Program in Human Biology
Distinguished Teaching ProfessorFaculty
Helmut V. B. Hirsch, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Professors
Timothy B. Gage, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University
Helen T. Ghiradella, Ph.D.
University of California, Santa Barbara
Lawrence M. Schell, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Associate Professors
David S. Strait, Ph.D.
Stony Brook University
Assistant Professor
Sharon DeWitte, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University
Adam D Gordon, Ph.D.
University of Texas at Austin
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Daniel D. White, Ph.D.
University at Albany
The Human Biology program is an interdepartmental (Anthropology and Biology) combined major/minor designed for students interested in a liberal arts education with particular focus on the human organism. It provides a strong background in human evolution, structure, function and behavior. This program is especially suitable for those seeking careers that deal directly or indirectly with human health and welfare (e.g., medicine, allied health [physician’s assistant, physical therapy, nursing, etc.], public health), forensics, administration, business, journalism, and teaching.
Students interested in research and/or teaching careers in biological anthropology are especially encouraged to major in Human Biology. Most graduate programs in Anthropology require undergraduate coursework in at least three of the four traditional subfields of anthropology (archaeology, cultural anthropology, biological anthropology), and some also require linguistics as the fourth subfield. It is advisable, therefore, for those intending to do graduate work in an anthropology department to take at least one course in each of these subfields. Students who plan on graduate work and professional careers in Biology are advised to major in Biological Sciences.
Degree Requirements for the Major in Human Biology
General Program B.S.: Combined major and minor sequence consisting of a minimum of 55 credits to be taken from:
(a) Required courses (42 credits minimum):Basic Sciences:
A BIO 110 or 120 & 122; A BIO 111 or 121 & 123, A BIO 205 or 212;
A CHM 120, 121, 124, 125;
A MAT 108 or A PSY 210 or A SOC 221 or one semester of college mathematics exclusive of A MAT 100, 102, 104, or 105;
A PHY 105.
Fundamentals of Human Biology:
A ANT 110, 211, 316, 318, and one of A ANT 312 (= A BIO 318) or 319 or 416 or 441.
(b) Major electives (13 credits minimum):
A ANT 111, 119, 310, 311, 312 (= A BIO 318) or 319 or 416 or 441 if not used in (a) above, 314, 317 (= A BIO 307), 365, 414, 415, 416, 418, 419, 450;
A BIO 117, 205 or 212 if not used in (a) above, 219, 230, 308, 311, 314, 320, 329, 402, 410, 411;
A CHM 220, 221, 222, 223;
A PSY 314, 385, 387;
H SPH 201, 231, 341.
A maximum of 3 credits may be selected from R SSW 290/390, A BIO 399/499 and/or A ANT 498/498, with prior approval for appropriate activities from the Director(s) of the Human Biology major. The one-credit writing intensive courses, A ANT 389Z and A BIO 389Z, taken in conjunction with a required or elective course in the major, may also yield credit toward the major.
