Human Science Minor Course Descriptions
GANTH 196. Biological Anthropology. 3 credits. Offered fall and spring. An introduction to the origins, evolution and genetic variability of humans and their relationship to nonhuman primates. Examination of the fossil record, the relationship between biology and culture and human genetics are included. Theories and methods used in the study of biological anthropology are also introduced
ANTH 315. Human Evolution. 3 credits. An overview of the fossil record and other evidence for human evolution. Discusses the emergence of the hominids as a lineage distinct from other apes. Provides evidence for the evolution of bipedalism, tools use, hunting/gathering, major increases in brain size, language and material culture and the hypotheses that have been developed to explain the emergence of these characteristics. Prerequisites: GANTH 196, or BIO 114 and BIO 124, or permission of the instructor.
ANTH 316. Evolutionary Psychology. 3 credits. An exploration of human behavior from an evolutionary perspective. Emphasis is placed on the critical evaluation of adaptive hypotheses purported to explain fundamental human behaviors such as survival and mating strategies, reproduction and parenting, kinship and cooperation, dominance and aggression, cultural evolution, and religion.
BIO 290. Human Anatomy (3,3). 4 credits. Offered fall, spring and summer. A study of the basic body plan is reinforced by studies of dissected human cadavers and computer simulations. Emphasis is on the major body structures and systems.
GPSYC 101. General Psychology. 3 credits. Offered fall and spring. A study of the nervous system, sensation, perception, consciousness, learning, memory, language, intelligence, motivation, emotion, life span development, personality, psychopathology, psychotherapy, social psychology and the scientific method.
GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development. 3 credits. Offered fall and spring. An introduction to human development. Emphasis is on the life span processes within physical, emotional, cognitive psychosexual, social, personality and moral development.
HSC 400. Human Science Seminar. 1 credit. Offered in spring. Seminar course in which current topics in human science will be examined from the multiple perspectives of anthropology, biology, and psychology. Students can expect to study, and attempt to synthesize, proximate (mechanistic), ontogenetic, and evolutionary explanations for each of the topics examined. (Open only to Human Science minors who have completed all required courses.)