Improving the scientific literacy of non-scientists is an important aim, both because of the
ever-increasing impact of science on our lives and because understanding science enriches our
experience of the natural world. One route to improving scientific literacy is via general education
undergraduate courses?i.e. courses for students not majoring in the sciences or engineering. Because
it encompasses a variety of important scientific concepts, demonstrates connections between basic
science and real-world applications and illustrates the creative ways in which scientific insights
develop, biophysics is a useful subject with which to promote scientific literacy. I describe here a
course on biophysics for non-science-major undergraduates recently developed at the University of
Oregon (Eugene, OR, USA), noting its design, which spans both macroscopic and microscopic topics,
and the specific content of a few of its modules. I also describe evidence-based pedagogical
approaches adopted…