Women's and Gender Studies Courses
Fall 2013 Courses
WNS210- Intro to Women's Studies
HIS375WI- US Women's History
PSY303WI Health Psychology in Sociocultural Context
PSY385WI- Psychology of Women
REL331 Christian Faith and Feminist Critique
SOC335 Social Inequalities
WNS344/SOC430 Special Topics: Women and Health
Course Descriptions
ANT 320WI: Women in Global Perspective
Exploration of how women from postcolonial societies have grappled with their place in the world. Use of fiction, ethnography, social theory and political economy authored by women to examine how race, gender and culture have been constructed in different post-colonial settings. Understanding the impacts of those constructions of women’s lives as well as the strategies women have developed for responding to these cultural phenomena.
ART 413WI: Women and Art
Focused study of women artists and depictions of women in art throughout history with particular emphasis on historical context, artists’ writings, and current scholarship. (Sample Syllabus)
BUS 212: Gender and Business
Roles of women and men in the work force, particularly with regard to employment relationships and communication, career paths, and equal opportunity. Examination of historical influences that have shaped traditions and affected gender roles in the workplace. (Sample Syllabus)
COM 418: Gender and Media
Portrayals of males and females in U.S. media, including television, print, advertising and film, with discussion of the impact of such representations on audiences, the social inequities historically found in media content, professions and institutions and the contributions of alternative and feminist media to the field of mass communication.
EDU/WNS 409: Gender and Education
Issues, research, theory, and policy on gender and education. Examines gender in the context of socialization, schooling, and lifelong learning and the implications for individuals, society, and culture.
ENG 342: Women’s Literature
Concentrated study of works of women writers and application of feminist criticism. Emphasis on major writers, contexts and approaches to literature. May be retaken for credit provided the course content varies. PR: one 200-level literature course.(Sample Syllabus)
ENG 428/ HON 205 Gay and Lesbian Studies and Literature
Concentrated advanced study in a special topic in Western literature or culture. This course will explore gay and lesbian literary studies by focusing on three areas: (1) a basic introduction to gay and lesbian (and queer) literary theory as well as a history of their development (2) gay/lesbian readings of traditional canonical texts and (3) a historical survey of gay and lesbian writers, primarily in the British and American tradition. Students should expect to read and discuss literary texts, as well as examine and discuss the historical, sociological, psychological, and political contexts which have helped to create this thriving field of literary studies. (Sample Syllabus)
ENG 432WI Southern Women's Literature
Advanced study of Southern writers with emphasis on the Southern Renaissance, especially the works of Faulkner, O'Connor and Welty. (Sample Syllabus)
ENG 434: Gender and Language
Examination of the representation of men and women in language, with a focus on English and gender roles in American society. Examination of how men and women use language differently, including differences in all areas of language, from pronunciation and grammar to discourse features.
FLM 418: Women Directors Survey of work done by women film directors from 1896 to the present. In addition to learning about the startlingly long history of women behind the camera, this course will also use recent film and cultural theory to examine how women make movies and whether or not they do so differently from men.
GOV 350: Women and Politics
Exploration of the social and political ramifications of sexual equality. Students will analyze the meanings of sexual equality from a variety of perspectives.
HIS 375WI: U.S. Women’s History
Survey of the history of women in the United States by analyzing the changing images and roles women have held in the family, workplace, politics and society. Attention is paid not only to the common experiences of women, but also to the impact of race and class on women’s lives. (Sample Syllabus)
MUS 346: Women in Music
An introduction to women making music from the Middle Ages to the present. Topics include composers and their music, performers, iconography and ramifications of gender in vocal and instrumental genres. Emphasis on historical context and reception.
PSY 303 I: Health Psychology in Sociocultural Context
Explores the psychological processes involved in health with a particular focus on the confluence of gender, race, and class. Within this context, individual experiences of a variety of health related topics will be covered including sources of stress and stress management, social support, adoption of healthy/risky behaviors, adherence to medical advice, experiences as recipients of health care, and coping with chronic illness and death. (Sample Syllabus) (Fall Syllabus)
PSY 385WI: Psychology of Women
Interdisciplinary investigation of the psychological, social, emotional and cognitive aspects of women in society. Investigation of research, theory and real-world application of a variety of issues related to women. ( Sample Syllabus)
REL 320: Biblical Women
Study of the representation of women in the Bible, a spectrum of feminist approaches to the interpretation of the Bible and the biblical and apocryphal writings that are most relevant for women. (Sample Syllabus)
REL 326: Goddess Traditions of Asia
A study of the social, political, cultural, and theological dimensions of Goddess traditions in India, Nepal, and Tibet. (Sample Syllabus)
REL 331: Christian Faith and Feminist Critique
This course explores feminist concerns regarding the Christian faith. It focuses primarily on the work of feminists writing within the Christian tradition and deals with the topics of the language of scripture and liturgy, biblical models of the family, the role of women in leadership positions in various denominations and the theological issues related to “God the Father” and “Jesus the Son.” (Sample Syllabus)
REL 382: Women in World Religions
An examination of the role and portrayal of women in several western and non-western religious traditions. Course addresses key issues regarding the representation and, at times, exclusion of women in particular traditions with the aim of assessing the impact of feminist critique, scholarship, and activism on politics and religion throughout the world. (Sample Syllabus)
THE 228 Women and Drama
Exploration of images of women as reflected in selected playscripts by and about women; examination of women as producers and consumers of dramatic art and ways women are represented in drama throughout time and across cultures.
SOC 335: Social Inequality, Race, Class and Gender
Empirical and theoretical exploration into the causes and consequences of inequality in contemporary society. Emphasis on the economic and cultural disadvantages of minorities, women and the poor. Topics include poverty, social morality, affirmative action, racism, sexism, and rape. (Sample Syllabus)
WNS 210: Introduction to Women’s Studies
An interdisciplinary course focusing on various theories and methodological assumptions concerning the position of women in history and their status in the contemporary world. Also introduces students to the main issues of the feminist debate. (Sample Syllabus) (Baker's Sample Syllabus)
WNS 344: Special Topics in Women’s Studies
Concentrated study in a special topic in women’s studies.
Examples:
WNS/SOC 387: Gender, Law, and Society
Examination of how law has reflected, reinforced and shaped ideas about appropriate gender roles and how race, class and other aspects of identity intersect with gender to determine legal rights. (Sample Syllabus)
WNS 412: Women’s Studies Seminar
Capstone course for the women’s studies minor. Students undertake major projects in which they apply the theories and methodology of women’s studies to their major fields. PR: WNS 210 and CI.
WNS 496: Academic Internship
Problem-oriented experiences in specific academic projects related to the individual student’s program of study, planned in consultation with the student’s advisor.
WNS 498: Directed Study
Supervised reading or opportunity for written research in the field of women’s studies on a topic that is not otherwise available in the program curriculum.