Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology: Human Biology Concentration

The general anthropology major is intended to give students a foundation in all of the four sub-fields associated with the discipline of anthropology. Each of the sub-fields requires the development of a number of skills, including: formulating hypotheses; developing research programs and proposals; applying theories to the interpretation of artifacts and other data; and gathering ethnographic information through participant-observation. There is sufficient flexibility in the requirements for the general anthropology major so that a student with an interest in a specific sub-field can focus their program of study in that area - or not, if a more general program is of interest. The Human Biology concentration in Anthropology prepares students for careers in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, optometry, podiatry, and other allied health fields. Human Biology students major in Anthropology but take departmental courses primarily in biological anthropology. These courses deal in human genetics, human paleontology, human physiology, and human reproductive biology and behavior. They stress an evolutionary perspective on humans and integrate molecular, whole-organism, population, and species-level data on humans. The Human Biology concentration also includes required courses in biology, and elective options in human anatomy, physiology, and public health. This program also encourages students to take courses in other disciplines to fulfill admission requirements to professional schools in the health sciences. As a result, our students have the broad, liberal arts background that many professional schools find attractive.