Is ES110 a bird course?

ES110, or Introduction to Environmental Science, is an introductory environmental science course offered at many universities. There has been much debate over whether ES110 qualifies as a “bird course” – that is, a course that is easy with little work required.

What is a bird course?

A “bird course,” also known as a “gut course,” is a university course that requires little effort to pass or receive a high grade. Bird courses tend to have light workloads, lenient grading, and few challenging assessments. They are often elective courses that students take to boost their GPAs.

Some characteristics of typical bird courses include:

• Minimal homework and readings
• No term paper or major projects
• Multiple choice exams
• Lax attendance policies
• High class averages and grade inflation
• Interesting or fun subject matter
• Engaging professors who facilitate easy learning

Bird courses tend to fulfill general education requirements and allow students to explore interests outside of their majors. They provide a less stressful workload for students to balance alongside more difficult courses.

Is ES110 typically considered a bird course?

The answer to this question depends on the specific university and professor. Here are some considerations:

• At some universities, ES110 has a reputation as one of the easier first year courses. The introductory level and survey nature of the content lends itself well to being a bird course.
• The course fulfills a general science requirement at many schools, allowing students from non-science majors to fulfill a requirement without taking advanced science courses.
• The course material in ES110 is generally considered interesting and engaging by students. Learning about environmental issues can be enjoyable.
• The math content required is usually minimal. There are typically no in-depth calculations or labs required.
• The course workload often consists of light readings, online quizzes, and multiple choice exams. There are rarely extensive projects or papers.
• The exams are frequently not cumulative. Students only have to study the current module’s content.
• Some ES110 professors design the course to be easy and straightforward for non-science majors. They facilitate an interactive, straightforward learning experience.

However, there are also some considerations suggesting ES110 may not deserve a full “bird course” designation:

• As an intro science course, ES110 introduces diverse environmental science topics that require a base level of learning and comprehension.
• The course covers complex global issues that require critical thinking to understand.
• Some professors keep academic expectations reasonably high and avoid excessive grade inflation.
• There are often papers, lab reports, or project assignments with length requirements.
• The course may include field trips or hands-on lab activities.

Factors impacting difficulty

The main factors impacting the difficulty and workload of ES110 include:

• University – Each institution sets its own curriculum and standards. Some schools provide a more rigorous ES110 education than others.
• Professor – The professor has discretion in designing assessments, grading policies, readings, and assignments. Some professors facilitate an easy course, while others challenge students.
• Student major – Students outside environmental studies/science majors generally find the course more manageable than those with an extensive science background.
• Prerequisites – Some universities require intro biology or chemistry as a prerequisite, increasing difficulty.

Additionally, factors like class size, whether it has a lab component, and if it is online vs. in-person can impact the workload and difficulty. Electives like ES110 tend to be easier than required major courses.

ES110 course breakdown

To provide a better sense of what is involved in ES110, here is an overview of typical course components:

Format

• Lectures -2-3 lectures per week reviewing environmental science topics and concepts
• Textbook readings – Reading assignments from the course textbook. Usually under 30 pages per week.
• Online quizzes – Regular quizzes on lecture and reading content to assess understanding
• Labs/field trips – Occasional hands-on lab activities or trips to apply concepts (e.g. campus waste audit)

Major Assessments

• Exams – 2-3 exams assessing conceptual knowledge from lectures and readings
• Quizzes – Regular short quizzes on lecture and reading content
• Labs – Lab reports synthesizing activities and discussing results
• Paper – A 5-10 page paper analyzing an environmental issue

Grading Breakdown

This typical breakdown shows grades come from diverse sources. While exams make up a large percentage, regular assessments like quizzes and assignments remain important. The variety of grading components ensures students must actively learn and apply information, not just memorize for exams.

Workload expectations

The typical weekly workload for ES110 looks something like this:

• 2-3 lectures per week (1-1.5 hours each)
• 15-30 textbook reading pages
• 1 online quiz (30 minutes)
• 1-2 lab/field trip days per term (2-3 hours each)
• Paper writing in increments throughout the term (5-10 hours total)

This averages:

• 3-5 lecture hours per week
• 1-3 reading hours per week
• 30 minutes for quizzes per week
• 4-6 lab hours per term
• 0.5-1 paper hour per week when working on it

Overall, this amounts to 4.5-7.5 hours per week, a moderate but manageable workload for a first year course. The range allows flexibility for students to balance ES110 along with 2-4 other courses.

Perspective from students

Here are some anonymous student perspectives on the workload and difficulty of ES110 at their universities:

“ES110 was one of the less demanding courses I took in first year. I spent about 5 hours a week on readings, assignments, and studying. The content was interesting and not overly complex.”

“I found ES110 very manageable. The professor was passionate but realistic about expectations for non-majors. I probably put in an average of 6 hours per week and was able to get an A.”

“I took ES110 because I heard it was an easy elective, but ended up withdrawing. The volume of lab reports and long readings didn’t match my expectations. It was more work than some of my required major courses.”

“The ES110 textbook contained a lot of interesting information that I enjoyed reading. The assessments weren’t overly hard if you put in a consistent effort. I’d say it was medium difficulty compared to other first year courses.”

These student perspectives reinforce how ES110 workload and difficulty depends heavily on the individual course structure and professor. Experiences vary at different universities.

Conclusion

In summary, ES110 possesses some qualities of a bird course, like introductory level content, an engaging subject matter, and fulfillment of general science requirements. However, a closer look at the curriculum shows it also requires learning scientific concepts, developing analytical skills, and devoting 4-8 hours per week.

The workload sits in the middle between easy bird courses and intensely difficult science courses. ES110 lays the groundwork for environmental literacy but does not get heavily into complex calculations or lab techniques. It serves as a sound introductory science elective.

The main factors impacting difficulty are the university, professor, and a student’s individual skills. ES110 likely qualifies as a full bird course at some schools, but not at others. Students should look carefully at the course structure and professor reviews when selecting their schedules to determine if ES110 fits their needs or if they desire an easier elective.