Biological Anthropology

Logo with four images. Top left: Health center in Bangladesh. Top right: Dr. Williams and student in ancient DNA laboratory. Bottom right: x-ray of teeth. Bottom left: drawing of human skull from anterior, lateral, and posterior perspectives.

What is Biological Anthropology?

Biological anthropology explores human biological evolution and variation through time and across space. Biological anthropologists can work with contemporary populations to better understand the ways in which different aspects of culture (such as political economy, socioeconomics, migration, and stress) affect human diversity and with the archaeological and fossil records to better understand how the human species has evolved over time and in comparison to other living primates. Through an evolutionary understanding of osteology, genetics, and morphological variation, biological anthropologists contribute to a greater understanding of health, disease, and human adaptations to environmental conditions. By employing these areas of study, biological anthropologists are ultimately interested in the intersections between the environments we occupy, the cultures we develop, and the physical bodies we inhabit. Biological anthropology encompasses a diverse range of specialties, including primatology, ancient and modern DNA, nutrition and diet, human ecology, human variation, bioarchaeology, biomedical anthropology, biocultural anthropology, forensic anthropology, and dental anthropology.

Biological Anthropology at UIC

At UIC, our biological anthropology curriculum focuses on human osteology. After completing ANTH 105 Human Evolution, undergraduates may take a range of predominantly laboratory-based courses that provide hands-on and interactive instruction to better understand the biological variation, biocultural study, and archaeological correlates of the human skeleton. Students can take any electives that are of interest to them but are encouraged to work with our faculty to choose courses that will best complement their career and post-graduate goals. Prospective graduate applicants should refer to the Graduate page for information relating to the required and elective coursework.

  • ANTH 233 Forensic Anthropology (4 credits; lecture and laboratory)
  • ANTH 237 The Human Skeleton (4 credits; lecture and laboratory)
  • ANTH 433 Ancient Diseases (3 credits; lecture)
  • ANTH 437 Bioarchaeology (4 credits; lecture and laboratory)