HOMINID PALEOBIOLOGY
Committee on Hominid Paleobiology
B. Wood (Chair), M. Allard, K. Behrensmeyer, R. Bernstein, A. Brooks, J. Clark, P. Lucas, S. Moody, R. Potts, B. Richmond, S. Tishkoff, D.H. Ubelaker
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences offers an interdisciplinary program leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in the field of hominid paleobiology. Participating faculty are drawn from the Departments of Anthropology, Biological Sciences, and Anatomy and Cell Biology at GW; the Departments of Anthropology and Paleobiology at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; the Department of Microbiology at Howard University; the Departments of Anthropology and Biology at the University of Maryland; and the National Institutes of Health.
A bachelor's degree in anthropology, biology, geoscience, or zoology from this University, or an equivalent degree from another accredited institution of higher learning, is required for admission into the program. Prerequisites include the following.
1) Advanced undergraduate course work in biology, including courses in evolution and any two of the following: genetics, developmental biology/embryology, anatomy, physiology, ethology, ecology, and paleontology. GW courses that correspond to these subjects are BiSc 107, 108, 114, 122, 123, 132, 150, 151, 152, 154, 156. 2) Advanced undergraduate course work in anthropology, including courses in any two of the following: osteology, human biology, paleoanthropology, primatology, and Paleolithic archaeology corresponding to Anth 114, 141, 142, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 181, 183; course work in statistics corresponding to Stat 91 and 127; course work in mathematics, including precalculus, corresponding to Math 20– 21 or 30. In addition, advanced undergraduate course work in one or more of the following subjects is desirable: chemistry, biochemistry, physics, geoscience, and calculus.
Exceptional applicants who lack some of the prerequisites may be admitted to the program on a provisional basis, but formal admission will be conditional on the satisfactory completion of appropriate deficiency courses in the first year.
Master of Science in the field of hominid paleobiology—Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The program includes 30 credit hours of course work, plus a thesis (equivalent to 6 credit hours). Required courses include HomP 201; Anth 147, 283; BiSc 210; and two laboratory or field research courses in different disciplines. Electives are selected in consultation with the committee from a list of relevant courses in anatomy, anthropology, biological sciences, and geoscience.
Doctor of Philosophy in the field of hominid paleobiology—Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The program includes a minimum of 48 credit hours of course work, plus a dissertation (equivalent to 24 credit hours). Required courses are HomP 201, 301, 302, 303; Anth 283; Geol 126; and a genetics course, an anatomy course, and BiSc 210. The remainder of the course work is to be distributed among various interdisciplinary courses, including but not limited to the following: Anth 142, 241, 243, 244, 247; Anat 210, 212; BiSc 114, 132, 216, 228, 230; Geol 140. Three of the chosen courses must include a substantial independent research project. These research components must involve at least two different disciplines and may include approved field courses. Electives are to be selected as for the master's degree. For detailed requirements, consult the chair of the doctoral program committee.
Research fields: Any subdiscipline of anatomy, anthropology, biology, ecology, or geoscience that pertains to research in the field of hominid paleobiology. At least one of the student's research fields must be in a discipline other than anthropology.
| 201 |
Hominid Paleobiology (3) |
|
| |
Study of human evolution through investigation of the fossil record; current research in reconstructing paleobiology. Macroevolutionary theory, site formation, phylogeny and behavior reconstruction, and the taxonomy, site context, anatomy, behavior, and major issues surrounding each hominin taxon. |
| 295 |
Research (arr.) |
|
| |
Research on problems approved by the director of the program. Open to qualified students with advanced training. May be repeated for credit. |
| 299–300 |
Thesis Research (3–3) |
|
| 301 |
Problem-Based Learning Seminar (1 to 3) |
|
| |
Problem-based tutorial in hominid paleobiology. Development of research skills through problem-solving tasks in a small group. May be repeated for credit. |
| 302 |
Public Understanding of Science Internship (3) |
|
| |
Supervised participation in an institution that presents science to the public. Opportunity to participate in procedures and gain practical experience in disseminating scientific information to non-scientists. |
| 303 |
Paleobiology Lab Rotation (2 or 3) |
|
| |
Supervised participation in a relevant laboratory. Students learn analytical techniques, handle diverse types of data, and encounter a range of disciplines as preparation for later participation in interdisciplinary research projects. Admission by permission of the program chair. May be repeated for credit. |
| 398 |
Advanced Reading and Research (arr.) |
|
| |
Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit. |
| 399 |
Dissertation Research (arr.) |
|
| |
Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit. |
|
