ANTH 103 - Human Origins and Prehistory

1. Describe the major fields of anthropology, with emphasis on physical anthropology.
2. Describe the history of evolutionary thought and demonstrate a critical appraisal of natural selection as the principal mechanism for evolution.
3. Describe the structure and function of DNA, genes, and how information in DNA is translated into proteins.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of Mendelian inheritance and how they relate to humans.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of how primates are classified.
6. Describe the characteristics of the Order Primates and the major features of prosimians and anthropoids.
7. Describe primate social behavior with respect to dominance, communication, sexual behavior, play and hunting.
8. Describe how fossils are dated.
9. Identify characteristics associated with the following groups of hominids: Australopithecines, early Homo, Homo erectus, Neanderthals, Homo Floresiensis, Denisovans, Homo Naledi, and Homo sapiens.
10. Arrange the various groups of hominids in a chronological timeline from the earliest specimens to the most recent.
11. Summarize the current theories regarding the origin and dispersal of modern humans.
12. Describe the origin of agriculture and the domestication of plants and animals.
13. Describe the development of urbanized state societies.
14. Demonstrate knowledge of the adaptive significance of human variation.
15. Demonstrate knowledge of the biological meaning of race and objections to the use of the word in anthropology.

• The development of evolutionary theory
• The development of genetics
• The biological basis for life
• Macroevolution human variation and adaptation
• Primate survey
• Primate behavior
• Hominid origins
• Heredity and evolution from the earliest Hominid through Homo sapiens
• Homo sapiens -origin, dispersal, and prehistory

 
Course Addendum - Syllabus (Click to expand)