MITxBio 7.00x Competency Exam

the MITx 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam certificate

We have an exciting opportunity associated with 7.00x: Introduction to Biology - The Secret of Life. We offer a thorough and robust means of certifying edX learners in their mastery of the MITx introductory biology content, through the MITx 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam. The Competency Exam tests the learning objectives throughout the entire 7.00x course, tying together topics from different units.

You should use the 7.00x course, and MIT Biology's OCW resources, to study and learn introductory biology. These interactive learning materials remain free for anyone to access at any time. The MITx 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam will be available for completion only if you enroll as verified track. We plan to offer this exam several times a year, and the next opportunity will be February 14, 2023.
• The Competency Exam will become available to start on February 14, 2023.
• The due date to complete all problems in the Competency Exam will be Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 14:00 UTC.
• Note, the deadline to register for a verified certificate is February 6, 2023.
If you feel that you have mastered the MITx Introduction to Biology content and learning objectives and are ready to have your knowledge assessed for a 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam certificate (or will be ready by February 14, 2023), then you can register now for the verified certificate track on edX within the 7.00x: Introduction to Biology - The Secret of Life course

Earning this certificate is not equal to earning the 7.00x course certificate offered in the past – it is more thorough and more robust. Thus, even if you have earned the 7.00x course certificate in past years, you may want to return to earn the MITx 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam certificate.

For more details, see the FAQ below.

We look forward to learners taking on this challenge.

-MITx Biology


Professor Eric Lander's iconic biology triangle.

Q: Why is the certification for method for 7.00x different from the model used by most MOOCs?

A: As you may know, in the past, we offered certificates to those who scored high enough on the course problem sets and exams. Successfully working through the course materials is a challenge, but that process is also your opportunity to learn and not necessarily the best setup for assessment toward a certification. The goals of certification and best methods to design exams for certification, which also prevent cheating, often differ from the best methods for learning. In the current version of the course, we have kept the original course content the same while optimizing the course settings for learning: many opportunities to test your understanding as you work, instant feedback after trying problems, and all learning content available at all times.
We want the certification associated with MITx Introduction to Biology to have more meaning through more rigorous testing that is separate from the problem sets and exams set up for learning. Therefore, we have created a different path toward certification.

Q: How does the Competency Exam differ from the other 7.00x practice exams?

The MITx 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam has been designed to test your mastery of the 7.00x Introduction to Biology learning objectives as evenly as possible. Having one overarching assessment also allows for testing your synthesis of knowledge between different sections of the MITx Introduction to Biology course. While in the original 7.00x exams you are meant to learn while solving the problems (and indeed they have been optimized for this goal), the Competency Exam has been designed purely with assessment in mind. You can read about these design details and other Competency Exam information in the "Required Tasks Before You Start" subsection within the "7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam" section located after the Farewell section in the 7.00x: Introduction to Biology – the Secret of Life course on edX.