Course Form (revised 8-2009)
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
Anthropology
Prefix and Course #
ANTH 553
Course Title
Seminar in Evolutionary Archaeology
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
Evolutionary Archaeology
Summarize the change(s) proposed
Make ANTH 553 a permanent course (previously
ANTH 595 Special Topics Variable with same title)
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Requestor:
Anna M. Prentiss
Phone/ email :
X6152/anna.prentiss@umontana.edu
Program Chair/Director:
Other affected programs
Dean:
III: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into
section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
YES
NO
Common Course Numbering Review: Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere
XX
in the MUS? Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with
existing course(s)? Please indicate equivalent course/campus 
http://msudw.msu.montana.edu:9030/wfez/owa/musxfer.p_CCN_MAIN
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits,
repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
G ANTH 553 Evolutionary Archaeology 3cr. Offered intermittently. Examination of method and theory
in Darwinian evolutionary archaeology. Seminar assignments and discussions focus on human behavioral
ecology, cultural transmission, and macroevolution.
Justification: How does the course fit with the existing curriculum? Why is it needed?
Our current graduate curriculum in anthropological archaeology emphasizes cultural heritage studies with a
broad focus on ethical issues, management and policy, social theory, and historical archaeology. While
evolutionary theory has played a critical role in the development of American archaeology and offers a
powerful array of methodological tools for cultural heritage studies, our department has not offered a course
that would expose graduate students to this information. The proposed course will fill that gap and in so
doing provide students with the opportunity to develop Darwinian approaches to archaeological data and
cultural heritage.
Are there curricular adjustments to accommodate teaching this course?
No
Complete for UG courses. (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment (Reference guidelines: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/Grad/UG.htm)
Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific conditions determined by the Board
of Regents. Please indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
IV. To Delete or Change an Existing Course – check X all that apply
Deletion
Title
Course Number
From:
Level U, UG, G
From:
YES
NO
xx
Change
To:
Description Change
Change in Credits
From:
To:
Prerequisites
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
To:
Repeatability
Cross Listing
(primary program
initiates form)
Is there a fee associated with the
course?
2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course
number
4. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering? If yes, then will this change eliminate the
course’s common course status? Please explain below.
5. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to UG.
Reference guidelines at:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/Grad/UG.htm
(syllabus required in section V)
Have you reviewed the graduate increment
guidelines? Please check (X) space provided.
6. Other programs affected by the change
7. Justification for proposed change
V. Syllabus/Assessment Information
Required for new courses and course change from U to UG. Paste syllabus in field below or attach and send
digital copy with form.
Anthropology 595: SEMINAR IN EVOLUTIONARY ARCHAEOLOGY
Anthropology 595, Seminar in Evolutionary Archaeology is a graduate seminar designed to
expose students to the fast-growing world of Darwinian evolutionary archaeology. The seminar will
have two specific goals. First, students will gain a basic understanding of the major trends in
current archaeological evolutionary thinking with a focus on coevolution or dual inheritance theory,
evolutionary archaeology or selectionism, behavioral ecology, and macroevolutionary approaches to
archaeology. Second, students will gain experience in applying the tenets of Darwinian
evolutionary theory to the development and analysis of archaeological data. Students will emerge
from the course with enhanced abilities to link theoretical problems to strategies for collection and
analysis of archaeological data within an evolutionary framework.
Professor: Dr. Anna M. Prentiss; Office: Social Sciences 205; Telephone: 243-6152; Message
Telephone (Anthropology Department) 243-2693; email: anna.prentiss@umontana.edu; Office
hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9-10, 11-12, or by appointment.
Text/Readings:
Boyd, Robert and Peter J. Richerson
2005a Not By Our Genes Alone. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Boyd, Robert and Peter J. Richerson
2005b The Origin and Evolution of Cultures. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Cannon, M.D. and Jack Broughton
2009 Evolutionary Ecology and Archaeology. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City.
Hart, John P. and John Edward Terrell
2002 Darwin and Archaeology: A Handbook of Key Concepts. Bergin and Garvey,
Westport, CT.
Kelly, Robert L.
1995 The Foraging Spectrum. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington.
O’Brien, Michael J.
1996 Evolutionary Archaeology: Theory and Application. University of Utah Press, Salt
Lake City.
O’Brien, Michael J.
2008 Cultural Transmission and Archaeology: Issues and Case Studies. SAA Press,
Washington.
Prentiss, Anna Marie, Ian Kuijt, and James C. Chatters
2009 Macroevolution in Human Prehistory: Evolutionary Theory and Processual
Archaeology. Springer, New York.
Shennan, Stephen
2002 Genes, Memes and Human History: Darwinian Archaeology and Cultural
Evolution. Thames and Hudson, London.
Teltser, Patrice A.
1995 Evolutionary Archaeology: Methodological Issues. University of Arizona Press,
Tucson.
Grade Determination:
Seminar assignments are designed to develop student skills in reading and understanding the
literature in Darwinian archaeology and designing and implementing research projects within this
framework. Assignments are as follows:
1. Each student is required to write two reviews of research articles (from the reading list or
elsewhere). The articles must have an evolutionary research focus and incorporate actual data
collection and analysis (I don’t want a review of a purely theoretical paper). The paper should
address several specific questions. What is the theoretical approach? How does the theoretical
approach inform specific research questions and data collection approach? Are results/conclusions
warranted in your estimation? What are the broader implications of the study? The paper should be
approximately five pages in length and written using American Antiquity style. Due date for both
papers: October 31 (100 points each).
2. Each student is required to write a 20-25 page research paper (again using American Antiquity
style). The research paper will present results of a study that will include an explicit analysis of
archaeological data developed in an evolutionary framework (dual inheritance theory, selectionism,
evolutionary ecology, macroevolutionary theory). The paper will include in introduction to the
problem, a discussion of theoretical background and previous research, methods, analysis, and final
discussion. The goal is to stimulate each student to explore in depth one evolutionary model by
developing it as a research tool for a context of your choice. The research paper is due December 8.
It is worth 250 points.
Assignments must be well written with minimal grammatical problems, spelling issues, etc. If you
have writing problems you should seriously consider visiting the university writing center for extra
help. Assignments must demonstrate an attempt by you to obtain and cite the critical
anthropological literature associated with your research topic. Assignments with minimal citation of
the literature will be scored low (that is also what will happen to you in the “real world”).
3. All students will participate in seminar activities. Participation will include presentation of
readings and research result. Participation is worth 50 points.
Grades will be determined on the basis of total points achieved:
Assignments (see below)
Seminar Participation
Total
450 Points
50 Points
500 Points
Students with 90% (450 points) or more will receive an "A," etc. Deadlines are extended only in
cases of illness (with a doctor's note) or an emergency.
Reading List and Schedule
(August 29) Introduction and Background
Reading:
Hart and Terrell
Shennan (Chapters 1 and 2)
(September 5) Descent with Modification? Modeling Culture as an Inheritance System.
Reading:
Boyd and Richerson (2005a)
Shennan (Chapters 1-3)
(September 12) Case Studies in Dual Inheritance Theory
Reading:
Boyd and Richerson (2005b)
(September 19) Archaeological Studies in Transmission Theory
Reading:
O’Brien (2008)
(September 26) Does natural selection act on artifacts? Introduction to Evolutionary
Archaeology
Reading:
O’Brien (1996)
Shennan (Chapter 4)
(October 3) Case Studies in Evolutionary Archaeology
Reading:
O’Brien (1996, 2008)
Teltser
(October 10) Microeconomics, Evolution and Human Behavior: Introduction to Behavioral
Ecology
Reading:
Kelly (Chapters 2-6)
Shennan (Chapters 5 and 6)
(October 17) Archaeological Case Studies in Behavioral Ecology
Reading:
Cannon and Broughton
(October 24) Darwinian Study of Gender and Social Contracts
Reading:
Kelly (Chapters 7 and 8)
Shennan (Chapters 7 and 8)
Additional Readings TBA
(October 31) Macroevolutionary Analysis of Culture: Group Selection and Hierarchy Theory;
Review Papers Due
Reading:
Shennan (Chapters 9 and 10)
Prentiss et al.
(November 7) Student Research Presentations
(November 14) Student Research Presentations
(November 21) Student Research Presentations
(November 28) Holiday
(December 5) Student Research Presentations
(December 8) Research Papers Due (5:00 PM)
(December 12) Open Office Hours
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course
number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of
proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.