Course Descriptions
Women’s Studies
(WMST)
200. Introduction to Women's Studies. (3-0). Credit 3.
Historical and cross-cultural perspectives on women's roles in culture, the workplace, the family and other socio-political institutions; the social construction of gender; sexuality and racism; social control mechanisms and ideologies.
207. Introduction to Gender and Society. (3-0). Credit 3.
Similarities and differences between females and males in a number of cultures throughout the world; sociological analysis of gender in relation to social structure. Cross-listed with SOCI 207.
300. Psychology of Women. (3-0). Credit 3.
Theoretical and research literature relevant to psychological assumptions about the female personality; challenges to and verification of these assumptions by recent experimental studies. Prerequisite: PSYC107. Cross-listed with PSYC 300.
316. Sociology of Gender. (3-0). Credit 3.
Sociological explanations of status differences between men and women; cross-cultural comparisons; gender role socialization, cultural stereotypes, discrimination; gender roles and status in the family, economy, religion, science, other social institutions; deviance, victimization and gender; recent social changes. Cross-listed with SOCI 316.
317. Women in Politics. (3-0). Credit 3.
Role of women in the political system; treatment of women in political theory; effect of law on women's status; women as political leaders; current policy issues of concern to women. Prerequisite: POLS 206. Cross-listed with POLS 317.
330. Women in Ancient Greece and Rome. (3-0). Credit 3.
Survey of women in classical Greece and Rome; emphases on female occupations and family relationships, legal and political status, traditional values, notorious women, how women were viewed and how they viewed themselves. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification. Cross-listed with CLAS 330 and HIST 330.
333. Gay and Lesbian Literature. (3-0). Credit 3.
Gay and lesbian literature from classical times to present, studied in its historical and cultural context, including works by Sappho, Catullus, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Philips, Wilde, Forster, Brown, and Orton. Prerequisite: ENGL 104. Cross-listed with ENGL 333.
334. Women's Health. (3-0). Credit 3.
A broad range of health issues that are either unique to women or of special importance to women; information for the health consumer; preparation as an advocate of healthy lifestyles; awareness of the role health plays in the life of all women. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification. Cross-listed with HLTH 334.
374. Women Writers. (3-0). Credit 3.
History of literature by women in English primarily from the 16th century to the present; emphasis on continuity of ideas and on literary contributions; study of poetry, essays, novels, short stories, with particular attention to characteristic themes and to racial, social, cultural diversity of women writing in English. Prerequisite: ENGL 104. Cross-listed with ENGL 374.
404. Women and Culture. (3-0). Credit 3.
Examines women's lives in evolutionary and cross-cultural perspective; women's roles in subsistence, politics, religion and economics in traditional cultures; women's roles in international development; the cultural and social construction of women's biology cross-culturally including circumcision, menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. Cross-listed with ANTH 404.
407. Women, Minorities and the Mass Media. (3-0). Credit 3.
The contributions of women and ethnic groups to the evolution of the media; the portrayal of women and ethnic groups in the mass media; issues resulting from the recognition of women and ethnic groups as media audiences. Prerequisite: Junior classification or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with COMM 407.
420. Senior Seminar in Gender and Communication. (3-0). Credit 3.
Survey of the role of gender in communication processes; focus on communication differences between men and women in contexts such as the family, school and work organizations; discussion of media influence in gender stereotypes. Cross-listed with COMM 420.
424. Women and Work in Society. (3-0). Credit 3.
Social context of women's work; work patterns, labor force participation, occupational destinations and occupational mobility; alternatives to the conventional division of labor by sex in society. Cross-listed with SOCI 424.
430. Employment Discrimination Law. (3-0). Credit 3.
Legal issues surrounding employment discrimination, including disparate treatment and impact; intent; affirmative action; sexual harassment; pregnancy, sex, race, religious, salary, disability, age, and ethnic discrimination; policy issues and perspectives to aid human resource specialists and managers. Prerequisite: Senior classification. Cross-listed with MGMT 430.
461. History of American Women. (3-0). Credit 3.
Cultural, political, legal and religious factors that helped shape the role and character of women in American society from colonial times to the present; historical role of women in the development of the nation. Cross-listed with HIST 461.
462. Women and the Law. (3-0). Credit 3.
The legal status of American women from the adoption of the Constitution to the present: constitutional developments; the 19th Amendment and the proposed Equal Rights Amendment; employment; family law; reproductive rights; education; sexual equality in context of other claims to equality; law and social norms. Prerequisite: POLS 206 or approval of department head. Cross-listed with POLS 462.
473. History of Modern American Women. (3-0). Credit 3.
Emergence of modern American women in the 1890s; examination of their history from the 1890s to the present; women as organizers, innovators, political reformers, workers, social activists, housewives, mothers, consumers and feminists. Cross-listed with HIST 473.
474. Studies in Women Writers. (3-0). Credit 3.
A different specific topic each term examining women's writing through historical period, genre, cross-cultural study, or feminist literary theory, including minority and third world writers. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: 3 credits of literature at 200-level or above or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with ENGL474.
476. Sex and Sexuality in History. (3-0). Credit 3.
Changing ideas about sex and sexuality over time; includes their interaction with ideas about gender, race, class, religion, science, technology, medicine, politics and popular culture; historical and cultural processes creating modern concerns about sex and sexuality. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification. Cross-listed with HIST 476.
477. Women in Modern European History. (3-0). Credit 3.
Women in Europe from the 18th century to the present: women's contributions to their societies; realities of their daily lives and their responses; perceptions of women; role of institutions in defining women's roles; significance for women of industrialization, revolution, warfare, scientific discoveries; interaction of class, race and gender. Cross-listed with HIST 477.
481. Senior Seminar in Women's Studies. (3-0). Credit 3.
Survey of key feminist texts; history of women's thought with emphasis on post-World War II feminist theory; analysis of recent landmark texts and contemporary theories, with attention to the diversity of women's ethnic, class, sexual and cultural experience; application of theories to current debates and controversies. Prerequisite: WMST 200 or approval of instructor.
484. Internship in Women's Studies. Credit 1 to 4.
Directed internship in a public or private organization to provide students with on-the-job training and applied research experience; opportunity to observe firsthand issues and problems covered in women's studies courses; designed to enhance and clarify the student's career objectives. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification and approval of instructor.
485. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4.
Readings and/or research for specific needs of students minoring in women's studies. Prerequisite: Approval of women's studies director and faculty supervisor.
489. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.
Selected topics in an identified area of women's studies. May be repeated for credit.