A minor program focusing on the social construction of gender and sexuality.
For all Graceland students, regardless of background, gender, orientation, etc., a Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor from Graceland offers the opportunity to learn more about suppressed histories crucial to the nation’s identity. Our program will provide students with knowledge that will become all the more critical in an increasingly equitable job market that emphasizes interpersonal communication skills.
Gender, women, and sexuality studies is a field that analyzes societal issues through a feminist theory lens. You use critical knowledge gained over the course of your degree or minor and put it into practice in your career after graduation. At Graceland, our hope is for students to master intersectionality and be more well-prepared to tackle contemporary social problems after they graduate.
Graceland’s minor in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies will include 18 semester hours of courses including Gender and Society, Gender and Communication, and Critical Theory, as well as elective courses in the areas of theory and law, society and nature, and language and culture.
The interdisciplinary minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies requires 18 s.h.:
Core Requirements 9 s.h.
3 s.h. of electives from each of the following lists (9 s.h. total)
Theory and Law:
Society and Nature:
Language and Culture:
An examination of the various landmark theories, such as rhetorical, Marxist, and feminist to analyze popular culture, with an emphasis on the importance of communication in the production and consumption of culture. Students will study the development of culture by applying different theories or 'lenses' to cultural artifacts including music, movies, advertisements, clothing, etc. GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities +This course is only offered every other year.
An exploration of sex, gender, and sexuality as they relate to the ways we communicate in personal, professional, and political contexts. Specific attention will be given to self-other relationships, how gendered identities affect interpersonal, cultural, and political interactions, where do individuals stand in terms of normative gender identities, and how those norms came to be. +This course is only offered every other year.
Analysis of various societal subgroups and how such groups recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases. Students learn to relate effectively to various groups to foster understanding and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Emphasis on self-awareness in human relations issues and how this awareness can be translated into positive relationships. Introduction to ethnographic analysis and pedagogical, curricular, and social considerations involved in working with and educating various societal subgroups. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences
An exploration of issues of gender and sexuality in literature, with a focus on fiction, drama, and poetry by women and LGBT+ writers. As a complement to literary texts, students will also examine a range of introductory theoretical texts in the interdisciplinary field of gender and sexuality studies. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace ++ This course is on a four-year cycle.
Advanced study of literary, cultural, and moving image theory, and the application to written and filmic texts. +This course is only offered every other year.
An investigation of the role of literature as a vehicle for social change. With a focus on the literatures of emancipatory social movements, this global survey course includes a range of modern authors who merged the personal with the political. Students examine how literature and narrative forms of storytelling function as a means of engaging ethical and social concerns, and eliciting emotions in readers-from rage and defiance to observation and understanding-that might serve to promote social justice. ELO5 Humanities - Peace, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace +This course is only offered every other year.
Explores cultural systems of meaning and attendant issues of power, particularly in terms of class, gender, nation, race, nature, and sexuality. Emphasis on commercial and media culture. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace. +This course is only offered every other year.
A study of the history of the creation and evolving interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on important issues decided by the Supreme Court. ELO5 Histories - Equality, ELO5 Histories - Equality and Peace. +This course is only offered every other year.
Discussion of sexual biology, psychology, and sociocultural dimension of human sexual health and behavior. A grade of C or higher required to count toward the Allied Health major.
Introduces the field of peace studies with a survey of the historical and philosophical bases for peacemaking, patterns of conflict resolution, nonviolence, history of peace movements, world order models, alternative futures, positive peace, and career options. ELO5 Histories - Peace, ELO5 Histories - Equality and Peace
An examination of different conceptions of ethical social relationships and ethical behavior. Considers varying accounts of theories of value and right action with critical analysis of systemic and social influences on individual and collective interactions. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
An introductory survey of psychological methods and thoughts as they relate to human experience and behavior. Topics include the role of the central nervous system in mediating behavior, learning and memory, states of awareness, motivation and emotion, personality, psychological disorders, and therapy. ELO5 Social Science – Innovation, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences.
A social science approach to relationships and attraction with a focus on marriage and the family unit. Topics include dating, marital roles, parenting, and interaction patterns. Explores disruptions such as divorce and domestic violence as well as clinical and community-level interventions from a systems perspective. +This course is only offered every other year.
The study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. Attention given to research and application to social perception, interaction, and influence. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 or SOCI1300.
Christian theology is a centuries-long conversation about the meaning of Jesus’ life and message. As theologians have interpreted their faith, they have often pondered questions of justice and peace. How can the nonviolent message of Jesus challenge cultures of oppression? Can war ever be ‘just’? What insights might theological traditions offer to help critique forces that perennialize poverty? What ethical resources can Christian traditions apply to environmental degradation or the search for gender justice? This course explores such questions by focusing them through the thought of key theologians from across the centuries: e.g., Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Letty Russell. We explore how these thinkers’ questions and proposals remain ethically meaningful in the contemporary World. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Peace, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
Introduction to the perspective of sociology, its basic concepts and principles and an overview of the field.Includes study of social classes, sex roles, crime and deviance, socialization, social movements and others. ELO5 Social Science - Equality, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace
A social science approach to relationships and attraction with a focus on marriage and the family unit. Topics include dating, marital roles, parenting, and interaction patterns. Explores disruptions such as divorce and domestic violence as well as clinical and community-level interventions from a systems perspective.
Explores victimology, or the study of victimization. Topics include the history of victims’ rights, causes of victimization, its consequences, and how other institutions deal with crime victims. Also addresses how social scientists conduct research on victims of crimes and current issues and topics of interests to researchers who study victimization. Prerequisites: SOCI1300 or consent from instructor.
Examines the origins, nature, and processes of social change movements. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology or PEAC2200 Introduction to Peace Studies and sophomore standing.
Examines gender as a major organizing principle of contemporary social life and explores the different explanations of gender, gendered interactions, and its effects on identities and social institutions. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology or PSYC1300 Introduction to Psychology and sophomore standing.
Examines human sexuality through a sociological perspective, focusing on how sexuality reflects the society in which we live. We will consider the relationship between individual sexualities, (sub)cultures, institutions, and the nation-state. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology and sophomore standing.
Examines the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and other minority statuses and the relationships to personal identity and social structure. Helps to develop an awareness and understanding of diverse values, life-styles, beliefs, and attitudes of various racial, cultural, and ethnic minorities. Focuses on the social, legal, economic, and political aspects of prejudice and discrimination on socially disadvantaged groups. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 (with grade of C or better) and senior standing.
An examination of the various landmark theories, such as rhetorical, Marxist, and feminist to analyze popular culture, with an emphasis on the importance of communication in the production and consumption of culture. Students will study the development of culture by applying different theories or 'lenses' to cultural artifacts including music, movies, advertisements, clothing, etc. GE3C Liberal Learning-Humanities +This course is only offered every other year.
An exploration of sex, gender, and sexuality as they relate to the ways we communicate in personal, professional, and political contexts. Specific attention will be given to self-other relationships, how gendered identities affect interpersonal, cultural, and political interactions, where do individuals stand in terms of normative gender identities, and how those norms came to be. +This course is only offered every other year.
Analysis of various societal subgroups and how such groups recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases. Students learn to relate effectively to various groups to foster understanding and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Emphasis on self-awareness in human relations issues and how this awareness can be translated into positive relationships. Introduction to ethnographic analysis and pedagogical, curricular, and social considerations involved in working with and educating various societal subgroups. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences
An exploration of issues of gender and sexuality in literature, with a focus on fiction, drama, and poetry by women and LGBT+ writers. As a complement to literary texts, students will also examine a range of introductory theoretical texts in the interdisciplinary field of gender and sexuality studies. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace ++ This course is on a four-year cycle.
Advanced study of literary, cultural, and moving image theory, and the application to written and filmic texts. +This course is only offered every other year.
An investigation of the role of literature as a vehicle for social change. With a focus on the literatures of emancipatory social movements, this global survey course includes a range of modern authors who merged the personal with the political. Students examine how literature and narrative forms of storytelling function as a means of engaging ethical and social concerns, and eliciting emotions in readers-from rage and defiance to observation and understanding-that might serve to promote social justice. ELO5 Humanities - Peace, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace +This course is only offered every other year.
Explores cultural systems of meaning and attendant issues of power, particularly in terms of class, gender, nation, race, nature, and sexuality. Emphasis on commercial and media culture. ELO5 Humanities - Equality, ELO5 Humanities - Equality and Peace. +This course is only offered every other year.
A study of the history of the creation and evolving interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on important issues decided by the Supreme Court. ELO5 Histories - Equality, ELO5 Histories - Equality and Peace. +This course is only offered every other year.
Discussion of sexual biology, psychology, and sociocultural dimension of human sexual health and behavior. A grade of C or higher required to count toward the Allied Health major.
Introduces the field of peace studies with a survey of the historical and philosophical bases for peacemaking, patterns of conflict resolution, nonviolence, history of peace movements, world order models, alternative futures, positive peace, and career options. ELO5 Histories - Peace, ELO5 Histories - Equality and Peace
An examination of different conceptions of ethical social relationships and ethical behavior. Considers varying accounts of theories of value and right action with critical analysis of systemic and social influences on individual and collective interactions. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
An introductory survey of psychological methods and thoughts as they relate to human experience and behavior. Topics include the role of the central nervous system in mediating behavior, learning and memory, states of awareness, motivation and emotion, personality, psychological disorders, and therapy. ELO5 Social Science – Innovation, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences.
A social science approach to relationships and attraction with a focus on marriage and the family unit. Topics include dating, marital roles, parenting, and interaction patterns. Explores disruptions such as divorce and domestic violence as well as clinical and community-level interventions from a systems perspective. +This course is only offered every other year.
The study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. Attention given to research and application to social perception, interaction, and influence. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 or SOCI1300.
Christian theology is a centuries-long conversation about the meaning of Jesus’ life and message. As theologians have interpreted their faith, they have often pondered questions of justice and peace. How can the nonviolent message of Jesus challenge cultures of oppression? Can war ever be ‘just’? What insights might theological traditions offer to help critique forces that perennialize poverty? What ethical resources can Christian traditions apply to environmental degradation or the search for gender justice? This course explores such questions by focusing them through the thought of key theologians from across the centuries: e.g., Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oscar Romero, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Letty Russell. We explore how these thinkers’ questions and proposals remain ethically meaningful in the contemporary World. ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Peace, ELO3 Ethical Thinking and Action - Equality and Peace.
Introduction to the perspective of sociology, its basic concepts and principles and an overview of the field.Includes study of social classes, sex roles, crime and deviance, socialization, social movements and others. ELO5 Social Science - Equality, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace
A social science approach to relationships and attraction with a focus on marriage and the family unit. Topics include dating, marital roles, parenting, and interaction patterns. Explores disruptions such as divorce and domestic violence as well as clinical and community-level interventions from a systems perspective.
Explores victimology, or the study of victimization. Topics include the history of victims’ rights, causes of victimization, its consequences, and how other institutions deal with crime victims. Also addresses how social scientists conduct research on victims of crimes and current issues and topics of interests to researchers who study victimization. Prerequisites: SOCI1300 or consent from instructor.
Examines the origins, nature, and processes of social change movements. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology or PEAC2200 Introduction to Peace Studies and sophomore standing.
Examines gender as a major organizing principle of contemporary social life and explores the different explanations of gender, gendered interactions, and its effects on identities and social institutions. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology or PSYC1300 Introduction to Psychology and sophomore standing.
Examines human sexuality through a sociological perspective, focusing on how sexuality reflects the society in which we live. We will consider the relationship between individual sexualities, (sub)cultures, institutions, and the nation-state. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology and sophomore standing.
Examines the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and other minority statuses and the relationships to personal identity and social structure. Helps to develop an awareness and understanding of diverse values, life-styles, beliefs, and attitudes of various racial, cultural, and ethnic minorities. Focuses on the social, legal, economic, and political aspects of prejudice and discrimination on socially disadvantaged groups. Prerequisite: SOCI1300 (with grade of C or better) and senior standing.
A women’s, gender, and sexuality studies minor from Graceland University can help to prepare you for these careers:
…and many other exciting fields.
99% of students on the Lamoni campus receive financial aid.
As you consider college, you want a simple, easy-to-understand formula designed to ensure that the one-of-a-kind Graceland Experience is within reach for your family. Undergraduate tuition includes our unique Transformational Leadership major, and we offer generous financial aid and scholarships to all of our students, making Graceland as affordable, if not moreso, than most public universities.
Questions?
Next Steps
