Introducing Evolution & Behavior Curriculum Guide
The Evolution & Behavior Curriculum Guide is not a major, minor or subplan; it is a list of recommended courses for students intending to pursue graduate school or careers related to bio-evolutionary psychology, bioanthropology, animal behavior, veterinary medicine, evolutionary medicine, natural resources or wildlife biology.
Why study evolution?
Understanding how evolution shapes our minds and brains is critical for understanding human and non-human animal behavior. Similar to behavioral neuroscientists who study non-human animals to understand the mechanisms of behavior, we use non-human animals (mostly in their natural habitats) to understand the evolution of behavior.
New Gateway Course: PSYCH 235 Introduction to Evolution & Behavior
PSYCH 235 provides a strong foundation in evolutionary theory, with a focus on how these principles affect behavior. While this course leans strongly on foundations established by the field of animal behavior, it also focuses heavily on human examples. This course examines the evolutionary origins and biological bases of crucial behaviors of interest to psychologists, including social relationships, kinship, sexual behavior, communication, aggression, foraging, cooperation, and culture. Additionally, the course covers topics relevant to human evolution, brain evolution, and neural systems evolution that complement existing coursework in the department.
PSYCH 235 will be a prerequisite for several biopsychology courses focusing on evolution and behavior that will be offered in the future. It will also serve as an alternative or recommended prerequisite to other classes that include evolutionary components.
PSYCH 235 will count as part of Gateway group III for BCN majors (one of PSYCH 235, 250, 270, 280, 290, or 291) and Breadth Group I for Psych majors (one of PSYCH 235, 220, or 240).
Course Registration Considerations
Students who have received credit for PSYCH 330 with the topic “Evolution and Behavior" or PSYCH 335 “Evolution and Animal Behavior” CANNOT earn credit for PSYCH 235. Subsequently, these courses may be substituted as a pre-req for courses that require PSYCH 235 as an enforced pre-req. If you wish to register for a course with a PSYCH 235/335 preq but have taken PSYCH 330 “Evolution and Behavior", you will need to contact the Psych SAA Office for an override into an OPEN seat into the course. Please note that PSYCH 335 will no longer be offered, and students interested in the Evolution & Behavior courses who have not already taken PSYCH 335 should take PSYCH 235.
Psychology Dept. Evolution & Behavior Courses
Course Number |
Course Title |
Enforced Preq |
Fulfills Requirement |
PSYCH 235 |
Intro to Evolution and Behavior |
Psych 111 |
BCN: Gateway III Psych: Breadth Group I |
PSYCH 338 |
Primate Behavior |
235 or Anthrbio 201 |
300 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 363 |
Human Cognitive Evolution |
235 or 335 |
300 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 364 |
Biopsychology of Sports (will be taught as PSYCH 430-001 in Fall 2021) |
235 or 335 |
300 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 365 |
Advanced Animal Behavior |
235 or 335 |
300 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 366 |
Field Biology and Behavioral Methods (will be taught as PSYCH 402-001 in Fall 2021) |
235 or 335 & Stats 250 |
Methods lab |
PSYCH 432 |
Advanced Topics in Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology |
235 or 335 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 461 |
Animal Cognition |
235 or 335 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 462 |
Primate Communication and Language |
235 or 335 & one of 363, 364, or 365 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 464 |
Mammalian Social Behavior |
235 or 335 & 365 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 465 |
Evolution and Human Nature |
235 or 335 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 468 |
Evolutionary Endocrinology |
235, 335, 337 or EEB 492 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
PSYCH 469 |
Advanced Primate Behavior |
235 or 338 |
400 level advanced/upper-level course |
Other advanced/upper-level courses* students interested in this track might enjoy include:
- PSYCH 332 - Biopsychology of Rhythms and Behavior (Pre-req: PSYCH 230 or 240 or 235 or 335 or 345)
- PSYCH 337 - Hormones and Behavior (Pre-req: PSYCH 230 or 235 or 335)
- PSYCH 339 - Biopsychology of Cooperation (Pre-req: PSYCH 230 or 235 or 335)
- PSYCH 385 - Sex and Survival (PSYCH 280 pre-req) (*Note: this COGNATE for BCN; and a 300-level elective for Psych)
- PSYCH 430 - Topics in Biopsychology (Pre-req: PSYCH 230 or 235 or 335)
- PSYCH 434 - Neuroscience of Fear & Anxiety (Pre-req: PSYCH 230 & one of PSYCH 235, 330, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, or 339)
- PSYCH 436 - Sleep: Brain and Behavior, From Flies to Humans (Pre-req: PSYCH 230 or 235 or 335)
- PSYCH 439 - The Developing Brain (Pre-req: Psych 230)
- PSYCH 446 - Altruism (Pre-req: PSYCH 240)
See the curriculum guide linked below for other course options outside of the Psychology Dept.