South Puget Sound Community College

Syllabus
Course: Biological Anthropology
Department: Anthropology
Course Number: &205
Credits: 5

Course Description:
Explores bio-cultural processes of human evolution, including the principles
of inheritance, biological basis of human diversity, our mammalian/primate
evolution, and our hominid roots and the outcome-our kind! Anthropological
aspects of the biological and cultural nature of our species will be considered
in an attempt to better understand why we are what we are and what we
might become.
Prerequisite: None

Quarter/Year: Spring 2010

Days: T, Th
Section: I
Time: 1:15 – 3:30 pm

Professor: Dr Patrick Chapman

Office Location: 22-226
Office Hours: 8:00-8:50 am
Phone Number: 596-5476
e-mail: pchapman@spscc.ctc.edu
Website: http://pchapman.spscc.edu

Materials Required:
Elvio Angeloni (2010). Annual Editions 10/11, 19th edition. New York: McGraw
Hill

COURSE FEATURES/POLICIES:
Academic Honesty: All work is to represent own efforts rather than to be
copied from another. Cheating will result in an F grade for the class. For the
academic honesty policy, refer to the Code of Student Rights and
Responsibilities found on the college’s website.
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Financial Aid: Students receiving financial aid should ALWAYS check with
Financial aid prior to withdrawing, signing an incomplete contract, changing
to an audit, or receiving an F or V grade in a class.”

Class Participation/Attendance: Attendance is not taken but failure to

attend class negatively impacts your grade.

Missed Exams and/or Assignments:

For each day, including the weekend, the final paper is late you will lose one
letter grade (10%). To prevent viruses from infecting my computer, I
will not open e-mail attachments - no exceptions!

No makeup exams are given. For each test you miss the respective worth
of your final will be increased 100 points. If you take all of the tests and one
test is 10% lower than all of the other tests including the final exam, it will
be dropped no questions asked. If your final is 10% lower than all four of the
other tests, then the final will be reduced to be only worth 100 points.

Use of electronic equipment is forbidden during tests.

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS AND EXPECTATIONS

Evaluation:
Paper 200 points (25%)
Tests 100 points each (50% total)
Final 200 points (25%)

Grading Scale:
A 93-100%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D+ 67-69%
D 63-66%
D- 60-62%
F 0-59%
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Incomplete: Because of extenuating circumstances, I may consider issuing
an Incomplete. The student is eligible if the student is halfway through the
course, is earning at least a C, and is able to complete the course by working
with the instructor no later than the subsequent quarter. If you are
considering this option you must speak with me to determine if it is feasible.

Support Services Available:

Library, Writing Lab in building 22
Disability Support Services located in building 27

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE/CALENDAR/DUE DATES:

Week Topic Important Dates Reading

Apr 6, 8 Introduction 3, 7, 10
Apr 13, Darwin & 1, 4, 5, 42, 43
15 Genetics
Apr 20, Evolution Apr 20 = Test 1 2, 8, 41
22
Apr 27, Evolution & 6, 9, 11, 13, 20
29 Dating
May 4, 6 Taxonomy & May 4 = Test 2 12, 16, 17
Primatology
May 11, Primatology May 13 = Advising 14, 15, 18, 19
13 Day

May 18, Paleoanthropolog May 18 = Test 3 21-26

20 y May 20 = Paper Due
May 25, Paleoanthropolog 27-34, 36
27 y
June 1, 3 Human Variation June 1 = Test 4 35, 37-38
June 8, Human Variation June 10 = Final 39-40
10 exam

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the successful completion of this course the student will have:

A. A general understanding of the biological study of humans including:

1. The bio-culture processes of human evolution
2. The principles of genetic inheritance
3. The biological basis of human diversity
4. Mammalian/primate evolution
5. Our hominid roots
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B. A general understanding of the anthropological explanation of the
biological and the cultural nature of our species
C. A general understanding from a scientific approach of why we are what
we are and what we might become
D. An understanding of doing library research in physical anthropology
and opportunities to do some individual research

COLLEGE WIDE ABILITIES :

A. Think logically and critically
B. Communicate effectively

COURSE CONTENT:
A. Darwin and natural selection
B. Biological basis of life
C. Principles of inheritance
D. Human diversity—“Race”
E. Human variation
F. Overview of living primates
G. Primate behavior
H. Mammalian-primate evolution
I. Hominid origins
J. Early hominids: Organization and interpretation
K. Homo erectus
L. Neanderthals and other archaics
M. Homo sapiens sapiens
N. Lessons from past for the future