Program Overview

Interdisciplinary thinking and work must become second nature for students in the life sciences. Independent research should be encouraged and seminars highlighting cutting-edge developments should be offered to buoy the interest of undergrads in biological discovery. National Research Council, Division On Earth And Life Studies, Board On Life Sciences, Bio 2010 Report, 2003.

The Human Biology Program recognizes that many of the major problems facing humanity today involve both a biological component and a social component. Scientific approaches to problems ranging from environmental degradation and global change to AIDS, cancer, and the costs of health care are essential, but the uncertain and wide-ranging nature of such problems mandate innovative approaches and the perspective of many disciplines. The Undergraduate Degree Program in Human Biology will provide undergraduate students the ability to acquire a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and original approach to complex problems.

The Undergraduate Degree Program offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The curriculum is uniquely designed around the Human Biology Core Curriculum, a sequence of courses that is constructed to support the development process of the undergraduate student so that students are guided through more advanced levels of critical thinking. These courses incorporate case-based and team-based approaches to learning. In addition, the program requires Foundation Courses, constituting breadth of study, plus Area of Concentration Courses, providing students with an in-depth focus of study which reflects their interests. The Foundation and Area of Concentration courses are established courses already taught by faculty at IUB.

The Area Certificate in Human Biology is an interdisciplinary certificate program within the College of Arts and Sciences that is partnered with the Indiana University School of Medicine. The objective of an Area Certificate is to relate the biological sciences to the problems raised by the relationships of human beings to one another and to their environment. The Area Certificate features an electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) as the capstone project.

Student participation with the Human Biology Program is encouraged through student government, peer instruction and research opportunities. In addition, the Human Biology Program hosts the annual Harold T. Hammel Distinguished Lecture Series promoting interdisciplinary campus conversations with visiting scholars about human biology.

The Human Biology Program has been purposefully designed by Faculty Fellows from disciplines across campus as well as being guided by emeriti faculty and College administrators. Indiana University faculty became involved with the program through Campus Conversations and the 2005 Summer Institute. New Faculty Fellows will continue to define the program.

Finally, the Human Biology Program is also contributing to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning with its presentations and collaborations with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, the SOTL community at IUB, and the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) community.