Organic Chemistry I (CHM2210) and Biology I (BSC2010) are pre-requisite to General Microbiology (MCB3020C) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), similar to other universities in Florida. While Biology I is a general education course completed by every student in the state, Organic Chemistry is only required for certain majors. In general, Organic Chemistry is a difficult topic: students are required to use critical thinking, demonstrate their ability to analyze information, and apply their knowledge to conceptual questions – much like how we teach and test students in General Microbiology. During discussions about possible curriculum changes, we have investigated removing the requirement for Organic Chemistry I and returning to only requiring Biology I and Chemistry Fundamentals I (CHM2045). To address this possible curriculum change, we independently measured student success in the current pre-requisites and compared those with the student’s success in General Microbiology. The data collected is based on students who have taken General Microbiology in the previous three years, post-COVID-19, in a face-to-face modality. A trend was observed while matching students’ success in Organic Chemistry to their final General Microbiology grade: the grade they received in Organic Chemistry similarly matched their final grade for General Microbiology, with few exceptions. Alternatively, student success in General Microbiology based on Biology I achievement revealed students who received an “A” in Biology I only had an increased chance of passing the class at best, compared to those students who finished the general education course with a “B” or “C.” These findings reinforce the requirement of Organic Chemistry I as a pre-requisite for General Microbiology, suggesting students may not be adequately prepared for the burden of this 5 credit hour course.
