Human Evolution: An Introduction



Overview

Our species, Homo sapiens, is the only surviving member of a remarkable biological tribe, the Hominini, which emerged 6 to 7 million years ago. The hominin tribe has been a large one, with a rather bushy family tree. Scientists now recognise well over twenty hominin species. There is great diversity among them but also many shared features. The evolutionary path to our own species was anything but straightforward or inevitable.

This course provides an introduction to the study of human evolution, exploring current ideas and debates, and the nature of the evidence on which our understanding of the subject is based. Many different scientific disciplines are involved and there are always new developments taking place which influence our interpretations, such as advances in a particular dating method or a new approach to extracting ancient DNA.

The course takes a themed approach, considering key biological and behavioural developments that have ultimately been significant in the evolution of our species, such as the origins of tool use and language. What does it mean to be human, and were there ever other hominin species that were generally similar to us in terms of intelligence and behaviour?

Programme details

Courses starts: 27 Sep 2023

Week 1: Human evolution: key questions and overview

Week 2: Being bipedal

Week 3: Hominin tool-makers

Week 4: Meat-eating hominins

Week 5: The discovery of fire and cooking

Week 6: The evolution of hominin brains

Week 7: Searching for the origins of language

Week 8: The first hominin dispersals beyond Africa

Week 9: The rise of Homo sapiens

Week 10: How unique is our species?

Certification

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Diane Holmes

Diane Holmes has been teaching courses on human evolution and Palaeolithic archaeology for OUDCE for many years. Her main interests are Palaeolithic technology and early African prehistory.

Course aims

To provide an up-to-date introduction to human evolution, considering key biological and behavioural developments among diverse hominin species, including traits that have been important in the evolution of our own species.

Course objectives:

  • To provide an introduction to human evolution, exploring essential concepts, the range of hominin species that evolved, and the evolution of traits that are generally thought of as distinctly human.
  • To introduce students to some of the key issues and areas of debate in the study of human evolution.
  • To show how our understanding of human evolution is based on multidisciplinary research involving the analysis of diverse sources of evidence.

Teaching methods

Teaching will be mainly in the form of illustrated lectures combined with questions and discussion in class. Students are also encouraged to undertake independent study and coursework.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • possess a good introductory knowledge of human evolution
  • have a critical awareness of the key issues and areas of debate in the subject
  • have an appreciation of the multidisciplinary nature of paleoanthropological research, as well as its dynamic nature as new discoveries and research provide fresh insights.

Assessment methods

Students will have the choice of preparing either several shorter pieces of coursework (total approx. 1500 words; Option A), or a single 1500-word assignment (Option B). There will be a variety of topics and questions to choose from. Guidance for producing coursework will be given by the tutor during the course.   

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support