Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary program of study that examines the intricate ways in which gender relations shape the world in which we live. Courses in this program analyze how categories such as race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation intersect and inform our social experiences. This program places emphasis on feminist perspectives for achieving social justice and gender equity.
The WGS minor prepares students for various employment and professional opportunities. This minor does not prepare students for employment in one particular job, but for many different types of employment that emphasize or require strong: writing skills, analytical and critical thinking, research skills, reading comprehension, and oral communication. This minor compliments any major degree in which students’ anticipate working in diverse environments and/or in which they serve the public. The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor is particularly useful for those who will major in: Business Management, Criminal Justice, Dental Hygiene, Engineering, Nursing, Professional Communications, Psychology, Sport Management, and Science, Technology, and Society.
Consisting of 15 credits, students enrolled in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in their qualified WGS courses.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Students will show how critical analysis of gender and sexuality contributes to an understanding of the historical and contemporary formations of patriarchy, heteronormativity, and gender normativity.
- Students will demonstrate familiarity with major concepts and vocabulary in the fields of Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Students will demonstrate a knowledge base about women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s role in history — their contributions, oppression, and resistance.
- Students will describe the manner in which race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of women’s and LGBTQ+ people’s experience in historical and cultural contexts, both nationally and globally.
- Students will define and describe a range of theories that underlie feminist and queer analysis, understanding their similarities and differences.
About Academic Minors
Farmingdale State College students are invited to enhance their studies with an "Academic Minor." A minor is a cluster of thematically related courses drawn from one or more departments. In addition to department based minors (e.g. computer programming & info systems), interdisciplinary minors are also available (e.g. legal studies).
Academic minors are approved by the College-Wide Curriculum Committee and the Provost. Students must make application for an academic minor through the department offering the minor in conjunction with the Registrar's Office Specific course work must be determined in consultation with a faculty member in the department offering the minor. A statement of successful completion of the academic minor will appear on the student's transcript at the time of graduation.
- A minor is considered to be an optional supplement to a student's major program of study.
- Completion of a minor is not a graduation requirement and is subject to the availability of the courses selected. However, if the requirements for a minor are not completed prior to certification of graduation in the major, it will be assumed that the minor has been dropped. Consequently, the student will only be certified for graduation in their primary major.
- Only students in 4 year baccalaureate programs can apply for a minor.
- A minor should consist of 15 to 21 credits.
- At least 12 credits must be in courses at the 200 level or higher.
- At least 9 credits must be residency credits.
- Specific requirements for each minor are determined by the department granting the minor.
- Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in their minor. Some minors may require a higher GPA.
- Students are prohibited from declaring a minor in the same discipline as their major (e.g. one cannot combine an applied math minor with an applied math major). Academic minors may not apply to all curricula.
- Students are permitted to double-count courses.
- Students are only permitted to take more than one minor with appropriate written approval of their department chair or curriculum Dean.
Admission to Farmingdale State College - State University of New York is based on the qualifications of the applicant without regard to age, sex, marital or military status, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.
Contact Information
Sociology and Anthropology
Dr. Jaime Hartless
Memorial Hall, Room 129
934-794-5199
sociologyandanthropology@farmingdale.edu
Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Fall 2023
Subject to revision
| Required: (6 credits) | credits |
|---|---|
| SOC 200 Introduction to Women’s Studies OR | 3 |
| SOC 282 Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Studies | 3 |
| SOC 361 Gender Theory | 3 |
| Three courses from the following: | (9 credits) |
|---|---|
| ANT/SOC 240 Women, Men, and Social Change | 3 |
| SOC 283 Sex, Gender, and Sexuality | 3 |
| EGL 222 Women in Literature | 3 |
| EGL 225 Images of Women in Drama | 3 |
| EGL 316 Women in Modern American Literature | 3 |
| ECO 441 Economics of Gender | 3 |
| HIS 222 Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| HIS 335 Gender and Technology in Historical Perspective | 3 |
| MLG 310 Latin American Women Writers | 3 |
| POL 360 Women in Comparative Development | 3 |
| PSY 230 Gender Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 238 Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PSY 307 Psychology of Women | 3 |
| RAM 303 Research Experience | 3 |
SOC 200 Introduction to Women's Studies
An interdisciplinary approach that will draw on literature, history, sociology, as well as science and technology, the course will introduce students to issues in gender that cross traditional disciplines. Cultural assumptions about gender will be examined, and students will be encouraged to consider new ways of looking at knowledge in light of new understanding about the ways in which gender constructs beliefs and influences life's realities. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for SOC 200 and SOC 200*D SOC 200*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite(s): Introductory social science course and EGL 102.
SOC 282 Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, and Queer+ (LGBTQ+) Studies
This course is an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ (LGBTQ+) Studies. We will examine major concepts, theories, and political issues surrounding LGBTQ experience. We will analyze gender identity and human sexuality as social, cultural, and historical constructions. In addition, LGBTQ+ identities have profound implications in economic, cultural, social, and political spheres of life. We will pay acute attention to LGBTQ+ political struggles and their relationships to economy, family, religion, education, law, and medicine. Drawing from fields such as: Sociology, Anthropology, History, English, and Psychology, we will examine the status, experiences, and discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ and how race, ethnicity, class, and ability also shape these experiences. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for SOC 282 and 282W or SOC 282*D SOC 282W can be used to fulfill the writing intensive requirement. SOC 282*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite (s): One Social Science and EGL 102
SOC 361 Gender Theory
Gender theory examines how the categories of sex and gender influence our ways of living and thinking. We will examine the prevalence of gender inequality in society and how it might be eradicated. We will also emphasize the ways in which socio-economic position, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, citizenship, geography, and/or ability interact with gender to shape our experiences. Students will gain better insight into how gender impacts their lives at work, at home, and in public. Students will learn how to apply gender theories to their own lives, identities, and social worlds. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for SOC 361 and 361W or SOC 361*D SOC 361W can be used to fulfill the writing intensive requirement. SOC 361*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite(s): SOC 200 or 282 or 283 or PSY 230 or 307 and EGL 102 with a grade of C or higher.
SOC 240 Gender and Social Change
This course studies men’s and women’s changing roles, relationships, and participation in the labor force. A substantial section of the course is dedicated to understanding the history responsible for contemporary women’s and men’s social, economic, political and legal statuses. Note: Students completing this course may not receive credit for ANT 240. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for SOC 240 and SOC 240*D SOC 240*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite(s): SOC 122
SOC 283 Sex, Gender and Sexuality
This course introduces students to the study of sex, gender, and sexuality from a sociological perspective. It examines how these categories are socially and culturally constructed and how they affect our lives and shape our social world. Students read a wide range of classic sociological texts that examines the differences between sex and gender and explores human sexuality. A primary topic of discussion is gender socialization or how people learn society’s gender norms from family, media, peers, educational institutions, and the workplace. Students will be introduced to cutting-edge research and case studies. Topics include: intersexuality, men’s studies, feminist theory, transgendered individuals, sex work, and queer theory. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for SOC 283 and SOC 283*D SOC 283*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite(s): SOC 122
EGL 222 Women in Literature
An exploration of the position of women in various cultures as interpreted by major world writers. Focus is on the female protagonist's attainment of goals in marriage, family, and work. Prerequisite(s): EGL 102 with a grade of C or higher
EGL 225 Images of Women in Drama
A study of images of women in Western drama from ancient times to the present. This course will consider the development of drama as a popular art form reflecting gender issues of its time. NOTE: Students cannot earn credit for EGL 225 and 225W or EGL 225*D EGL 225W can be used to fulfill the writing intensive requirement. EGL 225*D can be used to fulfill the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice requirement. Prerequisite(s): EGL 102 with a grade of C or higher
EGL 316 Women in Modern Literature
In this course students will examine major American texts by women writers from the beginning of first wave feminism to the present. While most of the works studied will be narrative fiction, some non-fiction, drama, poetry, and memoirs are included. Themes addressed in this course include women's relation to work, religion, nature, marriage and family, their struggle for voting rights, equal treatment under the law, and as immigrants to America from different cultures. The focus of the course is the ways in which literary works both reflect and help to shape the history and culture of America. This includes examination of how particular genres, styles of writing, and literary techniques are utilized by the writers covered in this selective survey of American women writers. Note: Students cannot get credit for EGL 316 and 316W; EGL 316W can be used to fulfill the writing intensive requirement. Note: Offered at the discretion of the English Department Prerequisite(s): EGL 102 with a grade of C or higher
ECO 441 Economics of Gender
In this class economics theory and analysis will be used to address questions on gender differences in education, career choices, household decisions, and earnings. Models of labor supply and demand, allocation of resources within household, human capital, earning equation, and discrimination will be introduced and data will be examined to test these economic theories. Gender-related policy issues and applications will also be discussed. Prerequisite(s): (ECO 260 or ECO 262) and (ECO 255 or ECO 270)
HIS 222 Women in U.S. History
In what ways is the history of America a gendered history? Emphasizing the diversity of American women, the course situates the ways women have both shaped and been shaped by American society within the broader context of US history since 1865. Topics for investigation include the way different groups of women have experienced American sectionalism, the industrial revolution, urbanization, immigration, war, economic depression, cultural transformations and political change. We will be looking at both unity and diversity in American society, including the conflicts between women and a society based on patriarchy.
HIS 335 Gender and Technology in Historical Perspectives
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the connections between gender roles and technology from comparative and historical perspectives. Studying the past in this way sheds light on key global issues today. How does technology shape feminine and masculine identities in the developed world? What happens to preconceived notions of gender relations and gender identities when the developed world and developing world come into contact? This course focuses on the interaction between technology and gender in the age of globalization and is intended to be interdisciplinary and may begin with a dash of sociology or anthropology, dissecting gender roles in our world today. It will also examine the historical connections between gender roles and technology specifically in the United States. At the discretion of the instructor, topics to investigate may include the function of gender and technology in European exploration, European imperialism, and U.S. expansion. Prerequisite(s): Any 100-level or higher HIS course.
MLG 310 Latin American Women Writers
This course focuses on the works of major Latin-American women writers from the 17th to the 20th century. We will analyze poems, short stories and novels and how women have been portrayed in literature. The theoretical approach to this class will be based on contemporary feminist critics. We will study the works of the first 17th century Mexican feminist writer, The Nun, Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz, as well as the works of Elena Poniatowska, Julia Alvarez and Laura Ezquivel among others. Note: Students completing this course may not receive credit for SPA 310. Prerequisite(s): EGL 102
POL 360 Women in Comparative Development
This course examines the relationship between women and development, including controversies surrounding the gendered impact of development strategies. It explores issues such as women’s health, education, employment, and population planning in the developing world. The course will analyze how women’s rights, leadership, and political participation are restricted or hindered by various societal and governmental structures. The course will consider a wide range of issues and human rights violations against women and examine how such inequalities affect the political and developmental progress of a country. Prerequisite(s): Any 200-Level or higher social science course.
PSY 230 Gender Psychology
This course will examine sex role stereotypes and their effects, research on psychological sex differences, theories of male and female development, sex roles and social institutions - how perceptions of males and females are influenced by schools, religion, and the media; and male and female approaches to sexuality, marriage, and parenthood. Readings and class discussions will be used to help students achieve a greater understanding of the female and the male experience. Prerequisite(s): PSY 101.
PSY 238 Psychology of Human Sexuality
This course presents a scientific foundation for the understanding of the psychological, physiological, social, and behavioral aspects of human sexuality. In addition to studying historical changes in sexual practices and attitudes, the course will review and evaluate current research, issues and concerns about sexuality, in order to provide contemporary and relevant curriculum material. Topics include psychosexual development, gender roles, sexual orientation, sexual anatomy, alternate methods of reproduction, pregnancy/birth, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, sex education, sexism, love and attraction, sexual abuse, sexual dysfunctions, sex therapy, paraphilias, and sexuality through the life cycle. Prerequisite(s): PSY 101.
PSY 307 Psychology of Women
This course is about being female in American culture. The purpose of the course is to examine the lives of girls and women from a feminist psychological perspective. It addresses the biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors influencing women’s behavior, thoughts, and feelings. The course is “woman-affirming” as it will examine and validate women’s experiences and perspectives. The course will highlight how race, class, and sexual orientation intersect with gender to affect women’s lives. Topics will include: behavioral and psychological gender differences and their origins; concepts of femininity and gender stereotypes; pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood; women, achievement and work; violence against women; women and mental health (disparity in diagnosis and treatment); and feminist psychology. Prerequisite(s): PSY 101 or PSY 131
RAM 303 Research Experience
This hands-on research experience with a faculty mentor is the culminating experience for students enrolled in the Research Aligned Mentorship (RAM) program. Students will be placed in research experiences on the Farmingdale Campus or off-campus in major universities, research laboratories, businesses, industry, government, horticultural gardens, and other settings that fit their academic interests and career goals.