Overview
Bachelor of Science in Anthropology: Human Evolutionary Biology (HEB) students embark on a profound journey exploring the evolutionary path of our species. While students can alternatively pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology: Human Evolutionary Biology, this program delves deeply into our evolutionary history.
As one of the options available within the Anthropology major, Human Evolutionary Biology invites students into an extraordinary narrative spanning more than 4 million years. This compelling story traces back to our origins in Africa, where our ancestors took their first upright strides, evolving over epochs to populate diverse corners of the world, culminating in the existence of modern Homo sapiens.
HEB delves into the foundational idea that our past is the key to understanding our present diversity. The program unveils an evolutionary saga that shaped humans to adapt and flourish in the environments of our ancient ancestors. Yet, rapid societal, lifestyle, and environmental changes might have outpaced the pace of evolution, potentially impacting modern human biology. This option offers an in-depth exploration, questioning how contemporary health challenges might stem from living in a world dramatically different from that of our ancestors.
Students in the HEB program undergo dedicated training in the ethics of human subjects research and the intricate applications of evolutionary theory. The curriculum emphasizes ethical scientific research as a cornerstone of proficient scientific practice. By the culmination of their undergraduate studies, HEB students gain a solid grasp of ethical evaluation and conduct in scientific research, essential attributes in responsible scientific inquiry. HEB graduates are well-equipped to pursue postgraduate training and careers in diverse health-related domains such as public health, epidemiology, nursing, medicine, and global health. The interdisciplinary nature of anthropology embedded in this option aligns seamlessly with the evolving landscape of health-related disciplines.
Embark on an academic odyssey traversing the vast terrain of human evolutionary biology, preparing for a future at the intersection of scientific exploration and health-related disciplines.
Human Evolutionary Biology (BS) Major Requirements
75 credits required, 50 credits of which must be Natural Science (NSc) courses in ANTH, ARCHY or BIO A
Core Courses (25 credits)
- BIO A 201: Principles of Biological Anthropology (5 cr, NSc)
- Any 200-level ARCHY course (5 cr)
- One statistics course chosen from:
- CS&SS/SOC/STAT 221: Statistical Concepts And Methods For The Social Sciences (5 cr)
- STAT 220: Statistical Reasoning (5 cr)
- STAT 311: Elements of Statistical Methods (5 cr)
- Q SCI 381: Introduction to Probability & Statistics (5 cr)
- BIOST 310: Biostatistics for the Health Sciences (4 cr)
- EDPSY 490: Basic Educational Statistics (3 cr)
- PSYCH 315: Understanding Statistics in Psychology (5 cr)
- QMETH 201: Introduction to Statistical Methods (4 cr)
- Occasionally other basic statistics courses may be accepted - contact Advising for approved courses
- 10 additional credits in ANTH, ARCHY or BIO A
Human Evolutionary Biology Option Courses (50 cr)
- Any 200 level ANTH course (5 cr)
- BIO A 101: Human Biological Diversity (5 cr, NSc) OR BIO A 348: Evolutionary Biology and Human Diversity (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 355: Evolutionary Medicine & Public Health (5 cr, NSc) OR BIO A 351: Principles of Evolutionary Medicine (5 cr, NSc)
- 35 cr from approved list (Not all courses are offered regularly. Check the current and/or upcoming Time Schedule for updated course offerings):
- BIO A 206 Plagues and Peoples (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 208 Sex and Evolution (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 270 Human and Comparative Anatomy (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 300 Evolutionary Biology of Women (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 344 Applied Biomechanics of Human Movement (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 348 Evolutionary Biology and Human Diversity (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 350 Men's Health across the Lifespan (5 cr)
- BIO A 370 Introduction to Primates (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 387 Ecological Perspectives on Environmental Stress, Adaptation, & Health (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 388 Human Fossils and Evolution, Part I (5 cr, NSc) & BIO A 389 Human Fossils and Evolution, Part II (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 409 Human Sexual Selection (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 413 Human-Primate Interface: Implications for Disease, Risk, & Conservation (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 423 Social Networks and Health (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 450 Biodemography Seminar (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 454 Hormones & Behavior (5 cr, NSc) & BIO A 455 Laboratory Methods in Hormones & Behavior (3 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 459 Laboratory Methods in Anthropological Genetics (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 470 Evolution of Human Behavior (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 471 Evolutionary Perspectives on Parenting and Childcare (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 473 Biological Adaptability of Human Populations (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 482 Human Population Genetics (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 483 Human Genetics, Disease, and Culture (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 484 Applied Human Growth & Development (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 487 Human and Comparative Osteology (5 cr, NSc)
- BIO A 491 Issues in Human Paleontology (5 cr, NSc)
- ARCHY 481 Zooarchaeology (6 cr, NSc)
Additional Requirements
- 50 credits minimum Natural Science (NSc) ANTH, ARCHY or BIO A courses
- 35 credits minimum upper-division (300-400 level) ANTH, ARCHY or BIO A courses at UW
- Minimum 2.0 GPA in courses applied to major requirements.
- 12 credits maximum (18 credits for departmental Honors) from ANTH 499, ARCHY 499, and/or BIO A 499 may be allowed towards major requirements