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ANTH40L15: Sex, Reproduction and Health (Advanced)

It is possible that changes to modules or programmes might need to be made during the academic year, in response to the impact of Covid-19 and/or any further changes in public health advice.

Type Open
Level 4
Credits 15
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap
Location Durham
Department Anthropology

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To provide advanced evolutionary perspectives on human sex and reproduction and associated health concerns.

Content

  • The content will provide students with advanced knowledge of topics such as evolutionary and cross-species explanations for the origins of sexual reproduction, the evolutionary biology of human sexual behaviour, ecological factors affecting fertility, gestation and foetal development, evolution of human birth, evolutionary perspectives on parental care and on infanticide and infant mortality.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • How evolutionary perspectives advance understanding of human sexuality and reproduction.
  • How evolutionary perspectives can inform our understanding of health concerns associated with reproduction and infant care.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Demonstrate advanced ability to gather and evaluate relevant information and write coherently about the distinctiveness of an evolutionary approach to sex, reproduction and health.
  • Critically evaluate the contribution of an evolutionary perspective on sex, reproduction and their relationship to health to contemporary understandings, particularly in the biomedical sphere.

Key Skills:

  • Advanced skills in researching relevant literature and constructing an academic essay.
  • Plan, organise and manage time and work to predetermined deadlines.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Lectures and seminars: subject knowledge will be delivered via lecture, and seminars will be used to provide a forum for discussion and development of critical thinking.
  • Summative assessment is by one 3000-word written essay.
  • Formative assessment is a 500-word outline and draft of the summative assignment

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures10Weekly1 hour10 
Seminars3Spread across term1 hour3 
Preparation and Reading137 
Total150 

Summative Assessment

Component: CourseworkComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Written assignment3000 words100 

Formative Assessment

Written feedback on one formative assignment. Verbal feedback in seminars.

More information

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