Summer Term Undergraduate Courses

This course examines both the evolution and mechanisms of hormonal effects on behavior across animals, including humans. Topics will include the effects of hormones on sexual differentiation, reproductive behavior, parental behavior, stress, and social behavior. Additionally, this course emphasizes developing skills in hypothesis testing and critically assessing the scientific literature. Cross-listed with Behavioral Biology and Neuroscience.

Prerequisite: AS.200.141 (Foundations of Brain, Behavior and Cognition) or AS.080.306 (Neuroscience: Cellular & Systems II) or AS.020.152 (General Biology II) or instructor's permission.

Ever wondered how the ads you see seem to know exactly what you want even before you do? Dive into the world of Big Data and Advertising where technology meets creativity to shape consumer behavior and business strategy. This course offers a deep exploration of how big data is revolutionizing advertising, from personalized ads to predictive analytics. By integrating perspectives from psychology, economics, computer science, and marketing, you’ll gain insights into how data drives decisions in the advertising world. Explore the psychological principles behind consumer behavior, learn how data is collected, and understand the ethical implications of using personal information in advertising. Through hands-on programming in Python, you’ll manipulate large datasets to discover patterns that drive ad campaigns. This interdisciplinary course challenges you to think critically about the intersection of technology, ethics, and business, preparing you to navigate the complexities of data-driven advertising. No prior coding experience is required, making this course accessible to all students interested in the powerful combination of big data and advertising.

Students in this course must bring a laptop capable of running Python (with Anaconda installed), opening spreadsheets, browsing the internet, and using programs such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for project and group work. Students will be required to download datasets from online sources, so their laptops should have appropriate privacy and security protections, such as antivirus software. Students must engage in secure browsing practices.

The course examines human behavior from an evolutionary perspective. Lectures and seminar-based discussion of the primary literature will cover some of the major approaches and areas of study within the fields of (1) evolutionary anthropology, (2) evolutionary psychology, (3) human behavioral ecology, and (4) evolutionary medicine.

Prerequisite: AS.290.101 (Human Origins) or AS.200.208 (Animal Behavior).

This course is an introduction to biology from an evolutionary, molecular, and cellular perspective. Specific topics and themes include evolutionary theory, the structure and function of biological molecules, mechanisms of harvesting energy, cell division, classical genetics, and gene expression. This section will involve in-class problem solving and the use of assigned pre-class videos and questions.

Prerequisite: AP Biology.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course builds on the concepts presented and discussed in General Biology I. The primary foci of this course will be on the diversity of life and on the anatomy, physiology, and evolution of plants and animals. There will be a special emphasis on human biology.

Prerequisite: AP Biology.

This online course is primarily delivered asynchronously; however, your instructor may schedule live interactions as well. Please refer to your syllabus for these opportunities and for important course deadlines.

This course examines the origins of human structure, function and behavior from an evolutionary perspective. It includes study of the evolution, behavior and behavioral ecology of nonhuman primates; hominid evolution (including the paleontological and archaeological records); and the origins of human cognition, social behavior and culture.

Population genomics is the study of the structure, function, and variability of the entire genetic complement of organisms considered on a population scale. By examining how gene variants change in structure and frequency in populations over time, we can study the process of evolution and how it contributes to biodiversity and the formation of new species; this information can be used to increase the efficacy of conservation efforts. By studying gene variants underlying diseases at the scale of populations, we can better diagnose complex polygenic diseases like cancer. This course introduces the fundamentals of population genomics and provides an overview of the subfields of evolutionary genomics, conservation genomics, and medical genomics.

This online program is primarily delivered asynchronously, but students are expected to meet both daily and weekly deadlines for class assignments. Your instructor will also provide optional opportunities for synchronous sessions, such as office hours, group discussions, and supplemental lectures. Attendance for synchronous sessions is voluntary and based on students’ availability.

Prerequisite: At least one semester of high school biology is recommended, but not required.

Required Text: There are no required textbooks for this program; all readings and resources will be made available to you throughout the program.

This course looks at the evolution of the universe from its origin in a cosmic explosion to emergence of life on Earth and possibly other planets throughout the universe. Topics include big-bang cosmology; origin and evolution of galaxies, stars, planets, life, and intelligence; black holes; quasars; and relativity theory. The material is largely descriptive, based on insights from physics, astronomy, geology, chemistry, biology, and anthropology.