Biological Anthropology

Course Description

Human biological diversity and introduction to problems of biological diversity in living populations. Variation in genetic makeup: our size, shape, and color; our bodily responses to heat, cold, and workload; our neural responses to the world. Basic evolutionary principles applied to explain origins, mechanisms, and trends of human diversity. Topics include the interplay of biology and culture; adaptation to environmental stresses including cold, high altitude, and megacities; co-evolution of infectious disease, including STDs, smallpox, and malaria; basic Mendelian, molecular, and population genetics; primate biology and behavior; human growth; and the selective significance of contemporary behaviors such as using social media, reshaping the natural environment, taking risks in extreme sports, and online dating that meld genetic predispositions with new cultural frames. Includes a weekly lab.

Basic Enrollment Requirements: Unofficial Transcript – High School Diploma or current high school transcript (for high school students only in applicable classes), Bachelor’s Degree, or progress towards a Bachelor’s Degree + 3.0 GPA.

Refund Policy:?The refund policy for Courses at Tufts offerings is dependent on the course length. Please refer to the section details to confirm any exceptions to the standard refund policy. The refund policies are viewable here:?https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/policies#Refunds 

Remission Eligible: Yes; first day of term; all university policies apply.