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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
ANTHD001H
Course Title (CB02)
Physical Anthropology - HONORS
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Introduction to biological aspects of humans. A bio-cultural and an evolutionary approach is used to understand human variation and human evolution. Issues and topics will include, human variation and its adaptive significance, biological and behavioral evolution of humans, comparative primate anatomy and behavior, evolutionary theory, and the impact of cultural, technological and environmental change on human biology and behavior. As an honors course, the students will be expected to complete extra assignments to gain deeper insight into anthropology.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course is a major preparation requirement in the discipline of Anthropology for both CSU and UC. It meets a general education requirement for °®¶¹´«Ã½, CSUGE and IGETC. Anthropology has four major subfields and this course is an introduction to one of them - which is biological anthropology. This class is the honors version of ANTH D001. and as a result, includes more advanced assignments and assessments.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
°®¶¹´«Ã½ GEArea(s)StatusDetails
2GBX°®¶¹´«Ã½ GE Area B - Natural SciencesApproved
CSU GEArea(s)StatusDetails
CGB2CSU GE Area B2 - Life ScienceApproved
IGETCArea(s)StatusDetails
IG5BIGETC Area 5B - Biological ScienceApproved
C-IDArea(s)StatusDetails
ANTHAnthropologyApprovedC-ID ANTH 110

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

  • (Not open to students with credit in the non-Honors related course.)
  • (Admission into this course requires consent of the Honors Program Coordinator.)

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

(See general education pages for the requirements this course meets.)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and multimedia aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Field observation and field trips

Guest speakers

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Collaborative projects

Laboratory and field research experience which involve students in formal exercises of data collection and analysis

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

Exploration of Internet and digital resources

Homework and extended projects

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Assignments

  1. Oral
    1. Small group discussion of course content (articles and textual material)
    2. Individual and/or small group presentations on selected topics of course material (genetic engineering, human cloning, behavior and biology, endangered primates, disappearance of the Neanderthals etc.)
    3. In-class debates on topical controversies, at instructor's option.(Are we ready to play God, Race an illusion or a reality? Behavior: a complex interaction between nature and nurture etc.)
    4. Student facilitation of classroom discussions under instructor’s supervision (instructor’s option)
  2. Reading
    1. Synthesis of assigned readings from the required texts and other sources.
    2. Suggested supplemental readings.
  3. Writing
    1. Assignments involving critical analysis of current literature and DVDs within the realm of physical anthropology.
    2. Students will write an analytical paper based on fieldwork and research. They will evaluate and select sources, critically analyze data, synthesize information, and formulate conclusions.
  4. Preparation of exhibit material: Students will develop an educational exhibit to teach fellow students about aspects of physical anthropology.
  5. The honors project assignment includes an oral presentation of the research conducted or a written research paper (10 pages). (The honors project will require 10 or more hours of work beyond the regular (non-honors) course requirements, will include higher expectations for achievement in this more advanced work.)

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Multiple choice questions designed to test for basic subject and topical competency
  2. Reading responses that demonstrate basic comprehension, critique and synthesis of course reading.
  3. Essay examinations and comprehensive final examination, all of which are composed of concept based questions which will require the student to demonstrate the ability to integrate, critique and summarize facts, concepts and theory in order to translate them into fundamental units of knowledge.
  4. Field project writing assignment: a preliminary proposal, outline or synopsis of the project; a completed set of field notes; a final paper that contextualizes, presents and analyses field data; completed projects demonstrate the student's growth in synthesizing and analyzing ethnographic data anthropologically
  5. Individual or group presentations that demonstrate ability to present data and data analysis in a logical engaging oral and visual format.
  6. Participation in and contribution toward classroom discussions and collaborative group written analytical work involving comparative source materials.
  7. Design and develop posters or models on important aspects of physical anthropology such as human variation and human evolution. Exhibits will be assessed using questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and or informal conversations.
  8. An honors research paper which will be evaluated on the depth of research, critical thinking and interpretation.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • Maps, CDs/DVDs, fossil casts, human variation materials, models, posters and charts on primate biology, and fossil casts

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Boyd, R. and Silk, J. How Humans Evolved. 8th Ed. Norton and Company Inc. 2018
Jurmain, R., Kilgore, L., Trevathan, W. Essentials in Physical Anthropology. 10th ed. Thomson Wadsworth. 2017.
Larsen, Clark Spenser. Essentials of Physical Anthropology. 3rd ed. Norton and Company, Inc. 2016
Larsen, C.S. Our Origins:Discovering Physical Anthropology. 4th ed. Norton and Company. 2017
Stein, Philip L. & Rowe, Bruce M. Physical Anthropology, 11th ed. McGraw Hill 2014.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Angeloni, E. (ed.) Annual Editions Physical Anthropology. 23rd ed. McGraw-Hill 2018.
Angeloni, E., Pritchard, P., Arenson, L. Physical Anthropology: Roundtable Viewpoints. McGraw Hill, NY, 2009
Boaz, Noel T & Almquist Alan J. "Biological Anthropology - A Synthetic Approach to Human Evolution." Pearson. 2002
Boulanger, C.L. Biocultural Evolution. Waveland Press Inc. 2013.
Brace, L.C., Race is a Four Letter Word. Oxford University Press. Oxford, 2005
Campbell, C.J., et. al. Primates in Perspective, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2010
Fagan, Brian M. Ancient Lives: An Introduction to Archaeology and Prehistory. 5th ed. Pearson, New York. 2012
Footsteps Through Time: Four million years of Human Evolution. San Diego Museum of Man 2003.
France, Diane L. Lab Manual and Workbook for Physical Anthropology. Cengage. 2007.
Goodall, Jane. Through A Window. Boston; Houghton Mifflin Co., 1990.
Johanson, Donald and Edgar Blake. From Lucy to Language. Simon and Schuster 2006.
Jurmain, R. Kilgore L. Introduction to Physical Anthropology 15th ed. 2018 Cengage
Larsen, Clark Spencer. Our Origins: Discovering Physical Anthropology. 2nd ed. Norton.2010
Marks, Jonathan. An Alternative Introduction to Biological Anthroplogy. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 2018
Mitani, J.J, Call P. ed. The Evolution of Primate societies. University of Chicago Press. 2012.
Molnar, S. Human Variation, 6th ed. Races, Types and Ethnic Groups. Pearson Pearson, 2006
Montagu, Ashley. Man's Most Dangerous Myth: The Fallacy of Race. 6th ed. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press 1997.
Park, M. Biological Anthropology. 7th ed. McGraw Hill. 2013
Relenthford, John H. The Human Species - An Introduction to Biological Anthropology. 9th ed. McGraw Hill. 2013.
Tattersall. Becoming Human. Oxford University Press. 1998.
Trinkaus, Erik, and Pat Shipman. The Neandertals: Changing the Image of Mankind. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Westnest, D.F. and Fox, C.W. eds. Evolutionary Behavioral Ecology. Oxford University Press. 2010
Whitehead, Paul, William Sacco and Susan Hochgraf. A Photographic Atlas for Physical Anthropology. 2nd ed. Morton. 2012
Journal of Physical Anthropology
Journal of Human Biology

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Recognize the immense scope of the multi-faceted discipline of anthropology and examine the interrelationships between basic areas of inquiry: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology/prehistory, linguistic anthropology and applied anthropology.
  • Examine the basic conceptual ideas in physical anthropology concerning the scientific method, the theory of evolution, the role of culture and the determinants of primate behavior.
  • Examine the biological background for physical anthropology in terms of biochemistry, genetics, adaptation, and molecular biology. Apply the understanding of evolutionary theory to medicine.
  • Assess the primatological information about the living primates by comparing primate anatomy, behavior, gender roles, social organization, reproduction and ecology and by noting their diversity, classification and geographic distribution.
  • Analyze the fossil record of humanity by examining the evidence, questions, hypotheses, and controversies concerning human evolution in the light of current information on genetics, evolutionary processes, molecular evidence of evolution, and anatomy and behavior of living primates.
  • Examine the emergence and transformations of human culture over time, recognizing the various ancient cultural sources for modern human society.
  • Evaluate the importance of the environment in human success and evolution; Critically analyze the past and present impact of the environment on human populations and predict possible future outcomes for our species based on the present trends in environmental change.
  • Analyze a topic of interest and evaluate its application and how it intersects with other disciplines.

CSLOs

  • Analyze human biological diversity as a response to physical, biotic, socio-cultural and biological factors.

  • Evaluate biological and behavioral similarities and differences between humans and non human primates.

  • Apply scientific, evolutionary, holistic and a multidisciplinary approach to understand human biology and behavior.

  • Evaluate human biology and culture as a response to 7 million years of evolutionary process.

Outline

  1. Recognize the immense scope of the multi-faceted discipline of anthropology and examine the interrelationships between basic areas of inquiry: physical anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology/prehistory, linguistic anthropology and applied anthropology.
    1. Demonstrate anthropology as a science and a humanistic discipline; understand its breadth, especially its interest in global diversity.
    2. Assess the role of five major subfields in anthropology in understanding humans spatially and temporally.
    3. Apply anthropology to vital issues and new challenges facing humans such as the genetic modification of food, cloning, resurrection of extinct species, direction of human evolution etc.
  2. Examine the basic conceptual ideas in physical anthropology concerning the scientific method, the theory of evolution, the role of culture and the determinants of primate behavior.
    1. Apply the scientific method to the study of humans
    2. Examine human biological characteristics and behavior. Also differentiate between culturally and biologically determined behaviors as an adaptation to the environment.
    3. Recognize the role and importance of culture in the success of human societies functioning in diverse environmental situations.
    4. Examine the historical background and foundations of the evolutionary theory. Understand how the process of evolution works.
    5. Comparison of evolutionary theory with traditional views of diverse societies on the origin of the natural world
  3. Examine the biological background for physical anthropology in terms of biochemistry, genetics, adaptation, and molecular biology. Apply the understanding of evolutionary theory to medicine.
    1. Discuss the structure of DNA, protein synthesis, and the significance of mutations in evolution
    2. Assess biochemical evidence for evolution, that is, differences in DNA and proteins of different species, the "molecular clock"
    3. Examine the structure of a chromosome the role of cell division, and aberration in creating variation and evolution.
    4. Apply Mendel's laws of inheritance to humans and in understanding of evolutionary theory. Evaluate examples of genetically-determined human traits in diverse parts of the world, including sickle-cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, and lactose intolerance
    5. Outline animal adaptations and diversity in geological time, features of humans that are shared with other primates, other mammals, and other vertebrate animals
  4. Assess the primatological information about the living primates by comparing primate anatomy, behavior, gender roles, social organization, reproduction and ecology and by noting their diversity, classification and geographic distribution.
    1. Examine the diversity in the order primates including prosimians, monkeys, apes, and humans.
    2. Illustrate geographic distribution and ecology of primates
    3. Examine variations in primate behavior, locomotion, reproductive strategies, social organization, and gender roles in primates
    4. Evaluate the anatomy and locomotor adaptations of primates including special characteristics of human anatomy
  5. Analyze the fossil record of humanity by examining the evidence, questions, hypotheses, and controversies concerning human evolution in the light of current information on genetics, evolutionary processes, molecular evidence of evolution, and anatomy and behavior of living primates.
    1. Reconstruct the important stages in the evolution of Homo sapiens
      1. The earliest hominids from Sahelanthropus Tchadchadensis to Australopithecus.
      2. The rise of genus Homo: Homo habilis and Homo erectus
      3. The Neanderthals and other archaic Homo sapiens
    2. Critically examine questions and controversies involving the interpretation of fossil hominids and associated artifacts, and the determination of their interrelationships
    3. Evaluate hypotheses on assessing and interpreting the evidence about hominid culture
      1. Importance of behavior and subsistence patterns
      2. Social organization, rearing of young, and gender roles
      3. Development of technology
  6. Examine the emergence and transformations of human culture over time, recognizing the various ancient cultural sources for modern human society.
    1. Earliest cultural behavior: living spaces and tool technologies
    2. Homo habilis and Homo erectus: developing culture-based lifeways
    3. Cultural behaviors of the Paleolithic peoples: evidence and interpretations
    4. Ancient cultural sources for modern human society: cognition and language
  7. Evaluate the importance of the environment in human success and evolution; Critically analyze the past and present impact of the environment on human populations and predict possible future outcomes for our species based on the present trends in environmental change.
    1. Evaluate the role of environmental factors in explaining human variation and evolution
    2. Examine the role of past environmental effects of humans
    3. Assess present environmental effects resulting from modern technology
    4. Predict future possibilities depending on directions chosen now
  8. Analyze a topic of interest and evaluate its application and how it intersects with other disciplines.
    1. Typical topics of interest include evolution and disease, race and racism, biotechnology: how far can we go, primate behavior.
    2. Intersection with other disciplines such as psychology, biology, intercultural studies would be encouraged.
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