Gender & Women's Studies

Undergraduate Courses

See Topnet for Class Meeting Schedule

Summer 2023

Approved Electives:

DANC 360 Dance in Culture: Moving History

Survey of world dance forms, emphasizing social, cultural and aesthetic principles defining these forms. Gender, racial, political and religious orientations shaping dance history are examined. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC

FACS 311 Family Relations

Study of issues affecting individual and family well-being. Interpersonal relationships and communication skills necessary to achieve quality of life are addressed. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code SB

FACS 495 Family and Relationship Violence

A study of the dynamics underlying interpersonal violence and theoretical perspectives regarding the etiology of violent behavior. Analysis of behaviors indicative of violent relationships and various treatment modalities as they are applied to individuals and families are emphasized.

HIST 335 Twentieth Century Europe

A survey of Europe during the twentieth century that covers developments in social, cultural, political, intellectual, and gender history. Note: Permission of instructor.

PSY/PSYS 350 Social Psychology

A general introduction to social psychology for majors and non-majors in psychology. The psychology of how people think about and relate to others. Topics include love, altruism, aggression, conformity, behavior in groups, leadership, intergroup conflict, prejudice, and persuasion. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC | SB

PSYS 453 Psychology of Women

Scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of girls and women. Topics include gender differences and similarities, inclusion of females in psychological research, psychological development of girls and women, sexuality, and mental health issues. Note: Six hours in psychology are required in addition to the prerequisites or permission of instructor.

SOCL 435 Family Violence

A sociological perspective on family violence in the United States, emphasizing child abuse and intimate partner violence. Research, theory, laws, treatment and prevention are analyzed.

 

Fall 2023

Core Courses:

GWS 200 Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies

Drawing on historical perspectives and cultural analysis, this course examines such topics as women and work, violence against women, family, and the social construction of gender, sexuality, race, and class. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code E-SB | SB

 

Approved Electives:

GWS 375 American Masculinities

Survey of the meanings of manhood in the United States, including historical, social, economic, cultural, and political influences on the development of masculine identity. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SY

AFAM 343 Communities of Struggle

Examines the relationship between distinct communities of struggle in Africa and the African Diaspora and the impact of African American social movements on a range of liberation struggles within this context. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG

AFAM/ENG 393 African American Literature

Study of literature by African American writers.

ANTH Anthropology of Gender

A comparative study of the role gender plays in various aspects of culture. Topics include distribution of labor, environmental impact, and ideological constraints on gender constructs in a cross-cultural concept.

DANC Dance in Culture: Moving History

Survey of world dance forms, emphasizing social, cultural and aesthetic principles defining these forms. Gender, racial, political and religious orientations shaping dance history are examined. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC

ENG 104 Introduction to Linguistics

A general introduction to language study with emphasis on units of sound, units of meaning, sentence structure, dialects, and other cultural aspects of language. Focus is on the English language.

ENG 388 Postcolonial Studies

A survey of postcolonial literature and theory, including works from Australia, India, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG

FACS 311 Family Relations

Study of issues affecting individual and family well-being. Interpersonal relationships and communication skills necessary to achieve quality of life are addressed. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code SB

FACS 495 Family and Relationship Violence

A study of the dynamics underlying interpersonal violence and theoretical perspectives regarding the etiology of violent behavior. Analysis of behaviors indicative of violent relationships and various treatment modalities as they are applied to individuals and families are emphasized.

FLK 373 Folklore and the Media

Variety and characteristics of folklore in the media including newspapers, television, magazines, comics, movies, photographs, cartoons, and advertisements. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG

FILM 369 Introduction to World Cinema

Examines cinema in several regions including China, India, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Viewing of representative films accompanied by background readings on history/culture. Note: Permission of instructor.

HIST 420 History of Sexuality

Survey of how past societies and cultures have interpreted human sexual behavior and identities. Note: Permission of instructor. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC

HIST 446 American Legal History Since 1865

A survey of the development of American law and its relationship to political, economic, and social trends in modern American society.

PH 365 Human Sexuality

Examines sociological, physiological, and psychological aspects of human sexuality in relation to family life, courtship, marriage, reproduction, education, and aging. Includes information on sexual assault, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV/AIDS. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC

PS 374 Women and Politics

An examination of the political, economic and social status of American women from an historical and contemporary perspective; explores issues of concern to women in a political context. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC

PSY/PSYS 350 Social Psychology

A general introduction to social psychology for majors and non-majors in psychology. The psychology of how people think about and relate to others. Topics include love, altruism, aggression, conformity, behavior in groups, leadership, intergroup conflict, prejudice, and persuasion. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC | SB

PSY/PSYS 355 Issues in Cross-Cultural Psychology

Examines the impact of culture on major principles, theories, and applications of psychology, including social behavior, gender, communication, development and abnormal psychology. Involves interacting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

RELS 341 Religion and the Environment

Examines different world religions' beliefs about the environment as well as their adherents' attitudes and actions concerning climate change and other issues. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-LG

SOCL 220 Marriage and Family

Analysis of the family institution, its structure and function and the dynamics of social change in family interaction and organization. Note: Consent of instructor. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC | SB

SOCL 350 Systems of Social Inequality

Analysis of the social origins, development, and persistence of inequality as a human system present in all societies. Course covers systems of stratification in the US (class, race, gender, ethnicity, etc.) used to differentially distribute social rewards. Some sections require a service-learning project. Note: Consent of instructor. This is temp listed as 350. It will be 250 in the fall.

SOCL 355 Sociology of Gender

Examination of the social construction of women's and men's roles in society and of the concepts of masculinity and femininity. Note: Consent of instructor.

SOCL 359 Sexuality and Society

Sociological examination of issues, debates, and research on pornography, prostitution, sexual orientation, and sex and the law.

SOCL 435 Family Violence

A sociological perspective on family violence in the United States, emphasizing child abuse and intimate partner violence. Research, theory, laws, treatment and prevention are analyzed.

SOM 310 Media Diversity

Explores journalistic coverage of diversity in terms of race, culture, gender, and sexual orientation in a number of mass media areas including newspaper, radio, television, film, video games, digital media, advertising, and public relations. Colonnade/Statewide General Education Code K-SC