Anthropology: Biological Anthropology, BALAS
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Anthropology, Biological Anthropology Concentration
The Biological Anthropology 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.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Anthropology, Biological Anthropology Concentration
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.
Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: 43-46. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level Anthropology courses must be taken on this campus.
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300- or 400-level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-10 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | 0-20 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation and Professional Development | ||
| LAS 101 | Design Your First Year Experience | 1 |
OR | ||
| LAS 100 & LAS 101 | Success in LAS for International Students and Design Your First Year Experience | 3 |
OR | ||
| LAS 102 | Transfer Advantage | 1 |
| Total Hours | 1 or 3 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Core Requirements and Electives | ||
| When a course is listed under two or more categories, the student may decide which of the requirements the course should fulfill. It may not be used to fulfill more than one of those requirements. | ||
| Anthropology Core Courses | 9 | |
| The following course is required. | ||
| Biological Anthropology | ||
| Choose 2 of the following core courses. These need to be in different categories, and may select no more than one 100-level course from the list below. | ||
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
or ANTH 105 | World Archaeology | |
| Sociocultural Anthropology | ||
or ANTH 103 | Anthro in a Changing World | |
| Language in Culture | ||
| Talking Culture | ||
| Biological Anthropology Courses | 24 | |
| Students take 6 credit hours at the 200-level and 18 credit hours at the 300-/400-level from the following list: | ||
| Human Biological Variation | ||
| History of Human Evolution | ||
| Sociality of the Great Apes | ||
| Forensic Science | ||
| Forensic Science DNA Lab | ||
| Evolution and Human Disease | ||
| Behavior and Biology of Women | ||
| Forensic Anthropology | ||
| Human Osteology | ||
| People of the Ice Age | ||
| Evolution and Human Health | ||
| Ecology and Human Health | ||
| Evolutionary Immunology | ||
| Human Evolutionary Anatomy | ||
| The Neandertal Debate | ||
| Primate Life History Evolution | ||
| Human Paleontology | ||
| Human Genetics | ||
| Primate Form and Behavior | ||
| Methods in Bioanthropology | ||
| Research in Bioanthropology | ||
| Advanced Skeletal Biology | ||
| Zooarchaeology | ||
| Primate Microbial Seminar | ||
| 3 additional 300-/400- upper division courses from another subfield of anthropology or a related field | 9 | |
(This is in consultation with the departmental advisor. Course selection should complement the student’s Biological Anthropology focus.) | ||
| Senior Capstone Project | 3-6 | |
| Choose one option below (Honors Thesis, Senior Seminar, Internship, or Study Abroad) in consultation with and approval of the departmental advisor: | ||
| Honors Thesis - 6 hours. Two consecutive semesters of research resulting in a written thesis | ||
| Honors Senior Thesis I | ||
| Honors Senior Thesis II | ||
| Senior Capstone Seminar (Independent Research) - 3 hours | ||
| Senior Capstone Seminar | ||
| Internship – 3 hours. A portfolio and report associated with an approved departmental internship. | ||
| Individual Study | ||
| Study Abroad - 3 hours. A portfolio and report associated with an approved Study Abroad experience. | ||
| Individual Study | ||
| Minimum Concentration Hours | 45 | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Anthropology, Biological Anthropology Concentration
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. See the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| LAS 101 | 1 | ANTH 240 | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) | 4 | Language Other than English (4th level) | 4 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 | General Education course or Composition I | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Anthropology Core course | 3 | Anthropology Core course | 3 |
| Biological Anthropology 200-level course | 3 | Biological Anthropology 200-level course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Biological Anthropology 300- or 400- level course | 3 | Biological Anthropology 300- or 400- level course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Biological Anthropology 300- or 400- level course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Additional 300/400- level upper division Anthropology or related course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 2 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| Biological Anthropology 300- or 400- level course | 3 | Biological Anthropology 300- or 400- level course | 3 |
| Senior Capstone Project | 3-6 | Additional 300/400-level upper division Anthropology or related course | 3 |
| Biological Anthropology 300- or 400- level course | 3 | Additional 300/400-level upper division Anthropology or related course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| Free Elective course | 3 | Free Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Anthropology, Biological Anthropology Concentration
Students who graduate with a BALAS degree in Anthropology will have:
- A broad knowledge of cultural, social, linguistic and biological facets of the human condition and the methods anthropologists use to study them.
- An ability to conduct independent research through data collection, critical analysis, synthesis, and written presentation of findings.
- An understanding of the ethical and social dimensions of anthropological research and their impacts on society.
Students who graduate with a concentration in Biological Anthropology will have:
- Knowledge of the theories and methods for understanding human biological variation and how this information is applied to forensic science and health sciences.
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences Major in Anthropology, Biological Anthropology Concentration
Department of Anthropology
Anthropology faculty
Anthropology advising
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Overview of College Admissions & Requirements: Liberal Arts & Sciences