Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- Organization
- TTK Department of Biological Anthropology
- Code
- embszthb22em
- Title
- Human evolution L
- Usual semester
- Spring
- Published semester
- 2025/26/2
- ECTS
- 3
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- Competencies: Knowledge: Knows the general characteristics and taxonomy of primates. Knows the distribution and evolution of early Hominids (Preanthropus phase). Is aware of the evolution of early Hominins (H. habilis, H. rudolfensis). Knows the evolution of Homo erectus, H. heidelbergensis and H. naledi. Understands the evolution of Hominins of Late Pleistocene: Homo neanderthalensis, H. floresiensis, H. altaiensis/denisova, including anthropologic and genetic aspects. Knows the biological and cultural evolution of Homo sapiens. Has knowledge about the genome of H. sapiens, in comparison with the known archaic genomes. Ability: Able to apply the acquired knowledge to explain everyday phenomena. Has the ability to reason based on science. Able to express himself/herself professionally in the field of human evolution both orally and in writing. Attitude: Requires to integrate the acquired information in his/her biological knowledge. Committed and open to science-based knowledge and an integrative approach. Committed to acquiring new competencies and expanding his/her worldview. Seeks to express a responsible opinion about the relationship between nature and mankind. Autonomy and responsibility: Able to think about basic issues of human evolution on his/her own and can report on them. Able to independently review the literature on a given topic, to organize and present the collected information. o Feels responsible for acquiring scientifically based knowledge. o Expresses opinions on issues related to human evolution responsibly in professional and non-professional circles.
- Course content
- The aim of the course is to provide an integrated presentation of the basic concepts of human evolution. The most important topics of the lecture: General characteristics of the primates. Taxonomy of living primates. Evolution of primates – primate-like mammals, prosimii and anthropoidea. Early Hominoids – appearance, distribution and diversity in the miocen epoch. Early Hominids 1 - Praeanthropus 1: Sahelanthropus, Orrorin, Ardipithecus. Early Hominids 2 - Praeanthropus 2: Australopithecus/Paranthropus/Kenyanthropus. Early Hominins 1 - Archantropus 1: Homo rudolfensis and H. habilis. Early Hominins 2 – Archantropus 2: Homo erectus. Archantropus 2: Hominins in the Middle Pleistocene: Homo heidelbergensis. Paleanthropus: Hominins in the Middle and Late Pleistocene: Homo neanderthalensis, H. floresiensis, H. altaiensis/denisova, Homo luzonensis. Neanthropus: Appearance, disitribution of „modern" Homo sapiens, the Conquest of the Earth. The biological and cultural evolution in context: bipedalism, fire use, tool making and using, hunting, accommodation. Molecular clocks, Archaic genoms – Homo neanderthalensis, H. denisova and H. sapiens. The colonization of continents – mitochondrial and Y-chromosome markers.
- Assessment method
- k5 = exam mark (5) (1 failed, 5 excellent) The evaluation is based on an assessment of students’ knowledge based on individual performance. Colloquium during the examination period (oral exam).
- Bibliography
- Lecture handouts (pdf)