SEXUALITY AND SCIENCE
Explores scientific approaches to studying sexuality. Examines current biological and neuroscientific research about sexuality, as well as feminist scholarship on these topics and critical responses to this research. Topics cover the intersections between biology (e.g., hormones, anatomy, neural activity, psychophysiology, evolution, etc.), sexuality (e.g., desire, dysfunction, arousal, bisexuality, orgasm, same-sex sexuality, pleasure, etc.), and feminist/critical scholarship about this research (e.g., feminist science studies, queer theory, feminist psychology, medicalization, etc.).
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Sophomore standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness + Lab Breadth - Natural Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe current biological, social, and feminist science research on sexuality, the research methods currently used to study sexuality, and the problematics of doing this research Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Critically evaluate research on sexuality and science Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Describe feminist science principles and how they can shape scientific methods and interpretations of data Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Present scientific material on sexuality in concise, accessible ways Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Identify primary scientific sources and summarize and interpret evidence from these sources Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Support an argument about a sexuality topic in writing using scientific evidence from primary sources Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Critically evaluate the impact of sexuality science on society Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 8. Use scientific theorizing about sexuality to help develop graduate level research including but not limited to thesis and dissertation research Audience: Graduate 9. Formulate a novel or advanced argument about a sexuality topic in writing using scientific evidence from primary sources Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe current biological, social, and feminist science research on sexuality, the research methods currently used to study sexuality, and the problematics of doing this research Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Critically evaluate research on sexuality and science Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Describe feminist science principles and how they can shape scientific methods and interpretations of data Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Present scientific material on sexuality in concise, accessible ways Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Identify primary scientific sources and summarize and interpret evidence from these sources Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Support an argument about a sexuality topic in writing using scientific evidence from primary sources Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Critically evaluate the impact of sexuality science on society Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 8. Use scientific theorizing about sexuality to help develop graduate level research including but not limited to thesis and dissertation research Audience: Graduate 9. Formulate a novel or advanced argument about a sexuality topic in writing using scientific evidence from primary sources Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027