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HEB Requirements

[Click here to go directly to the Human Evolutionary Biology entry in the Student Handbook.]

REQUIREMENTS
Basic Requirements: 13 courses (52 credits)

  1. Required Courses:
    1. Life Sciences 1a (or LPS a) and 1b (normally in freshman year).
    2. Five courses, selected from those offered in HEB. Three of the five courses must fulfill distribution requirements in behavior, evolution, and anatomy/physiology. Courses are selected in close consultation with advisers.
    3. Four additional courses in related fields, to be chosen from: Integrative Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neurobiology, Chemistry, Physical Sciences, Math, Statistics, and approved courses from Psychology, History of Science, and more.
  2. Tutorials (All letter-graded)
    1. Sophomore year: Sophomore tutorial (ordinarily taken in the spring term of the sophomore year). This seminar introduces the major issues and methods of human evolutionary biology through weekly readings and discussions, and provides a shared experience for all concentrators.
    2. Junior year: Junior research seminar. Normally taken in the junior year (may be taken senior year), including an independent research component. Students may choose from a number of qualifying seminars.
  3. Thesis: None.
  4. General Examination: None.
  5. Other information:
    1. Pass/Fail: Ordinarily all courses must be taken for a letter grade. All tutorials are letter graded. Freshman seminars and other courses that are appropriate for concentration credit and that are graded Sat/Unsat—such as courses taken while studying abroad—may count toward the concentration with the approval of a concentration adviser.
    2. To receive concentration credit for a course, a passing and satisfactory grade (defined by the Registrar as C- or above) is required.
    3. Languages: No requirement.

Requirements for Honors Eligibility: 15 courses (60 credits)
Thesis Track Honors

  1. Required Courses: Same as Basic Requirements.
  2. Tutorials (All letter-graded):
    1. Sophomore year: Sophomore tutorial (ordinarily taken in the spring term of the sophomore year). Same as Basic Requirements.
    2. Junior year: Ordinarily thesis candidates take a thesis research-related course, either a junior research seminar or a supervised reading and research course (91r).
    3. Senior year: HEB 99a and HEB 99b (in the Fall and Spring, respectively), culminating in the submission of a senior thesis, followed by an oral examination on the thesis.
  3. Thesis: Required.
  4. General Examination: None.
  5. Other information: Same as Basic Requirements.

Non-Thesis Track Honors

  1. Required Courses: Same as Basic Requirements, plus:
    1. Two additional courses in HEB or related fields approved in advance by a Concentration Adviser. These courses are ordinarily advanced lectures, seminars, or supervised reading courses on a focused topic.
  2. Tutorials:
    1. Sophomore year: Same as Basic Requirements.
    2. Junior year: Junior research seminar. Same as Basic Requirements.
    3. Senior year: None.
  3. Thesis: None.
  4. Other information: Same as Basic Requirements. Honors recommendations are based on concentration GPA.

Human Evolutionary Biology/Mind, Brain, and Behavior Track
15 courses (60 credits)

  1. Required Courses:
    1. Life Sciences 1b (normally in freshman year).
    2. Psychology 1; or Gen Ed 1056: Human Nature.
    3. Neuro 80.
    4. Gen Ed 1027, plus two courses to be chosen from HEB.
    5. Two additional courses in Mind, Brain, and Behavior.
    6. Three additional courses in related fields. Qualifying courses same as for Basic Requirements.
  2. Tutorials (All letter-graded):
    1. Sophomore year: Sophomore tutorial (ordinarily taken in the spring term of the sophomore year). Same as Basic Requirements.
    2. Junior year: One MBB-approved seminar course.
    3. Senior year: HEB 99a and HEB 99b (in the Fall and Spring, respectively), culminating in the submission of a senior thesis, followed by an oral examination on the thesis.
  3. Thesis: Required.
  4. General Examination: None.
  5. Other information: Same as Basic Requirements.
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[From the 2018-19 Handbook; see https://handbook.fas.harvard.edu/ for the latest version.]

Human Evolutionary Biology (HEB) uses an evolutionary framework to investigate why humans are the way they are. In addition to providing a general foundation in human biology, HEB focuses on questions such as what selective forces acted on humans during their evolution; how genotypes and phenotypes are related; how environmental forces, such as infectious disease and climate, influenced human biology and evolution; how natural selection has affected social cognition and behavior; and what role culture has played in human evolution.

REQUIREMENTS: 5 courses (20 credits)
1. Life Sciences 1b
2. Four additional HEB courses., including Gen Ed 1027 plus three additional Human Evolutionary Biology courses, found at courses.my.harvard.edu.

OTHER INFORMATION
One Freshman Seminar may be counted for the secondary field in HEB if taught by an HEB faculty member. All courses must be taken for a letter grade, except relevant Freshman Seminars, which are graded SAT/UNS. Only courses for which a satisfactory grade is received will receive secondary field credit.

ADVISING RESOURCES AND EXPECTATIONS
Students interested in pursuing a secondary field in Human Evolutionary Biology should contact HEB Co-Head Tutor Dr. Carole Hooven