Women's and Gender Studies (WGST) 333
Goddess Mythology, Women's Spirituality, and Ecofeminism (Revision 2)
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Delivery Mode: Individualized study online
Credits: 3
Area of Study: Humanities
Prerequisite: None
Precluded Course: WMST 333. (WGST 333 cannot be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained for WMST 333.)
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
Women's & Gender Studies home page
WGST 333 has a Challenge for Credit option.
Overview
WGST 333 examines the evolution, fragmentation and recreation of spiritual traditions, myths and legends associated with the goddess. The course explores the symbolic significance of female divinity and the impact of its loss on all aspects of Western culture. The last three units cover the topic of ecofeminism, one important response to this loss. Inspired by goddess mythology, the approach to ecofeminism presented in the course foregrounds the sacredness and interconnectedness of all life.
Outline
- Unit 1: Goddess and Her Mythologies
- Unit 2: Upper Palaeolithic and Neolithic Goddess Mythology
- Unit 3: Sumerian-Babylonian and Egyptian Goddess Mythology
- Unit 4: Goddesses in Greek Mythology
- Unit 5: Goddess Mythology in the Judeo-Christian Tradition
- Unit 6: Goddess Mythology and Ecofeminism: All is Alive
- Unit 7: Ecofeminist Views of Women and Animals
- Unit 8: Ecofeminism, Goddess Spirituality, and Political Action
Evaluation
To receive credit for WGST 333, you must obtain at least D (50 percent) on the telephone review and each of the three written assignments. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
| Activity | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Assignment 1 Telephone Review | 15% |
| Assignment 2 Goddess Essay | 35% |
| Assignment 3 Short Essay and Proposal | 15% |
| Assignment 4 Essay on Ecofeminism | 35% |
| Total | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbooks
Baring, A., & Cashford, J. (1993). The myth of the goddess: Evolution of an image. New York: Penguin.
Adams, C. J., Ed. ( 1994). Ecofeminism and the sacred. New York: Continuum. (PDF)
Other Materials
The course materials also include a print study guide and a reading file. All other materials are available 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.
Challenge Evaluation
To receive credit for the WGST 333 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the examination.
Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 2, March 10, 2011.
View previous syllabus