This class is very difficult, but it doesn’t help that the “MCDB 138 Team,” which is composed of 2 professors and 3 TAs, give inconsistent answers. When I ask questions, the professors give contradictory statements regarding class material (for example, if something is true or false). The questions on the assessments are often very poorly worded and it’s never easy to understand what’s exactly being asked.

I took both MCDB 138 and 144 with Dr. Rigueur (arguably 2 of the hardest courses in the MCDB major). I really enjoyed both courses, though I would say I liked 138 more.

Dr. Rigueur's lectures are VERY engaging, and she is very passionate about developmental biology. During lecture, Dr. Rigueur asks "check-in" questions which were very helpful to check basic understanding of key terms and fundamental concepts (answered on volunteer basis off course, so no pressure). Do pay attention to these concepts as they WILL show up in one way or another on exams.

Throughout the course, Dr. Rigueur really cares about the success of her students in the course and beyond. She makes a lot of helpful resource accessible to support studying. For example, she provided lecture recordings, slides, study guide outlines and even EXTRA summary notes that she wrote on the main take aways for most lectures. Additionally, Dr. Rigueur is very accessible through office hours as well as her office line (highly recommend going to office hours!). She also gives a decent amount of extra credit.

In terms of exams, I would say the exam questions sometimes can be rather tricky. However, the intention behind these questions is to train attention to detail during exams which is helpful for students who are planning on taking other standardized exams. Don't worry too much though, the exams are okay as long as you study. For study tips, definitely study for understanding and try to be able to explain what is happening in pictures, diagrams and figures featured on the slides to check understanding. If you struggle to explain the images, ask about it during lecture/office hours. Dr. Rigueur is really good at breaking down the concepts/key takeaways.

Overall, I really enjoyed taking MCDB 138 with Dr. Rigueur (highly recommend y'all). Although, I wouldn't say it was an easy A, it is definitely doable and rewarding as long as you put in the effort.

Dr. Rigueur is an outstanding professor whose passion for teaching and dedication to her students truly stand out. She has a remarkable ability to take complex molecular biology topics and present them in a clear, engaging, and relatable way. Her lectures are well-structured, filled with relevant examples, and always tied back to the broader significance in medicine and human health, which kept the material both exciting and relevant.

One of Dr. Rigueur’s greatest strengths is her empathy and care for students. She goes above and beyond to support us, not only academically, but also personally. She dedicates her time to listen to students’ struggles and shares her own stories, which makes her teaching feel very genuine and human. Her compassion and encouragement made a huge impact on my learning experience.

The course itself was rigorous but fair. Expectations were clear, and assessments (quizzes, assignments, and exams) reflected the material covered in class. The workload required consistent effort, but it was very rewarding, I walked away from the class with a much deeper understanding of cellular and molecular processes.

Overall, MCD BIO 144 with Dr. Rigueur is one of the most impactful classes I have taken at UCLA. I would highly recommend it to any student interested in molecular biology, biomedical research, or medicine.

Prof. Rigueur is a pretty decent professor and she gets the job done! Albeit I took this class over the summer, but I think she makes her expectations in exams clear and doing supplemental reading often provides the answers to her trickier questions. IMO as long as you keep up with the reading and attend lectures this class is not very hard.

I Had Dr, Rigueur for MCDB 144 and absolutely luveeddd the class :3. I'll list just a couple reasons why here (but trust, there are many more lol)

1. The class was a lot of biochemistry review!! I personally loveeddd all my biochemistry and organic chemistry classes (I know yuckkk!!) so this class was a really nice refresher on things I already knew. I'll be honest, that definitely helped make the concepts easier to grasp for me, but trust I'll explain some more objective reasons for why I think the class is doable even if you don't like biochem/ haven't taken biochemistry classes before (although if you've taken a biochem class before and you liked biochemistry, I think you'll like the class even more just because you're getting to learn again about something you already liked before from a good and knowledgeable professor).
2. We had numerous opportunities for Extra Credit. I think there was like 40 points EC in all. I forgot how much total points were in the class, but 40 points EC was enough to cover you if you boomed like 2-3 quizzes, or got a C on one or both exams, seriously.
3. I liked that we read research papers. I had never done research before her class so research papers and being in a class with people who have/are doing research (in a major very focused on research no less) was admittedly, intimidating. But she did well to make sure TAs and she explained how to approach research papers, understand, and mostly, apply them. We encountered some test questions where we had to analyze research results and apply them which seems daunting especially cause I had no experience, but trust, this class, and her questions on the exams will make sure you know how to do both (her exam questions about research results really aren't that difficult promise)
4. She had study guides OMG this was soooo helpful. There's a lot of topics that can get overwhelming quickly but she had study guides for every test that were so detailed and helpful in pointing us towards what we need to know that I could cry of relief. It was so much easier and better studying for exams where I knew what was on it
5. She's just nice and very approachable. This is a little more subjective, but genuinely she's a kind professor and it's easy to see that as well as her passion. She wants you to learn, you just gotta be right there with her in that learning process too and you'll do just fine (and even better tbh).
6. I believe she dropped our lowest quiz scores + had options to drop either the midterm or final if we at least passed both. Put a lot less stress to feel like you had to do perfect on every exam, especially when you had multiple things to stress about during midterms and finals week.
7. Class was engaging as shed give time for us to discuss things, play videos for us to watch during lecture, etc. This helps break from lecturing and felt like she was talking to us rather than at us. Also helps with making friends in lectures as you're forced to either talk to someone or sit there awkwardly lol.
8. She had recorded Zoom lectures in which she'd lecture but also be on Zoom. She'd then post these recorded lectures for us to watch later on. This was EXTREMELY helpful in case you missed something during lecture, couldn't make it for one reason or the other, etc. Genuinely one of the biggest pluses of this class, these recorded lectures were awesome (and I like that she used Zoom instead of Bruincast bcs we all know how many times Bruincast will sometimes not record, miss audio, etc.)

There's a lot more things to be said, but to close it off, take MCD144 with this professor. Good lecture, very clear passion and knowledge, lots of opportunities for EC, and a clear intent for you to do well (due to study guides, drops, EC etc.) AND Zoom lectures which is always awesome

I had Dr. Rigueur for MCDB 138 and then MCDB 144 and she was genuinely one of the best professors that I feel like I have had at UCLA. I'll condense just some of the reasons why in just a couple of points (but seriously, there's a lot more than just this):

1. Lectures were RECORDED LIVE on Zoom and posted for being able to watch on Zoom later.
This was genuinely so helpful in being able to still have access to her lectures and teaching/explanations of lecture (which are necessary to understand/view/watch if you want to do well in this class) on days where you may be sick, have a time conflict, etc. Luv luv luv this and really helped make her class feel less stressful if I couldn't make it one day even in person as I knew it would always be there for me to watch (either live or later)
p.s. you can ask questions that she'll answer during lecture as she live broadcasts on Zoom so you can get an immediate answer to your questions :33
2. She gave SO MUCH EC
There was a lot of extra credit to go around and various opportunities to earn some that helped ease the pressure on feeling like you had to ace every midterm/final. EC was accesible and easy to do (I think for my class it was mostly just filling out your study guide which there's a huge incentive to do any ways if you want to of well on exams :3)
3. She's a VERY ACCESIBLE PROFESSOR
Dr. Rigueur had so many opportunities for office hours at even times of the day that you wouldn't expect professors to be available but times were students are normally available (like late in the afternoon) which was super helpful for people with busy schedules. She even gave us access to her office phone and numbers she could be reached at which just made it so easy to contact her if need be/if you couldn't reach her by email. Genuinely was very reassuring to have these options as I knew I never felt alone and would always have access o my professor some capacity if I needed to
4. She's SO nice
It's clear Dr. Rigueur wants you to learn and is passionate about the subjects she teaches. Lectures and the slides are long, but they are mostly pictures so you don't get bogged down by words and she explains it all. She makes herself very accesible to students, is very personable, and just super easy to talk to. I ever felt nervous going up to her after class or going to her office/office hours.

Some extra points to mention:
1. This class is extremely doable even with a loaded schedule. I was taking three other classes with this class, two of which were difficult STEM classes (one of which was a notoriously difficult upper div) and I still felt very comfortable with the workload, trust me, you can do it, you just have to study as is expected for any class at UCLA lol
2. Don't expect a super easy A, but DO expect that if you put in some effort and genuine passion/your best foot forward you WILL get a good grade. Only you know what that looks like so be honest with yourself.
3. Again luvv the recorded live Zoom lectures will never stop raving about how helpful that was if you couldn't make it to class
4. I learned sooo much in this class!! Really gives you an in depth look on development and makes you feel smart for understanding it all lol
5. She has study guides for every exam and the study guides actually represent what will be on the exam. She also has practice tests. Don't expect exams to be an exact replica of these, and don't think your study guide will save you if you don't study, but the general topics on the study guide are the same topics you'll see on the exam.

TIPS:
1. STUDY: it's not a super hard class because she doesn't make it to be, but again, don't expect an easy A
2. If you can, get the textbook as it helps put concepts together
3. Go over what you learned for the week, every week. Helps keep the info fresh because there's a lot. This also helps avoid cramming
4. For discussion I think we had to read research papers so do that. You only really need to spend an hour doing so because TA should clarify more on the papers during discussion.
5. STUDY TO UNDERSTAND, not memorize. PUHLEASEEE trust me on this (and do this for every class too lol) the more you ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND the concepts, the much better you will do. This class will not serve you well if you JUST memorize and you won't get a good grade. You really do have to think, be able to put concepts together, and use critical thinking skills on exam questions to do well (don't get me wrong there are some exam questions you can get by on with just memorization, but not all). I know not relying on memorizing can seem scary and make a class seem hard but its not-- you can do it, you're a Bruin for a reason ;3
Anyways, highly highly suggest this class for 138, super good class, lots of help available to succeed, and a clear passion and intent from the professor (and TAs TBH) for you to succeed. Good luck!!

This is my favorite class I've ever taken at UCLA, and Rigueur has been my favorite professor (I have have taken MCDB 165a, 144, 138, 180a, and 180b all with her). I have taken every class possible with her for a reason!
I think I learned more in this class than any class I've ever taken. It's the first time I actually felt like I was getting an education while in college. I felt like I walked away with my arms around the fundamentals of Cell Bio and also the basic science techniques that have taught us what we know. I credit this to Dr. Rigueur's teaching - it is so clear that her priority is that you learn the material.

Now, learning all that is taught in the class is not "easy," per se, and there's not really any way for it to be. If you are not ready to study and work hard, it may be wise to reconsider why you're taking this class/major in the first place. There's a lot to learn and that just takes time and effort.

However, I am so glad I took Dr. Rigueur for this class. It was such a great experience that I went on to take the rest of the MCDB core classes all with her. I couldn't recommend her as a professor more!

Dr. Rigueur is an outstanding professor whose passion for research and biology shines through in every lecture. I have taken her MCDB 144, MCDB 180A, and MCDB 180B courses, and she has significantly enriched my learning experience by fostering an engaging, supportive, and enriching learning environment. From the beginning, she made me feel welcomed by ensuring that every student, including myself, was recognized and included during class discussions.

MCDB 144 itself is an intensive class covering many aspects of molecular biology. However, Dr. Rigueur's lecture style is highly engaging as she is able to simplify complex concepts for students. Attending office hours is a great way to discuss material and get to know Dr. Rigueur herself. The exams were rigorous, but fair as long as you studied and understood the material well. Under Dr. Rigueur's guidance, all of the molecular biology knowledge and techniques that we learned has well prepared me for working as a research associate in a lab after graduation.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this class due to Dr. Rigueur's enthusiasm, passion, and expertise across multiple fields of biology. Not only did she teach the material effectively, but she also cultivated a supportive community that inspired growth and enthusiasm for science. I'd highly recommend taking this class with Dr. Rigueur!

Dr. Rigueur is an outstanding professor whose passion for research and biology shines through in every lecture. I have taken her MCDB 144, MCDB 180A, and MCDB 180B courses, and she has significantly enriched my learning experience by fostering an engaging, supportive, and enriching learning environment. From the beginning, she made me feel welcomed by ensuring that every student, including myself, was recognized and included during class discussions.

MCDB 144 itself is an intensive class covering many aspects of molecular biology. However, Dr. Rigueur's lecture style is highly engaging as she is able to simplify complex concepts for students. Attending office hours is a great way to discuss material and get to know Dr. Rigueur herself. The exams were rigorous, but fair as long as you studied and understood the material well. Under Dr. Rigueur's guidance, all of the molecular biology knowledge and techniques that we learned has well prepared me for working as a research associate in a lab after graduation.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this class due to Dr. Rigueur's enthusiasm, passion, and expertise across multiple fields of biology. Not only did she teach the material effectively, but she also cultivated a supportive community that inspired growth and enthusiasm for science. I'd highly recommend taking this class with Dr. Rigueur!

Dr. Rigueur is an outstanding professor whose passion for research and biology shines through in every lecture. I have taken her MCDB 144, MCDB 180A, and MCDB 180B courses, and she has significantly enriched my learning experience by fostering an engaging, supportive, and enriching learning environment. From the beginning, she made me feel welcomed by ensuring that every student, including myself, was recognized and included during class discussions.

MCDB 144 itself is an intensive class covering many aspects of molecular biology. However, Dr. Rigueur's lecture style is highly engaging as she is able to simplify complex concepts for students. Attending office hours is a great way to discuss material and get to know Dr. Rigueur herself. The exams were rigorous, but fair as long as you studied and understood the material well. Under Dr. Rigueur's guidance, all of the molecular biology knowledge and techniques that we learned has well prepared me for working as a research associate in a lab after graduation.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this class due to Dr. Rigueur's enthusiasm, passion, and expertise across multiple fields of biology. Not only did she teach the material effectively, but she also cultivated a supportive community that inspired growth and enthusiasm for science. I'd highly recommend taking this class with Dr. Rigueur!