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ANSC 302

ANSC 302: Principles of Biological Anthropology (GE)

Credit Hours: (4) Three hours lecture; two hours laboratory

This course is an overview of biological anthropology. Biological anthropology studies the adaptations, variability, and evolution of human beings and their living and fossil relatives. Topics to be covered include basic genetics and heredity, primate behavior and taxonomy, human osteology, human evolution, human variation and adaptation, bioarchaeology, and forensic anthropology. The laboratory component provides students with hands-on experience with this material. 

Note(s): General Education and Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course. Students cannot receive credit for both ANTH 120 and ANSC 302.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

The major areas of biological anthropology covered in this course include the following:

  1. History of Evolutionary Thought
  2. Human Genetics (Cellular, Mendelian, Population)
  3. Principles and Forces of Evolution
  4. Human Variability and Adaptation
  5. Bioarchaeology and  Forensics
  6. Primate Taxonomy, Behavior, Paleontology
  7. Fossil Hominids (early fossil hominids including Sahlenthropus, Orrorin  and the Australopithecines,  early Genus Homo, Archaic Homo sapiens including Neandertals, and Anatomically modern Homo sapiens)

The laboratory component of the course will provide training and experience in the following areas:

  1. Population Genetics including selection problem sets
  2. Human variation including anthropometry (measurement)
  3. Human Osteology
  4. Methods in skeletal biology including bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology
  5. Primate anatomy lab
  6. Primate behavior lab and film
  7. Fossil Hominid labs- including examination of fossil hominid casts


Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

The course is taught through the use of slide-illustrated lectures, films, and hands on experience, using information from the text as well as the instructor’s own experience.  Additionally, the students will read and discuss primary research articles, and current examples of biological anthropology in the news.

The laboratory component of the class will be conducted in a variety of ways throughout the semester. Some laboratory sessions will focus on students working together on population genetics problems sets. However, the majority of lab sessions will be devoted to laboratory exercises on human osteology, primate anatomy, human variation, and fossil evidence of human evolution.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

This course is designated as R (Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning) Area for the REAL Curriculum and fulfills the learning goal: To apply scientific and quantitative reasoning to questions about the natural world, mathematics, or related areas. Students will fulfill the learning outcomes in this area: apply scientific and quantitative information to test problems and draw conclusions and evaluate the quality of data, methods, or inferences used to generate scientific and quantitative knowledge.

This course may be applied to the REAL Studies Minor in Scientific/Quantitative Reasoning.

Students successfully completing ANSC 302 will:

  1. demonstrate understanding of the wide range of methods and theories in biological anthropology. 
  2. demonstrate a basic understanding of how biological anthropologists study human bone and what kinds of information which can be obtained from the study of bone.
  3. demonstrate an understanding of modern humans as primates, and be able to discuss the similarities and differences between humans and other primates.
  4. demonstrate an understanding of several differing views on human origins.


Assessment Measures

Students will be evaluated through in-class examinations with both objective and written sections. Additional short writing assignments may also be used throughout the semester to assess students' understanding of reading materials (e.g., article summaries and critiques).
The laboratory section will account for at least 25% of the overall class grade in ANSC 302. The laboratory grade will be based on weekly lab activities and assignments. Because the function of the lab is learning through hands-on experience, attendance and active participation will be included in assessment.

Review and Approval
December, 2009
Revised: June 15, 2015; August 2021; June 2023

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