St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 5
History and the Social & Behavioral Sciences
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Proposal Number:
Prepared by: Beth Berila
Phone: 308-3912
Email: esberila@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: Women's Studies Program
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: WS 201: Introduction to Women's Studies
4.
New Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
Already Designated as Diversity
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
+WS 201. Introduction to Women's Studies (Diversity/MGM)
Women's lives, contributions, and culture; history and social institutions (family, media, schools, etc.) from
perspective of women. Integrated lab. 3 Cr. F, S, SUM.
8.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or
does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain
signatures from any affected departments.
This course fulfilled a general education and a diversity requirement under the former General Education
system and is required for the Women's Studies major or minor.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
No changes will need to be made. The course is already offered several times a semester.
10.
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments
or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
n/a
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11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s)
for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment is not included in the annual GE
assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 5: History and the Social & Behavioral Sciences
Develop understanding of human societies and behaviors, and of the concepts, theories, and methods of
history and the social sciences.
WS 201 is an interdisciplinary social science analysis of how gender intersects with the other identity
categories race, class and sexuality in various aspects of society. The class studies how gender power dynamics
operate in social institutions to shape people's behaviors and experiences Theories about the social construction
of gender are studied asa they have taken shape throughout the social sciences.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 5, it must address at least 4 of the 5 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Describe or use the methods and data by which historians, social scientists, or behavioral scientists investigate
human conditions.
2. Analyze human behavior, cultures, and social institutions and processes from the perspectives of history or the
social and behavioral sciences.
3. Develop explanations for and explore solutions to historical or contemporary social problems.
4. Reflect upon themselves in relation to family, communities, society, culture, and/or their histories.
5. Apply and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories about human societies and behaviors.
14.
Discuss how each Student Learning Outcome checked above is achieved in this course. (Note: Although
descriptions of typical assignments or types of assignments may be part of this discussion, it is not
appropriate to submit copies of actual assignments.)
1. WS 201 draws on social science data to illustrate trends in women's oppression both historically and in
contemporary society. We also study how and why men and women behave to perpetuate or challenge these
inequalities. Students writing assignments ask them to integrate material to develop analysis.
2. WS 201 focuses on how sexism and gender oppression have operated throughout social institutions, both
historically and in contemporary society. The course looks at how`gender ideologies shape the criminal justice
system, the government, the legal system, the educational system, and the media to help construct and perpetuate
ideas about men and women. Through both discussions and group projects, students are asked to apply the
material to analyze the culture in which they live.
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3. The course focuses on teaching students how to develop a feminist analysis of the inequalities throughout
social institutions. The readings, discussions, papers, and group work look at current gender inequalities and then
work toward social transformation with a change agent project.
4. Students are regularly asked to reflect upon their own positionality in socioploitical gender power dynamics
and to examine how their exeriences are or are not reflected in the material we study. The discussions, papers,
and activist project ask students to reflect upon their roles in the issues we study and to create social change in
their communities. As an interdisciplinary course, the readings provide a variety of perspecitves and theories
about gender oppression.
5. The course reflects an interdisciplinary social science analysis, so the readings bring different theories to bear
on historical and contemporary social gender dynamics. We also study several different kinds of feminist theories
so students have to compare the insights each theory offers for different social problems and which offer
possibilities for greater gender equality.
15.
List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated
to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need
to be broken down further. Indicate in your course outline where the Student Learning Outcomes
checked above are being met.
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: Women's Studies Program
Course or Course(s): WS 201: Introduction to Women's Studies
Department or Unit Chair Signature
Date
Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair
of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean
Recommendation of General Education Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of Faculty Association:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
FA Senate
Signature
Date
Action of Academic Vice President:
Approve
Disapprove
Signature
Entered in Curriculum Data File
12/11/2009
Remarks:
Date