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Senate Bill No.: 0708-32
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by: Department of Anthropology
Date:
May 5, 2008
REVISON TO THE HUMAN BIOLOGY MAJOR
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
1. That the attached revision to the Human Biology major be approved by the
University Senate.
2. That this proposal be forwarded to the Interim President George M. Philip for
approval.
3. That the revision become effective for students admitted to the
University for Fall 2008.
Rationale:
MEMO
TO:
Elga Wulfert, Acting Dean, CAS
Greg Stevens, Assistant Dean, CAS
Jim Collins, Chair, Department of Anthropology
FROM:
David Strait, Co-Director, Human Biology major
RE:
Revisions to the Human Biology major
DATE:
March 3, 2008
Dear Colleagues,
With this letter and the attached documentation, I submit for your
consideration a proposal to revise the curriculum of the Human Biology
major. These proposed changes are necessary in order to:
1. Better meet the needs of our students, especially in light of recent
increases in enrollments,
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2. Add elective courses to the major that are currently routinely
accepted as course substitutions,
3. Add new or recently developed courses to the major that reflect
the expertise of new faculty members,
4. Delete courses from the major that are only marginally related to
Human Biology, that are no longer offered at the University, or
that are rarely taken by our students, and
5. Provide a logical organizational structure to the major’s required
courses.
Appended to this letter, please find:
1.
A bulleted summary of the proposed revisions.
2.
A revised Undergraduate Bulletin entry for the Human Biology
major (p.4).
3.
Course action forms.
4.
Course syllabi for new courses.
5.
Course syllabus and lab syllabus for Bio 410 to compare the
difference between the new proposed courses and the existing
biology course (pp 21-25).
Thank you for considering our request.
Sincerely,
David Strait
Associate Professor
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PROPOSAL SUMMARY
Reorganize required courses such that they fall into two
categories, “Basic Sciences” and “Fundamentals of Human
Biology.”
o
Basic Sciences courses include the 100- and 200-level Biology,
Chemistry, Math and Physics courses that are currently required in
the major.
o
Fundamental courses include several Anthropology and Biology
courses (including cross-listed courses) that are already required
(Ant 110, ANT 211, Ant 312/Bio 318 or Ant 319.
o
Fundamental courses also include new courses.
A two-semester course sequence in Human Anatomy & Physiology
(Ant 313, Ant 314). This required sequence replaces two previously
required courses (Ant 311 Functional Anatomy of the Human
Skeleton, Bio 410 Human Physiology). Many students need this
sequence as a pre-requisite for admittance to graduate programs in
allied health (e.g., physical therapy, physician’s assistant).
Ant 411 (Paleodemography / Paleopathology). This course will be
one of several that can be used to fill a “Fundamentals”
requirement.
o
One course currently among major electives is also listed under
Fundamentals.
Ant 416 (Topics in Human Biology). This course will be one of
several that can be used to fill a Fundamentals requirement. Having
this variable topic course in Fundamentals adds flexibility to the
major and should reduce the number of course substitutions
requested by the faculty.
o
Ant 311 and Bio 410 will become elective courses (see below).
Add several courses that are currently being taught to the
list of approved electives.
o
Ant 111 (Introduction to the Primates)
o
Ant 311 (formerly Functional Anatomy of the Human Skeleton, now
re-named Human Osteology)
o
Ant 317/Bio 307 (Exercise Physiology)
o
Ant 415 (Nutritional Anthropology)
o
Ant 419 (Human Evolutionary and Environmental Physiology)
o
Bio 219 (Viruses and Human Society)
o
Bio 230 (People and Resources in Ecological Perspective)
o
Bio 314 (Microbiology)
o
Bio 320 (Ecology)
o
Bio 329 (Genetics of Human Disease)
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o
Bio 410 (Human Physiology)
o
Sph 231 (Concepts in Epidemiology)
o
Sph 341 (Promoting Healthy People and Communities)
Develop new courses to be added to the list of electives.
o
Ant 315 (Forensic Anthropology)
o
Ant 411 (Paleodemography / Paleopathology)
Remove courses from the list of electives.
o
Bio 112
o
Bio 113
o
Bio 214
o
Bio 241
o
Bio 303
o
Bio 305
o
Bio 325
o
Bio 407
o
Bio 416
As a result of these changes, the number and distribution of
credits required for completion of the major will be
changed.
o
The minimum number of credits corresponding to required courses
increases from 40 to 42.
o
The minimum number of credits corresponding to elective courses
decreases from 15 to 13.
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HUMAN
BIOLOGY
PROGRAM
Faculty
Distinguished Teaching Professors
Helmut V. B. Hirsch, Ph.D.
Stanford University
Professors
Timothy B. Gage, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University
Helen T. Ghiradella, Ph.D.
University of California, Santa
Barbara
Lawrence M. Schell, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania
Associate Professors
Tom D. Brutsaert, Ph.D.
Cornell University
David S. Strait, Ph.D.
Stony Brook University
Assistant Professors
Sharon DeWitte, Ph.D.
Pennsylvania State University
The Human Biology program is
an interdepartmental
(Anthropology and Biology)
combined major/minor designed
for students interested in a
liberal arts education with
particular focus on the human
organism. It provides a strong
background in human evolution,
structure, function and behavior.
This program is especially
suitable for those seeking careers
that deal directly or indirectly
with human health and welfare
(e.g., medicine, allied health
[physician’s assistant, physical
therapy, nursing, etc.], public
health), forensics,
administration, business,
journalism, and teaching.
Students interested in research
and/or teaching careers in
biological anthropology are
especially encouraged to major
in Human Biology. Most
graduate programs in
Anthropology require
undergraduate coursework in at
least three of the four traditional
subfields of anthropology
(archaeology, cultural
anthropology, biological
anthropology), and some also
require linguistics as the fourth
subfield. It is advisable,
therefore, for those intending to
do graduate work in an
anthropology department to take
at least one course in each of
these subfields. Students who
plan on graduate work and
professional careers in Biology
are advised to major in
Biological Sciences.
Degree Requirements for
the Major in Human
Biology
General Program
B.S.: Combined major and
minor sequence consisting of a
minimum of 55 credits to be
taken from:
(a) Required courses (42 credits
minimum):
Basic Sciences:
A Bio 110 or 110Z, A Bio 111 or
111Z, A Bio 205 or 212;
A Chm 120, 121, 124, 125;
A Mat 108 or A Psy 210 or
A Soc 221 or one semester of
college mathematics exclusive of
A Mat 100, 102, or 105;
A Phy 105.
Fundamentals of Human
Biology:
A Ant 110, 211, 313, 314, and
one of A Ant 319 or 411 or 416
or 312/A Bio 318.
(b) Major electives (13 credits
minimum):
A Ant 111, 119, 310, 311, 312 or
319 or 411 or 416 if not used in
(a) above, 315, 317/A Bio 307,
365, 414, 415, 416, 418, 419,
450;
A Bio 117, 205 or 212 if not
used in (a) above, 219, 230, 308,
311, 314, 320, 329. 402, 410,
411;
A Chm 220, 221, 222, 223;
A Psy 314, 385, 387;
H Sph 201, 231, 341.
A maximum of 3 credits may be
selected from R Ssw 290/390,
A Bio 399/499 and/or A Ant
498/498, with prior approval for
appropriate activities from the
Director(s) of the Human
Biology Major. The one-credit
writing intensive courses, A Ant
389Z and A Bio 389Z, taken in
conjunction with a required or
elective course in the major, may
also yield credit toward the
major.
From: Albert J Millis
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 11:45 AM
To: James P Collins
Cc: Daniel D White
Subject: RE: HumanBioCAF-teaching.doc
Thanks Jim. Sorry for the delay but I wanted to get comments from Helen
G. and Helmut H. I think that the revision looks fine and have no objections.
Best,
Al
Albert Millis, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Biological Sciences
Scientific Director, Life Sciences
518.442.4361 Lab
518.442.4354 Fax
From: James Collins [mailto:collins@albany.edu]
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 10:41 AM
To: Albert J Millis
Cc: Daniel D White
Subject: Fw: HumanBioCAF-teaching.doc
Importance: High
Dear Al,
Attached to this are a series of documents for programmatic changes in the Human Biology Program -- these concern the
Anthropology end of the courses. I've approved them, but if you can look at them (if you have not already), and send back
your response to me (with a CC to Dan White), then Dan can forward this to the Dean's office.
Thanks,
Jim
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045A
Please mark all that apply:
New Course
Revision of:
Number
x
Description
Cross-Listing
x
Title
Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall 2008
Course
Number
Current
: AANT311
New:
Credits
: 3
Course Title:
Human Osteology
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course is an intensive study of the anatomy of the human skeleton. This course will cover bone
histology, growth and development of bones, common pathological conditions, the determination of age and
sex from skeletal material, and the identification of whole and fragmented bones in archaeological and
forensic contexts. This course will include a laboratory component to provide students with the opportunity
to examine the material discussed in class.
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
Junior or senior class standing
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS
###):
AANT510
Explanation of proposal:
This course will fulfill a need that is not currently met on campus. For the past several years, the
Anthropology department has lacked a faculty member trained in human osteology. Dr. DeWitte is a new
faculty member in the department, and she has the osteological expertise necessary to teach this course.
Many undergraduate and graduate students are very interested in taking this course, and it is an essential
course for any student with interests in such fields as paleoanthropology, bioarchaeology, or forensic
anthropology.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045B
Please mark all that apply:
x
New Course
Revision of:
Number
Description
Cross-Listing
Title
Prerequisites
x
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall 2008
Course
Number
Current
:
New: AANT510
Credits
: 3
Course Title:
Human Osteology
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course is an intensive study of the anatomy of the human skeleton. This course will cover bone
histology, growth and development of bones, common pathological conditions, the determination of age and
sex from skeletal material, and the identification of whole and fragmented bones in archaeological and
forensic contexts. This course will include a laboratory component to provide students with the opportunity
to examine the material discussed in class.
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
consent of the instructor
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS
###):
AANT 311
Explanation of proposal:
This course will fulfill a need that is not currently met on campus. For the past several years, the
Anthropology department has lacked a faculty member trained in human osteology. Dr. DeWitte is a new
faculty member in the department, and she has the osteological expertise necessary to teach this course.
Many undergraduate and graduate students are very interested in taking this course, and it is an essential
course for any student with interests in such fields as paleoanthropology, bioarchaeology, or forensic
anthropology. This course will be a shared resource course with AANT 311, and will have the same basic
objectives of that course. However, given that this course is a graduate level course, students will also be
required to write an in-depth research paper (including the collection of original data, if appropriate) on a
topic relevant to human osteology; students will present their findings in an oral presentation at the end of
the semester.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
James Collins
Anthropology
AS 242
University at Albany
Albany NY 12222
518-442-4708
Collins@albany.edu
To: Gregory Stevens, Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Science
From: James Collins, Chair, Anthropology
Date: February 21, 2008
Regarding: Human Biology Program Changes: Anatomy & Physiology
This is to inform you that I have considered the proposal for ANT 313 and 314, the
two-course sequence in Anatomy and Physiology, which is part of the package of
changes for the Human Biology Program, and I agree that it will be team taught by
two Department faculty (Strait and Brutsaert, or their replacements in event of
leave). This arrangement is justified given the enrollment levels, faculty teaching
specialization, and the fact that both content areas are best covered simultaneously.
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045C
Please mark all that apply:
x
New Course
Revision of:
Number
Description
Cross-Listing
Title
Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall, 2008
Course
Number
Current
:
New: Ant 313
Credits
: 4
Course Title:
Human Anatomy & Physiology I
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course provides an introduction to human anatomy and physiology. These topics refer to the form and
function of the human body, and are presented together in an integrated two-semester course sequence.
This course focuses on basic concepts in anatomy and physiology, embryology, the peripheral nervous
system, respiration, the cardiovascular system, and the musculoskeletal system of the upper limb, thorax
and back. The course provides a foundation for students interested in human biology, biological
anthropology, medicine, and allied health professions.
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
Prerequisites: A Bio 110, A Bio 111, A Chm 120, A Chm 121
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS ###):
Explanation of proposal:
This course will be part of a two-semester lecture and lab sequence that will become part of the foundation
of a revised Human Biology major. Moreover, students applying to graduate programs in Allied Health fields
(e.g., physical therapy, nursing, physician’s assistant) often need two semesters of anatomy and physiology
as prerequisites for their application. U Albany does not currently offer such a class, so those students often
obtain those credits at other institutions (e.g., Hudson Valley Community College). This course therefore
meets a need for our students, and the Pre-Health Advisor strongly urges the teaching of this course.
Funding to support the development of this course has already been provided through Selective Investment.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Biological Sciences offers an upper level Human Physiology course (Bio 410), but that course is taught at a
higher level than that envisioned for the course proposed here. All students majoring in Human Biology are
currently required to take Bio 410, but the dramatic recent increase in the number of students in Human
Biology means that Bio 410 will experience profound enrollment pressure unless this requirement is
changed. The Anatomy and Physiology sequence proposed here will replace the BIO 410 requirement for
Human Biology students, allowing enrollments in BIO 410 to stay manageable. The director of that course
(John Schmitt) supports the current application.
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
Syllabus – Human Anatomy & Physiology I
Anthropology 313
MWF, 11:30 – 12:25
Earth Science 241
Dr. David Strait
Office: AS 119
Office hours: M 1:30-3:30
Tel. #: 442-4717
E-mail: dstrait@albany.edu
Dr. Tom Brutsaert
Office: AS 115
Office Hours: W 2-4
Tel. #: 442-7769
E-mail: tbrutsae@albany.edu
Learning objectives: This course provides an introduction to human anatomy and
physiology. These topics refer to the form and function of the human body, and are
presented together in an integrated two-semester course sequence. This course focuses
on basic concepts in anatomy and physiology, embryology, the peripheral nervous
system, respiration, the cardiovascular system, and the musculoskeletal system of the
upper limb, thorax and back. The course provides a foundation for students interested in
human biology, biological anthropology, medicine, and allied health professions.
Course Requirements: Four multiple-choice exams. The first three exams are not
cumulative, and are each worth 15% of your final grade. The final exam is cumulative
and is worth 30% of your final grade. In addition, there are weekly lab assignments that
are collectively worth 25% of your final grade.
Readings: Most readings will be assigned from two textbooks:
Grine, F.E. (2006) Regional Human Anatomy, 3rd Edition. Boston, McGraw Hill.
Fox, S.I (2008) Human Physiology, 10th Edition. Boston, McGraw Hill.
The textbooks will occasionally be supplemented with handouts that are available on E-
Res (password: A&P)
The labs will also employ an interactive CD-ROM, Anatomy & Physiology REVEALED.
Supplies: Students are strongly recommended to bring colored pens or pencils to class.
Lecture and Exam Schedule:
Lecture 1:
Introduction; Anatomical terminology
Reading: Grine, pp. 2 – 9.
Lecture 2:
Introduction I: Basic concepts in Physiology I
Reading: Fox: Chapters 1 and 2.
Lecture 3:
Introduction II: Basic concepts in Physiology II (Fox: Chap 3)
Reading: Fox: Chapter 3.
Lecture 4:
Embryology I: The trilaminar disk
Reading: Grabowski handout, pp. 91 – 99.
Lecture 5:
Embryology II: Segmentation, somites
Reading: Grabowski handout, pp. 99 - 103
Lecture 6:
Embryology III: Folding of the embryo
Reading: Grabowski handout, pp. 106 – 110.
Lecture 7:
Embryology IV: Adult derivatives of embryological structures
Reading: Moore and Persaud handout pp.78-85.
EXAM 1
Lectures 1-7
Lecture 8:
Organization of the peripheral nervous system I: Somatic innervation
Reading: Grine, pp. 34 – 39; Stern handout, pp. 17 – 26.
Lecture 9:
Organization of the peripheral nervous system II: Visceral innervation
Reading: Stern handout, pp. 26 – 43.
Lecture 10:
Physiology of nerve impulse conduction/the nervous system
Reading: Fox Chapter 7.
Lecture 11:
Bone and muscle.
Reading: Langdon handout, Chapter 3; Grine, pp. 10 – 19.
Lecture 12:
Energetics I – Cellular energetics, endergonic and exergonic
reactions.
Reading: Fox Chapter 4.
Lecture 13:
Energetics II- Glycolysis
Reading: Fox Chap 5, to page 110.
Lecture 14:
Energetics III –aerobic metaholism.
Reading: Fox chap 5, rest of chapter.
Lecture 15:
The axial skeleton.
Reading: Grine, pp. 24 – 33, 268-269.
Lecture 16:
Musculature and movements of the back.
Reading: Grine, pp. 40 – 46.
EXAM 2
Lectures 8-16
Lecture 17:
Respiration.
Reading: Langdon handout, Chapter 15; Grine, pp. 270, 272 – 283.
Lecture 18:
Respiration Physiology I-ventilation.
Reading: read appropriate part of Fox Chap 16.
Lecture 19:
Respiration Physiology II-gas exchange.
Reading: read appropriate part of Fox Chap 16.
Lecture 20:
Respiration Physiology III-gas exchange.
Reading: read appropriate part of Fox Chap 16.
Lecture 21:
Respiration Physiology IV-acid base status.
Reading: read appropriate part of Fox Chap 16)
Lecture 22:
The cardiopulmonary system
Reading: Langdon, Chapter 16; Grine, pp. 284 – 299.
Lecture 23:
Overview of the circulatory system
Reading: Grine, pp. 86 – 89, 138 – 141, 170 – 175, 335, 340 – 341
Lecture 24:
Cardiovascular Physiology I –heart and circulation
Reading: Fox Chapter 13
Lecture 25:
Cardiovascular Physiology II-the cardiac cycle-electrical events.
Reading: Fox Chapter 13.
Lecture 26:
Cardiovascular Physiology III-Cardiac output, blood flow.
Reading: Fox Chapter 14.
Lecture 27:
Cardiovascular Physiology IV-Poiseuielles law.
Reading: Fox Chapter 14
EXAM 3
Lectures 17-27
Lecture 28:
The upper limb skeleton.
Reading: Grine 48 – 53.
Lecture 29:
Musculature and movements of the shoulder and arm.
Reading: Grine, pp. 40 – 41, 68 – 73.
Lecture 30:
Musculature and movements of forearm and hand I.
Reading: Grine, pp. 74 – 85.
Lecture 31:
Musculature and movements of forearm and hand II.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 74 – 85.
Lecture 32:
Muscle Physiology I-Muscle architecture.
Reading: Fox Chapter 12
Lecture 33:
Muscle Physiology II-excitation contraction coupling.
Reading: Fox Chapter 12
Lecture 34:
Muscle Physiology III-neural control
Reading: Fox Chapter 12
Lecture 35:
Muscle Physiology IV-Fiber types.
Reading: Fox Chapter 12.
Lecture 36:
Innervation of the upper limb.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 60 – 67.
FINAL EXAM
CUMULATIVE (50% Lectures 1-27, 50% Lectures 28-36).
Lab Schedule:
Lab 1:
Anatomical terminology, basic osteology
Lab 2:
Basic Principles of Physiology
Lab 3:
Spinal cord, organization of the peripheral nervous system
Lab 4:
Osteology, musculature and movements of the back and thorax.
Lab 5:
Thoracic organs.
Lab 6:
Physiology of respiration
Lab 7:
Cardiovascular physiology
Lab 8:
Osteology, musculature and movements of the shoulder and arm.
Lab 9:
Osteology, musculature and movements of the forearm.
Lab 10:
Osteology, musculature and movements of the hand.
Lab 11:
Muscle Physiology
Lab 12:
Innervation of the upper limb.
Review Lab
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045D
Please mark all that apply:
x
New Course
Revision of:
Number
Description
Cross-Listing
Title
Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall, 2008
Course
Number
Current
:
New: Ant 314
Credits
: 4
Course Title:
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course provides an introduction to human anatomy and physiology. These topics refer to the form and
function of the human body, and are presented together in an integrated two-semester course sequence.
This course is the second in that sequence, and focuses on the gastro-intestinal tract, digestion, the
urogenital, reproductive and endocrine systems, the cranial nerves, the visual, olfactory and auditory
systems, and the musculoskeletal system of the lower limb, head and neck. The course provides a
foundation for students interested in human biology, biological anthropology, medicine, and allied health
professions.
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
Prerequisites: A Ant 313
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS ###):
Explanation of proposal:
This course will be part of a two-semester lecture and lab sequence that will become part of the foundation
of a revised Human Biology major. Moreover, students applying to graduate programs in Allied Health fields
(e.g., physical therapy, nursing, physician’s assistant) often need two semesters of anatomy and physiology
as prerequisites for their application. U Albany does not currently offer such a class, so those students often
obtain those credits at other institutions (e.g., Hudson Valley Community College). This course therefore
meets a need for our students, and the Pre-Health Advisor strongly urges the teaching of this course.
Funding to support the development of this course has already been provided through Selective Investment.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Biological Sciences offers an upper level Human Physiology course (Bio 410), but that course is taught at a
higher level than that envisioned for the course proposed here. All students majoring in Human Biology are
currently required to take Bio 410, but the dramatic recent increase in the number of students in Human
Biology means that Bio 410 will experience profound enrollment pressure unless this requirement is
changed. The Anatomy and Physiology sequence proposed here will replace the BIO 410 requirement for
Human Biology students, allowing enrollments in BIO 410 to stay manageable. The director of that course
(John Schmitt) supports the current application.
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
Syllabus – Human Anatomy & Physiology II
Anthropology 314
MWF, 11:30 – 12:25
Earth Science 241
Dr. David Strait
Office: AS 119
Office hours: M 1:30-3:30
Tel. #: 442-4717
E-mail: dstrait@albany.edu
Dr. Tom Brutsaert
Office: AS 115
Office Hours: W 2-4
Tel. #: 442-7769
E-mail: tbrutsae@albany.edu
Learning objectives: This course provides an introduction to human anatomy and
physiology. These topics refer to the form and function of the human body, and are
presented together in an integrated two-semester course sequence. This course is the
second in that sequence, and focuses on the gastro-intestinal tract, digestion, the
urogenital, reproductive and endocrine systems, the cranial nerves, the visual, olfactory
and auditory systems, and the musculoskeletal system of the lower limb, head and neck.
The course provides a foundation for students interested in human biology, biological
anthropology, medicine, and allied health professions.
Course Requirements: Four multiple-choice exams. The first three exams are not
cumulative, and are each worth 15% of your final grade. The final exam is cumulative
and is worth 30% of your final grade. In addition, there are weekly lab assignments that
are collectively worth 25% of your final grade.
Readings: Most readings will be assigned from two textbooks:
Grine, F.E. (2006) Regional Human Anatomy, 3rd Edition. Boston, McGraw Hill.
Fox, S.I (2008) Human Physiology, 10th Edition. Boston, McGraw Hill.
The textbooks will occasionally be supplemented with handouts that are available on E-
Res (password: A&P)
The labs will also employ an interactive CD-ROM, Anatomy & Physiology REVEALED.
Supplies: Students are strongly recommended to bring colored pens or pencils to class.
Lecture and Exam Schedule:
Lecture 1: The anterior abdominal wall
Reading: Grine, pp. 316 – 319.
Lecture 2: Overview of the abdominal viscera.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 324–334, 344 – 347, 370 - 371.
Lecture 3: Development of the fore- and midgut.
Reading: Stern, pp. 156 – 167.
Lecture 4: Development of the hindgut and bladder.
Lecture 5: Physiology of Digestion/nutrition I- Digestive system.
Reading: Fox Chapter 18
Lecture 6: Physiology of Digestion/nutrition II-metabolism.
Reading: Fox Chapter 19
Lecture 7: The portacaval system.
Reading: Grine, pp. 340 – 341.
EXAM 1
Lectures 1-7
Lecture 8: The urogenital system.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 344 – 349, 370 – 371.
Lecture 9: Renal Physiology I –comparative aspects
Lecture 10:
Renal Physiology II-structure/function.
Reading: Fox Chapter 17
Lecture 11:
Renal Physiology III –structure function .
Reading: Fox Chapter 17.
Lecture 12:
Renal Physiology IV-renal control of electrolyte balance
Reading: Fox Chapter 17.
Lecture 13:
The male reproductive system.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 372 – 391
Lecture 14:
The female reproductive system.
Reading: Grine, pp. 382 – 391.
Lecture 15:
Reproductive Physiology I.
Reading: Fox Chapter 20
Lecture 16:
Reproductive Physiology II
Reading: Fox Chapter 20
Lecture 17:
Endocrine system I.
Reading: Fox Chapter 11
Lecture 18:
Endocrine System II.
Reading: Fox Chapter 11
EXAM 2
Lectures 8-18
Lecture 19:
The lower limb skeleton.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 94 – 99, 356 - 359.
Lecture 20:
Musculature of the gluteal region and thigh, movements of the hip and
knee.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 116 – 129.
Lecture 21:
Musculature of the leg and foot, movements of the ankle and toes.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 130 – 137.
Lecture 22:
Ligaments of the lower limb joints.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 100 – 105.
Lecture 23:
Innervation of the pelvis and lower limb
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 106 – 115.
Lecture 24:
Disorders of gait
Lecture 25:
The skull I.
.
Reading: Grine, pp. 180 – 189..
Lecture 26:
The skull II.
Reading: Grine, pp. 180 – 189
Lecture 27:
The brain and meninges.
Reading: Grine, pp. 207 – 223.
EXAM 3
Lectures 19-27
Lecture 28:
The pharyngeal arches.
Lecture 29:
Overview of the cranial nerves.
Reading: Grine, pp. 224 – 237.
Lecture 30:
The face.
Reading: Grine, 190 – 191, 228 – 231.
Lecture 31:
Development of the face.
Lecture 32:
Olfaction, vision, hearing.
Reading: Langdon, Chapter 12; Grine, pp. 198–199, 225-226, 232, 252-
263
Lecture 33:
Movements of the eye.
Reading: Grine, pp. 227, 240 – 251.
Lecture 34:
Mastication.
Reading: Grine, pp. 192 – 193, 228 - 229.
Lecture 35:
Taste, swallowing, and the development of the tongue.
Reading: Grine, pp. 194 – 197, 230, 233, 237.
Lecture 36:
Vocalization.
Reading: Grine, pp. 144 – 149, 162 – 167, 234 – 235.
FINAL EXAM
CUMULATIVE (50% lectures 1-27, 50% lectures 28-36)
Lab Schedule:
Lab 1:
Anterior and posterior abdominal walls
Lab 2:
Abdominal viscera
Lab 3:
Physiology of digestion
Lab 4:
Renal physiology
Lab 5:
Pelvic viscera
Lab 6:
Reproductive and endocrine physiology
Lab 7:
Osteology, musculature and movements of the pelvis and thigh
Lab 8:
Osteology, musculature and movements of the leg and foot
Lab 9:
Osteology of the skull
Lab 10:
The brain
Lab 11:
The cranial nerves
Lab 12:
Musculature of the skull
Review Lab
FYI – To compare to the proposed Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 courses
from Anthropology. The Bio course is taught at a more advanced level.
COURSE SYLLABUS------HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY----BIO 410
2004
3 credits, Call No 1703, Lectures on TuTh at 11:45-1:05 in Lecture Center 22
Human Physiology Laboratory is a separate course---Bio 411Z, 2 credits,
Writing Intensive.
Lab students must pick up their lab manuals from TAs (Aug 30-Sept 3) and
attend the first lab(Sept 7-13) to keep their spots . (TA’s office locations are posted
on door of lab, Bio 158 & on web site).
Instructor: Dr. John T. Schmidt, Professor of Biology Office: Bio 121C Office hours:
Tu&Th 9-10:30AM Telephone: 2-4309 Email: js213@albany.edu, (If you can't come
during office hours, call, Email or see me in class to arrange time).
Course web site: http://eres.ulib.albany.edu/coursepage.asp?cid=56 (enter Bio 410,
password=humanphys) Site has syllabus, lecture notes (text w/o diagrams), bank of
exam questions for each exam, reserve readings, etc
A review session will be scheduled sometime before each exam.
Schedule of Lecture topics & exams.
Readings(Vander Sherman
Luciano, 9th Ed)
Aug 31 Organization, Introduction
Ch 1-3
Sept 2 Cellular needs, organ systems, homeostasis
Ch 1 and Ch 4
through p113
7 Cell membrane: Diffusion and regul. of cellular contents
Ch 4
9 Diffusion potentials and the ionic basis of excitability
Ch 6: p153-169
Edwards-Permeant
14
Propagation of the action potential
Ions (ERes web
site)Ch 6: p169-175
16 No Class
21 Muscle contraction: excitation contraction coupling
Ch 9p269-288
23 Muscle contraction: molecular mechanisms, exercise physiologyCh 9p288-310;
Ch 3: p90-102
Brown-Speed Limits (ERes Web Site)
28 The neuromuscular synapse: chemical transmission
Ch 9: p280-
284;Ch 6 p175-179
30 Synapses and Reflexes: Neuronal communication
Ch 6:p179-188;
Ch 10
Oct 5 Exam I (all material to date)
7 Sensory organs and sensory receptors
Ch 7
12 CNS Function: Videotape and discussion
Ch 8; Ch 6:p189-204
14 Specialized regions of the CNS
(Split Brain in Man-ERes
web site)
19 Pain pathways, analgesics and the autonomic nervous system
Ch 6:193-
204;Ch7:219-220
21 Circulation I: Blood volume and heart excitability
Ch 12: p375-388
26 Circulation II: EKG, blood pressure, vascular resistance
Ch 12: p389-428
28 Circulation III: Hypertension, heart failure
Ch 12: p428-465
Nov 2 Respiration I
Ch 13: p467-492
4 Respiration II:
Ch 13: p492-512
9 Exam II All material through Respiration II
11 Kidney and control of body fluids I
Ch 14: p513-528
16 Kidney and control of body fluids II
Ch 14: p529-562
18 Digestion and absorption
Ch 15
23 Hormonal control of metabolism: insulin and diabetes
Ch 16:p605-632;
Ch 3: p97-108
25 Thanksgiving (No Class)
30 Temperature regulation
Ch1: p8-17; Ch 16:
p632-642
Dec 2 Endocrine Systems
Ch 5; Ch 11 sections
A,B,C,D
7 Sex Hormones and reproduction
Ch 17;Ch 11 sections
D,E
10 Final Exam in LC22: Part I (mandatory) = Exam III (material since Nov 9)
(10:30AM-12:30PM) Part II (optional, covers whole course).
Grades will be calculated from the scores on Exams I, II and III and attendance, with
the exception that one may substitute the optional final exam for any of the three
exam grades. (This will allow students to make up for one exam that they did poorly
on, or missed entirely). Assured A's, B's and C's will be at the 90%, 80% and 70%
levels, respectively. Cutoffs for these grades may be lowered slightly if necessary to
insure that sufficient numbers of students get A's & B's. Attendance will be taken
several times during the semester and will count as 3% of the grade.
Bio 410 is an upper division course for Biology majors
surveying the physiology of the various organ systems of
the human body. It will stress both general concepts and some
selected details of how physiological processes are carried out and
controlled. The text is Human Physiology, by Vander, Sherman
and Luciano (9th Ed.). The publisher has an Online Learning Center
(see textbook insert for details).
Bio 410 is a senior level course and assumes a certain level
of knowledge of biology as well as some biochemistry,
physics and calculus. While these courses are not strictly
required, greater effort will be needed to do well if you do
not have the background in these areas. Attendance at
lectures is highly correlated with getting a good grade in
this course. With a lot of material to cover, it works best to read
the assigned material before you come to class so that you
are familiar with the terminology and general concepts. Print out
the lecture notes from the website, and add your notes to
them. This familiarity will allow you to get more out of the
lectures. Likewise it helps to go over your notes right after
class to fill in things that you may have neglected to write
down during the lecture. Learning research shows that spaced
study sessions (going over the material several times separated
by intervals) are far more effective than “cramming” the night
before the exam.
Related courses are Comparative Animal Physiology, Bio 317;
Neurobiology, Bio 341; Immunology, Bio 335; Comparative
Anatomy of Chordates, Bio 325; Comparative Endocrinology, Bio
438; and Neural Basis of Behavior, Bio 460. Overlap with these
courses is kept to a minimum. Thus, we will not cover
immunology or comparative issues and only selected parts of the
nervous system.
Two exams are scheduled during the semester and are listed on
the lecture schedule. Due to the large size of the class, the format
will be mostly multiple choice. A portion may require written
answers. The 'Final Exam' will be two separate exams (one
hour each). The first is mandatory, will test the material since
Exam II, and will be called Exam III. The second is optional,
covers the entire course and can be substituted for one of the
other exams if you did poorly on one of them. Thus, everyone will
have three scores on which his/her grade will be based. A large
sample of Exam questions for each exam (I, II and III) is present on
the web site.
For the few who may be tempted, let me state at the outset that
the penalty for even minor cheating on an exam is a zero
for that exam (such a zero cannot be replaced by taking the
optional final exam). Repeat or more serious offenses will incur
more serious penalties (course failure, suspension, etc.).
Repeated disruptive behavior in class will also incur similar
penalties (This includes noisily leaving class early and
noisily entering late).
Attendance at lectures and preexam review sessions is
strongly encouraged since the exams will emphasize
lecture material. (Attendance taken several times/semester
counts 10% of your grade.) It is also important that you read the
assigned text before coming to class, so that you understand the
terminology and the basics of what is being covered. This is
particularly important for students who have not had much
background in Biology or Biochemistry, and significantly improves
performance on exams. For further reading, several books and
articles have been placed on reserve in the library. They are listed
below for your convenience.
RESERVE LIST
Subject
Author
Title
Ionic potentials
Edwards
Permeant ions... (3
page article on ERes web site)
Neurobiology
Katz
Nerve, Muscle and Synapse
(at reserve desk)
Nichols
From Neuron to Brain (at
reserve desk)
Record times of athletes
Brown
Speed Limits (on ERes
web site)
Frog Skin Potential
Ussing
The Frog Skin Potential
(For lab people--on ERes web site)
(Many other books are available in the main library collection.)
Lecture notes and exam questions from previous years are
available on electronic reserve for your use as study materials.
Questions used on the actual exams are generally slightly
different, so that you must actually know the material well, not
just that the answer to the osmosis question is Ab@. However, you
can assess how you are doing on picking up the material from the
lectures and from reading the book.
Instructions:
Go To Website (http://eres.ulib.albany.edu), find your
course (Bio 410), then enter password (humanphys).
Course Syllabus 2007 Human Physiology Laboratory, Room 252: 2 Credits Bio 411Z
Contact Person: Prof. John Schmidt, 442-4309, e-mail jschmidt@albany.edu
Cal
l
No
D
at
e
Time
TA Name
O
ffic
e
Office
Hrs
Other
times
E-mail
16
33
M
on
1:40-
5:40
Bio
By
appt.
16
34
Tu
es
1:40-
5:40
Bio
By
appt.
16
35
W
ed
1:40-
5:40
Bio
By
appt
80
70
Th
ur
1:40-
5:40
Bio
By
Appt
Course Prerequisite for Bio 410 (or equivalent) will be enforced.
This is a Writing Intensive Course with the following Objectives
for each student:
1. to produce coherent texts within common college-level written
forms (scientific paper format)
2. to demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts
3. to interpret, organize and plot data to support an argument in
the context of known literature
The following three writing exercises and special instructions (see
schedule below) address these objectives:
1.
Pre-lab Sheets. Each week before lab you will hand in (typed) the answers to the pre-lab
questions for the lab manual experiments; or for the PhysioEx experiments, explain the
process being investigated in each of the “Activities” (one paragraph each) and answer the
questions posed in the review sheet at the end.
2.
Data Sheets: Each week you will collect a set of data. Before you leave the lab, these
data must be checked by the teaching assistant and then submitted the following week with
the plots and/or tables and the required analysis such as graphs along with a short typed
summary (what was done in the expt, the results, and conclusions). Data Sheets should be
about 4-8 pages long--it varies with size and no of plots tables, graphs, etc. Data sheets must
be handed in during lab the week after the experiment, and will only be accepted until
the Friday following the lab. The only exceptions will be made with written medical
excuses.
3.
Lab reports: You will be required to write a major lab report covering the Skeletal
Muscle lab and resubmit it with corrections. It is to be written in standard scientific paper
format and must be typed. Since this course is writing intensive, a great deal of your grade
will be based on this lab report, and therefore much attention should be paid to writing it
well. It is due the day of your scheduled laboratory. Late data sheets, prelabs and lab
reports will be minus 10% each day and only accepted until the Friday of the week due.
You must also arrange delivery of the lab report to the student doing your critique. The
only exceptions will be made with a written medical excuse.
Final Lab Exam: The final exam will be cumulative and composed of both essay and short
answer questions and possibly a demonstration of instrument skills.
Attendance: You must attend all scheduled labs. If there is some extraordinary
circumstance, which will cause you to miss lab, notify your TA as soon as possible,
preferably a week in advance, to make arrangements for rescheduling. The permission
of both your TA, and the other TA are necessary if you need to temporarily attend
another lab section to complete an experiment.
Grading: Lab reports must be handed in on time to exchange them with other students
who critique them. The lab report will be worth 30% of the grade (initial draft 1/2, and
final draft ½).
Lab Report
30%
Student Critique
3%
Weekly Pre-labs
15%
Weekly Data Sheets
30%
Final Exam
10%
Attendance and TA evaluation
12%
Total
100%
Schedule of Labs and Assignments for Bio 411Z Fall 2007
Dates
Lab Exercise
Written Assignments due
Aug 27-30
PhysioEx #1 on Transpt/Perm
(No Prelab this time)
Sept 4-10Artificial Membrane
Prelab Art. Memb; Data Sheet
PhysioEx#1
(M meets 10th(3rd is Labor Day); Tu, W, Th meet 4-6; following week is
Roshashana/Ramadan)
Sept 17-20
MetaNeuron Parts I + II
Prelab MN Parts I+II, Data
Sheet Art. Memb
Sept 24-27
MetaNeuron Parts III-IV
Prelab for MN III-IV, Data
Sheet--MN Parts I-II
Oct 1-4
PhysioEx#2Skel Muscle Part I
Data Sheet MN IV-V, Prelab
for Skel Muscle
Oct 8-11 Physio Ex#2 Skel Muscle Part II
Data Sheet for Skel Muscle first half.
Oct 15-18
Writing Workshop
Data Sht Sk M 2nd half, Intro
& Abstr(7 copies!)
Oct 22-25
EKG+Blood Pressure
Prelab for EKG, Lab Report
due (2 copies!!!)
O29-Nov1
EMG and Stretch Reflexes
Prelab-EMG, DataSht EKG,
Critique (2copies!!)
Nov 5-8 Respiration
Data Sheet-EMG, Prelab-Respir
Nov 12-15
Renal Physiology
Data Sheet-Respir, Prelab
Renal Phys
Nov 19-22
No Labs---Thanksgiving WeekRevised Lab Report due to your TA
Nov 26-29
Metabolism
Prelab on Metabolism, Data
Sheet-Renal Phys
Dec 3-6
Sensory Physiology
Prelab on Sens Phys, Data
Sheet on Metabolism
Dec 13
Final Exam Monday + Wednesday 10:30AM-12:30PM
Dec 17
Final Exam Tuesday + Thursday 8:00-10:00AM
PLEASE NOTE: Some students will be tempted to blowoff the computer modeling
labs and exit early, because they think that since its all on the CD programs they can
do it at home. These students get into trouble writing up their Data Sheets because
they enter the wrong parameters, and do not have a feel for what the data should look
like and what makes sense. (In addition, your TA evaluation will reflect your effort in
the lab, and leaving early will lower it.) You must always finish and discuss your data
with your TA before leaving. It makes writing your Data Sheets and Lab Report much
easier when you understand the data in depth. In fact, you can write them on the
computers in lab, and even submit it before going home.
NOTICE: Your writing, unlike the data generated, must be completely yours, and
cannot be shared with your lab partners. Plagiarizing other’s Data Sheets and Lab
Reports will be severely penalized. Share your data but do your own writing.
Lab Reports are scheduled to be over before Thanksgiving to avoid the end of
semester rush.
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045E
Please mark all that apply:
x
New Course
Revision of:
Number
Description
Cross-Listing
Title
Prerequisites
X
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall 2008
Course
Number
Current
:
New: AANT 315
Credits
: 3
Course Title:
Forensic Anthropology
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course teaches the application of methods from biological anthropology and archaeology to the recovery
and analysis of skeletonized human remains. The primary focus of this course is the application of these
methods to investigations of unexplained deaths, including homicides, genocides, and mass disasters.
Students will learn how to determine age at death, sex, ancestral affiliations, and stature from skeletal
remains, and how to identify evidence of trauma and disease. Other topics include forensic botany, forensic
entomology, and DNA fingerprinting
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
Junior or senior class standing
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS
###):
AANT514
Explanation of proposal:
This course will fulfill a need that is not being met on campus, as no forensic anthropology course is
currently offered. There is a widespread interest in the topic among undergraduate and graduate students
in the Anthropology department. This course will also be of great interest to students in other departments,
such as Biological Sciences and Criminal Justice. This course will create synergy between the Anthropology
Department and the Forensic Molecular Biology and Forensic Chemistry programs.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045F
Please mark all that apply:
x
New Course
Revision of:
Number
Description
Cross-Listing
Title
Prerequisites
x
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall 2008
Course
Number
Current
:
New: AANT514
Credits
: 3
Course Title:
Forensic Anthropology
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course teaches the application of methods from biological anthropology and archaeology to the recovery
and analysis of skeletonized human remains. The primary focus of this course is the application of these
methods to investigations of unexplained deaths, including homicides, genocides, and mass disasters.
Students will learn how to determine age at death, sex, ancestral affiliations, and stature from skeletal
remains, and how to identify evidence of trauma and disease. Other topics include forensic botany, forensic
entomology, and DNA fingerprinting.
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
Consent of the instructor
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS
###):
AANT315
Explanation of proposal:
This course will fulfill a need that is not being met on campus, as no forensic anthropology course is
currently offered. There is a widespread interest in the topic among undergraduate and graduate students
in the Anthropology department. This course will also be of great interest to students in other departments,
such as Biological Sciences and Criminal Justice. This course will create synergy between the Anthropology
Department and the Forensic Molecular Biology and Forensic Chemistry programs. This course will be a
shared resource course with AANT 314, and will have the same basic objectives of that course. However,
given that this course is a graduate level course, students will also be required to write an in-depth research
paper (including the collection of original data, if appropriate) on a topic relevant to forensic anthropology;
students will present their findings in an oral presentation at the end of the semester.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
ANTHROPOLOGY 315: FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
Instructor: Sharon DeWitte, Ph.D.
Office: AS 107
Phone: 442-4715
Lab: AS 112
Phone: 442-4904
E-mail: sdewitte@albany.edu
Office hours:
MW 11-12, or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND FORMAT
The primary focus of this course is forensic anthropology, the application of
methods from biological anthropology and archaeology to the
identification of human remains and the investigation of unexplained
deaths, including homicides, suicides, genocides, and mass disasters.
You will learn how investigators recover decomposed or otherwise
badly damaged human remains, estimate age at death, identify
evidence of cause of death, use insects to determine time since death,
use DNA for identification, and much more.
This course will use both lecture and small group lab formats. Attendance is mandatory.
During lectures I welcome and encourage you to ask questions, so come to class prepared
to participate. All of the ‘hands-on’ laboratory work will be done in small groups. You
will not acquire all the course material from the textbook alone, and you will be tested on
material covered in lecture that may not be in the text. Therefore, it will be almost
impossible to perform well in this class if you do not attend regularly. The class size is
relatively small, which (hopefully) means that students will feel comfortable participating
in class discussions; so the class will be much more rewarding for everyone involved if
all students attend regularly. Also, participation and attendance will help improve your
grade if you are on the borderline.
REQUIRED BOOKS
The best strategy in this (and any) class is to read the assigned materials before lecture so
that you are familiar with new terms, are prepared for class discussion, and can ask
questions about any confusing material. Ideally, you should read the course material
several times. The textbook material complements the material presented in lecture, so
reading the textbook is not a substitute for attending lecture. The textbook for this course
is:
Byers, Steven N (2005) Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
GRADING
Exams: There are two midterms and a final exam, each of which are worth 25% of your
grade, for a total of 75% of your final class grade. Exams will consist of multiple-choice
and short answer questions. The exams are NOT cumulative – i.e. each test will cover
only the material since the previous exam. The exams will cover material presented in
lecture and in the assigned readings. You must take the exam on the scheduled date,
unless you have a legitimate excuse and notify me before the exam. The two midterms
will be held in the same room and at the same time as is the lecture. The time and
location of the final exam will be announced.
Lab and Take-home Assignments: There will be several lab assignments which are worth
a total of 20% of your grade; you MUST attend class to participate in the labs and receive
the worksheets. I cannot set up labs for individual students who miss class; if you miss a
lab and do not have a legitimate excuse, you will not earn credit for the lab. I will
consider allowing make-up work for those students with legitimate excuses on a case-by-
case basis.
Participation: Active participation is worth 5% of your grade. You can earn participation
points by asking/answering questions during class, by participating in lab work, and by
discussing course material with me during my office hours.
NO Extra Credit: I do not offer any extra credit. The time to improve your grade is
during the course of the semester by putting extra effort into studying the textbook and
lecture material, coming to my office hours to get help with difficult material or to
develop test-taking strategies, participating in class discussions, and by completing all
assignments and handing them in on time. If you feel you are not performing as well as
you could – see me before it is too late; do not wait until the end of the semester to try to
catch up.
GUIDELINES
I strongly encourage you to take advantage of my office hours; stop by during my
scheduled office hours or make an appointment if you need help with assignments, are
confused about any of the course material, want to know how to perform better on exams,
just want to talk about anthropology, etc. Do not wait until you feel overwhelmed by the
course material to come to me for help.
Check the course website regularly. I will post announcements about rescheduling
lectures, cancelled classes, etc. I will also post lecture outlines for each week. The
purpose of these outlines is to guide your note taking in class; they will NOT substitute
for good note taking and class attendance. You will not be able to acquire all the
necessary course material by simply printing out the lecture outlines – they are not
complete enough. Also check the course website for instructions for the primate and
hominid papers.
Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is
not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts
of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations,
submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the
instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are
found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions as outlined in the Shippensburg
Student Handbook (http://www.ship.edu/~deanstu/Judicial/Swataney.pdf) and will be
reported to the Dean of Students for possible further disciplinary sanction.
If you are registered with the Office of Social Equity and have special needs, please
notify me immediately; I will be happy to work with you. Let me know if you anticipate
needing any type of special accommodation in this course or have questions about
physical access.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Note this is schedule is subject to change.
WEEK
TOPICS
READING LABS/TESTS
1: 1/17 – 1/20
Introduction to the course
Overview of Forensics
2: 1/23 – 1/27
Human Osteology
Chapter 2
lab
3: 1/30 – 2/3
Human Osteology
Chapter 2
lab.
4: 2/6 – 2/10
Establishing the forensic context
Chapter 3
Search and Recovery
Chapter 4 Chapter 6: pages 131-140
5: 2/13 – 2/17
Estimating Time Since Death
Chapter 5
Forensic botany
Exam 1: 2/16
Forensic entomology
6: 2/20 – 2/24
Estimating Time Since Death
Chapter 5
7: 2/27 – 3/3
Ancestry, Sex
Chapters 7 and 8
lab
8: 3/6 – 3/10
Age, Stature
Chapters 9 and 10
9: Spring Break 3/9 – 3/19
10: 3/20 – 3/24
Age, Stature
Chapters 9 and 10
lab
11: 3/27 – 3/31
Cause of Death
Chapters 11 and 12
Exam
2: 3/30
12: 4/3 – 4/7
Cause of Death
Chapters 13 and 14
lab
13: 4/10 – 4/14
Skeletal Pathology
Chapter 15
lab
14: 4/17 – 4/21
Taphonomy:
Chapter 16 dismemberment, scavenging
Mini-break: No class Tuesday
15: 4/24 – 4/28
Identification:
Chapters 17 and 18 Special methods (DNA, X-rays, etc.)
lab
16: 5/1 – 5/5
Human Rights Cases
FINALS WEEK 5/15 -5/19
University at Albany – State University of New York
College of Arts and Sciences
Course Action Form
Proposal No.
08-045G
Please mark all that apply:
x
New Course
Revision of:
Number
Description
Cross-Listing
Title
Prerequisites
Shared-Resources Course
Credits
Deactivate / Activate Course (boldface & underline as
appropriate)
Other
(specify):
Department: Anthropology
To be effective
(semester/year): Fall 2008
Course
Number
Current
:
New: AANT411
Credits
: 3
Course Title:
Paleodemography/Paleopathology
Course Description to appear in Bulletin:
This course is partly an introduction to the conceptual and analytic aspects of paleodemography – a field
that uses skeletal samples from archaeological excavations to reconstruct past population dynamics. This
course will cover the special problems associated with reconstructing demographic patterns from skeletal
samples, such as biases in age estimation methods, preservation biases, and selective mortality. This
course is also an intensive study of human disease in past populations and will focus on the identification
and interpretation of osteological indicators of health and disease from human skeletal remains. Topics
covered include age estimation and sex determination, specific and non-specific skeletal lesions, temporal
and spatial variation of disease in humans, the use of radiographs to aid in differential diagnosis of disease,
and ancient DNA techniques.
Prerequisites statement to be appended to description in Bulletin:
Junior or senior class standing
If S/U is to be designated as the only grading system in the course,
check here:
This course is (will be) cross listed with (i.e., CAS ###):
This course is (will be) a shared-resources course with (i.e., CAS ###):
Explanation of proposal:
This course will fulfill a need that is not currently met on campus. For the past several years, the
Anthropology department has lacked a faculty member trained in human osteology, paleodemography, and
paleopathology. Dr. DeWitte is a new faculty member in the department, and her area of expertise is
paleodemography and paleopathology. Students will also be required to write an in-depth research paper
(including the collection of original data, if appropriate) on a topic relevant to paleodemography; students
will present their findings in an oral presentation at the end of the semester.
Other departments or schools which offer similar or related courses and which have certified that this
proposal does not overlap their offering:
Chair of Proposing Department (TYPE NAME/SIGN)
Date
James P. Collins
3/3/08
Approved by Chair(s) of Departments having cross-
listed course(s) (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of College (PRINT NAME/SIGN)
Date
A. Millis
3/3/08
Gregory Stevens
3/28/08
Chair of Academic Programs Committee (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Dean of Graduate (Undergraduate) Studies (PRINT
NAME/SIGN)
Date
Nancy Denton
3/27/08
ANTHROPOLOGY 411: PALEODEMOGRAPHY AND
PALEOPATHOLOGY
Instructor: Sharon DeWitte, Ph.D.
Office: AS 107
Lab: AS 112
E-mail: sdewitte@albany.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND FORMAT
This course is partly an introduction to the conceptual and analytic
aspects of paleodemography – a field that uses skeletal samples from
archaeological excavations to reconstruct past population dynamics.
This course will cover the special problems associated with
reconstructing demographic patterns from skeletal samples, such as
biases in age estimation methods, preservation biases, and selective
mortality. This course is also an intensive study of human disease in
past populations and will focus on the identification and interpretation
of osteological indicators of health and disease from human skeletal
remains. Topics covered include age estimation and sex
determination, specific and non-specific skeletal lesions, temporal and
spatial variation of disease in humans, the use of radiographs to aid in
differential diagnosis of disease, and ancient DNA techniques.
This course will use both lecture and discussion formats. This course will be enjoyable
and successful for me and you only if every student actively participates. When I lecture,
do not hesitate to ask questions or make comments – this will alleviate boredom, let me
know that you are paying attention, and clarify things for you, your fellow students, and
me. Do the readings and be prepared to comment on them during class.
REQUIRED TEXT
The required textbook for this course is:
Chamberlain A (2006). Demography in archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge
University
Press.
You are also required to read additional readings which will be made available on
Blackboard. :
Angel JL. 1969. The bases of paleodemography. Am J Phys Anthropol
30(3):427-437.
Angel JL. 1981. History and development of paleopathology. Am J Phys
Anthropol 56(4):509-515.
Bocquet-Appel JP, and Masset C. 1982. Farewell to paleodemography. J
Hum Evol 11:321-333.
Bocquet-Appel JP, and Masset C. 1996. Paleodemography: expectancy
and false hope. Am J Phys Anthropol 99(4):571-583.
Boldsen JL, Milner GR, Konigsberg LW, and Wood JW. 2002. Transition
analysis: A new method for estimating age from skeletons. In: Hoppa
RD, and Vaupel JW, editors. Paleodemography: Age distributions from
skeletal samples. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p 73-106.
Buikstra JE. 1997. Paleodemography: Context and promise. In: Paine
RR, editor. Integrating archaeological demography : multidisciplinary
approaches to prehistoric population. Carbondale, Ill: Center for
Archaeological Investigations, Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale
Cohen MN, Armelagos GJ, Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological
Research., and State University of New York College at Plattsburgh.
1984. Paleopathology at the origins of agriculture. New York: Academic
Press. xx, 615 p. p.
Gage TB. 1988. Mathematical hazard models of mortality: an
alternative to model life tables. Am J Phys Anthropol 76(4):429-441.
Hoppa RD, and Vaupel JW. 2002. Paleodemography : age distribution
from skeletal samples. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
Konigsberg LW, and Frankenberg SR. 1992. Estimation of age structure
in anthropological demography. Am J Phys Anthropol 89(2):235-256.
Konigsberg LW, and Frankenberg SR. 2002. Deconstructing death in
paleodemography. Am J Phys Anthropol 117(4):297-309.
Larsen CS. 1997. Bioarchaeology : interpereting behavior from the
human skeleton. New York: Cambridge University Press. xii, 461 p. p.
Lotka AJ. 1907. Mode of growth of material aggregates. Am J Sci
24:199-216.
Milner GR, and Smith VG. 1990. Oneota human skeletal remains.
Archaeological investigations at the Morton Village and Norris Farms 36
cemetery: Ilinois Sate Museum Reports of Investigations. p 111–148.
Milner GR, Wood JW, and Boldsen JL. 2000. Paleodemography. In:
Saunders S, and Katzenberg M, editors. Skeletal biology of past
peoples: Research methods. NY: Wiley-Liss. p 467-497.
Vaupel JW, and Yashin AI. 1985. Heterogeneity's ruses: some surprising
effects of selection on population dynamics. American Statistician
39:176.
Wood JW, Milner GR, Harpending HC, and Weiss KM. 1992. The
Osteological Paradox: Problems of Inferring Prehistoric Health from
Skeletal Samples. Current Anthropology 33:343-370.
ONLINE MATERIAL
Course announcements, lecture slides and additional readings will be available via
Blackboard. Check Blackboard regularly for updates to the course schedule or any other
relevant announcements. You will also be able to check your grades throughout the
semester via Blackboard.
NOTE: The lecture slides provide only the barest outline of the course material – they
should be used to guide your note-taking, NOT as a substitute for actually attending class.
You CANNOT get all the information you’ll need from the lecture slides alone. To do
well in this course, you must attend class regularly and do the labs.
GRADING
Class participation: You will do well in this class only if you actively participate. Ask
questions during lectures and participate in discussions. I will take note of who talks –
the more you participate, the better your grade. You may also use the discussion forum
on Blackboard to earn participation points – if you engage in substantive discussions of
the course material!
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory in this course and is reflected in your
participation grade. Poor attendance suggests you are not committed to doing well in the
course. I will deduct points from your final grade if you have more than 3 unexcused
absences. However, keep in mind that I am a totally reasonable person, and I understand
that students get ill, have family emergencies, observe religious holidays, have car
trouble, suffer power failures that render alarm clocks useless, etc. I penalize only those
students who miss many classes without providing a reasonable explanation.
Exams: There will be two exams (i.e. a midterm and a final) which will include short
definition and essay questions. The exams will cover material presented in lecture and in
the assigned readings. The final IS CUMULATIVE. You must take the exams on the
scheduled dates. Make-ups will not be possible after the exam has been given unless you
have an extraordinarily good excuse for missing the exam. If you know in advance that
you will miss an exam, a makeup can be arranged for a time prior to the scheduled in-
class exam – but you must give me plenty of notice (i.e. several days, at least).
Term Paper and Presentation: You will write a 10 page paper (double-spaced, 12-point
font, 1 inch margins) on a topic related to paleodemography and/or paleopathology that
interests you and that will not be covered in detail by me during the class. The 15 page
requirement does not include the list of references. You MUST obtain my approval of
your topic. I will not accept your paper and you will get zero credit if you do not obtain
permission for the topic. Papers are due on the last day of classes. You will make a short
presentation of your topic during class. Presentation guidelines will be posted on
Blackboard.
Grades: This course uses the A-E grade system. Your final grade is determined by the
points you earn out of a total possible 400 points.
class participation:
25 points
term paper:
100 points
exams: 2 × 100 points 200 points
TOTAL
325 pts
The following is the tentative grade scale for this course (I reserve the right to use a
more lenient scale if appropriate):
A:
93-100%
B+:
87-89.9%
C+:
77-79.9%
D+:
67-69.9%
A-:
90-92.9%
B:
83-86.9%
C:
73-76.9%
D:
63-66.9%
B-:
80-82.9%
C-:
70-72.9%
D-:
60-62.9%
E:
<60%
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is
not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts
of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations,
submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the
instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are
found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions as outlined in the university’s
Admission and Graduate Requirements:
http://www.albany.edu/grad/requirements_general_admissions.shtml#student_responsibili
ty
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Reasonable accommodations will be provided for students with
documented physical, sensory, systemic, cognitive, learning and
psychiatric disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring
accommodation in this class, please notify the Director of Disabled
Student Services (Campus Center 137, 442-5490). That office will
provide the course instructor with verification of your disability, and
will recommend appropriate accommodations.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Note this is schedule is subject to change. Check the announcements on Blackboard
regularly for any changes to the schedule.
WEEK
TOPIC
ASSIGNMENTS
1: 1/23-1/25
Intro to Course
Overview and History
Blackboard Readings
2: 1/28-2/1
Basic Demographic Concepts
Life Tables
Blackboard Readings
3: 2/4-2/8
Early Challenges
Ch 2
Blackboard Readings
4: 2/11-2/15
Theoretical Foundations
Ch 2
Blackboard Readings
5: 2/18-2/22
NO CLASS Monday:
Winter Break
Age and Sex Estimation
Ch 3, 4
Blackboard Readings
6: 2/25-2/29
Age-at-Death Distributions, Non-
Stationarity, and Fertility
Ch 5
Blackboard Readings
7: 3/3-3/7
Heterogeneous Frailty and Selective
Mortality
Ch 6
Blackboard Readings
8: 3/10-3/14
Overview of Bone Biology
Basic Pathology
Friday: EXAM
Ch 7, 8
Blackboard Readings
9: 3/17-3/21
NO CLASS Friday
(Spring Break begins)
Ch 8, 9
Blackboard Readings
10: 3/24-3/28
NO CLASS:
Spring Break
11: 3/31-4/4
Skeletal Infection: Non-specific
Ch 10
Blackboard Readings
12: 4/7-4/11
Skeletal Infection: Specific
Ch 11
Blackboard Readings
13: 4/14-4/18
Skeletal Trauma
Dietary Reconstruction
Blackboard Readings
14: 4/21-4/25
Agriculture, Urbanization,
Modernization
Ch 13
Blackboard Readings
15: 4/28-5/2
Student Presentations
Blackboard Readings
Ch 13
16: 5/5
Last Day of
Class
Student Presentations
Ch 14
Blackboard Readings
Final Exam: Wednesday, May 14, 5:45-7:45 pm
