Women's Studies Major & Minor
Fall 2006 Course Offerings

Coordinator: Dr. Diane Hoeveler
Coughlin Hall 247, 288-3466  

ENGL 186  Studies in Women and Literature: American Women Poets – Angela Sorby – TuTh 2:00-3:15

In 1650, the Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet wrote in defense of her art: “I am obnoxious to each cargping tongue/Who says my hand a needle better fits.” In this course, we’ll expose the work of America ’s women poets – obnoxious and otherwise – who put down the needle and took up the pen. We’ll study works by Bradstreet, Phillis Wheatley , Lydia Sigourney, Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, H.D., Gwendolyn Brooks, Sylvia Plath, Sharon Olds, and others. Each poet will be understood in the context of her larger cultural milieu, so in addition to poems we will read leters, prefaces, magazines (Godey’s Lady’s Book, Mademoiselle), and even a novel or two. As we read, we’ll avoid gender essentialism, continually asking if there is a single distinctively female literary tradition, and if all women poets can be seen as part of this tradition.

HEAL 122  Women’s Health – Heidi Jo Paquette – M 5:45-8:25

A self-care approach to health maintenance, the physical and psychosocial changes during the life cycle and the health care system as these pertain to women in our society.

POSC 119  Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender – Janet Boles – MWF – 1:00

The role of women and racial/ethnic groups in shaping American politics through social movements, elections, political parties, and public office.

POSC 198  Topics: Feminist Political Thought – Jill Budny – MW 1:00-2:15

PSYC 157  Psychology of Marriage and Family – John Grych – TuTh 12:35-1:50

The course has three primary goals. The first is to give students in-depth exposure to systems theory and contemporary psychological research on the family. The second is to increase students' understanding of research methods used to study the family. Finally, by focusing not just on what we know but how we come to know it, the course is designed to enhance students' ability to think critically about psychological issues.

PSYC 165  Human Sexuality – Richard Nash – MWF 1:00

The scientific study of human sexuality from both a biological and behavioral perspective. Topics include: male and female anatomy and sexual functioning, conception, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual variations and sexually transmitted diseases.

CRLS 167  Women, Crime, and Criminal Justice – Meghan Stroshine – MW 1:00-2:15

Traditionally, women have represented a small fraction of the criminal offenders, victims, and workers in the criminal justice system (CJS). As a result, women have either been ignored and had their needs overlooked, or been subjected to unusual or different standards and practices. In this
course, we focus on women’s roles in the CJS as: (1)offenders, (2)victims,and (3)workers. We will take a critical view of past and current practices and consider social policy issues surrounding women in the CJS.

SOCI 021 The Family, Section 1001 – Roberta Coles – MWF 10:00
        The Family, Section 1002 – Cheryl Kingma-Kiekhofer – TuTh 11:00

Will examine the structure and function of family types including analysis of marital and parent-child relationships, the relation of the family to other institutions and changing patterns of relationships and structure in the family.

SOCI 166  Race and Family – Roberta Coles – MWF 12:00

An examination of "the American family" and how our perceptions of that "model" influence our understanding of minority families.