The Area Certificate in Human Biology is an interdisciplinary certificate program within the College of Arts and Sciences that is partnered with the IU School of Medicine. It is a 28-29 credit hour certificate program. The objectives of the certificate are to provide students an introduction to the biological sciences and relate the sciences to ethical problems raised by the relationships of human beings to one another and their environment.
In addition, students will develop an electronic portfolio in the capstone course, HUBI B480, that demonstrates the connections they have made between the courses they have completed as part of the certificate and where they are directing their careers and studies upon graduation.
Many students who are seeking admission into Allied Health and other professional degree programs graduate from Indiana University with a General Studies degree. The Certificate offers an opportunity for students to distinguish themselves from others seeking similar employment and academic admission.
To apply for the Area Certificate in Human Biology, students should contact their major advisor and also the Human Biology advisor. Applications are also available online or in the Human Biology office. To register for HUBI B480, the e-portfolio capstone course for seniors who have applied for the Area Certificate, contact Andy Ruff at ajruff@indiana.
To be eligible for the Area Certificate, students must
The Human Biology Program will notify the registrar that a student has completed the necessary requirements to fulfill the certificate. The academic advisor will provide the Dean of the student’s college or school, major department, minor department, and the student with a copy of a signed form of certificate completion. The program will retain a copy as well to facilitate record keeping for the program. The transcript of the student will then read ’Human Biology Certificate’ once the registrar has been provided with this documentation.
The Human Biology Program will also ask students to complete exit surveys. These surveys will assist the program with its learning goals and provide student feedback critical for future development of this and other programs.
3 credit hour lecture course (Biology) Prerequisite: high school or college chemistry. Integrated picture of the manner in which organisms at diverse levels of organization meet problems in maintaining and propagating life.
3 credit hour lecture course (Biology) Prerequisite: BIOL L112 (credit given for only one of BIOL L211 or BIOL S211). Structure and function of DNA and RNA. DNA replication, mechanisms of mutation, repair, recombination, and transposition. Mechanisms and regulation of gene expression. The genetic code, transcription, and translation. Introduces bacteriophages, plasmids, and the technology of recombinant DNA.
3 credit hour lecture course (Medical Sciences) Does not count towards the Biology Major. Disease or injury provides the basis for a discussion of the anatomy and physiology of human organ systems. Disease process and medical devices and interventions employed in the treatment and diagnostic processes are also discussed.
5 credit hour lecture/lab course (Medical Sciences) Does not count towards the Biology Major. An organ systems approach to the study of the human body, including microscopic and gross structure.
5 credit hour lecture/lab course (Medical Sciences) Does not count towards the Biology Major. An organ systems approach to the study or human body function. Focus of the course is on how organ systems contribute to essential metabolic activity and the maintenance of homeostasis.
4 credit hour lecture/lab course (Biology) Intended for the junior or senior science major. Course in human physiology designed to introduce the senior undergraduate student to the function of the human body in health, disease, and extreme environments. Emphasizes how the different organ systems work to maintain homeostasis and how organ function is integrated. The content and key concepts are presented in order to provide students insight into the scientific process through problem-solving and exploration of resources. Utilizes experimental inquiry, case-based and problem-oriented methodology with students working in teams and an emphasis on clinical application. The laboratory component is incorporated into the structure of the course.
3 credit hour lecture course (Biology) P: junior or senior standing. Does not count towards the Biology Major.Interactions of human beings with other elements of the biosphere with emphasis on population, community, and ecosystem levels of ecology.
3 credit hour lecture course (Anthropology) P: Sophomore standing. Variation within and between human populations in morphology, gene frequencies, and behavior. Biological concepts of race, race classification along with other taxonomic conditions, and evolutionary processes acting on humans in the past, present and future.
3 credit hour lecture course (Psychology) P: PSY P155 or PSY P101 or PSY P151 or PSY P106. Does not fulfill area requirements for psychology major. Introduction to recent findings in behavioral neuroscience as they relate to human behavior. Topics may include neural bases of learning and memory, sex differences in the brain, cerebral hemispheric differences, and behavioral consequences of brain damage and neurosurgery.
3 credit hour lecture course (Psychology) P: PSY P155 or PSY P101/P102 or PSY P151/P152, or PSY P106. An introduction to how and why behavior changes over time. The theories and methods used to study behavioral change in both human and non-human models. Topics include perception, movement, language, cognition, and social/emotional behavior.
3 credit hour lecture course (Psychology) P: PSY P155 or PSY P101 or PSY P151, or PSY P106 and one of the following: BIOL L100, L111, L112, ANAT A215, PHSL P215, or equivalent. An examination of the cellular bases of behavior, emphasizing contemporary views and approaches to the study of the nervous system. Neural structure, function, and organization are considered in relation to sensory and motor function, motivation, learning and other basic behaviors.
3 credit hour lecture course (Religious Studies) Examines questions about human nature, finitude, the meaning of suffering, and appropriate uses of medical technology in the face of natural limitations, such as disease and death, that humans encounter. Issues include prenatal/genetic testing, transhumanism, enhancement technologies, cloning, euthanasia, and organ-transplantation. Judeo-Christian and cross-cultural perspectives on illness are considered.
1 credit hour discussion course ( Human Biology) P: Open to senior students who have applied for the Area Certificate in Human Biology. In this capstone course, students will develop an electronic portfolio to document and reflect upon their academic coursework and extra-curricular activities and relate their work to their future studies or careers.
