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Undergraduate Bulletin College of Arts and Sciences
Human Biology Program

Major in Human Biology (Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology)

Students on Fall 2026, Spring 2027, or Summer 2027 requirements HUBIBA

The Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology provides students with a holistic understanding of our species with a focus on our biology, including consideration of how that biology is altered by our evolutionary history and a contemporary environment that includes natural, social, and technological components. Students explore these diverse aspects of humanity while gaining a solid knowledge of our biological foundations. The focus of the B.A. is at the organismal level, with attention to lower levels as needed, and B.A. students are encouraged to investigate human biology with a broad interdisciplinary lens. The B.A. degree allows for breadth and flexibility in the curriculum and the possibility for pursuing a double major. Students can also fulfill the requirements necessary for a variety of post-baccalaureate health sciences and graduate school programs.

The Human Biology program is designed around a core sequence of two interdisciplinary 4-credit courses and a 3-credit senior capstone course. In addition to these courses, students take required courses in a variety of disciplines at both introductory and advanced levels to gain expertise in the diverse aspects of human biology and more in-depth study in their area of interest. Courses from the life sciences and historical, social, arts, and humanities disciplines provide a well-rounded liberal arts and sciences training.

Requirements

The major requires at least 37 credit hours (43 with the Addenda requirements), including the requirements listed below.
  1. Human Biology Core.
    1. The Intricate Human. One (1) course:
      • HUBI-B 200 The Intricate Human
      • HUBI-S 200 The Intricate Human, Honors
    2. Human Dilemmas. One (1) course:
      • HUBI-B 300 Human Dilemmas
      • HUBI-S 300 Human Dilemmas, Honors
    3. Complex Problems of Humanity. One (1) course:
      • HUBI-B 400 Complex Problems of Humanity
  2. Perspectives in Human Biology. At least 18 credit hours:
    1. Life Sciences Perspectives.
      1. Evolution & Ecology. One (1) course:
        • ANTH-B 312 Evolutionary Medicine when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 333 Chimpanzee Biology: Anatomy, Evolution, Ecology, and Physiology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 340 Hormones and Human Behavior when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 368 The Evolution of Primate Social Behavior when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 370 Human Variation when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 464 Human Paleontology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 466 The Primates when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 318 Evolution when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-S 318 Evolution, Honors when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 350 Environmental Biology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 369 Heredity, Evolution, and Society when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 453 Sensory Ecology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 472 Microbiomes: Host and Environmental Health when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 473 Ecology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-M 375 Human Parasitology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SPH-N 231 Human Nutrition when taken Fall 2026 or later
      2. Sex & Development. One (1) course:
        • BIOL-L 311 Genetics when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-S 311 Genetics, Honors when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 312 Cell Biology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 331 Introduction to Human Genetics when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 340 Biology of Sexual Diversity when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 411 Advanced Gene Regulation: Transcription, Epigenetics, and Human Disease when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 417 Developmental Biology and Stem Cells when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-Z 466 Endocrinology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • COGS-Q 301 Brain and Cognition when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 326 Behavioral Neuroscience when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 346 Neuroscience when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 347 Science of Human Sexuality when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 409 Neural Bases of Sensory Function when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 411 Neural Bases of Learning and Memory when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 442 Infant Development when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 443 Cognitive Development when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SLHS-S 201 Speech Anatomy and Physiology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SLHS-S 333 Childhood Language when taken Fall 2026 or later
      3. Health & Disease. One (1) course:
        • ANAT-A 464 Human Tissue Biology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-B 260 Biocultural Medical Anthropology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 321 Human Immunology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-L 328 Disease Ecology and Evolution when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-M 250 Microbiology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-M 350 Microbial Physiology and Biochemistry when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-M 380 Microbiology of Infectious Disease when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • BIOL-M 416 Biology of AIDS when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CHEM-C 383 Human Biochemistry when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 425 Behavior Disorders of Childhood and Adolescence when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 467 Diseases of the Nervous System when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 469 Stress Effects on Brain and Behavior when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • MSCI-M 216 Medical Science of Psychoactive Drugs when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • MSCI-M 335 Biopsychosocial Medicine- a Case Study Approach when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • MSCI-M 470 Mechanism of Human Disease when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • MSCI-M 480 Molecular Biology of Cancer: Cell Signaling and Fate when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • MSCI-M 485 Physiology of Human Disease when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SLHS-S 307 Cognitive and Communicative Aspects of Aging when taken Fall 2026 or later
    2. Historical, Social, Arts, and Humanities Perspectives.
      1. Evolution & Ecology. One (1) course:
        • ANTH-B 343 Evolution of Human Ecological Footprint when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 210 Rethinking Race Globally when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 318 Nature/Culture: Global Perspectives in Environmental Anthropology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 421 Food and Culture when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 444 People and Protected Areas: Theories of Conservation when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 456 Anthropology of Race when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-L 407 Language and Prehistory when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-P 200 Introduction to Archaeology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-P 380 Prehistoric Diet and Nutrition when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 208 Environment and Society when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 314 Urban Geography when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 320 Population Geography when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 352 Food and Poverty in America when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 357 Urban Alternative Agriculture when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 359 Fundamentals of Sustainable Agriculture when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 368 Water in the Midwest when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GEOG-G 411 Sustainable Development Systems when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • REL-D 250 Religion, Ecology, and the Self when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • REL-D 350 Religion, Ethics, and the Environment when taken Fall 2026 or later
      2. Sex & Development. One (1) course:
        • ANTH-E 212 The Anthropology of Youth and Adolescence when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 490 Development and Anthropology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-P 215 Sex in the Ancient City: An Archaeology of Sex when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • FOLK-F 364 Children's Folklore/Folklife/Folk Music when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • FOLK-F 368 Folklore and Science of Childhood when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GNDR-G 206 Gay Histories, Queer Cultures when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GNDR-G 225 Gender, Sexuality, and Popular Culture when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GNDR-G 235 Scientific Understandings of Sex and Gender when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GNDR-G 250 Race, Sexuality, and Culture (Intersections) when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GNDR-G 335 Explaining Sex/Gender Differences when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • HIST-A 240 Get Me Out! The History of Birth when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PHIL-P 360 Philosophy of Mind when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 315 Developmental Psychology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 316 Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 325 Psychology of Learning when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 327 Psychology of Motivation when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 329 Sensation and Perception when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 335 Cognitive Psychology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 438 Language and Cognition when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 474 Psychology of Adolescent Girls when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • REL-C 355 Religion and Sex in America when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 316 Sociology of Families when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 321 Sexual Diversity when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 338 Sociology of Gender when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 344 Sociology of Childhood when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 422 Constructing Sexuality when taken Fall 2026 or later
      3. Health & Disease. One (1) course:
        • ANTH-E 260 Culture, Health, and Illness when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ANTH-E 373 Plagues and People when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 308 Gender and Crime when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 318 Gender, Crime, and Justice: A Global Perspective when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 362 Sex Offenders when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 403 Developmental Criminology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 415 Crime and Madness when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 426 Juvenile Delinquency when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 427 Girls, Violence, and Antisocial Behavior when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CJUS-P 462 Child Abuse and Neglect when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • CLAS-C 209 Medical Terms from Greek and Latin when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • ECON-E 344 Health Economics when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • FOLK-F 215 Folklore, Health, and Illness when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • GNDR-G 435 Health, Sex, and Gender when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • HIST-H 239 Blood and Guts! An Introduction to the History of Western Medicine from Antiquity to the Present when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • HIST-H 333 Epidemics in History when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • INTL-I 202 Global Health and Environment when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PHIL-P 393 Biomedical Ethics when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 303 Health Psychology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • PSY-P 324 Abnormal Psychology when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • REL-C 402 Religion, Illness, and Healing when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 324 Sociology of Mental Illness when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 358 Social Inequalities in Health and Health Care when taken Fall 2026 or later
        • SOC-S 365 Health and Society: Sociology for Health Professionals when taken Fall 2026 or later
  3. Biological Anthropology. One (1) course:
    • ANTH-B 200 Bioanthropology
  4. Anatomy or Physiology. One (1) course:
    • ANAT-A 215 Basic Human Anatomy
    • ANAT-A 225 Human Anatomy
    • ANAT-A 480 Human Anatomy for Medical Imaging Evaluation
    • BIOL-P 451 Integrative Human Physiology
    • PHSL-P 215 Basic Human Physiology
    • PHSL-P 225 Human Physiology
  5. Addenda Requirements*.
    1. Ethical and Historical Issues in the Sciences. One (1) course:
      • BIOT-T 312 Societal Issues in Biotechnology when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • ENG-L 240 Literature and Public Life when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • ENG-R 330 Science, Advocacy, and the Public when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 102 Revolutions in Science: Plato to NATO when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 104 Science and Culture when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 108 The Science of Sex and Race: Theories of Biological Differentiation, 1776 to the Present when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 200 Scientific Reasoning when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 205 Introduction to Medical History when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 235 From Sick Care to Health Care when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 305 History and Philosophy of Medicine when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 308 History of Biology when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 340 Scientific Methods: How Science Really Works when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • HPSC-X 366 Responsible Research and Scientific Integrity: Philosophical and Historical Perspectives when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • PHIL-P 141 Introduction to Ethical Theories and Problems when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • PHIL-P 242 Applied Ethics when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • REL-D 340 Religion and Bioethics when taken Fall 2026 or later
      • REL-R 170 Religion, Ethics, and Public Life when taken Fall 2026 or later
    2. Statistics. One (1) course:
      • ANTH-A 306 Anthropological Statistics
      • CJUS-K 300 Techniques of Data Analysis
      • ECON-E 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics when taken prior to Fall 2026
      • ECON-S 370 Statistical Analysis for Business and Economics: Honors when taken prior to Fall 2026
      • LAMP-L 316 Junior Seminar: Analytical Problem Solving when taken prior to Fall 2026
      • POLS-Y 395 Quantitative Political Analysis when taken prior to Fall 2026
      • PSY-K 300 Statistical Techniques
      • SOC-S 371 Statistics in Sociology
      • STAT-S 300 Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods
      • STAT-S 303 Applied Statistical Methods for the Life Sciences
  6. Major Hours and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    2. Major Upper Division Courses. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300-499 level.
    3. Minimum Grade. A grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.

Major Area Courses

  • Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

    • Any course at the 100–499 level with the HUBI prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
    • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
    • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
    • Any course, consistent with the policies herein, that is part of a concentration, track, and/or specialization being pursued as part of this academic program
  • NULL:

    This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

    • Major in Human Biology (Bachelor of Science) [HUBIBS]
    • Minor in Human Biology [HUBIMIN]

    Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.