To view current course offerings, visit the Fall 2023 Courses page.

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50:443:201 Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies (DIV) (3)

This course is an introduction to the study of women as a diverse social group with a history, culture, and experience of their own, and to the study of gender as a category of social, cultural, and economic organization. It takes an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to incorporating race, class, and ethnicity as well as gender analysis. Emphasis is placed on contemporary issues pertaining to women, including feminism and antifeminism, work, sexuality, family relations, reproduction, and politics.

50:443:210 Global Gender Issues (DIV, GCM) (3)

This course is an introduction to contemporary gender issues both nationally and globally. Students will examine gender issues such as masculinity, feminism, transgender identity, LGBTQIA+ issues in current culture and related to topics such as health, education, trade, work, sexual identity, politics, and the environment.

50:443:211 Gender, Health, and the Environment (DIV) (3)

This multi-disciplinary course gives students an introductory look into the key debates and theoretical approaches in understanding environmental concerns from a gender and justice perspective. It surveys key environmental topics such as water justice, natural disasters, climate change, toxic chemical exposure, superfund sites and energy development from feminist and/or queer theory perspectives. It looks at how gender, class, race and power mediate human and environmental interactions and what this means for human health and well-being. Course materials will include academic and activist texts, film and photography.

50:443:212 Creative Women in Western Culture (3)

Students will examine the work of creative women (writers, composers, playwrights, artists) in western culture from Ancient Greece to the present, and determine the material conditions that made it possible (or not) for women to be creative. In addition, they will analyze the works themselves in terms of genre, design, and subject matter, and interrogate the relationship between gender and art. Students who are successful in “Creative Women in Western Culture” will have an increased ability to interpret literary and artistic works as part of a culture, be able to justify those interpretations in writing and oral analysis, and be able to look at works or historical events from different perspectives. Students will also have an increased knowledge of a certain aspect of culture, namely the ways in which gender impacts opportunity and artistic production.

50:443:220 Sex Discrimination and Title IX (3)

This course examines sexual discrimination and sexual misconduct relevant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX protects people from sex discrimination and sexual misconduct based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. Using academic and policy literature, victimization and other statistics, government regulations, and case examples, this course explores sexual harassment and other forms of sexual misconduct, including assault, sexual exploitation, and intimate partner violence in various settings with a focus on the college campus.

50:443:225 Gender and Technology (3)

This course explores gender’s influence on our definitions of and interactions with technology. Students will analyze not only how technology itself is gendered, but the ways in which gender influences technology’s design and consumption. Students will examine how racial and gendered biases influence the design of technology and the resulting consequences. Students will consider how social justice principles can be integrated into technology design and development. This includes examining the evolution of gender in the technology workforce.

50:443:230 Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual+ (LGBTQIA+) Studies (DIV) (3)

This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to explore the emerging field of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual+ (LGBTQIA+) Studies. It begins with historical analysis and theories of sexual and gender diversity and proceeds to examine queer culture, queer community, and diversity of LGBTQIA+ communities. Text, film, art and discussion will be used to examine these topics.

50:443:297,298,299 Special Topics in Gender Studies (3)

A lower-division course on a specially selected topic.

50:443:310 Gender and Popular Culture (AAI, DIV) (3)

This course is designed to teach students how to think critically about popular culture and to achieve a certain level of cultural literacy by examining both critical essays and primary texts of popular or mass culture productions, such as advertising, television, music videos, popular music, and film.

50:443:311 Queer Crime (DIV) (3)

This course focuses on victimization of the queer community and the interaction between the queer community and the criminal justice system. It explores hate crime against LGBTQIA+ identities as well as policing, prosecution, and punishment of these queer identities. It examples stereotype and prejudices of queer identities, the criminalization of queer behavior, and marginalization of queer offenders in the criminal justice system. Materials include case studies, law, scholarly literature, and documentary film.

50:443:312 Gender and Sexuality in Crime Thrillers (AAI, DIV) (3)

This course examines gender and sexuality within the context of Hollywood cinematic crime thrillers known as film noir and neo noir. It explores how gender roles, gender expectations, as well as stereotypes about sexuality and gender playing out on-screen reflect social fears, beliefs, and realities after WWII in film noir and then in the 1980s-90s in neo noir. This includes an examination of criminality, criminal justice, and victimization. 

50:443:313 Transgender Studies (DIV) (3)

Transgender studies pulls from diverse disciplines to create an interdisciplinary field that explores how sex and gender intersect with identity and culture. This course begins with a historical account of the field. It examines complexities of identity, embodiment, language, and activism as well as the historical, medical, political, sociological, criminological, visual, and legal issues surrounding transgender and gender variant existence.

50:443:314 Masculinities (DIV) (3)

This course is an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of masculinities. Moving past the conception of gender as a fixed biological category, the course addresses the emergence and representations of multiple masculinities along interactions with race, class, sexuality, and other areas of difference. It examines gender socialization, policing, marginalization, and how diverse formations of masculinities function at the individual and collective level in various domains. Materials include academic and popular literature, film, social media, music, and more.

50:443:315 Salem Witch Trials (3)

One of the most puzzling instances of mass hysteria in history, the Salem witch trials of 1692 and 1693, was a short-lived but furious witch hunt where more than 150 people were accused of witchcraft and 19 people hanged. While many explanations have been offered, no single theory makes complete sense of why this began and why it continued for as long as it did. This class takes a look at these explanations with a special focus on gender and criminal justice. It considers the social, political, and religious context of Salem and construct a timeline of the witch hunts. It profiles key players among the afflicted and the accused as well as those involved in the court and government, taking a look at their relationships and social identities. Actual court records and transcripts are used to consider the accusations, examinations, standards of evidence, confessions, and courtroom process. Materials include scholarly literature, court records and transcripts, diaries, and film. 

50:443:320 Race, Gender, & Social Justice (3)

This course analyzes multiple forms of social oppression and inequality based on race (and color), sex (and gender), sexual orientation, and class in the United States. It will examine systemic aspects of social oppression in different periods and contexts and the ways that systems of social oppression manifest themselves on individual, cultural, institutional, and/or global levels thus becoming self-perpetuating but not wholly unaltered structures. Individual and group agency, strategies of resistance, and visions for change will also be studied.

50:443:324 Black Masculinity (3)

This course explores Black male identity in the United States from a multidisciplinary perspective, examining historical, sociological, psychological, and political factors. Relying on a variety of documentaries, guest lecturers, readings, and an interactive class dialogue, this course analyzes how forms of human difference shape people’s experiences of and perspectives on the world. The course uses social and historical analysis to prepare students to explain and be able to assess the relationship among assumptions, method, evidence, arguments, and theory in social and history analysis and to identify and critically assess issues in social science and history. 

50:443:326 Sex, Gender, and Theatre (3)

Sex, Gender, and Theatre examines the ways in which theatre has reflected and challenged societies’ views of sex, gender, and the power dynamic between the two. We will focus on six different plays: Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Or What You Will, Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9, Charles Mee’s Big Love, David Henry Hwang’s 2017 M Butterfly, Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the vibrator play, and Basil Kriemendahl’s Orange Julius. We will interrogate the historical, cultural, and personal variability of the notion of gender itself, and how the intersection of sex, gender, and power plays out in other entertainment media we consume.

50:443:329 Sport & Gender (3)

This course, Sport & Gender, examines the way sport shapes gender and the way gender shapes sport in the US, mostly. If you are curious about the origins of sports and how sports are experienced this course provides critical frames for understanding both. Many of the more familiar sports and some unfamiliar stories will be examined. Did you know women played professional basketball in the 1930s? Do you know about the football team made up of indigenous players that played Harvard and Yale? Neither gender nor sport is consistent over time therefore historical context will provide the foundation for our multi-disciplinary study.

50:443:356 Women and American Politics (3)

This course investigates the role of gender in American politics by exploring women’s political representation, experiences, and behavior as voters, activists, and officeholders. Topics include the history of women’s political activism; trends in and impact of women’s participation as citizens, activists, candidates, and elected officials; and reasons for women’s political underrepresentation. This course pays particular attention to the intersection of gender with other identities (e.g. race/ethnicity, age, partisan identification) in American political institutions.

50:443:390,391,392 Special Topics in Gender Studies (3)

An upper-division course on a specially selected topic.

50:443:410 Gender and Work (DIV) (3)

This course explores the topic of gender and work in the public and private spheres and as paid and unpaid, formal and informal, unionized and non-unionized in the US and globally. It considers how race, class, ability, sexuality, and other identities play a role in different spheres of work.

50:443:441 Research Seminar in Gender Studies (DIV, XPL) (3)

Students engage in applied research that benefits the campus community. The research examines sex, gender, sexuality, or related topics. Prerequisite: Any 15 credits in approved gender studies and permission of instructor(s).

50:443:480 Study Abroad-Community Service in South Africa (XPL) (3)

This study abroad course involves coursework and an experiential and service learning/study trip to South Africa. Students will participate in community service and engage in applied research topics relevant to gender and sexuality.

50:443:490, 491,492 Special Topics in Gender Studies (3)

An upper-division course on a specially selected topic.

50:443:495,496 Independent Study in Gender Studies (1-3)

Students are directed by an instructor and work outside of the classroom on advocacy, creative works, research, or problem solving on topics related to sex, gender, and sexuality. Prerequisite: 50:443:201, 230, or 314 and permission of instructor.

 

 

Approved Elective Courses

Below is a list of approved elective courses that are outside of the Gender Studies Program.

NOTE: Other courses may apply.

ANTHROPOLOGY

  • 070:340 WOMEN, MEN, AND CULTURE
  • 070:345 IMMIGRATION AND FAMILIES 
  • 070:356 PEOPLES AND CULTURES OF AFRICA

ART HISTORY

  • 082:200 GENDER AND THE ARTS
  • 082:201 LGBTQ/RACE AND POPULAR CULTURE
  • 082:305 WOMEN AND ART

BIOLOGY

  • 120:106 HUMAN REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

CHILDHOOD STUDIES

  • 163:101 INTRODUCTION TO CHILDHOOD STUDIES
  • 163:270 CHILDHOOD AND DISABILITIES
  • 163:320 HISTORY OF YOUTH
  • 163:352 DEVELOPING MINDS AND BODIES
  • 163:361 YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE
  • 163:371 GLOBAL CHILDHOODS
  • 163:372 ETHNOGRAPHIES OF CHILDHOOD
  • 163:382 URBAN EDUCATION
  • 163:383 YOUTH IDENTITIES AND URBAN ECOLOGY
  • 163:384 GENDER AND EDUCATION
  • 163:386 SPECIAL TOPICS IN CHILDHOOD STUDIES: HEALTH DISPARITIES IN CHILDREN
  • 163:388 CHILDREN’S GEOGRAPHIES

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

  • 202:303 GENDER, CRIME, AND JUSTICE
  • 202:310 JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
  • 202:317 SERIAL KILLERS
  • 202:330 SOCIAL JUSTICE IN FILM
  • 202:341 CHILDREN AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
  • 202:342 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
  • 202:363 GENDER AND JUVENILE JUSTICE
  • 202:365 QUEER CRIME
  • 202:370 MASS INCARCERATION, REENTRY & JUSTICE

ENGLISH

  • 350:212 GLOBAL PERCEPTIONS OF RELIGION RACE, AND GENDER IN RELIGION
  • 350:304 WOMEN IN SPECULATIVE FICTION
  • 350:321 EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY LITERATURE
  • 350:360,388 WOMEN IN LITERATURE
  • 350:377 LITERATURE AND SEXUALITY (3)

FILM

  • 354:213 BLOCKBUSTERS AND DISABILITY
  • 354:312 WOMEN IN FILM

FRENCH

  • 420:244 WOMEN IN FRENCH LITERATURE IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

HISTORY

  • 510:370 WOMEN IN MODERN EUROPE
  • 510:381 WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
  • 512:370 WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY (D) (3)

NURSING

  • 57:705:301 NURSING OF WOMEN AND THE CHILDBEARING FAMILY
  • 57:705:302 NURSING OF WOMEN AND THE CHILDBEARING FAMILY
  • 57:705:305 NURSING OF CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS
  • 57:705:306 NURSING OF CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS
  • 57:705:310 HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN ADULT POPULATIONS
  • 57:705:311 HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN ADULT POPULATIONS
  • 57:705:416 COMPLEX HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN ADULT POPULATIONS
  • 57:705:417 COMPLEX HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN ADULT POPULATIONS

PHILOSOPHY

  • 730:247 PHILOSOPHY OF SEX, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY (EAV,DIV)
  • 730:105 INTRODUCTION TO CURRENT MORAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES
  • 730:343 SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

POLITICAL SCIENCE

  • 790:328 COMPARATIVE POLITICS OF DEVELOPING NATIONS
  • 790:356 WOMEN AND AMERICAN POLITICS
  • 790:357 GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
  • 790:364 POLITICS OF MINORITY GROUPS
  • 790:365 GENDER, RACE, AND PUBLIC POLICY
  • 790:380 WOMEN AND POLITICS IN DEVELOPING SOCIETIES
  • 790:442 HUMAN FREEDOMS AND THE CONSTITUTION

PSYCHOLOGY

  • 830:206 PSYCHOLOGY OF COUPLES AND FAMILIES
  • 830:303 PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER
  • 830:305 PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN SEXUALITY
  • 830:306 HUMAN EMOTIONS
  • 830:326 PSYCHOLOGY OF ADOLESCENCE
  • 830:373 PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN
  • 830:434 PSYCHOLOGY OF EATING

RELIGION

  • 840:215 GODS, SEX, AND VIOLENCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
  • 840:235 ISLAM AND THE MODERN WORLD
  • 840:270 GENDER, SEXUALITY, AND RELIGION
  • 840:282 FAMILY ETHICS
  • 840:335 COMPARATIVE RELIGIOUS ETHICS

SOCIAL WORK

  • 910:230 INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN SEXUALITY
  • 910:240 GLOBAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES: VULNERABILITY, HUMAN HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING
  • 910:312 SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND SERVICES II
  • 910:352 GROUPS AT RISK IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
  • 910:402 HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
  • 910:406 DIVERSITY AND OPPRESSION
  • 910:474 GENERALIST PRACTICE II
  • 910:476 CHILD WELFARE SERVICES AND PRACTICES

SOCIOLOGY

  • 920:207 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
  • 920:208 CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL PROBLEMS
  • 920:306 SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY
  • 920:313 THEORIES OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY
  • 920:345 SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
  • 920:337 WOMEN AND MEN IN SOCIETY
  • 920:348 SPECIAL TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY: MASCULINITIES

SPANISH

  • 940:391 PRINCESSES AND PERVERTS: GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN SPAN.AM. MODERNISMO
  • 940:424 THE INQUISITORIAL MIND
  • 940:426 CERVANTES