Anthropology (ASM)

ASM 101 Human Origins and the Development of Culture. (3)
fall and spring only
Physical anthropology and archaeology. Evidence and processes of human evolution and of culture change. Primates. Fossil hominids and their tools. Race, variation, and heredity. Environment and human biology. Prehistoric culture and society.
General Studies: SB

ASM 241 Biology of Race. (3)
fall and spring only
Human variation and its interpretation in an evolutionary context.

ASM 246 Human Origins. (3)
fall only
History of discoveries and changing interpretations of human evolution. Earliest ancestors to emergence of modern humans. Humanity’s place in nature.

ASM 301 Peopling of the World. (3)
spring only
Course reviews all evidence for human dispersal during the last 100,000 years, origins of language, cultures, races, and beginnings of modern humans. Prerequisite: ASM 101.
General Studies: SB

ASM 338 Anthropological Field Session. (2–8)
spring only
Anthropological field techniques, analysis of data, and preparation of field reports. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: instructor approval.

ASM 341 Human Osteology. (4)
fall only
Osteology, human paleontology, and osteometry. Description and analysis of archaeological and contemporary human populations. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab. Prerequisite: ASM 101 or instructor approval.

ASM 342 Human Biological Variation. (4)
spring only
Evolutionary interpretations of biological variation in living human populations, with emphasis on anthropological genetics and adaptation. Nutrition and disease and their relation to genetics and behavior. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab. Prerequisites: both ASM 101 and MAT 106 (or its equivalent) or only instructor approval.
General Studies: SG

ASM 343 Primatology. (3)
fall only
Evolution and adaptations of nonhuman primates, emphasizing social behavior. Includes material from fossil evidence and field and laboratory studies in behavior and biology. Prerequisite: ASM 101 or instructor approval.

ASM 344 Fossil Hominids. (3)
not regularly offered
Ancient African, Asian, and European human and primate skeletal, dental, and cultural remains. Human biological, behavioral, and cultural evolution. Prerequisite: ASM 101 or instructor approval.
General Studies: H

ASM 345 Disease and Human Evolution. (3)
fall only
Interaction of people and pathogens from prehistoric times to the present, with emphasis on disease as an agent of genetic selection. Prerequisite: ASM 101 or instructor approval.

ASM 348 Social Issues in Human Genetics. (3)
spring only
Moral and social implications of developments in genetic science, particularly as they affect reproduction, medicine, and evolution.
General Studies: SB

ASM 365 Laboratory Methods in Archaeology. (4)
not regularly offered
Techniques of artifact analysis. Basic archaeological research techniques; methods of report writing. May be repeated for credit for total of 8 hours. Prerequisite: ASM 101 or instructor approval.

ASM 435 Archaeological Pollen Analysis. (3)
fall only
Theory, methodology, and practice of pollen analytic techniques. Compares uses in botany, geology, and archaeology. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab, possible field trips. Prerequisite: instructor approval.

ASM 450 Bioarchaeology. (3)
spring only
Surveys archaeological and physical anthropological methods and theories for evaluating skeletal and burial remains to reconstruct biocultural adaptation and lifeways. Prerequisite: ASM 101 or instructor approval.

ASM 452 Dental Anthropology. (4)
fall only
Human and primate dental morphology, growth, evolution, and genetics. Within- and between-group variation. Dental pathology and behavioral-cultural-dietary factors. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab. Prerequisite: instructor approval.
General Studies: SG

ASM 454 Comparative Primate Anatomy. (4)
spring only
Functional anatomy of the cranial, dental, and locomotor apparatus of primates, including humans, emphasizing the relation of morphology to behavior and environment. 3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab, dissections, demonstrations. Prerequisite: instructor approval.

ASM 455 Primate Behavior Laboratory. (3)
not regularly offered
Instruction and practice in methods of observation and analysis of primate behavior. Discussion of the relationship between class work on captive animals and field techniques for studying free-ranging groups. Directed readings, 6 hours lab. Prerequisites: ASM 343; instructor approval.
General Studies: L

ASM 465 Quantification and Analysis for Anthropologists. (3)
spring only
Statistical, quantitative, and geometric strategies for envisioning and exploring archaeological, physical anthropological, bioarchaeological, and sociocultural data. Univariate and multivariate methods. Prerequisites: introductory statistical course; instructor approval.

ASM 472 Archaeological Ceramics. (3)
not regularly offered
Analysis and identification of pottery wares, types, and varieties. Systems for ceramic classification and cultural interpretation. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab. Prerequisite: instructor approval.

ASM 507 Anthropological Study of Disease. (3)
once a year
In-depth introduction to the study of disease processes from an anthropological perspective. Lecture, seminar. Prerequisite: graduate standing or instructor approval.

ASM 548 Geoarchaeology. (3)
fall only
Geologic context relevant to archaeological research. Topics include sediments, deposition environments, soils, anthropogenic and biogenic deposits, and quaternary chronology. Prerequisite: instructor approval.

ASM 555 Advanced Human Osteology. (3)
not regularly offered
Laboratory and field techniques in dealing with the human skeleton. Emphasis on preparation, identification, radiography, sectioning, microscopy, and data processing. 1 hour lecture, 6 hours lab. Prerequisite: ASM 341 or instructor approval.

ASM 565 Quantitative Archaeology. (3)
spring only
Formal methods of structuring, codifying, and analyzing data for archaeological problems. Designing research to yield data amenable to productive analysis.

ASM 566 Advanced Topics in Quantitative Archaeology. (3)
fall only
Archaeological issues associated with quantitative analysis, e.g., Bayesian and Monte Carlo approaches, simulation, diversity. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: ASM 565 or instructor approval.

ASM 573 Lithic Analysis. (3)
not regularly offered
Analysis and interpretation of chipped stone artifacts. Focus on both techniques and underlying concepts and their application to real collections. Prerequisite: instructor approval.

ASM 591 Seminar. (1–12)
not regularly offered
Selected topics in archaeology and physical anthropology. Possible topics:
(a)Bioarchaeology. (3)
(b)Evolution and Culture. (3)
(c)Interdepartmental Seminar. (3)
(d)Physical Anthropology. (3)
(e)Primates and Behavior. (3)

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