Learning Outcomes
1.
Demonstrated strong foundation of knowledge in social science and evolutionary biology and genetics
2.
Skills to critically analyze and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data and social biological theories
3.
Formulation of effective and convincing written and oral arguments that integrate biological and social evidence
4.
Work well in multidisciplinary teams
5.
Skills at communicating across disciplines and leveraging knowledge from multiple perspectives
6.
Demonstrated proficiency in at least one area of concentration at the interface between biology and society
7.
Integration of ethical, legal, and societal concerns in planning, conducting, and assessing research
8.
Use of societal and biological information to critically assess complex real-world problems and to employ interdisciplinary skills to help solve them
Entry to the Major
Admission
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.
Pre-major standing is not required to apply for the major. A copy of the major application is available on the department major web page.
Pre-Major
Incoming first years may be admitted as pre-majors 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 pre-major standing.
Transfer Students
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 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.
Major Requirements
Preparation for the Major
Complete one core course, six required courses, and four social theory courses as follows:
Core Course
Required Courses
Complete six courses as follows:
Anthropology
Complete the following course:
Chemistry
Life Sciences
Complete the following three courses:
Statistics
Social Theory Courses
Select four courses (minimum of 16 units) from the following courses or range:
Courses
Only one course from Asian American Studies 10 or 10W may be applied. Only one course from Asian American Studies 20 or 20W may be applied. Only one course from Asian American Studies 40 or 40W may be applied. Only one course from Asian American Studies 50 or 50W may be applied. Only one course from Philosophy 22 or 22W may be applied.
AF AMER 1 - Introduction to Black StudiesAF AMER M5 - Social Organization of Black CommunitiesAF AMER 6 - Trends in Black Intellectual ThoughtAM IND M10 - Introduction to American Indian StudiesANTHRO 3 - Culture and SocietyASIA AM 10 - History of Asian AmericansASIA AM 10W - History of Asian AmericansASIA AM 20 - Contemporary Asian American CommunitiesASIA AM 20W - Contemporary Asian American CommunitiesASIA AM 40 - Asian American MovementASIA AM 40W - Asian American MovementASIA AM 50 - Asian American WomenASIA AM 50W - Asian American WomenCCAS 10A - Introduction to Chicana/Chicano Studies: History and CultureCCAS 10B - Introduction to Chicana/Chicano Studies: Social Structure and Contemporary ConditionsENGL M30 - Environmental Literature and CultureENVIRON M30 - Environmental Literature and CultureGENDER 10 - Introduction to Gender StudiesGEOG 3 - Cultural GeographyHIST 3A - History of Science: Renaissance to 1800HIST 3B - History of Science: Enlightment to 1900HIST 3C - History of Science: 20th CenturyHIST 3D - History of Modern MedicineHIST 12A - Inequality: History of Mass ImprisonmentHIST 12B - Inequality: History of NeoliberalismHIST 12C - Inequality: Global History of Anti-Colonial Thought and StruggleHNRS 70A - Genetic Engineering in Medicine, Agriculture, and LawLBR STD M1A - Work, Labor, and Social Justice in U.S.LBR STD M1B - Work, Labor, and Social Justice in U.S.LBR STD M1CW - Work, Labor, and Social Justice in U.S.: Special TopicsLBR STD 10 - Introduction to Labor and Workplace StudiesMCD BIO 50 - Stem Cell Biology, Politics, and Ethics: Teasing Apart IssuesMCD BIO 60 - Biomedical EthicsPHILOS 3 - Historical Introduction to PhilosophyPHILOS 4 - Philosophical Analysis of Contemporary Moral IssuesPHILOS 6 - Introduction to Political PhilosophyPHILOS 7 - Introduction to Philosophy of MindPHILOS 8 - Introduction to Philosophy of SciencePHILOS 22 - Introduction to Ethical TheoryPHILOS 22W - Introduction to Ethical TheoryPOL SCI 10 - Introduction to Political TheoryPOL SCI 40 - Introduction to American PoliticsPUB AFF 10 - Social Problems and Social ChangePUB AFF 20 - Power, Politics, and Policy ChangePUB AFF 30 - Comparative Analysis of Wealth, Policy, and PowerPUB AFF 80 - How Social Environments Shape Human DevelopmentSOC GEN 125 - Critical Study of Health, Sickness, and Healing in Global PerspectiveSOCIOL 1 - Introductory SociologySOCIOL M5 - Social Organization of Black Communities
Clusters
The Major
Complete 11 to 12 courses as follows:
Required Society and Genetics Courses
Society and Genetics 195CE, 196, or 199
Electives
Select six courses (minimum 24 units) with at least 2 courses (8 units) from society and genetics from:
AN N EA 162 - Archaeology, Identity, and BibleAN N EA CM163 - Archaeology of IranANTHRO 100 - History of AnthropologyANTHRO 110 - Principles of ArchaeologyANTHRO 111 - Theory in Anthropological ArchaeologyANTHRO 124P - Human Behavioral EcologyANTHRO 124Q - Evolutionary PsychologyANTHRO 124S - Evolution of Human Sexual BehaviorANTHRO 126Q - Evolution of Genus HomoANTHRO 128P - Primate Behavior Nonhuman to HumanANTHRO M128Q - Animal CommunicationANTHRO M128S - Primate Genetics, Ecology, and ConservationANTHRO M128T - Amazon in AnthropoceneANTHRO 131 - Critical Social TheoryANTHRO 143 - Economic AnthropologyANTHRO M145P - Marriage, Family, and KinshipANTHRO 145S - Culture, Gender, SexualityANTHRO M148 - (When) Do Leaders Make Differences?ANTHRO M150 - Language in CultureANTHRO M166Q - Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa)ARABIC M171 - Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa)ASIA AM 113 - Asian Americans and LawASIA AM M117 - Asian American Personality and Mental HealthCCAS CM106 - Health in Chicano/Latino PopulationCCAS M124 - Latinx Immigration Policy and PoliticsCCAS CM182 - Understanding Whiteness in American History and CultureCOMM 101 - Freedom of CommunicationCOMM 126 - Evolution of Interpersonal CommunicationCOMM M127 - Animal CommunicationCOMM 148 - Marketing CommunicationsCOM SCI C121 - Probabilistic Models in Computational GenomicsCOM SCI C124 - Machine Learning Applications in GeneticsDIS STD 101W - Perspectives on Disability StudiesDIS STD M121 - Topics in Gender and DisabilitiesDIS STD M148 - Sociology of Mental IllnessDIS STD M166 - Health-Care EthicsDIS STD M183 - Being Human: Identity and Mental IllnessEE BIOL 100 - Introduction to Ecology and BehaviorEE BIOL 116 - Conservation BiologyEE BIOL 120 - EvolutionEE BIOL 121 - Molecular EvolutionEE BIOL C126 - Behavioral EcologyEE BIOL 129 - Animal BehaviorEE BIOL 130 - Principles of Systematic BiologyEE BIOL C135 - Population GeneticsEE BIOL M157 - Biology of Superheroes: Exploring Limits of Form and FunctionEE BIOL 175 - Evolutionary Dynamics of SexEE BIOL 176 - Ecological EthicsENGL M118F - Food Cultures and Food PoliticsENVIRON M125 - Environmentalism: Past, Present, and FutureENVIRON M133 - Environmental SociologyENV HLT 100 - Introduction to Environmental HealthENV HLT C185A - Foundations of Environmental Health SciencesENV HLT C185B - Foundations of Environmental Health Sciences for Public Health ProfessionalsEPIDEM 100 - Principles of EpidemiologyFOOD ST M132 - Food Cultures and Food PoliticsFOOD ST M136 - Eating Society: Science and Politics of Food from Individual to Planetary HealthGENDER M110C - Topics in Feminist Philosophy: Metaphysics and EpistemologyGENDER M114 - Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer StudiesGENDER M121 - Topics in Gender and DisabilitiesGENDER 125 - Perspectives on Women's HealthGENDER 134 - Gender, Science, and TheoryGENDER M154P - Marriage, Family, and KinshipGENDER M162 - Sociology of GenderGENDER M164 - Politics of Reproduction and Everyday LifeGENDER M165 - Psychology of GenderGENDER M167 - Contested SexualitiesGENDER 171A - Women, Gender, and Law: Jurisprudence of Sexual EqualityGENDER M180B - Historical Perspectives on Gender and ScienceGEOG M125 - Environmentalism: Past, Present, and FutureGEOG M131 - Human Impact on Biophysical EnvironmentGEOG M142 - (When) Do Leaders Make Differences?GLBL ST 102 - Globalization: Markets and ResourcesGLBL ST 104 - Globalization: Culture and SocietyHIST M108C - Culture Area of Maghrib (North Africa)HIST M151C - Understanding Whiteness in American History and CultureHIST 164D - Topics in African History: Africa and Diaspora in Global and Comparative PerspectiveHIST 179A - Variable Topics in History of MedicineHIST 179B - History of Medicine: Foundations of Modern MedicineHIST 180A - Topics in History of ScienceHIST M180B - Historical Perspectives on Gender and ScienceHIST 180C - Science and Technology in 20th CenturyHIST 191B - Capstone Seminar: History—MedievalHIST 191C - Capstone Seminar: History—EuropeHIST C191D - Topics in History: U.S.HIST 191E - Capstone Seminar: History—Latin AmericaHIST C191F - Topics in History: Near EastHIST 191G - Capstone Seminar: History—East AsiaHIST 191I - Capstone Seminar: History—Science/TechnologyHIST C191J - Topics in History: AfricaHIST C191K - Topics in History: History of ReligionsHIST C191L - Topics in History: Jewish HistoryHIST 191M - Capstone Seminar: History—Southeast AsiaHIST C191N - Topics in History: IndiaHIST C191O - Topics in History: WorldHNRS M143 - Latinx Immigration Policy and PoliticsHNRS M152 - (When) Do Leaders Make Differences?HNRS 177 - Biotechnology and ArtHNRS M183 - Being Human: Identity and Mental IllnessHUM GEN CM113 - Ethical, Legal, and Societal Topics in Genetic CounselingHUM GEN C144 - Genomic TechnologyLGBTQS M114 - Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer StudiesLING 110 - Introduction to Historical LinguisticsLING 114 - American Indigenous LinguisticsLING 127 - Syntactic Typology and UniversalsLING 130 - Language DevelopmentLING 132 - Language ProcessingLING C135 - NeurolinguisticsLING M146 - Language in CultureLING M150 - Introduction to Indo-European LinguisticsLING 170 - Language and Society: Introduction to SociolinguisticsMED HIS M169 - History of NeurosciencesMIMG 101 - Introductory MicrobiologyMIMG 103AL - Research Immersion Laboratory in VirologyMIMG C122 - Mouse Molecular GeneticsMIMG CM156 - Human Genetics and GenomicsMIMG 158 - Microbial GenomicsMIMG 168 - Molecular ParasitologyMIMG 185A - ImmunologyMCD BIO 138 - Developmental BiologyMCD BIO 144 - Molecular Biology of Cellular ProcessesMCD BIO CM156 - Human Genetics and GenomicsMCD BIO 165A - Biology of CellsMCD BIO 168 - Stem Cell BiologyMCD BIO 172 - Genomics and BioinformaticsNEURBIO M169 - History of NeurosciencesNEUROSC 180 - Genetic, Molecular, and Genomic Approaches to Neural Development and DiseasePHILOS M124 - Philosophy of Science: HistoricalPHILOS 125 - Philosophy of Science: ContemporaryPHILOS 129 - Philosophy of PsychologyPHILOS 130 - Philosophy of Space and TimePHILOS 137 - Philosophy of BiologyPHILOS 150 - Society and MoralsPHILOS 153A - Topics in Ethical Theory: Normative EthicsPHILOS 154 - Topics in Value Theory: Rationality and ActionPHILOS C154B - Topics in Value Theory: Moral Responsibility and Free WillPHILOS 155A - Medical EthicsPHILOS 155B - Topics in Medical EthicsPHILOS C156 - Topics in Political PhilosophyPHILOS 157A - History of Political PhilosophyPHILOS 157B - History of Political PhilosophyPHILOS 170 - Philosophy of MindPHILOS M187 - Topics in Feminist Philosophy: Metaphysics and EpistemologyPHYSCI 111A - Foundations in Physiological SciencePHYSCI 111B - Foundations in Physiological SciencePHYSCI 140 - Hormones and Behavior in Humans and Other AnimalsPHYSCI 147 - Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryPHYSCI 149 - Systems Biology and Mechanisms of Major Cardiometabolic DiseasesPHYSCI 177 - NeuroethologyPSYCH M107 - Asian American Personality and Mental HealthPSYCH 110 - Fundamentals of LearningPSYCH 112A - Basic Processes of Motivated BehaviorPSYCH 112B - Psychobiology of Fear and AnxietyPSYCH 115 - Principles of Behavioral NeurosciencePSYCH M117A - Neuroscience: From Molecules to Mind—Cellular and Systems NeurosciencePSYCH M117B - Neuroscience: From Molecules to Mind—Molecular and Developmental NeurosciencePSYCH M117C - Neuroscience: From Molecules to Mind—Behavioral and Cognitive NeurosciencePSYCH 127A - Clinical Psychological SciencePSYCH 129C - Culture and Mental HealthPSYCH M140 - Introduction to Study of AgingPSYCH M165 - Psychology of GenderPUB HLT M106 - Health in Chicano/Latino PopulationPUB HLT C150 - Fundamentals of Public HealthSOC WLF M140 - Introduction to Study of AgingSOC WLF 162 - Health Policy and ServicesSOC GEN 108 - Human Biology, Genetics, and SocietySOC GEN M113 - Ethical, Legal, and Societal Topics in Genetic CounselingSOC GEN 120 - Genetics and Human HistorySOC GEN 121 - Race, Science, and CitizenshipSOC GEN 130 - Biotechnology and SocietySOC GEN M132 - Food Cultures and Food PoliticsSOC GEN M133 - Environmental SociologySOC GEN 134 - Food and Health in Global PerspectiveSOC GEN M136 - Eating Society: Science and Politics of Food from Individual to Planetary HealthSOC GEN 141 - Nature versus Nurture: Genes and EnvironmentSOC GEN M142 - Primate Genetics, Ecology, and ConservationSOC GEN M143 - Amazon in AnthropoceneSOC GEN 146 - Evolution in AnthropoceneSOC GEN M157 - Biology of Superheroes: Exploring Limits of Form and FunctionSOC GEN 160 - Politics of HereditySOC GEN 161 - Controversy and Behavior GeneticsSOC GEN 162 - Biotechnologies, Law, and BodySOC GEN 163 - Science and Popular Movements: Controversy, Conflict, and CollaborationSOC GEN 164 - Ethics in Health and ResearchSOC GEN 165 - Introduction to BioethicsSOC GEN M166 - Health-Care EthicsSOC GEN 174 - What's Wrong with Science?SOC GEN 175 - Current Directions in Social and Historical Study of ScienceSOC GEN 180 - Special Courses in Society and GeneticsSOC GEN M183 - Being Human: Identity and Mental IllnessSOC GEN 188 - Special Courses in Society and GeneticsSOC GEN 195CE - Community and Corporate Internships in Society and GeneticsSOC GEN 197 - Individual Studies in Society and GeneticsSOC GEN 199 - Directed Research in Society and GeneticsSOCIOL M115 - Environmental SociologySOCIOL 130 - Self and SocietySOCIOL 132 - Social Psychology: Sociological ApproachesSOCIOL 134 - Culture and PersonalitySOCIOL M136 - Eating Society: Science and Politics of Food from Individual to Planetary HealthSOCIOL 138 - Death, Dying, and AfterlifeSOCIOL 143 - Human Health and SocietySOCIOL M144 - Stress and Society: Biology and InequalitySOCIOL 145 - Sociology of Deviant BehaviorSOCIOL M148 - Sociology of Mental IllnessSOCIOL 154 - Race and Ethnicity in Latin AmericaSOCIOL 156 - Race and Ethnicity in American LifeSOCIOL M162 - Sociology of GenderSOCIOL M164 - Politics of Reproduction and Everyday LifeSOCIOL 170 - Medical SociologyURBN PL M165 - Environmentalism: Past, Present, and Future
Optional Subfocus Areas
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 optionally select any subfocus area as part of the required elective courses for the major.
Cell Development
Complete the following three courses:
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Select three courses from:
ANTHRO 124P - Human Behavioral EcologyANTHRO 124S - Evolution of Human Sexual BehaviorANTHRO 126Q - Evolution of Genus HomoANTHRO 128P - Primate Behavior Nonhuman to HumanEE BIOL 100 - Introduction to Ecology and BehaviorEE BIOL 116 - Conservation BiologyEE BIOL 120 - EvolutionEE BIOL 121 - Molecular EvolutionEE BIOL C126 - Behavioral EcologyEE BIOL 129 - Animal BehaviorEE BIOL 130 - Principles of Systematic BiologyEE BIOL C135 - Population GeneticsEE BIOL 175 - Evolutionary Dynamics of SexEE BIOL 176 - Ecological Ethics
Microbiology and Immunology
Complete Microbiology 101, C185A, and one course from the following:
Microbiology 101 and C185A
Molecular Biology and Genomics
Complete Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 144, 172, and one course from the following:
Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 144 and 172
Physiology
Complete Physiological Science 111A, 111B, and one course from the following:
Physiological Science 111A and 111B
Additional Courses
Select one course from:
Population Genetics
Computer Science C124, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology C135, or Society and Genetics 120
Select two courses from:
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 120, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 121, or Human Genetics C144
Select one course from:
Psychology and Mental Health
Select three courses from:
Honors Program
To receive departmental honors, students must take each course in the major for a letter grade and complete all upper-division courses in the major with an overall grade-point average of 3.5 or better. For highest departmental honors, students must complete a research project and receive a grade of A or better in Society and Genetics 108, 197, or 199.
Policies
Preparation for the Major Policies
Each course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must complete all pre-major courses with a cumulative minimum grade-point average of 2.9.
The Major Policies
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.