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Anthropology 102: Introduction to Human Evolution

This course serves as a general introduction to the field of physical anthropology, also known as biological anthropology. In this course, we examine humans, nonhuman primates (monkeys, apes, and prosimians), and their ancestors from a biological and evolutionary perspective. We begin with the fundamentals of evolutionary theory and genetics as background material. Next, we look at biological and genetic variation among modern humans. We then examine morphological and behavioral variation among nonhuman primates to gain perspective on the evolution of human biology and behavior. Finally, we trace the fossil record of human evolution from the first primates to modern humans, focusing on the biological and behavioral changes that have occurred during the course of human evolution. There are no prerequisites for this course.