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PHYS 280Introduction to Biophysics

Units
0.50
Faculty
Science
Subject
Physics
Cross-listed
BIOL 280

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Introduction to a physical understanding of biological systems at macro and molecular scales. The course is intended for second-year science and engineering students and will cover a broad spectrum of topics in biophysics, as well as an introduction to neurobiology, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.

Prerequisites

  • Complete all of the following
    • Students must be in level 2A or higher
    • Complete 1 of the following
      • Enrolled in an Honours Science program
      • Enrolled in a program offered by Faculty of Engineering

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00167420 / 60TTh 14:30–15:50
LEC 701252730 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

66% liked it82% easy39% useful

From 29 ratings and 8 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Very very easy. It's a review of every basic physics concept ever, just applied to biological systems. If you took high school physics, you'll be fine. It's just a lot of random content spread all over the place.

    Apr 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course was so disappointing. It is just a huge array of random topics, scratching the surface level with little cohesion. You probably learned most of the topics in a different class (the whole second test is a rehash of grade 12 biology + some energetics from first year chem) so it is pretty useless. Zoya's class has 3 massive tests worth 25% each, half the test weight is on long answer math questions, yet they don't give you a single practice question.

    Feb 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Pretty easy course to do well in especially with Brenda. A few hours a week for lectures and assignments that can be done in groups. She marks assignments leniently because its about us trying to research and learn from them rather then memorizing or just doing it for marks and correct answer- love that.

    Nov 2021 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Having this course online was not very fun... not to mention the professor for the term had pretty much 0 engagement (TA could have just run the course instead) and the prof's main slides provided were really disorganized. Very little practice tests/questions were ever given and the marking scheme on the tests was ridiculous at some points (someone explain to me why a multiple choice question is marked out of 2??). The content itself from units 1 and 2 is a lot of review from the basic physics, biology, physiology and chemistry courses, so that shouldn't be too much work. However, unit 3 had so much information that it could be it's own course itself. This course had the potential to be…

    Aug 2021 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Too much material in so little time

    Aug 2018 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

20 posts and comments in 16 threads mention PHYS 280, September 2012 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 2023

Bird Science Courses 4 points, 11 comments

u/chomnks7: “Hi, does anyone have recommendations on bird science courses in the 200, and 300 levels( (excluding BIOL 225, BIOL 280/PHYS 280, and SCI units) ? If not birdy, just something that isn't gonna give me hair loss. Thanks!”

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Winter 2023

Winter 2021

Best professors at UW? 38 points, 88 comments

“Who in your opinion were/are the best profs at UW? Not just in terms of lecturing or grading only, but helpfulness, knowledgeability, and actually caring about whether or not the students succeeded? …”

u/alyssnya: “Josh Neufeld (BIOL240) is my personal pick but I also really like Brenda Lee (PHYS236 and PHYS280).”

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Spring 2020

Winter 2020

Biol 280/Phys 280 Textbook?!?!? HELP! 3 points, 8 comments

u/_Saraha_: “I have been looking for the two textbooks for this class all week with no luck. I have checked - feds used books - the bookstore - laurier bookstore - 2 uptown waterloo bookstores - amazon I need them sooner than later so if anyone has a copy of either and would be willing to …”

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Winter 2019

Fall 2018

thoughts on BIOL/PHYS 280 3 points, 7 comments

u/XxUzumakixX: “I'm enrolled into biol 280 next term and I can barely find any info in regards to the course. So for anyone who took it recently (cause apparently the course structure changed), I'd really appreciate their insight on it cause it be nice knowing ahead of time the type of …”

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Spring 2018

Fall 2017

Physics courses in spring term? 1 point, 2 comments

“I'm in math and want to take a physics course in the spring term. What courses do the physics majors take next term? I've done 121 and 122 already. Thanks!”

u/cabbagemeister: “PHYS242 (E&M 1 with vector calc etc), PHYS234 (Quantum physics 1), PHYS263 (Classical mechanics 1) Those are core courses for physics majors Theres also PHYS280 (biophysics) and PHYS270 (astronomical observations/instrumentation)”

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Spring 2017

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar