Program Overview

Human Evolutionary Biology, BS

Overview

The major in Human Evolutionary Biology is offered jointly by the Departments of Anthropology and of Ecology and Evolution. It provides interdisciplinary training in the natural sciences and anthropology to examine how evolutionary forces shaped the human condition.

Degree Requirements

The major in Human Evolutionary Biology leads to the Bachelor of Science degree. Completion of the major requires a minimum of 59 credits. At least 21 credits must be upper division courses (300 level or higher). Students must complete a minimum of 31-32 credits in the Core Requirements (I., A-C) and a minimum of 28-29 credits in the Subfield Courses (II., A-C).

Core Requirements

Biology and Scientific Skills (11-12 credits)

• BIO 201 - Fundamentals of Biology: Organisms to Ecosystems (3 credits)
• BIO 202 - Fundamentals of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Biology (3 credits)
• BIO 204 - Fundamentals of Scientific Inquiry in the Biological Sciences I (2 credits)
• OR EBH 204 - Research Skills (3 credits)
• BIO 354 - Evolution (3 credits)

Courses Required in Related Fields (11 credits)

• CHE 131 - General Chemistry IB (4 credits)
• OR CHE 152 - Molecular Science I (4 credits)
• OR CHE 129 - General Chemistry IA (4 credits)
• CHE 130 - Problem Solving in General Chemistry (1 credit)
• MAT 123 - Precalculus (3 credits)
• MAT 125 - Calculus A (3 credits)
• OR MAT 130 - Trigonometry and Logarithms (1 credit)
• MAT 125 - Calculus A (3 credits)
• OR MAT 131 - Calculus I (4 credits)
• OR MAT 141 - Honors Calculus I
• OR MAT 171 - Accelerated Single Variable Calculus
• OR AMS 151 - Applied Calculus I (3 credits)
• EBH 230 - Computer-based Biostatistics (4 credits)

Courses Required from Major Subfields (9 credits)

• EBH 200 - The Evolution of Human Behavior (3 credits)
• ANT 201 - Human Evolution (3 credits)
• EBH 302 - Human Genetics (3 credits)

Subfield Courses

Students must complete a minimum of 28 credits in the Subfield Courses. Students may sample broadly across all subfields, taking classes from Sections A, B, and C, or choose to specialize in only one of the three areas.

Human Evolution and Morphology

• ANT 101 - Human Biology (3 credits)
• ANT 255 - Forensic Anthropology (3 credits)
• ANT 300 - Human Anatomy (4 credits)
• ANT 321 - Primate Evolution (3 credits)
• ANT 404 - Human Osteology (3 credits)
• ANT 407 - Building Bones: Bone Development and Evolution (3 credits)
• ANT 411 - Comparative Primate Anatomy (4 credits)
• ANT 104 - Introduction to Archaeology (3 credits)
• ANT 268 - Archaeology of Human Origins (3 credits)
• ANT 273 - The Unstoppable Species? (3 credits)
• ANT 277 - The Origins of Art (3 credits)
• ANT 290 - Science and Technology in Ancient Society (3 credits)
• ANT 357 - Origins of Agriculture (3 credits)
• ANT 418 - Stone Tools in Human Evolution (3 credits)
• ANT 419 - Zooarchaeology (3 credits)
• BIO 208 - Cells, Brains, Minds (3 credits)
• BIO 344 - Chordate Zoology (4 credits)
• EBH 316 - The Evolution of the Human Brain (3 credits)

Human Genetics and Genomics

• BIO 203 - Fundamentals of Biology: Cellular and Organ Physiology (3 credits)
• BIO 312 - Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (3 credits)
• BIO 320 - General Genetics (3 credits)
• OR BIO 321 - Ecological Genetics (3 credits)
• BIO 325 - Animal Development (3 credits)
• BIO 327 - Developmental Genetics Laboratory (3 credits)
• BIO 367 - Molecular Diversity Laboratory (3 credits)
• EBH 370 - Advanced Human Genetics (3 credits)
• EBH 380 - Genomics (3 credits)
• EBH 381 - Genomics Laboratory (3 credits)

Evolutionary Bases of Behavior

• ANT 202 - People and Pups: Dog Behavior and Human-Canine Relationships (3 credits)
• ANT 220 - Controversies in Human Biology and Behavior (3 credits)
• ANT 408 - Pastoralism Under Pressure: Savannas, Societies, and Sustainability in East Africa (3 credits)
• ANT 377 - Animal Tool Use (3 credits)
• BIO 328 - Mammalian Physiology (3 credits)
• EBH 325 - Evolution of Sex (3 credits)
• EBH 331 - Hormones and Behavior (3 credits)
• EBH 359 - Behavioral Ecology (3 credits)
• EBH 362 - Evolution of Social Complexity (3 credits)
• EBH 404 - Evolution of Parenting (3 credits)
• EBH 405 - Life History and Development (3 credits)
• POL 375 - The Political Animal (3 credits)
• PSY 356 - Physiological Psychology (3 credits)

Upper-Division Writing Requirement

Human Evolutionary Biology students are required to either take one of the elective courses of the major satisfying the WRTD requirement or register for the 0-credit EBH 459 Write Effectively in Human Evolutionary Biology.

Human Evolutionary Biology Honors Program

Graduation with honors in Human Evolutionary Biology requires both of the following:

1. A cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher in all courses for the major.
2. Completion of an honors thesis based on a one-year independent research project (EBH 495 and EBH 496) under the direction of a faculty member written in the form of a scientific report (20 pages or more). The completed thesis must be approved by a thesis committee.

SBC Courses

This table illustrates major courses that can also be used to fulfill SBC requirements.

Sample Course Sequence

Sample Course Sequence for the Major in Human Evolutionary Biology

• Freshman Year:
  • Fall: BIO 201, CHE 131, MAT 123
  • Spring: BIO 202, CHE 132, MAT 125
• Sophomore Year:
  • Fall: EBH 200, ANT 201, BIO 204
  • Spring: EBH 302, ANT 255, BIO 354
• Junior Year:
  • Fall: EBH 230, ANT 300, BIO 312
  • Spring: EBH 316, ANT 321, BIO 320
• Senior Year:
  • Fall: EBH 370, ANT 404, BIO 325
  • Spring: EBH 380, ANT 408, BIO 327