Evolutionary Studies, Minor

The Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) program is an interdisciplinary minor. The minor combines courses in biology, anthropology, geology, psychology, philosophy, astronomy, history, and others. Students are required to complete at least 20 credits that will introduce them to the principles of evolution and its numerous applications for understanding all life. The purpose of this program is to provide students a foundation in one of the most important explanatory theories of modern thought.

This minor includes two team-taught Capstone courses that are integrated with the University's Alabama Lecture's on Life's Evolution (ALLELE) series. This integration enables students to interact with invited speakers from various disciplines inside and outside the classroom, exposure intended to provide students with a vantage on post-baccalaureate opportunities for people with training in Evolutionary Studies. Speakers for the ALLELE series change annually, and a list of current and past speakers can be found here.

EvoS is part of a worldwide consortium that includes more than 40 other institutions. This affiliation provides students access to additional resources outside UA, including the student-oriented, peer-reviewed EvoS Journal, archived lectures by evolution experts, a newsletter, blogs, and links to student EvoS groups active at other institutions.

For more information or to enroll, contact program director Dr. Fred Andrus (Geological Sciences).

Declaring a Minor in Evolutionary Studies

There are no prerequisites for admission to the EvoS minor. Students are expected to formally declare the EvoS minor with the assistance of the EvoS program director, Rebecca Minzoni (rminzoni@ua.edu).

Code and Title		Hours
Foundation Courses
AS 150	Evolution for Everyone	3
BSC 220	Biol Evol	3
GEO 102	The Earth Through Time	4
GEO 399	Undergraduate Research	3
Take one of the following: 3-4 hrs		3-4
ANT 270	Biological Anthropology
GEO 355	Invertebrate Paleontology
Elective Context Courses		6
Select six or more course credits from at least two different departments.
Total Hours		22-23

Elective Context Areas

Anthropology Electives

Code and Title		Hours
ANT 208	Anthropology of Sex	3
ANT 270	Biological Anthropology	0 or 4
ANT 275	Race, Ethnicity, & Human Var.	3
ANT 311	Pop., Health & Human Origins	3
ANT 312	Non-Human Primates	3
ANT 473	Human Osteology	3
ANT 475	The Plastic Human	3

Astronomy Electives

Code and Title		Hours
AY 155	Life in the Universe	3

Biological Sciences Electives

Code and Title		Hours
BSC 315	Genetics	3
BSC 373	Vertebrate Zoology	4
BSC 400	Vertebrate Funct Morphol	4
BSC 420	Principles Of Systematics	4
BSC 428	Biology Of Fishes	4
BSC 434	Plant Systematics	4
BSC 441	Developmental Biology	3
BSC 442	Integrated Genomics	4
BSC 448	Animal Behavior	3
BSC 449	Endocrinology	3
BSC 464	Biology Of Algae	4
BSC 470	Prin Pop Genetics	3
BSC 482	Conservation Biology	3
BSC 483	Evolution	3
BSC 487	Biogeography	3

Geological Sciences Electives

Code and Title		Hours
GEO 367	Sedimentology/Stratigraphy	4
GEO 401	Paleoclimatology	3
GEO 355	Invertebrate Paleontology	3
GEO 364	Dinosaur Paleobiology	3
GEO 468	Paleo Seminar	1

History Electives

Code and Title		Hours
HY 455	The Darwinian Revolution	3

Philosophy Electives

Code and Title		Hours
PHL 387	Philosophy and Evolution	3
PHL 390	Special Topics in Philosophy	1-3

Psychology Electives

Code and Title		Hours
PY 313	Sensation and Perception	3
PY 352	Developmental Psych	3
PY 413	Physiological Psych	3

Journalism and Creative Media Electives

Code and Title		Hours
JCM 372	Media Effects	3
JCM 448	News Analysis	3

Grade Point Average

A 2.0 grade point average in the minor is required. Please see the Grades and Grade Points section of this catalog for an explanation on grade point average calculations.