Spring 2004 Psychology 4822 - Female Sexuality

Professor: Dr. Suzanna Rose, DM 212, 305/348-2408 o; 305/348-3143 fax; srose@fiu.edu
Teaching Assistant: Ms. Kim Coffman, DM 213, kcoff001@fiu.edu
Lecture Time and Place: TR, 3:30-4:45pm, Green Library 523, University Park Campus
Class website: http://www.fiu.edu/~srose/femsex.html

Description: This course will present a psychological orientation toward the study of female sexuality. Topics include: sexual anatomy, sexual response cycle, sex and gender development, sexual attraction and relationships, reproductive health issues, and social issues in sexuality. Class format is primarily lecture with some class discussions. This course also fulfills a requirement for the Women's Studies major and certificate and a computer-use requirement for WS majors. For information about the major or certificate, talk to Dr. Rose or call 305/348-2408.

Required Text:

1. Hyde & DeLamater, Understanding Human Sexuality, 8th Edition, McGraw Hill.

Recommended Texts:

1. Boston Women's Health Book Collective. (2002). Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century. Excellent information about sexuality and health. Every woman should have a copy.
2. Elder, L. (1996). Early Embraces: True-life Stories of Women Describing their First Lesbian Experience.

Course Requirements:

1. Examinations (required). There will be three in-class multiple choice/short essay exams worth 100 points each.
2. Short Reaction Paper (required - 10 points maximum). A 3-4 page paper (typed, double-spaced, 12-point type with 1" margins, STAPLED) must be submitted by April 15. Email submissions will not be accepted. Please keep a copy of your paper on disk. The paper should describe your reaction to one of the following: a) a film on the Female Sexuality recommended film list, or b) your reaction to a campus presentation or community event that is related to class material. Some films on the film list will be available for viewing in the Women's Studies teaching lab, DM 213, on most Fridays during the semester. Other approved films are available at the FIU library. Approved events on campus will be announced in class. Check with the professor for approval before you attend an event or film that hasn't been approved. Library research is not necessary for the paper, but class readings or lectures should be incorporated into your paper and appropriate credit should be given for any quotes using APA format.
3. Optional Study Sessions. Students are encouraged to attend one of the optional study sessions held the week before each exam (place and time to be announced).
4. Additional Optional Extra Credit Short Reaction Paper (optional - 10 points maximum). An additional optional 3-4 page paper (typed, double-spaced, 1" margins) can be submitted on April 15 as well as the required paper. The paper will be worth up to 10 points extra credit (the equivalent of one letter grade on one exam). (Note: This option can help but not hurt your course grade.) The same criteria for #2 above will be used for this paper.
5. Class Attendance and Participation. Your class participation, regular attendance, performance on unannounced quizzes, and attendance at exam review sessions will be taken into account positively if your grade is borderline.
6. Make-up Exams. Exams missed due to medical emergency can be made up within one week of the regularly scheduled exam. Students who miss exam 1 or 2 for non-medical reasons must take the CUMULATIVE EXAM covering class material for Part I and II of the course, which will be given at the end of the semester immediately following Exam 3. Your score on that exam will be used as your score for the exam you missed.
7. Optional Cumulative Exam. Students who do not need to take the cumulative makeup exam at the end of the term have the option of taking the cumulative exam and using that score to replace a score on a previous exam. This exam can be used as a makeup score OR replacement score, but not both. If your score on the optional cumulative exam is higher than your score on Exam 1 or 2, the higher grade will be substituted. In other words, this grade could help your score, but will not hurt it, because the higher of the two grades will be used in calculating your final grade.
8. Academic Integrity. Students are responsible for acting in accordance with the FIU Student Code of Conduct. Cheating is prohibited. Any student caught cheating will be given an F on that exam which will be computed as part of the class grade. Copying (plagiarizing) another person's work without giving documented credit to the author, buying papers over the internet, or allowing someone to copy your work is prohibited and will result in an F grade on a plagiarized assignment.
9. Films. There will be sexually explicit films shown in class. Although attendance is NOT required, any students who have strong objections to sexually explicit material should consider not taking this course. Only enrolled students will be allowed to view films.
   

PLEASE NOTE: The subject of Female Sexuality includes sexually explicit, sensitive, and sometimes controversial topics. If your personal philosophy prevents you from participating in discussions of these topics, this course may not be appropriate for you.