HDFS 276
Human Sexuality
Summer, 2007
1:20-3:30 Daily (June 11 – July 6)
Gillman 1652
Instructor:
Office:
Office Phone:
Office Hours:
E-mail:
Ronald Jay Werner-Wilson, Ph.D.
1321 Palmer
294-8671
by appointment
rwwilson@iastate.edu
Teaching Assistant:
Office:
Office Phone:
Office Hours:
E-mail:
Amber Bergman
1317 Palmer
296-0724
3:30 – 5:00 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
abergman@iastate.edu
Required Textbook*:
Carroll, J.L. (2007). Sexuality now: Embracing diversity (Second edition). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Course Description:
Behavioral, biological, and psychological aspects of human sexuality within the social context of family,
culture, and society. Role of sexuality in human development. Critical analysis of media and research.
Communication and decision-making skills relating to sexuality and relationships.
— Iowa State Bulletin
Course Objectives:
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To appreciate the complexity of human sexuality as a confluence of biological, psychological, and
social factors.
To develop the personal security needed to discuss sexuality-related subjects maturely in appropriate
situations.
To maintain an academic distance/tolerance toward sexual behaviors different from your own.
To develop the critical acumen necessary to distinguish science from ideology in the field of sexuality.
To learn the skills for accessing sexuality-related information from reputable sources.
To develop the habit of accessing the Internet for legitimate information regarding sexuality and
relationships.
To recognize and appreciate the importance of sexuality across the lifespan.
To develop the skills and attitudes necessary for building respectful, intimate, loving relationships.
To develop a Personal Sexual Policy—an ethical/moral foundation for making decisions regarding your
sexual rights and expectations.
Accommodation for Disabilities
Any student needing accommodation for a disability should present their approved accommodation
request form from Disability Services to the instructor in order to plan accommodations.
*
NOTE: The bookstore might be selling the textbook packaged with a study guide. This study guide is not
required for the course, but might be helpful to you in preparing for the exams, etc.
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Course Requirements:
1. Attendance and Engagement: Attendance will not be taken daily, but there are at least two reasons why you
should make attendance a priority. First, there is a direct relationship between attendance and class
performance. Students who attend class regularly are better prepared for exams and assignments. This
preparation is reflected in grades. Second, discussing course material in class clarifies the content so you
have a better understanding; reading material prior to class also enhances understanding and performance.
2. Exams: You will take three, 50-point, multiple-choice exams covering materials from the textbook and from
lecture. Please bring a #2 pencil and your ISU student ID on exam days. Only under extraordinary
circumstances, communicated to the instructor prior to the exam date, will you be permitted to reschedule an
exam. If at all possible, any rescheduled exam must be taken prior to the date on which the class takes the
exam. If an illness or family emergency affects your ability to take a scheduled exam or complete an
assignment, you must provide WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION. Graduating seniors will not be excused
from the final exam.
3. Out-of-class Assignment: You will complete two out-of-class assignments during the semester.
a. The first will be a brief (4 page minimum, 6 page maximum) review/compare/reflection paper
worth 35 points. For this assignment you will be asked to review a scholarly research article
about a topic related to human sexuality from a research journal (such as the Journal of Sex
Research) and compare the content of the article to a web search on the same topic. This
assignment will be due June 18th. No electronic submissions will be accepted.
b. The second out-of-class assignment will require you to submit a one page, 15-point reflection paper
at the end of the semester. In this paper, you will indicate the FIVE key ideas or concepts that you
have learned in this course and why those FIVE ideas or concepts are important to you. This
assignment will be due on July 6th.
Grading:
You can earn up to 200 points in this course. Exams will account for 150 of the total points (50 points each).
Out-of-class assignments will account for an additional 50 of the total points (35 points for the
review/compare/reflect paper and 15 points for the reflection paper).
Grading will be based on a percentage of points, not on a curve. The following scale will be used to determine
final grades:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Percentage
95 – 100%
90 – 94%
86 – 89%
83 – 85%
80 – 82%
76 – 79%
73 – 75%
70 – 72%
66 – 69%
63 – 65%
60 – 62%
Below 60%
Points
190 – 200
180 – 189
172 – 179
166 – 171
160 – 165
152 – 159
146 – 151
140 – 145
132 – 139
126 – 131
120 – 125
Below 120
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Course Plan
Week
One
Two
Date
6/11
6/12
6/13
6/14
6/15
Course Theme
Overview
6/18
Social Issues
6/19
6/20
6/21
6/22
Three
Four
6/25
6/26
6/27
6/28
6/29
7/02
7/03
7/04
7/05
7/06
Social-Psychology
Physiology
Reproduction
Sexual Problems
Life Span Issues
Topic
Introduction
Theory and Research
Gender Issues
Love and Intimacy
Communication
Readings
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 7
Chapter 6
Sexual Orientation
First Assignment Due
Power & Violence
Commercialization of Sex
Exam One
Female Physiology
Chapter 11
Male Physiology
Sexual Expression: Arousal & Response
Contraception & Abortion
Pregnancy & Birth
Exam Two
Chapter 5
Chapter 10
Chapter 13
Chapter 12
Challenges to Sexual Functioning
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY
Childhood & Adolescent Sexuality
Adult Sexuality
Exam Three
Second Assignment Due
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 4
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Challenging & Sensitive Content:
The content of this course will likely challenge assumptions you hold about a number of issues,
including gender, sexual behavior, and sexual orientation. As a result, you may find that your participation
makes you uncomfortable on occasion. Experiencing that dissonance, while not always pleasant at the time,
may ultimately prove rewarding.
You will be exposed to sexually explicit materials in this course. If you foresee yourself being
offended by explicit materials, you should strongly reconsider whether or not this is a suitable class for
you.
Be respectful of diverse opinions and perspectives of issues discussed in class. With such a large class,
it is certain that we will not all be on the same page with certain issues especially those that strike moral, ethical,
and/or spiritual chords within all of us. Feel free to share your opinions and perspectives and be respectful when
others share their own as well.
Please…
Be respectful & courteous of others!
Turn off your cell phones! Turn off your I-Pod, take out the earbuds!
Put down the Daily!
Refrain from checking email or surfing the web on your Laptop! (Taking notes is okay…)
Don’t be late!
Don’t leave early!
Don’t fall asleep! (And if you do, don’t snore!)
Ask questions if you have them!
Let me know if I need to speak up, slow down, go back…etc!
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