biol 449 as well”
One stop shop for course selection+tips to all biomedical/science students 6 points, 3 comments
u/-Leviathan-: “… KIN 404, KIN 406, BIOL 447 and BIOL 449 are good options. BIOL 447 was a good experience, Dr. Lynch was incredibly understanding and reasonable, the test questions were very fair, and the content was pretty interesting. …”
Winter 2022
400-Level Easy BIOL Courses 3 points, 5 comments
“I need to take some 400 level BIOL courses and I was wondering which ones are the easiest to obtain a high mark in?”
u/Regular-Brain-6412: “Biol 447 and biol 449 are quite easy”
u/Alarmed_Cancel7515: “BIOL 414 (with pinhero)!!! Other: BIOL 449, 450 473 is an interesting course but content heavy.”
Ontario's new COVID public health guidance and resuming in-person classes 94 points, 43 comments
“See https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1001386/ontario-updating-public-health-measures-and-guidance-in-response-to-omicron for the new isolation rules and public health guidance announced today. …”
u/riccooks: “2 of my profs already moved the classes to online 🙃”
u/riccooks: “Biol 361 and biol 449”
Fall 2021
Biol 449 1 point, 0 comments
u/Rehan_Shaik_: “Has anyone taken this course or going to take it, just wondering the course load of it”
Winter 2021
I'm taking 8 Biomed Sciences courses 1 point, 9 comments
“And it's surprisingly not that bad??? My workload has definitely increased like crazy but it's not unmanageable! …”
u/conorathrowaway: “What are the courses? I’m in 4th year biomed and can let you know if you’re taking any of the killer courses. If you’re taking molecular bio or embryology you’ll want to reconsider. …”
u/kirishimeth: “Nah, I took molecular bio a while back. I know it's death :') I took BIOL 341 - immunology BIOL 302 - histology BIOL 449 - public health microbio BIOL 273L - human phys 1 BIOL 373L - human phys 2 CHEM 237 - biochem CHEM 237L CHEM 123L - general Chem 2 lab”
Spring 2020
What are some relatively easy 4th year biology courses? 2 points, 2 comments
“help”
u/QueenOfThisThrone: “Every micro, especially BIOL 447 and 449”
Winter 2020
What are the easiest 4th-year bio courses? 2 points, 3 comments
“I'm looking for the easiest courses for a grade boost. Don't really care about the content so long as it's easy/memorization based. Thanks!”
u/QueenOfThisThrone: “Any of barb butlers courses BIOL 449, BIOL 447”
BIOL 449 2 points, 0 comments
u/QueenOfThisThrone: “Looking for a term paper partner, I’m looking to do one of the following topics: 4, 9, 11, 15. Please let me know if you’re in this class and willing to write it together on any of these.”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
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