Physical phenomena are monitored with transducers, with those signals sensed and recorded by electronics. Electronics can also be used to control parts of an experiment, for example by sensing temperature and applying heat if necessary. A working knowledge of electronics will greatly improve your ability understand, build, and run scientific experiments.
Electronic devices are in widespread use in everyday life.
You'll work with RC filters, transistors, and op-amps, constructing a variety of useful circuits. This course is most definitely a laboratory course. The Student Manual has review reading, examples, and lab instructions. The labs will take far less time if you think about them before you come to class - you will also end up learning more. You will have to keep a lab notebook describing what you've done in lab.