Introduction to Biological Anthropology module (CA12001)

Biological anthropology is the study of the past and present evolution of the human species. To understand the human form today, it is essential to know how it evolved and adapted. To do this, you will examine the clues left behind and use science to shed light on what they can reveal to us.

Ethics and the treatment of the dead has been an area of controversy and intrigue in the past. To improve this in the future, we need to learn from the past and understand the legislation that governs us now.

This module will examine human evolution from a scientific viewpoint. It will focus on the evidence, its analysis, and the people who conducted it. You will cover the past and present treatment of the dead. You will focus on the ethical treatment and changes to UK legislation.

Topics covered in this module include:

• the science of bones and fossils
• people of evolution
• early primate evolution
• early hominin evolution
• modern human evolution
• human cultural and biological adaptation
• preservation and treatment of the dead
• The Anatomy Act and the ethics of the treatment of human material
• an introduction to forensic anthropology

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• Follow the path of human evolution from the primate onwards.
• Learn about the key people who found, studied, and communicated the evidence of human evolution.
• Discover the forgeries in the archaeological record.
• Learn about the preservation of the dead and their use in anatomical teaching.
• Discuss the ethics surrounding the treatment of human material and the formation of the Anatomy Act.
• Learn about the start of forensic anthropology from some of the UK's top practitioners.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• show knowledge of hominid anatomy
• compare the reliability of sources
• search and discover suitable academic sources of information
• show good referencing
• recall the basics of human evolution

Assignments / assessment

• short piece of writing (25%)
• quiz on the comparison of sources (25%)
• final multiple-choice exam (50%)

Teaching methods / timetable

• weekly classes
  • classes will include group work, activities, presentations, questions, and more
• directed reading
• directed watching of relevant documentaries and programs on each topic