Module HUSS3547: Life-History Theory and Human Health

Department: Anthropology (Human Sciences) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

HUSS3547: Life-History Theory and Human Health

Prerequisites

• (HUSS 2321) Our Place in Nature and (HUSS 2331) Molecules and Morphology OR (ANTH 2061) Evolutionary Anthropology OR (ANTH 2011) Human Ecology, Genetics & Health

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce the central role of life-history theory in understanding biological variation
• To examine how life-history theory connects evolutionary biology with variation in human health in contemporary populations
• To foster an awareness of the importance of basic scientific research to applied problems
• To place the history and prospects of the above ideas in an acdemic and wide socio-cultural context
• To build on knowledge introduced in the second year modules Our Place in Nature and Molecules and Morphology or Evolutionary Anthropology and / or Human Ecology, Genetics & Helath

Content

• Fundamentals of evolutionary life-history theory
• Proximate and ultimate explanations for variation in human health
• Life-course changes: inter and intra specific perspectives
• Evaluating and testing hypotheses of adaptation
• Understanding why people age
• Natural selection in contemporary populations
• Opportunities for improving health and well-being

Learning Outcomes

• Factual Material: Familiarity with how fundamental concepts of life-history theory logically follow directly from Darwinian / neo-Darwinian models of evolution by natural selection; how individual variation in human health today may be illuminated by a life-history perspective
• Acquaintance with the latest developments and debates occuring at the intersections between epidemiology, biomedical science and evolutionary biology
• Appreciate the importance of critically evaluating mulitiple competing hypotheses when establishing the evolutionary reasons for biological variation

• Apply a interdisciplinary approach to key concepts, bringing together different bodies of knowledge.
• Awareness of the importance of basic scientific research to solving real world problems
• Awareness of the socio-cultural context surrounding the concepts covered

• Written communication
• Critical thinking
• Evaluation of competing hypotheses
• Ability to compose a written argument
• Ability to produce cohesive and coherent presentations

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures introduce students to subject-specific knowledge
• Seminars and classes cover subject-specific knowledge and develop subbject-specific skills and key skills. Students will be expected to synthesise and critically evaluate material from lectures and their own reading to discuss topics covered in seminars.
• Assessment tests subject-specific knowledge, subject specific skills and key skills

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Ongoing feedback to individual students on seminar participation. Essay Plan, undertaken individually by students.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University