Overview
WGST 201: An Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies introduces students to the long tradition of feminist theorizing and activism used to identify and challenge patriarchal cultural traditions and their resulting gender inequities and oppressions. Units 1–3 of the course provide students with the historical background and theoretical tools needed to understand the ways in which different groups of women have been marginalized, not only in terms of gender, but also at the intersections of gender and race, ethnicity, class, (dis)ability, and / or sexuality. Units 4–7 focus on the major issues facing women in Canada today in relation to violence, health, work and family, and body image. Each of these units examines the barriers that negatively impact women’s lives as well as the collective efforts to dismantle those barriers. The eighth and final unit focuses on feminism in the Global South.
Outline
WGST 201 is divided into eight units:
- Unit 1: Riding the Waves: A History and Overview of Feminist Thinking and Activism
- Unit 2: Theorizing Women’s Lives
- Unit 3: Intersections of Gender and Race
- Unit 4: Gender-Based Violence
- Unit 5: Health and Well-Being
- Unit 6: Work and Family
- Unit 7: Beauty Culture and the Body
- Unit 8: Transnational Feminisms and the Global South
Learning outcomes
WGST 201 has six major learning outcomes. After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Provide an overview of the three waves of feminism.
- Compare and contrast the major feminist theories.
- Recognize and explain how gender intersects with other social categories, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and (dis)ability.
- Discuss the major issues facing different groups of women in Canada today, including gender-based violence, health, work and family, and beauty culture and the media.
- Discuss the specific challenges facing Indigenous women as a result of colonialism.
- Define transnational feminism, and give examples of feminist issues and activism in the Global South.
Evaluation
To receive credit for WGST 201, students must complete and submit all of the assignments, and achieve a minimum overall grade of D (50 percent) for the course.
Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on their ability to apply those concepts. The final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: Oral Review | 25% |
| Assignment 2: Position Paper | 15% |
| Assignment 3: Research Essay Plan | 15% |
| Assignment 4: Critical Reflections | 20% |
| Assignment 5: Research Essay | 25% |
| Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Mandell, N., & Johnson, J. (Eds.). (2017). Feminist issues: Race, class, and sexuality (6th ed.). Pearson.
Other Materials
All other materials are provided online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
The WGST 201 challenge for credit option has two components:
- Part I: Matching Exercise and Short Responses (Invigilated)
- Part II: Short Essays (Take Home)
You must receive a passing grade of 50% on Part I before you can receive and complete Part II. To receive credit for challenging WGST 201, you must complete both parts of this evaluation and achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on each part. Credit will be awarded as either a pass or a fail.
Challenge for credit course registration form