Human Biology   (No longer available to new declarations. ScB limited to those already declared)

Human biology is an interdisciplinary concentration whose goals are to provide a rigorous foundation in the biological sciences with substantive course work in humanities and social sciences. This approach is based on the understanding that biology and human impacts are inextricably related within the fields represented in each of the four program tracks: Health and Disease, Brain and Behavior, Race and Gender; and Ecosystems, Evolution and Environment.

The program includes background courses, biology core courses, a set of theme courses, and a Senior Capstone activity. Background courses provide the essential foundations in chemistry, mathematics, methods, and basic biology. These support the Biology core comprised of a flexible menu of intermediate and advanced courses. A required portion of the Biology core is Genetics, which is considered a cornerstone of human biology and its interface with other fields.

The Biology core underscores the related coursework within the chosen Track. The Tracks are built of predominantly social science and humanities courses and must form a cohesive, thoughtful grouping. Suggested track subfoci must be discussed and approved by an advisor. It is expected that these course selections will evolve over the course of the student’s college career, as each semester’s experience builds on the previous ones.

Finally, the human biology program requires a Senior year CAPSTONE course or experience, which should build on the program’s theme. The capstone may be a research project, an advanced seminar, or an academic internship.

Students who complete the Human Biology program are prepared for a variety of professional paths and graduate programs. Examples include health careers, clinical psychology, environmental law, conservation, academic science, epidemiology, health education, and teaching.

A.B. Program:

• Required Coursework:

1. MATH 0090; CHEM 0330; BIOL 0200 (or equivalents).



2. Statistics or Methods course (chosen with advisor's approval);. examples: CLPS 0900; SOC 1100; APMA 0650, 1650; EDUC 1110; PHP 2120 and others; MATH 1600; ECON 1620.



3. Biology: Five courses including:



• Genetics, which can be fulfilled in the following ways:


• BIOL 0470 (Genetics)
• or
• BIOL 0480 (Evolutionary Biology) PLUS 0500 (Cell & Molecular Biology)
• or
• BIOL 0480 (Evolutionary Biology) PLUS 0510 (Microbiology)


• NOTE: These latter two options involve TWO courses both of which would therefore count as part of the biology course portion of the program. Also, BIOL 0480 serves as the organismal/population biology course that is required, if desired.


• One course in structure, development, and physiology such as BIOL 0300, 0310, 0320, 0400, 0440, 0800, 1310, 1800, 1880; NEUR 0010.



• One course in organismal/population biology such as BIOL 0380, 0390, 0400, 0410, 0420, 0430, 0460, 0480, 1410, 1430, 1460, 1480, 1880; ENVS 0490.



• Two biology (BIOL or NEUR) courses that relate to and support the chosen theme (see below); at least one of these at the 1000 level.



4. Tracks: Choose one of the four Tracks and take four additional courses, usually chosen from outside BIOL offerings. These MUST form an approved, cohesive grouping.



• Human Health and Disease: These courses are usually chosen from these departments: ANTH, PHP, CLPS (PSYC, COGS), EDUC, SOC, HIST.


• Examples of subthemes for Health and Disease:


• Health Behavior
• Health Education
• Health Systems Structure and Policy
• Culture and Health
• International Health
• Women's/Children's Health


• Race and Gender: Courses focusing on culture, gender, history, and race: AFRI, AMCV, ANTH, PHP, BIOL, CLPS (COGS, PSYC), EDUC, HIST, POBS, SOC.


• Examples of subthemes for Race and Gender:


• Individual development of racial, ethnic identity in the U.S. or elsewhere
• Race and gender in comparative cultures
• Gender expression in specific racial or ethnic populations in the U.S. or elsewhere


• Brain and Behavior: Courses in ANTH, CLPS (COGS, PSYC), NEUR, EDUC, and SOC dealing with behavioral science.



• Ecosystems, Evolution and Environment: CLPS (COGS, PSYC), ENVS, GEOL, ANTH courses dealing with evolution, behavior, communication, the environment.


• STIPULATIONS for Track courses :


1. All courses to be included must be approved by the advisor, and represent a coherent grouping.
2. Track courses should be taken mainly outside of biological sciences, in keeping with the interdisciplinary intent of the program.


5. Senior Capstone Activity: May be fulfilled by an independent study such as Directed Research Project (BIOL 1950/1960); a suitable advanced course or seminar such as BIOL 1920C; or an appropriate, approved internship with academic emphasis. The Capstone activity must be approved by the concentration advisor. Honors in Human Biology is based on research, thesis and presentation (see http://bms.brown.edu/bug/ugres.html).

NOTE: The inclusion of independent study courses (such as BIOL 1950/1960) within this program, and their fulfillment of the advanced level course requirements are subject to approval by the advisor.

Sc.B. Program:

• Same as the A.B. program with the following additions:

1. CHEM 0350
2. A sixth advanced 1000-level biology course
3. A fifth advanced 1000-level Theme course
4. The Capstone must be an approved, for–credit, research project, expected to span two semesters.

Capstones in Human Biology

• Sample Capstones in Human Biology may be found at: http://bms.brown.edu/bug/hb_capstones.html

Advisors:

• Overseeing all Programs and initial consult: Marjorie Thompson.

Page last updated in February, 2011.

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