Human Biology and Society

Human Biology and Society BA Learning Outcomes

The Human Biology and Society major has the following learning outcomes:

• Demonstrated strong foundation of knowledge in social science and evolutionary biology and genetics
• Skills to critically analyze and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data and social biological theories
• Formulation of effective and convincing written and oral arguments that integrate biological and social evidence
• Work well in multidisciplinary teams
• Skills at communicating across disciplines and leveraging knowledge from multiple perspectives
• Demonstrated proficiency in at least one area of concentration at the interface between biology and society
• Integration of ethical, legal, and societal concerns in planning, conducting, and assessing research
• Use of societal and biological information to critically assess complex real-world problems and to employ interdisciplinary skills to help solve them

Admission to the Human Biology and Society BA major is by application and competitive, using courses, grades, grade-point averages, and personal statements as minimum standards for consideration. Only a limited number of students are admitted each year. Applicants are not automatically accepted into the major.

Students must apply for major standing at the beginning of spring quarter of their sophomore year. Applications submitted after the spring quarter deadline are considered during fall quarter of the junior year only as space in the program permits. No applications are considered after fall quarter of the junior year.

Premajor standing is not required to apply for the major. A copy of the major application is available on the department website.

Incoming freshmen may be admitted as premajors on acceptance to UCLA. All other students must first complete Society and Genetics 5, M71A, or M72A, and then contact the undergraduate counselor in 3360 Life Sciences to request premajor standing.

Required Core: One course from Society and Genetics 5, M71A, or M72A.

Also required are Anthropology 1, Chemistry and Biochemistry 14A, Life Sciences 1 and 2, or 7A, 7B, and 7C, Statistics 10 or 13, and two social theory courses from American Indian Studies M10, Anthropology 3, Asian American Studies 20, Chicana and Chicano Studies 10A, 10B, Clusters M1A through 80CW, Gender Studies 10, Geography 3, History 3C, Honors Collegium 70A, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 40, 50, 60, Philosophy 4, 6, 8, 22 or 22W, Public Policy 10A, Society and Genetics 85, Sociology 1, M5.

Each course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must complete all premajor courses with a cumulative minimum grade-point average of 2.9.

Transfer applicants to the Human Biology and Society BA major with 90 or more units must complete the following preparatory courses prior to admission to UCLA: one year of general biology (the equivalent of Life Sciences 1 and 2, or 7A, 7B, and 7C), introductory chemistry, one statistics course, one anthropology human evolution course, and two introductory social sciences or history courses. Society and Genetics 5 must be taken at UCLA once a transfer student is admitted to the University.

Refer to the UCLA transfer admission guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.

Required: Society and Genetics 101, 105A, 105B, 108; 4 units from course 195CE, 196, or 199; and five courses (at least one of which must be a society and genetics course) from one of the following concentration areas:

Bioethics and Public Science Policy: Anthropology 100, 131, 143, 145S, M148, Asian American Studies 113, Bioengineering 165EW, Communication 101, Disability Studies 101 or 101W, M121, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 176, Epidemiology 100, Gender Studies M114, 125, 134, M162, M164, 171A, Geography M109, M115, Global Studies 102, 104, History 180A, 180C, Honors Collegium 177, Life Sciences 107, Philosophy 124, 125, 137, 150, 153A, 154, 154B, 155A, C156, 157A, 157B, 170, Psychology 187C, Social Welfare 162, Society and Genetics 102, 120, 121, 130, 131, M133, M140, M144, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 175, 180, 188, 195CE, 197, 199, Sociology 143, 154, 156, 170. See below for additional course options in the subfocus areas of cell development, microbiology and immunology, molecular biology and genomics, physiology, and psychology and mental health.

Evolutionary Biology, Culture, and Behavior: Anthropology 124P, 124Q, 124S, 126Q, 128P, M128Q, M145P, M148, Communication 112, 116, M123W, 126, 148, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 120, 121, C126, 129, C135, 175, 176, Gender Studies M114, M159, M162, M165, M167, Life Sciences 107, Linguistics C135, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology CM156, Philosophy 137, M187, Psychology 110, 112A, 112B, 115, 160, Society and Genetics 102, 120, 121, 130, 131, M133, M140, M144, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 175, 180, 188, 195CE, 197, 199, Sociology 156. See below for additional course options in the subfocus areas of ecology and evolutionary biology, and psychology and mental health.

Historical and Social Studies of Science: Anthropology 100, 131, 143, Asian American Studies 105, Bioengineering 165EW, Disability Studies 101 or 101W, M121, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 100, 120, C126, 130, 175, Environmental Health Sciences 100, C185A, C185B, Epidemiology 100, Gender Studies 134, M162, M164, M180B, Geography M109, M115, Global Studies 102, 104, History M151C, 179A, 179B, 180A, 180C, Honors Collegium 177, Human Genetics C144, Life Sciences 107, Neurobiology M169, Philosophy 124, 125, 129, 130, 137, 155A, Society and Genetics 102, 120, 121, 130, 131, M133, M140, M144, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 175, 180, 188, 195CE, 197, 199, Sociology M138, 143, M148, 154, 156, 170. See below for additional course options in the subfocus areas of cell development, microbiology and immunology, molecular biology and genomics, physiology, and psychology and mental health.

Medicine and Public Health: Anthropology 145S, Chicana and Chicano Studies CM106, Communication 116, M123W, Computer Science CM121, Disability Studies 101 or 101W, M121, Epidemiology 100, Gender Studies M114, 125, M162, M164, M167, History M151C, Human Genetics C144, Life Sciences 107, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 138, CM156, 172, Neurobiology M169, Neuroscience 180, Philosophy 150, 154, 154B, 155A, C156, 157A, 157B, Psychology M107, 112B, 115, M117J, 127A, 129C, M140, Public Health 150, M160A, M160B, Social Welfare 162, Society and Genetics 102, 120, 121, 130, 131, M133, M140, M144, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 175, 180, 188, 195CE, 197, 199, Sociology 130, 132, 134, 143, 145, 154, 156, 170. See below for additional course options in the subfocus areas of cell development, microbiology and immunology, molecular biology and genomics, physiology, and psychology and mental health.

Population Genetics and History: Two courses from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology C135, Human Genetics CM124, and Society and Genetics 120, and three courses from Ancient Near East 162, CM163, Anthropology 100, 110, 111, 131, M148, M150, Asian American Studies 113, Computer Science CM121, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 120, 121, C135, Gender Studies M162, M180B, History M108C, M151C, 164D, 180A, 180C, 191B through C191O, Honors Collegium M143, Human Genetics CM124, C144, Life Sciences 107, Linguistics 110, 114, 127, 130, 132, M150, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 172, Psychology 160, Society and Genetics 102, 120, 121, 130, 131, M133, M140, M144, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 175, 180, 188, 195CE, 197, 199, Sociology 154, 156. See below for additional course options in the subfocus area of population genetics.

Each course must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of C− or better, and all courses must be completed with a cumulative minimum grade-point average of 2.0.

The subfocus options are designed and recommended for students who intend a career in medicine or allied health services or are planning to go on to graduate school in the life or health sciences. Students may select any subfocus option listed in their concentration area and complete three subfocus courses that may then be used to satisfy as many as three of the five courses required in their concentration area.

Cell Development: Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 138, 165A, 168

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: Three courses from Anthropology 124P, 124S, 126Q, 128P, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 100, 116, 120, 121, C126, 129, 130, C135, 175, 176

Microbiology and Immunology: Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics 101, C185A, and one course from 103AL, 106, 107, 158, or 168

Molecular Biology and Genomics: Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 144, 172, and one course from CM156, Human Genetics CM124, C144, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C122, or 158

Physiology: Physiological Science 111A, 111B, and one course from 147, 149, or 177

Population Genetics: Two courses from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology C135, Human Genetics CM124, Society and Genetics 120, and one course from Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 120, 121, or Human Genetics C144

Psychology and Mental Health: Three courses from Psychology M107, 112A, 112B, 115, M117J, 127A, 129C, 160