All primates (non-human and human) have the capacity for flexible biological responses to environmental change. Due to the wide range of environments in which primate species are found this flexibility often results in extreme adaptability in diet and food intake. This course looks at this dietary flexibility and how it may impact or limit nutritional intake across time and space and in turn how this may impact issues of health and population viability. Using both cross-species and cross-cultural comparative approaches this course will specifically explore how nutrition relates to disease dynamics and health in various physical environments across all primates, both extinct and extant. The main sections of the course will include exploring the adequacy of different diets, issues of both malnutrition and overnutrition, and the impact of nutrition for reproduction and growth in both juvenile and adolescent periods. It will also consider how changing environments alter nutritional intakes to potentially impact population health in new ways. Finally, it will consider the methodological challenges of studying nutrition in living or dead primates (human and non- human) to highlight how this may affect our interpretations of the relationships we discuss throughout the course.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:- Demonstrate the ability to identify key facts and commonalities between concepts relating to nutrition and disease;
- Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of fundamental concepts in nutrition, epidemiology and adaptability through the use of cross species and cross cultural comparisons;
- Demonstrate an understanding of principals from current research papers in subjects relevant to nutrition and disease and use them in the development of their own written and verbal arguments
- Use a selective case study approach to explain a topic or argument in the field orally, in a clear, concise, analytical and evidence-based manner;
- Synthesize tutorial readings and their own case study to generate insightful questions for class discussion; and
- Draw together material from a range of scholarly sources relevant to a topic in the field, to form a unified text which sets out an independent and critical assessment of that material.
Indicative Assessment
Research Essay and Presentation:- One 4000 word research essay (50%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 6]
- One 15-minute conference style presentation of research essay (10%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4]
Two x 45-minute midterm exams (15% each x 2 = 30%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 2]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials; and b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.Requisite and Incompatibility
Preliminary Reading
Harrison, G., Tanner, J., Pilbeam, D. and Baker, P. Human Biology, Part IV, 3rd edn, Oxford UP, 1988.
Ashcroft, F. Life at the Extremes, Harper Collins, 2000.
McMichael, T. Human Frontiers, Environments and Disease, Cambridge UP, 2001.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4050 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
