This course covers biological aspects of modern humans from origins to challenges faced by present and future populations. Study commences with an examination of the evolution of modern humans. Global colonisation lead to new stresses and biological challenges for humans. Some of these challenges and human biological responses to them are considered in this course. A major focus is on understanding physical (anatomical and biochemical) variation among recent and contemporary humans, the forms its takes and its principal causes, and the question of race. Other topics include human sexual dimorphism, growth, development, ageing and physique, and their relationship to function, disease and behaviour, as viewed anthropologically. Students will learn how to determine the age and sex of skeletal remains, as well as to determine metric and non-metric aspects of human cranial variation, and to determine signs of lifestyle and disease from the skeleton. The possible future course of human evolution will be explored.

Offered Session 2 in even numbered years.

For more information visit the School of Medical Sciences web site.