COURSE SYLLABUS
Winter 2012 (11/12/12-2/16/13)
WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
University Mission: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging
and distinctively Christian environment for professional success, lifelong learning, and service to God and
mankind.
COURSE NUMBER & TITLE:
INSTRUCTOR:
CNSL 5319 Human Sexuality: Assessment and Treatment
Issues, Virtual Campus
Leilani Ahina, PsyD
Cell: (808) 220-0141
email: leilani.ahina@wayland.wbu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An investigation of the various facets of human sexuality including historical
traditions, gender and sexual identity, anatomy and physiology as it affects sexuality, wellness, arousal and
responsiveness, love and affection, infertility and pregnancy, sexuality throughout the lifespan, sexual
dysfunctions and therapy, STDs, and sexual abuse.
PREREQUISITES: None.
TEXTBOOKS: Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity, 8th edition. (2011). Spencer Rathus, Jeffrey Nevid &
Lois Fichner-Rathus.
Textbooks are an information source and a means of explaining and stimulating interest in the material. It
does not contain all the information students need to know, however. Additional information, interpretations,
and analyses will be available in the form of lecture notes, website links, and suggested readings. Students
are encouraged to explore supplemental resources.
DISCLAIMER:
This is a Human Sexuality course specifically designed for mature adult college students. Sexually
explicit lecture language & topics, films, slides, and other teaching materials may be used throughout
the semester. We may discuss issues that you may find embarrassing, uncomfortable, and even
“inappropriate”. To remain in and pas this class, you must be tolerant and respectful of others and
maintain a mature and professional manner at all times. If you are extremely upset by, or made very
uncomfortable by sexually explicit language or visual media depictions of human sexual behavior,
please let me know. Additionally, you may wish to reconsider whether you really want to take this
class.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the conclusion of the course, successful students will be able to:
1. Identify trends and changes in the past and present that influenced sexual attitudes and values in the
United States and be aware of how some of these values differ from those in other cultures,
2. Identify various parts of sexual anatomy and be aware of how these parts function.
3. Describe the various sexual diseases and dysfunctions, how their risk can be minimized, and how they
can be dealt with if they occur,
4. Describe the reasons for, and the effects of, commercial sex (prostitution and pornography),
5. Describe the causes of sexual assault, how to minimize the probability of such assault, and what to do
after an assault has occurred,
6. Describe the changes that occur in a woman during pregnancy and birth and how these changes affect
her interactions with others.
CLASSROOM ACTIVTIES
The following methods will be utilized in the online class to facilitate students understanding:
1) PowerPoint lectures to review material and highlight important points
2) Activities, self-reflection and group assignments via Blackboard discussion threads to explore course topics
in greater depth
3) Objective tests to demonstrate understanding of the material
4) A research paper to explore an area of Human Sexuality of your choice in greater depth
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Attendance: Students enrolled in the University’s Virtual Campus should make every effort to participate fully
in the class. In order to make up incomplete work, the student must explain the reason for the deficiency to the
instructor, who will then determine whether the omitted work may be made up. When a student shows a lack of
participation considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student. Any student
who misses 25 percent or more of the class assignments will receive a grade of “F” in the course. The
discussion board is a part of the course requirements and will be part of the class attendance. Additional
participation policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part
of the University’s attendance policy.
Plagiarism Policy: Intellectual integrity and truthfulness are fundamental to scholarship. Scholars, whether
they are performing as students or as teachers, are engaged in a search for truth. Plagiarism is a form of
cheating and also a form of theft. Plagiarism occurs when a students fails to give proper credit when
information is either quoted or paraphrased. In essence, plagiarism takes place when you take credit for
someone else’s work. This happens when you copy someone’s exam or when you fail to explain which parts of
a paper reflect your own ideas and which came from someone else. Copy-and-pasting information from a
website onto the discussion board is plagiarism. Looking at or copying someone else’s test, answer sheet,
and/or paper is counted as cheating. Carelessness is no excuse. As such, it is a breach of scholarly
responsibility. It is also unethical, immoral, and in some cases, illegal. Plagiarism may result in an “F” in the
assignment, in the course or in your being expelled from the class.
Disabilities: It is university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation in,
be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the
University. Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting.
University Grading Scale:
The University has a standard grading scale as follows: 90 - 100 = A (excellent); 80 - 89 = B (good); 70 - 79 =
C (average); 60 - 69 = D (acceptable but below average); below 60 = F (unacceptable); W=the student
withdrew from the course before the deadline; I=incomplete. A grade of “incomplete” is given only if
circumstances beyond the student’s control prevented completion of work during the semester enrolled and
any attendance requirements have been met. A grade of “incomplete” is changed if the deficiency is made up
by midterm of the next regular semester; otherwise, it becomes an “F”. X=no grade given; Cr=for Credit;
NCR=no credit; IP=In Progress. Consult the catalog for more information.
Late Work
Late work, regardless of the reason, is penalized 10% for each day it is late. Exams may not be made up.
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Exams: (60% of entire grade)
Four exams (20 points each) will be administered during the course of the semester. The tests will be made
available on the Monday of testing week and will be available until the following Sunday at Midnight. There is
a one-hour time limit for each exam. The exams may consist of objective questions such as multiple choice or
“fill-in-the-blank” questions, or may also include “expressive” questions such as short answer or essay
questions. The tests may consist of items from either the textbook(s) or from material discussed in class as
well as from any supplemental materials posted. In addition to the first three non-cumulative exams, an
optional final exam can be taken to replace the lowest of the first three test scores. This optional final exam is
cumulative.
Discussion Boards: (20% of final grade)
Students should complete the assigned reading and review of the course notes/powerpoints prior to any online
discussion boards so that they can participate fully in class discussions as well as ask and answer questions
intelligently. Discussion threads are organized by week, and each week you will need to be involved by
posting and responding to threads. Specifically, the minimum expectations for involvement in discussion board
posts are:
 An initial response to every thread prompt that I post (Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 & 9)
 Responses to three different classmates’ posts. This does not have to be in response to a
classmates’ original post. You can also comment on a thread discussion between two or more
classmates.
 A reply to every comment made to your post, including mine.
I will read every exchange in the discussion forum and keep track of your participation, evidence that you
completed the reading and reviewed the PowerPoint lectures, your effort and depth of thought. It is not
acceptable to merely comment with praise (“I agree” or “Good comments”) or to ask questions on basic content
(for example, for basic definition of terms). It is my expectation that you have a reasonable grasp of the
material because you completed the reading and reviewed the PowerPoint lecture notes. As this is an
advanced college class, I expect the discussion to show evidence of your critical thinking skills that transcends
basic comprehension of the subject matter. Your posts should demonstrate your analyzing, evaluating,
synthesizing, comparing and applying information.
Comments should always be respectful of other points of view and be communicated in a professional manner.
We can agree to disagree.
Research Paper (20% of final grade)
Choose a topic relevant to the study of human sexuality for your final paper. Topic selection must be made by
1/30/13 by responding to the discussion board post titled “Research Paper Topics.” Papers are to include at
least 5 - 6 pages of text (not including cover page, abstract or references page), double-spaced, 12-inch Times
New Roman font, with 1-inch margins on all 4 sides. Use APA Style formatting with a cover page, abstract and
references page. Your references should include at least 5 peer-reviewed journal articles that you use as the
basis for your paper. Internet sites are not peer-reviewed. Use the search engine EBSCO, accessible via the
WBU library, and search for peer reviewed journals. It is acceptable for your paper to be primarily a literature
review (versus a thesis paper), however, make sure you employ critical thinking skills to analyzing your
position and the merits of the research articles you use. It is important that you state your position, build a
strong argument, and give a thoughtful rationale for your position. Your papers will be evaluated on your
breath and depth coverage of the topic (40%), critical thinking and evaluative skills (40%), and
grammar/spelling/writing style (20%).
Possible topics include:

Multiple Determinants of Gender: What determines gender? Is it determined by chromosomes?
Physical appearance? Personal choice? Is androgyny an option?

The Interaction of Sexuality with Christianity: How has the perception of human sexuality within
Christianity changed over time? What are some of the influences that change the perception of
sexuality over time? What conflicts remain?

Pornography in the Digital Age: How does increasing access to the internet and cable television impact
the availability and changing attitudes of pornography in our culture? Can pornography be part of a
healthy sexual lifestyle?

Childbirth in the Modern Era: Childbirth practices have changed significantly over the last 100 years.
Review these major changes and discuss the impact this has had on what is considered “normal” and
“ideal” methods of childbirth. For example, rooming in vs. nurseries, the father being in the delivery
room, use of natural childbirth, breastfeeding, etc.

Sexual Orientation as an Important Component of Identity Development in Teenagers: Within the
context of other areas of normal development during adolescence, address the importance of sexual
identity development during this time period. Include discussion of homosexuality and bisexuality, and
issues specific to coming out.
Class Schedule, Assignments and Due Dates
Monday
11/12/12
-Read Ch 1-4
Thursday
11/15/12
Sunday (except as noted)
11/18/12
-Post your initial responses to
week 1 threads by today
11/22/12 – Holiday Week
11/25/12 – Holiday Week
11/26/12
11/29/12
-Post comments/questions to 3
classmates’ posts for week 1 by
today
12/2/12
-Reply to all classmate’s
comments/questions for week
1 posts by today
12/3/12
12/6/12
12/9/12
-Post your initial responses to
week 3 threads by today
12/10/12
-Read Ch 5-8
12/13/12
-Post comments/questions to 3
classmates’ posts for week 3 by
today
12/16/12
-Reply to all classmate’s
comments/questions for week
3 posts by today
-Review PowerPoint lecture
11/19/12 – Holiday Week
-Review PowerPoint lectures
-Take Exam #1 by today (Ch 18)
12/17/12
-Read Ch 9-12
12/20/12 – Holiday Break
12/23/12 - Holiday Break
12/27/12 - Holiday Break
12/30/12 - Holiday Break
-Review PowerPoint lectures
12/24/12 - Holiday Break
8
12/31/12 - Holiday Break
1/3/13
1/6/13
-Post your initial responses to
week 5 threads by today
9
1/7/13
1/10/13
-Post comments/questions to 3
classmates’ posts for week 5 by
today
1/13/13
-Reply to all classmate’s
comments/questions for week
5 posts by today
10
1/14/12
-Read Ch 13-16
1/17/13
1/20/13
-Post your initial responses to
week 7 threads by today
-Review PowerPoint lectures
-Research Paper Topic Due
Today
11
1/21/12
1/24/13
-Post comments/questions to 3
classmates’ posts for week 7 by
today
1/27/13
-Reply to all classmate’s
comments/questions for week
7 posts by today
-Take Exam #2 by today (Ch 916)
12
1/28/13
-Read Ch 17-19
1/31/12
2/3/13
-Post your initial responses to
week 9 threads by today
2/7/13
-Post comments/questions to 3
classmates’ posts for week 9 by
today
2/10/13
-Reply to all classmate’s
comments/questions for week
9 posts by today
-Review PowerPoint lectures
13
2/4/13
-Take Exam #3 by today (Ch
17-19)
14
2/11/13
2/14/13
-Optional Final Exam by today (all
chapters)
- Research Paper due today
Professor reserves right to modify syllabus as needed.
Consult the catalog for important deadlines to add/drop, withdrawal, etc.
Saturday 2/17/12
-Course Ends