Upcoming Course Descriptions

Summer 2025 undergraduate classes
Summer 2025 graduate classes
Fall 2025 undergraduate classes
Fall 2025 graduate classes

Summer 2025 undergraduate classes

WS 2013 - Gender and Social Change: An Introduction to Multicultural-Women’s Studies
Multiple sections
Introduction to multicultural-women's studies as an interdisciplinary field and how gender, race, class, nationality, sexuality, disability and other identity categories shape human experiences. Examination of social institutions, norms and practices for their impact on the status and roles of women; visions and strategies for social transformation.

WS 2033.50 - Womanist Spiritual Activism: Social Justice Theories for Wellness and Transformation
100% Online asynchronous, June 3-Aug 9
Introduction to interrelated roles of spiritual practice, imagination, and creativity in personal well-being and struggles for social justice. Multicultural, indigenous, and womanist approaches to wellness and social change.

WS 2383.50 - Gendered Images in Dance Performance
100% Online asynchronous, July 7-Aug 8
Survey of the development of gendered images in various dance genres and events embedded in U.S. culture; how movement expression inscribes markers of identity such as gender, race, ethnicity and sexuality and their inscription on the body in performance.

WS 2703.01 - Gender and Education
100% Online asynchronous, June 2-July 3
An interdisciplinary examination of the relationship between gender and education in the U.S. Explores how gender relationships are created, maintained, enacted, and transformed through educational structures, practices, and institutions.

WS 3023.50 - U.S. Women of Colors
100% Online asynchronous, June 2-Aug 8
Multidisciplinary, relational explorations of the histories, theories, cultures and lives of U.S. women from a wide variety of ethnic/cultural backgrounds. Themes of agency, survival, resistance and transformation.

WS 3703.50 - Women in Music
100% Online asynchronous, June 2-July 3
An examination of music from the historical, cultural and contemporary perspectives of women. Topics will include women as composers and performers, and the cultural values that have affected women's participation in musical life.

WS 3733.50 - Psychology of Women
100% Online asynchronous, July 7-Aug 8
Issues in the development and behavior of women, including theoretical perspectives, male-female differences, achievement, motivation, stereotype, androgyny, sexuality, career choices, mental health and disorders, psychotherapy, lifespan and special sub-groups.

Summer 2025 graduate classes

WS 5283.E01 / WS 5283.E51 - Ecofeminist Theorizing, Spirituality, and Activism
Stina Soderling, PhD
Synchronous meetings, Wednesdays 2:30-5:20 p.m., July 9-Aug 8
E01: in-person, meets in MCL 402
E51: online, meets via Zoom
Ecofeminist theorizing concerning interconnections between environmental degradation, sexism, racism and globalization; spiritual dimensions of ecofeminism; and ecofeminist approaches to social change and ecological justice.

WS 6103.01 - New Directions in Feminist/Woman Theory
AnaLouise Keating, PhD
Meetings Tue, Thu 1:30-5 p.m., June 3-June 26
Recent controversies, significant research questions, and new directions in feminist/womanist theorizing. Investigating recent interventions in Women's and Gender Studies and feminist/womanist theories and theorizing.

Fall 2025 undergraduate classes

WS 2033 - Womanist Spiritual Activism: Social Justice Theories for Wellness and Transformation
Multiple sections
Introduction to interrelated roles of spiritual practice, imagination, and creativity in personal well-being and struggles for social justice. Multicultural, indigenous, and womanist approaches to wellness and social change.

WS 2383.50 - Gendered Images in Dance Performance
100% asynchronous online
Survey of the development of gendered images in various dance genres and events embedded in U.S. culture and how movement expression inscribes markers of identity such as gender, race, ethnicity and sexuality in their inscription on the body in performance.

WS 2393.50 - Introduction to Literature By Women
100% asynchronous online
Introduction to important works of literature by women. May be organized by theme, topic, genre, ethnic group or nationality.

WS 2703 - Gender and Education
100% asynchronous online
An interdisciplinary examination of the relationship between gender and education in the U.S. Explores how gender relationships are created, maintained, enacted, and transformed through educational structures, practices and institutions.

WS 3023.50 - U.S. Women of Colors
100% asynchronous online
Multidisciplinary, relational explorations of the histories, theories, cultures and lives of U.S. women from a wide variety of ethnic/cultural backgrounds. Themes of agency, survival, resistance and transformation.

WS 3073.01 - Literature by Women
Hybrid with meetings Tue 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Advanced examination of literature by women. Organized by theme, topic, or genre. May be repeated when topic varies.

WS 3083.50 - Ethics and Feminism
100% asynchronous online
A comprehensive study of the literature, principles and linguistic impact of contemporary ethics with special emphasis on the origins, authors, and audiences related to feminist philosophy.

WS 3213.50 - Women’s Roles
100% asynchronous online
Women's roles are examined in the context of social institutions such as the family, the economy and the government. Implications of sexual inequality, changing gender roles, and diversity by race, ethnicity, class and age.

WS 3223.50 - Women, Crime, and Justice
100% asynchronous online
Introduction to gender, crime and justice. Focus on women as offenders, crime victims and employees in criminal justice. Feminist and critical perspectives on women, girls and crime. Issues of gender inequality in criminal justice policy and practice.

WS 3343.01 - Women in the Visual Arts
Hybrid, lecture Tue 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
A survey of women visual artists of the Western world and how their roles relate to those of women visual artists worldwide. An analysis, from a traditional and a feminist point of view, of the recording of the female artist's place in history

WS 3703 - Women in Music
Multiple sections
as composers and performers, and the cultural values that have affected women's participation in musical life.

WS 3733 - Psychology of Women
Multiple sections
Issues in the development and behavior of women, including theoretical perspectives, male-female differences, achievement, motivation, stereotype, androgyny, sexuality, career choices, mental health and disorders, psychotherapy, lifespan and special sub-groups.

WS 4023.01 - Sexualities and Identities
Hybrid Mon 1-2:20 p.m.
Sexuality as an identity formation, social category, and theoretical construct. Interdisciplinary in focus and foundation. Aesthetic, cultural, historical, and institutional discourses that frame our contemporary understandings of sexuality.

WS 4113.50 - The Family
100% asynchronous online
A sociological and feminist analysis of the family as an institution and of the processes and dynamics of the interpersonal relations of marriage and family life.

WS 4493.01 - Feminist Theory
Lecture Tue, Thu 1-2:20 p.m.
Explores the diversity of feminist theories and their applications to the social, political and intellectual contexts of women's lives. Includes consideration of historical context for the development of the theoretical perspectives and critiques their analytical strengths and weaknesses. Attention is also given to particular theorists.

Fall 2025 graduate classes

WS 5023.50 - Foundations for Scholarly Inquiry in Women’s and Gender Studies
Agatha Beins, PhD
100% Online, synchronous meetings Wed 6-8:50 p.m.
Historical origins and development of Women's and Gender Studies within higher education, including critiques and contributions by women of color; relationships between theorizing and activism; the challenges of multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinarity; and emerging issues.

WS 5463.50 - U.S. Women of Colors
AnaLouise Keating, PhD
100% online, synchronous meetings alternating Mon 6-8:30 p.m.
Histories, theories, cultures, consciousness, and lives of U.S. women of color from a variety of perspectives; issues related to conflict, agency, survival, resistance, intervention and transformation.

WS 6103.01 - New Directions in Feminist/Womanist Theory
Damien Hagen, PhD
Tue 6-8:50 p.m., MCL 501
Recent controversies, significant research questions and new directions in feminist/womanist theorizing. The investigation of recent interventions in Women's and Gender Studies and feminist/womanist theories and theorizing.

Page last updated 8:04 AM, June 2, 2025