Program Overview

Bachelor of Science in Human Biology

Program Description

The Bachelor of Science in Human Biology program at the University at Albany is an interdisciplinary major that combines anthropology and biology to explore the human being from biological, behavioral, social, and cultural perspectives. This program prepares students for careers in human health and welfare, including medical, dental, and public health.

Program of Study

The program of study establishes an in-depth understanding of the human organism as an individual and as part of large populations. Students study comparative context to understand why human beings have the particular set of biological features that we do. The program focuses on health, illness, and the events that have shaped our species over time, including genetics, nutrition, disease, ecology, adaptation, and environment.

Required Courses (42 credits minimum)

Basic Sciences

• General Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Physiology
• Introduction to Biological Investigations I, II
• General Biology: Molecular and Cell Biology and Genetics
• Human Genetics or Introductory Genetics
• General Chemistry I or Advanced General Chemistry
• General Chemistry II or Advanced General Chemistry II
• General Chemistry Laboratory I, II
• Elementary Statistics or Statistical Methods in Psychology or Statistics for Sociologists
• General Physics I

Fundamentals of Human Biology

• Introduction to Human Evolution
• Human Population Biology
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I, II
• Human Population Genetics or Physical Growth and Development or Topics in Human Biology

Electives (13 credits minimum)

Applied Learning

Students have the opportunity to work with active faculty researchers in areas including prehistoric human demography, influence of environmental factors on the evolution of the human organism, biological responses to contemporary urban environments such as noise and human development, and the impact of lead on child development.

Electives

Anthropology Courses

• Introduction to the Primates
• The City and Human Health
• Human Biomechanics
• Human Population History
• Human Osteology
• Human Population Genetics
• Physical Growth and Development
• Introduction to Cultural Medical Anthropology
• Topics in Human Biology
• Forensic Anthropology
• Exercise Physiology
• The Anthropology of New Reproductive Technologies
• Demographic Anthropology
• Nutritional Anthropology
• Culture, Environment, and Health
• Human Evolutionary and Environmental Physiology
• Special Topics in Medical Anthropology

Biology Courses

• Nutrition
• Human Genetics or Introductory Genetics
• Cell Biology
• Parasitic Diseases and Human Welfare
• World Food Crisis
• Microbiology
• Genetics of Human Disease
• Principles of Ecology and Evolution
• Ecology
• Evolution
• Human Physiology
• Human Physiology Laboratory

Chemistry Courses

• Organic Chemistry I
• Organic Chemistry II
• Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
• Organic Chemistry Laboratory II

Psychology Courses

• Psychology of Child Development
• Advanced Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience
• Health Psychology
• The Psychology of Human Sexuality
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Behavior Genetics

Sociology Courses

• Medical Sociology
• Social Demography

Public Health Courses

• Introduction to Public Health
• Concepts in Epidemiology
• Promoting Healthy People and Communities

Career Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in Human Biology degree provides a comprehensive understanding of biological anthropology and concepts in public health. Students are prepared to pursue advanced training or professional school in teaching, medical, and other health fields.

Potential Job Titles

• Doctor (MD)
• Doctor of Physical Therapy
• Physician Assistant
• Nurse
• Pharmacist
• Dentist
• Agricultural Scientist
• Health Care Marketer

Pre-Health, Early Assurance, and Accelerated Programs

The University at Albany offers Pre-Health advisors who specialize in helping students prepare and apply to health professional schools. Opportunities are available for early assurance to medical school and other joint degree pre-professional programs in areas including medicine, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physician assistant, and nursing.

Student Learning Objectives

• Develops a knowledge of the principles of human evolution, adaptation, and population biology.
• Gains knowledge of biological and social aspects of health and disease.
• Develops an awareness of the variation in human experience in such areas as nutrition, disease, biological adaptation, and biological structure.
• Develops knowledge of the interaction of human biology and culture, through time and across space.