UnitLevel 1Undergraduate

SCI1200 Humans, evolution and modern society

Faculty of Science

SCI1200 Humans, evolution and modern society is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2022 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2022
Semester 2
Clayton
Assessment
No exam
7 tasks

This is the 2022 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

After SCI1200

No unit lists SCI1200 as a prerequisite in the 2022 handbook.

Overview

Evolution has shaped and continues to shape humans and the world in which we live. Some of the most challenging issues facing society such as the battle of the sexes, war and violence, population growth and even the global obesity epidemic can be understood through the process of evolution. An evolutionary perspective also equips us to address emerging issues such as the manipulation of human behaviour, spread of infectious diseases, the rise of allergies, the ethics of cloning, food security, and the biodiversity crisis. This unit will highlight how an appreciation of evolution can transform our understanding of the human condition, modern society, and the profound global challenges that we are currently facing - enabling us to develop robust and creative solutions for the future.

Offerings in 2022

Teaching periodCampusMode
Second semesterClaytonOn campus

Assessment

  • Mini quiz 1
    10%
  • Mini quiz 2
    10%
  • Mini quiz 3
    10%
  • Mini quiz 4
    10%
  • Research proposal
    10%
  • Infographic
    10%
  • News article
    40%

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    Identify and interpret the biggest challenges faced by modern society from an evolutionary perspective;

  2. 2

    Describe the fundamentals of evolution, and how these shape the diversity of life on the planet;

  3. 3

    Articulate how evolutionary processes have affected and continue to affect the environment in which we live, as well as human health and behaviour;

  4. 4

    Differentiate between evidence, interpretation, opinion and fact in evaluating evolutionary perspectives and concepts applied to the development of modern human society.

  5. 5

    Effectively synthesise and communicate findings of articles, blogs, book chapters and books written on these issues for the general educated public.

Workload and teaching

  • Workshops10 hours
  • Lectures24 hours
  • Teaching approachActive learning

The unit will consist of one two-hour lecture per week and one two-hour workshop per fortnight
You will need to conduct approximately 8 hours of personal study each week in order to satisfy the reading and assignment requirements.

Learning resources

Required resources

Bring your own device

Contacts

Unit Coordinators
Associate Professor Alistair Evans
Chief Examiners
Associate Professor Alistair Evans

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for SCI1200?

SCI1200 has no prerequisites.

When is SCI1200 offered?

In 2022, SCI1200 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.

Does SCI1200 have an exam?

No. SCI1200 has 7 assessment tasks and no exam.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
1
Study level
Undergraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Organisational unit
School of Biological Sciences
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 2
Study abroad
Available