Program Desription

The Human Evolutionary Biology Concentration offers students a program to examine the interconnections between genetics, environment and culture to address issues from human origins and morphology to forensics and modern health.

All students must discuss their selection of coursework with a departmental adviser.

When a course is listed under two or more categories, the student may decide which of the requirements the course should fulfill; however, it may not be used to fulfill more than one of those requirements.

This program is a total of 42 hours.

 

Program Requirements

Anthropology Core Courses (9 credit hours)

Choose 3 of the following core courses. Students may make one substitution for 1 of the 3 required courses, choosing from the option listed.

  • ANTH 220 Introduction to Archaeology (OR ANTH 105 World Archaeology)
  • ANTH 230 Sociocultural Anthropology (OR ANTH 103 Anthro in a Changing World)
  • ANTH 240 Biological Anthropology (OR ANTH 102 Human Origins and Culture)
  • ANTH 270 Language in Culture (OR ANTH 104 Talking Culture)

 

Human Evolutionary Biology Courses (18 credit hours)

Students take courses from 4 different categories: 2 courses from each of 2 categories, plus 1 course in each of the 2 remaining categories.

Evolution and Genetics:

  • ANTH 241 Human Variation and Race
  • ANTH 242 History of Human Evolution 
  • ANTH 249 Evolution and Human Disease 
  • ANTH 408 Human Evolutionary Anatomy 
  • ANTH 435 The Neandertal Debate
  • ANTH 438 Primate Life History Evolution 
  • ANTH 440 Human Paleontology 
  • ANTH 441 Human Genetics

Health:

  • ANTH 258 Sex in Nature and Culture 
  • ANTH 347 Human Osteology 
  • ANTH 343 Behavior and Biology of Women 
  • ANTH 437 Primate Behavioral Endocrinology 
  • ANTH 438 Primate Life History Evolution 
  • ANTH 447 Advanced Skeletal Biology

Behavior:

  • ANTH 243 Sociality of the Great Apes 
  • ANTH 258 Sex in Nature and Culture 
  • ANTH 343 Behavior and Biology of Women 
  • ANTH 435 The Neandertal Debate
  • ANTH 437 Primate Behavioral Endocrinology 
  • ANTH 438 Primate Life History Evolution 
  • ANTH 440 Human Paleontology 
  • ANTH 443 Primate Form and Behavior 
  • ANTH 446 Behavioral Inference and Fossils 
  • ANTH 347 Human Osteology
  • ANTH 447 Advanced Skeletal Biology

Comparative Anatomy:

  • ANTH 243 Sociality of the Great Apes 
  • ANTH 347 Human Osteology 
  • ANTH 346 Forensic Anthropology 
  • ANTH 408 Human Evolutionary Anatomy 
  • ANTH 435 The Neandertal Debate
  • ANTH 443 Primate Form and Behavior 
  • ANTH 446 Behavioral Inference and Fossils 
  • ANTH 447 Advanced Skeletal Biology

3 additional courses (9 credit hours)

Select from any of the 4 categories, or another field of anthropology, or a related field such as statistics, psychology, chemistry etc. Course selection should complement the student's Human Evolutionary Biology focus. Meet with the departmental advisor to discuss course selection.

Research and Service Learning Coursework (3 credit hours)

Choose one of the following:

  • ANTH 444 Methods in Bioanthropology
  • ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology

 

Senior Capstone Project (3 credit hours)

Choose one option below in consultation with the departmental advisor:

Honors Thesis (6 credit hours) 
Two consecutive semesters of research resulting in a written thesis

  • ANTH 494- Honors Individual Study 
  • ANTH 495- Honors Senior Thesis

Departmental distinction: To be eligible for distinction, a student must complete 33 hours of anthropology courses (including at least 6 hours of both ANTH 494 and ANTH 495), maintain a 3.6 average in those hours and a 3.5 overall average. All candidates for distinction must submit a thesis for judgment by at least two members of the anthropology department.

Senior Capstone Seminar (Independent Research) (3 credit hours)

  • ANTH 498 Senior Seminar

Internship (3 credit hours)
A portfolio and report associated with an approved departmental internship 

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Study Abroad (3 credit hours) 
A portfolio and report associated with an approved Study Abroad experience

  • ANTH 390 Individual Study

Research and/or Field School (3 - 6 credit hours) 
If not taken to meet the Research and Service Learning Coursework requirement above choose one of the following:

  • ANTH 444 Methods in Bioanthropology 
  • ANTH 445 Research in Bioanthropology

 

Undergraduate Studies Program Contact Information

Dr. Petra Jelinek, Director of Undergraduate Studies 
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109 Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217)-265-0969
Email: elinek@illinois.edu

 

Dr. Maritza Quiñones, Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Department of Anthropology
University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign
109F Davenport Hall (MC‐148)
607 Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 265-8042
Email: quinonem@illinois.edu