Biological Anthropology Honours

Offered by: Faculty of Arts
Convener: Dr Robert Attenborough
Administration: School of Archaeology and Anthropology

Admission Requirements
To enter Honours IV in Biological Anthropology, students should be eligible to graduate with an ANU BA, BSc or PhB pass degree, which should include coursework (60 units) as specified below: Alternatively, students graduating from another university or faculty may apply to enter the ANU honours program in biological anthropology: their degree should match as closely as possible the requirements specified below

(a) First-year courses: First-year courses to the value of 12 units in the School of Archaeology and Anthropology and/or School of Biology. Normally these will be ANTH1002 and ANTH1003 or ARCH1111 and ARCH1112 or BIOL1003 and BIOL1004 or BIOL1008, though other combinations are acceptable. Any two of these courses allow entry to any of the compulsory and core courses in biological anthropology, but they vary regarding the other later-year courses to which they allow entry. Where prerequisites permit, relevant later-year courses listed under the biological anthropology major may be substituted for 6-12 of these units.

(b) Later-year thematic core courses: Students are advised to take as many as possible of the program's courses covering core thematic topics in biological anthropology, but must take at least four, chosen as follows:

(i) Human Evolution BIAN2013, normally offered in even-numbered years; and
(ii) ‘Race' and Human Genetic Variation BIAN2115, normally offered in odd-numbered years; and

(iii) two chosen from amongst the following: The Primates BIAN2012, Primate Evolutionary Biology BIAN2126, Primate Ecology and Behaviour BIAN2127, Nutrition, Disease and the Human Environment BIAN2119, and Health, Disease and Behaviour in the Past BIAN2125. (The Primates is incompatible with the other two primate courses.)

It is important to note that none of these courses will be offered every year: in general they will be offered in alternate years only. In exceptional cases, students who have missed i) or ii) above may apply to the convener for permission to substitute one of the courses listed under iii) for it.

(c) Practically oriented Honours preparation courses: 12 units of Honours preparation courses, as follows: BIAN3015 Human Skeletal Analysis and BIAN3014 Research Design and Analysis in Biological Anthropology. These are offered every year and generally recommended for the last year of study before the Honours year. The combination of ARCH2126 with BIAN3017 will be accepted in place of BIAN3014 for students who already have ARCH2126, but BIAN3014 is the standard recommendation. During a transitional period, the Honours preparation courses available up to 2005 will be accepted in place of BIAN3015 and BIAN3014: please see the Honours Convener to confirm details.

(d) Later-year optional courses: Further later-year courses to the value of 12 units chosen from those listed under the Biological Anthropology major. Many of these are also offered in alternate years or irregularly. Students are advised to check as appropriate for any changes in the School's range of course offerings.

The normal admission requirement in terms of grades is an average of at least 70% across all BIAN coded courses taken.

Timing and entry arrangements: Students interested in Biological Anthropology Honours are advised to construct a coursework plan consistent with that possibility at least from the beginning of second year. This is on account of the stringent timetabling limitations on the availability of core courses. They should also seek advice early on from the Honours Convener and Faculty Assistant Dean. Full-time students in their second year should take core courses as available in that year, and other optional courses according to interest: then in their third year they should take further core courses at least sufficient to fulfil the requirements under (b) above, the balance of the optional courses, and the honours preparation courses. Part-time students and combined-degree students should adjust the same basic plan to their more extended schedule, normally taking the honours preparation courses in their last year before Honours IV.

Interested students may approach or be approached by the Honours Convener during second year or third year, to discuss the possibility of Honours. Near the end of third year (or equivalent) interested students should formally apply, the School and Faculty will jointly review the eligibility of each applicant to proceed to Honours IV, and formal letters are sent out accordingly.

Coursework outside the School: Courses relevant to the study of biological anthropology are offered in several other sections of the University, e.g. Botany and Zoology, Earth and Marine Sciences, SRES and Statistics. Many of these are listed under the Biological Anthropology major, though this list omits, for example, first-year courses in Statistics. Students are advised to consider enrolling in these courses, but also to note prerequisites and any degree structure implications. The School is willing to consider accepting such courses as part of the Honours program, and requests to do this should be directed in the first instance to the Honours Convener.

Combined and other degrees: Students doing combined degrees such as BA/BSc or other single degrees may also enter Honours IV in Biological Anthropology, providing they meet the above requirements within their degree structure. (Honours IV need not be the last component of a combined degree, but students who wish to undertake Honours IV before they complete the pass component of the combined degree must at least be eligible to take out a pass degree that includes the prerequisites for Honours entry.)

Combined Honours: The only combined honours program currently formalized is in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology (see below). Students interested in other combinations should consult the honours conveners in question for individual advice.

Syllabus:

(i) A weekly seminar on theoretical topics in biological anthropology (20%)

(ii) Project work on advanced topics in biological anthropology (20%)

(iii) A research essay of 12,000-15,000 words (60%)

Courses Offered in 2009

Fourth Year
BIAN4005F Biological Anthropology IV Honours (full time)
BIAN4005P Biological Anthropology IV Honours (part time)

Further Information

Click here for information about combined Archaeology/Biological Anthropology Honours.

Graduate Studies
For details on the graduate diplomas and degrees in Biological Anthropology see the Postgraduate Research Prospectus or Postgraduate Coursework Guide.

Postgraduate Convener

Biological Anthropology - Professor Groves

Go to the List of Undergraduate Courses offered by Faculty of Arts.