| Semester 2, 2023 Online | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Humanities & Communication |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Overview
It is felt that students should have the opportunity to study human origins and development as a background to the study of contemporary people, their societies and cultures and products. This course is intended to introduce students to current understanding about the biological and socio-cultural evolution of humanity from the origins about 4 million years ago up until the historical period. The relevant information is drawn from a number of disciplines, including Biological Anthropology, Human Biology, Archaeology, Cultural and Social Anthropology, and History.
This course examines our understanding of the biological and cultural evolution of our species. In order to do this, the prehistory of humanity and their ancestors is considered, using an evolutionary approach. The perspective throughout this course is derived from the fields of Archaeology and Paleoanthropology. The course's approach is explicitly Anthropological.
Course learning outcomes
On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
- explore current knowledge of the biological and cultural evolution of humankind;
- apply basic perspectives on the main characteristics of past human societies and cultures;
- engage critically with archaeological contexts using research and inquiry skills relevant to the discipline;
- develop logical, clear and concise arguments, and present these using written and oral communication methods.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | The science of prehistory | 10.00 |
| 2. | Human evolution | 30.00 |
| 3. | Hunter-gatherers | 30.00 |
| 4. | Farmers | 15.00 |
| 5. | State systems/civilisations | 15.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online forums | No | 20 | 1,2 |
| Presentation (ind, grp, mltmd) | No | 20 | 1,2 |
| Essay | No | 30 | 1,2 |
| Take home examination | No | 30 | 1,2 |