Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) 303

Overview

Your work in this course should help you to better understand issues such as gender and the politics of health care; women’s reproductive health and health care; special issues in women’s health (cancer, violence, and aging); and women’s health and the global environment.

Although the course deals with many health issues, simple time and space constraints suggest that not all health topics could possibly be covered. For example, many health issues that are common to both men and women have not been addressed, nor have health issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, anorexia, and bulimia been discussed. Women’s and Gender Studies 303: Issues in Women’s Health concentrates on the health issues that are unique to women’s experiences, on women’s status as undervalued (and sometimes victimized) consumers of health care, and on the medicalization of women’s health issues and health concerns. The course stresses the potential for women’s agency and autonomy with respect to improving their health and environments.

Outline

Unit 1: Gender, Health, and the Politics of Health Care

• Section 1.1: Gender and the Politics of Women’s Health: Reform and Revolution
• Section 1.2: The Gender of Care Providers: Doctors, Nurses, and Community Care

Unit 2: Women’s Reproductive Health and Health Care

• Section 2.1: Menstruation and Menopause
• Section 2.2: Sexual Health and Controlling Fertility
• Section 2.3: Abortion
• Section 2.4: Pregnancy and Childbirth

Unit 3: Special Problems in Women’s Health

• Section 3.1: Health and Violence Against Women
• Section 3.2: Women and Cancer
• Section 3.3: Women, Health Care, and Aging

Unit 4: Women’s Health and the Future

• Section 4.1: Gender, Health, and the Environment

Evaluation

To receive credit for WGST 303, must complete three written assignments and write the “at-home” final assessment exercise. Your final grade is determined by a weighted average of the grades you receive on these activities. To receive credit for this course, you must achieve a minimum grade of D (50%) on the final assessment exercise and an overall grade of "D" (50 percent) or better for the entire course. The weightings for each assignment and the final assessment exercise are as follows:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Other materials

In addition to the textbook, the course materials include a study guide and a reading file.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they 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 for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the WGST 303 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) or greater on the research essay to be eligible to write the challenge examination. A cumulative average of 50 per cent on both activities is required. Credit is awarded on a pass/fail basis only.

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form