St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 6
Humanities & Fine Arts
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 330: Gender and Popular Culture
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 330. Gender and Popular Culture
Representations of race, class, gender, and sexuality in popular culture. Students will develop critical analytical
skills and an understanding of how marginalized groups are portrayed in the media. 3 Cr. DEMAND
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 fulfills an elective for WS majors and minors and will fulfill a general elective and diversity
for stduents from a variety of majors.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
This course is offered annually in our department and so will not require any new resources to continue
doing so.
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.
English, Mass Communication, and Film Studies all offer courses related to the content of this course.
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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.
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12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 6: Humanities & Fine Arts
Expand appreciation and critical understanding of changing modes of human expression and systems of
thought in the arts and humanities, and develop abilities in the creation and performance of meaning.
Gender and Popular Culture develops critical analysis of media culture. The course examines
representations of women and other marginalized groups in a variety of media sites. Students learn how to
analyze intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality in media. By studying levels of text, audience reception,
and the material production of representation, students also learn how symolic meaning both reflects and shapes
social power dynamics.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 6, it must address at least 5 of the 7 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
2. Describe and appreciate works in the arts and humanities as expressions of individual and collective values
within an intellectual, cultural, historical and social context.
3. Interpret and respond critically to works from various cultures in the arts and humanities.
4. Explore intellectually the ideas expressed in works in the arts and humanities.
5. Engage in creative processes or interpretive performance.
6. Articulate an informed personal response to works in the arts and humanities.
7. Analyze the diverse means of communication in the arts and humanities.
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.)
SLO1: WS 330 studies a variety of media sites so that students understand the diversity in the humanities.
The readings and the class units will help students see media as sites of creativity and of cultural and
sociopolitical ideologies.
SLO2: The course readings, assignments, discussions, and units will looks at individual texts as expressions of
particular authors, but also as reflections of the collective cultural values. These aspects of the course will teach
students how to analyse the context in which a text is produced, alongside the patterns of portrayals of other texts.
Students will also study how audience reception reflect the dynamics interplay of collective values in society.
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SLO3:The course readings, discussions, and papers are geared toward teaching students how to develop a critical
analysis of media texts. They will learn to develop a critical analysis and support it with examples and media
theories. The course will focus specifically on patterns of portrayals of women and marginalized groups.
SLO4:Media sites will be studied as sites of creative expression, for both the author and the viewers, as well as
reflections of the society in which the texts are produced.
SLO6: The discussions and papers will enable students to express their own responses to particular texts and to
place their own interests in dialogue with the theories we study.
SLO7: The readings and examples we use will reflect a variety of media sites, including film, television, music,
social media, video games, material culture, and so on.
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.
See attached.
12/11/2009
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 330: Gender and Popular Culture
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