Human Evolutionary Biology (BA)

Overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology: Human Evolutionary Biology (HEB) offers a captivating exploration into our species' origins and evolutionary trajectory. While students also have the option to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology: Human Evolutionary Biology, this program immerses individuals in the rich tapestry of our evolutionary history.

Human Evolutionary Biology stands as one of five options within the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, inviting students into an extraordinary narrative spanning over 4 million years. This compelling story unfolds from our African origins where our ancestors took their first upright steps, evolving across millennia to populate diverse corners of the globe, culminating in the sole surviving species: modern Homo sapiens.

HEB delves into the core premise that our past elucidates our present, elucidating how the rich diversity of humanity is a culmination of millions of years of evolution. Science has unveiled an evolutionary journey that sculpted humans to adapt to the environments of our Paleolithic ancestors. However, rapid societal, lifestyle, and environmental changes might have outpaced evolution, impacting modern human biology. This option offers a profound exploration into these questions, investigating how contemporary health issues might stem from living in a world starkly different from that of our ancestors.

HEB graduates are well-prepared to pursue postgraduate training and careers in various health-related fields such as public health, epidemiology, nursing, medicine, and global health. The interdisciplinary nature of anthropology, intrinsic to this option, aligns with the evolving landscape of health-related disciplines. Embark on an intellectual odyssey that navigates the vast expanse of human evolutionary biology, preparing you for a future at the intersection of scientific inquiry and health-related disciplines.

BA Human Evolutionary Biology Requirements - 55 credits total

Note: not all courses are offered regularly. The Anthropology Curriculum Forecast tool provides tentative course offerings for ANTH, ARCHY and BIO A classses. Check the Time Schedule for all current course offerings. 

Core Requirements (20 credits)

Upper Division Electives (20 credits)

Any 300–400 level ANTH, BIO A, and/or ARCHY courses. Certain AIS courses may apply (AIS 317, 330, 335, 340, or 443).

Additional Electives (15 credits)

Any 200-level or above ANTH, BIO A, and/or ARCHY courses. Certain AIS courses may apply (AIS 202, 203, 209, 210, 311, 330, 335, 340, 425, 443, or 480).

Human Evolutionary Biology Option Requirements

How the Human Evolutionary Biology option courses appears in DARS

Human Evolutionary Biology option courses appear in a separate option block in DARS. Many of these courses also apply toward Upper Division and Additional Elective requirements. This overlap is intentional and allows students to complete the option within the 55-credit BA total with careful planning.

Additional Requirements for the Major

  • At least 25 credits in the major must be completed with a minimum grade of 2.5 in each course
  • At least 15 credits of upper-division (300–400 level) ANTH, ARCHY, or BIO A coursework must be completed in residence at UW
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses applied to the major
  • Note: a limited number of Independent Study credits may be applied to the major - up to 12 credits of ANTH 499, ARCHY 499, and/or BIO A 499; up to 18 credits for departmental Honors courses
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