AGE2011S - Human Evolution

24 credits at NQF level 6

Entry Requirements:

Any first-year Science course, or any first-year Humanities course from a related discipline such as Social Anthropology, Historical Studies, Sociology, etc or by permission of the Head of Department.

Course Outline:

In AGE2011S we examine the record of primate and human evolution, showing how fossil skeletons and artefacts are interpreted in terms of human behaviour and evolutionary processes. We also consider genetic and other comparative evidence that are increasingly providing insight into the origin of our lineage. We answer questions such as: Why did our ancestors evolve in Africa? How did we evolve such large and complex brains? What advantage does bipedalism provide? When do humans begin to make tools? Why is human skin colour so variable? What makes humans unique? The syllabus for AGE2011S includes practical sessions for the study of primate and human, fossil and recent skeletal material and the artefacts associated with our ancestors.