Instructor: Prof. Michael Pietrusewsky
Physical Anthropology at the University of Hawaii-Manoa

Physical anthropology is a biological science which focuses on adaptations, variability, and the evolution of humans and their nearest relatives, living and fossil. Because human biology is studied in the context of human culture and behavior, physical anthropology is also a social science. This course serves as an introduction to the field. The areas to be covered include the principles of evolution, biological basis of life, Mendelian and population genetics, human diversity, human (climatic) adaptability, growth and nutrition, biological classification, the biology and behavior of non-human primates (primatology), and the study of primate and human fossils (paleoanthropology).

A separate laboratory (1 credit) is offered in conjunction with this course. All those registered for the lecture course are required to register for one of the lab sections (ANTH 215L). Separate grades will be given for each course.