NAT804: Human Evolution (5 ECTS)

STADS: 25000801

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.
The course is offerede when needed.

Teacher responsible
Email: hcpetersen@stat.sdu.dk

Timetable
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Comment:
Ubegrænset deltagerantal.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
Basic evolutionary biology, as in BB525 and Anatomy as contained in BB525 Chordate zoology or SU504 Basic Biological Anthropology is recommended.

Course introduction
The students will obtain a profound knowledge about human evolution from the Miocene-Pliocene Hominoids, over the first African hominins, to the anatomically modern humans.The course will use as outset the palaeontological as well as the molecular biological data, that have contributed to the present understanding of human evolution. The course will give a detailed insight into the emergence of specifically human traits (i.a., culture) and set these characteristics in relation to the conditions among non-human primates.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:

• employ the relevant terminology
• describe human evolution based on the data sources, presently used in the research, including especially osteological material
• use an evolutionary biological approach to a broad spectrum of questions in biological anthropology
• read and analyse the relevant scientific literature and evaluate its quality

Subject overview

• Evolution of higher Primates
• Miocene and Pliocene hominoids
• Evolution of bipedalism
• Evolution of the brains (size and structure)
• Evolution of tool cultures
• Australopithecines
• Early Homo
• Homo erectus, sensu lato
• Neanderthals and other contemporary populations
• The emergence of anatomically modern humans
• Molekular genetic data on human evolution
• The biodiversity of recent humans

Literature

Meddeles ved kursets start.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:
a) Active participation and presentation of scientific papers in tutorials. Pass/fail. Internal evaluation by the teacher.
Active participation in tutorials with presentation of scientific papers is a condition for participation in the project exam.
b) Project assignment, pass/fail, internal examiner.

The re-exam takes place according to the rules decided by the Study Board, and can have a different form than the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 20 hours
Skills training phase: 20 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 5 hours

Language
This course is taught in Danish or English, depending on the lecturer. However, if international students participate, the teaching language will always be English.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.