The lecuture meets two times a week from 10:15-11:30 on Tuesday and Thursday (3 credit hours). Lectures materials and activies will be posted at this site if possible, but some materials may only be available through moodle. Discussions will usually try to fall on Thursdays, and will draw from current literature and require active participation. There are a number of required journal articles that should be read for class. They will typically be written beyond the scope of class materials at the time, so you will be expected to be, in part, confused. Perfection is not expected in this class.

Schedule 2026

The schedule in progress and a draft will be available prior to the registration deadline.

Grading

Grading will consist of three exams, a class project, and paper discussions. The class project will be a poster on an assigned clade and topic done in small groups. Guidance on poster projects is available on the projects page. The precise point distribution and dates for project phases are TBD.

What makes the 595 version different from 495?

Graduate students enrolled in the 595 version of the course will have an additional expectation to write a research proposal in evolutionary biology that builds off of your current research projects or interests. Research proposals should provide a plausible basis for a graduate student or postdoc fellowship proposal, or at least, help develop some background for manuscripts you are working on. Guidance on research proposal projects is available on the projects page.

Those enrolled in the 595 version will also have to lead or co-lead a paper discussion and provide near-peer mentoring for poster projects.