Course Form
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
Anthropology
Prefix and Course #
ANTH 514
Course Title
Seminar in Paleoanthropology and Evolutionary Analysis
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
Sem Paleoanth & Evol Analy
Summarize the change(s) proposed
New course
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Requestor:
Randall R. Skelton
Phone/ email :
243-4245
Randall.skelton@umontana.edu
Program Chair/Director:
John Douglas
Other affected programs
Dean:
Chris Comer
Are other departments/programs affected by this
Please obtain signature(s) from the
modification because of
Chair/Director of any such department/
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
program (above) before submission
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
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.
NO
Common Course Numbering Review: Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere YES
X
in the MUS? Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with
existing course(s)? Please indicate equivalent course/campus 
http://mus.edu/transfer/CCN/ccn_default.asp
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 514 Seminar in Paleoanthropology and Evolutionary Analysis 3 cr. (R6) Offered autumn of odd
numbered years. . Prereq., ANTH 515 or consent of instructor. Exploration of selected aspects of the human
fossil, archaeological, & genetic records and the theories and methods of evolutionary analysis used to analyze
them.
Justification: How does the course fit with the existing curriculum? Why is it needed?
Previously I have taught my graduate seminars as ANTH 511: Seminars in Physical Anthropology.
However, as part of the adjustments to the MA Forensic Anthropology Option (separate form) we are
deleting that class. Also, creating a new course in background theory and methods in biological/physical
anthropology allows us to develop more specific courses with greater depth. Since my seminars focus on
paleoanthropology and evolutionary analysis it seems logical to create this course as a framework in which to
offer them.
Are there curricular adjustments to accommodate teaching this course?
Delete ANTH 511
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?
YES
NO
X
Justification:
IV. To Delete or Change an Existing Course – check X all that apply
Deletion
Title
Course Number
From:
Level U, UG, G
Change
To:
Description Change
Change in Credits
From:
To:
Prerequisites
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
From:
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.
The following is a syllabus for a course I taught as ANTH 511 in fall, 2008. It is an example of the
type of thing I would teach in this course.
ANTH 511: Seminar in Physical Anthropology
ANCIENT MIGRATIONS
Fall, 2008: TR 12:40 – 2:00 in SS 250
Dr. Randall Skelton 226 Social Sciences Building
Office Hours: MWF 10:10-11:00, TR: 12:00-12:30
Phone: 243-4245, Email: randall.skelton@umontana.edu
In the 1970's, L.L. Cavalli-Sforza and others demonstrated a general
correspondence between gene frequency distributions and linguistic groups. This was a
surprise because through most of the 20th century anthropologists subscribed to the point
of view that genes, culture, and language are independent of each other. This pioneering
work initiated a field of inquiry into human migration and population history that is
fundamentally multidisciplinary. In the decades since, the results of DNA analysis,
archaeology, bioarchaeology, and other fields have also contributed to our understanding
of the historic and prehistoric forces that have shaped contemporary human populations.
This class will be an exploration of the use of DNA, gene frequency, bioarchaeology,
paleoanthropology, archaeology, linguistics, and other data, to investigate the migrations
and population history of modern humans. The focus will be on identifying when modern
humans first arrived in a region, the transformations and interactions they experienced
through time, and the major populations and isolates living there today. The primary
theoretical framework will be cladistic (i.e. change caused by endogenous mechanisms,
adaptive or not) with due consideration given to ethnogenetic (i.e. population interaction)
and diffusional models for change in biology, culture, and language through time.
This class is intended for MA and PhD students in all subfields of anthropology.
This class will follow classic seminar format, which is intended to help graduate
students make the transition from instructor-driven education modes (e.g. lectures followed
by exams) to student-driven education modes (e.g. thesis, professional paper, or
dissertation research). Following this format, the class meetings will normally consist of
presentations combined with discussion. I will lead the first few class meetings, but I
expect that students will take over the presentations/discussions after that. Each student
will be responsible for two or more presentations, perhaps as a member of a presentation
team. For each class meeting I will provide you with one or more readings that everyone
must read and the presenter should use as a starting point for their further research into
the topic. For each class meeting I will supply a few questions that the
presentation/discussion should explore, though these are intended only as a starting point
for discussion.
Grading will be based on general class participation, presentations, and a term
paper. These will all be combined equally with a total of 90% or more earning an A, 80 to
89% a B, and so on.
Students who do well in this class can expect the following outcomes:
• develop familiarity with the findings from the field of ancient migration studies;
• gain a feel for the literature of ancient migration studies, as it exists in several different
fields;
• improvement in the skill of synthesis in the form of combining and reconciling disparate
data;
• build the skill of reading “smart”;
• develop breadth of knowledge by learning the vocabulary of, and gaining familiarity with
a variety of current methods and theories used in the sciences;
• improved skills in searching for appropriate literature;
• improved skills in communicating knowledge, both orally and in writing.
This is a class that spans all the subdisciplines of anthropology and encompasses
the entire world. There is a massive amount of data on ancient migrations that has not
been well sythesized. There are three hypotheses that I will reject as ridiculous: (1) that
students with a background and interest in one subdiscipline are incapable of
understanding the data or results of another subdiscipline; (2) that North America is the
only geographic region of interest and/or relevance, and (3) that information on the
genetics, linguistics, or archaeology of a given geographic region does not exist. I will not
be receptive to arguments or excuses based on these hypotheses.
PRESENTATION SCHEDULE
DATE DAY TOPIC
PRESENTER
8/26
8/28
9/2
9/4
9/8
9/11
9/16
9/18
9/23
9/25
9/30
10/2
10/7
10/9
10/14
10/16
10/21
10/23
10/28
10/30
11/4
11/6
11/11
11/13
11/18
11/20
11/25
11/27
12/2
12/4
12/8
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01. Introduction
02. Models of Transmission of Everything
03. Methods of Phylogenetic Analysis (Cladistics)
04. An Overview of Human Evolution
05. Working with DNA Evidence
06. Working with Allele Frequency Evidence
07. Working with Bioarchaeological Evidence
08. Working with Archaeological Evidence
09. Working with Linguistic Evidence
10. Working with Other Types of Evidence
11. Out of Africa Migrations: 40 to 100kya
12. Interactions Between Modern and Pre-Modern Humans
13. The 50kya “Language/Culture Event”
14. Modern Populations of Africa
15. Southwest Eurasia (i.e. the Middle East)
16. Northwest Eurasia (i.e. Europe)
17. Isolates of Europe (Basques, Saami, Romani, et al.)
18. Central and South Eurasia (i.e. India and the “Stans”)
19. Australia and New Guinea
20. Southeast Eurasia (i.e. Laos, Malaysia, Java, etc.)
!!! Election Day Holiday !!!
21. Far East Eurasia (i.e. China, Japan, Korea, etc.)
!!! Veterans’ Day Holiday !!!
22. North Eurasia (i.e. Siberia)
23. Isolates of Eastern Eurasia (Ainu, Vedda, etc.)
24. The Americas: Initial Migrations
25. The Americas: Modern Native American Populations
!!! Thanksgiving Holiday !!!
26. The Pacific Islands
27. Summary and Conclusions
10:10-12:10 Final wrap-up of class. Papers due.
Randy
Randy
Randy
Randy
Randy
I will assign topics and readings at the second meeting of the class. Come prepared with a
list of your top 3 preferred presentations.
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.
Revised 11-2009