California State University, Chico

HUMAN SEXUALITY

HCSV 111-03           Spring 2005

 

Professor:        Dr. Lyndall Ellingson                                                               Office: Butte 637

                        E-Mail: lellingson@csuchico.edu                                                Telephone: 898-6310

 

Office Hours:    Thursday & Friday 1:30-3:00 pm

                                               

*About e-mail and telephone messages: If you have an emergency that requires you to miss a class without prior notification, it is a good idea to leave me a message before you leave town.  However, leaving a message does not negate your responsibilities for attendance and timely submission of papers.  You are welcome to ask me questions about the class, your group, or personal health issues over e-mail or during my office hours.

 

COURSE SPECIFICS

 

Time & Location:                Tuesdays, 6 – 9:50 pm                                      Plumas 102

Required texts:  

·          Crooks & Bauer (2002). Our Sexuality, 8th Ed. Wadsworth

·          Reading Packet #: ___ available at Mr. Kopy (119 Main Street).

Required Access: WebCT with _____________software to submit papers

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

 

Overview of human sexuality, including psychosexual development, gender roles, reproductive systems, pregnancy and childbirth, contraception, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, relationships, sexual orientation, sex and the law, sexually explicit materials and sexual difficulties.  This is an approved General education course and includes a 2500 word writing requirement.

 

The objectives of  this course are:

 

1)       To facilitate an atmosphere of learning, communication, and development of knowledge for life-long learning and understanding of human sexuality.

2)       To present a forum for discussion of current sexuality issues including controversial topics such as abortion, rape, sexual orientation, pornography, contraception and conception.

3)       To present the anatomy and physiology of human sexuality and reproduction and to dispel misinformation and/or myths regarding these areas.

4)       To present, explore, and discuss issues pertinent to sexuality regarding the college student.

 

The course utilizes both lecture and small group discussion techniques.  Lectures will emphasize the cognitive aspects of the subject,  the discussion sessions will provide an opportunity to explore attitudes, feelings, and communication. It is hoped that as a result of your experience in this class, you will

 

Be more aware and accepting of your own individual sexuality and value systems;

develop an intelligent and responsible sexual lifestyle;

and

be more aware and accepting of the sexual value systems of others.

 

 

General Education & Life-long learning

HCSV 111 satisfies Area E – Life learning designed to equip human beings for life-long learning understanding and development of themselves as integrated physiological, psychological, and sociological entities. Part of General Education should provide instruction that fosters understanding of the self as a complex, integrated being.  Each course, therefore must:

1)       address issues that are likely to be important to most of our students throughout most  of their lifetime;

2)       significantly incorporate and integrate theory, data, and perspectives from each of the three broad areas of human life: physiological, psychologically and social;

3)       have substantial written projects that ask the student to: a) integrate the ideas and materials of the course and apply these ideas and materials of the course to themselves and their own projected life course.


STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

 

1)       Attendance will be taken randomly throughout the semester.  You may miss 1 class period without penalty. For each absence over 1, your final grade will be reduced 1/3 letter grade. You must be in class for the entire class to receive credit. I frequently take attendance twice in one class session.

2)       Respect: Respect the diversity of experience, values, and thoughts presented and explored in class.

3)   Professionalism:

a)      Arrive on time, prepared and ready to discuss readings and issues. 

b)      Submit high quality assignments on time via WebCT. Assignments must be submitted before 6 pm on the day noted in the syllabus. If you are unsure that your WebCT submission was successful, you must print out your response and bring it to class on the due date. NO EXCEPTIONS. No papers will be accepted outside of class.

 

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

 

Discussion Group Participation (12 @ 10 pts each)

Each student will be assigned to a discussion of 12-15 people that will regularly during the semester. Focus is on developing skills of verbal ease of communication about sexual matters, responsible listening to other persons, and openness in exploring and accepting divergent views.  Attendance will be taken at each session, 10 points for each session.  You may miss one discussion group meeting without penalty. While a quantifiable level of participation is not part of the credit received, inhibiting group functioning will be considered grounds for lost credit.

 

Anonymous Autobiographical Paper: “Who Am I Sexually?” (2 @ 10 pts)

One paper is written at the beginning of the course and the other at the end.  The purpose of the paper is to provide you with an opportunity to evaluate and re-evaluate a personal intentional stance regarding yourself as a sexual person.  This type of writing is usually difficult at first.  You need to assess yourself and others of significance in your life honestly and realistically.  If you can discuss your feelings openly (in writing) you may experience a reduction of fears and embarrassments; you may develop some newer understandings or appreciation of your own behavior and/or that of someone else close to you; and you may find solutions or alternatives to meet the requirements of your own situations. NO LATE PAPERS ACCEPTED in order to retain anonymity.

Ø      See instructions in this syllabus for further directions.

 

Article Response (7 @ 20 pts)

Prepare for discussion by reading, answering questions and reflecting on article assignments in the course reading packet. Submit your answers via WebCT by 6 pm on the date assigned. No late submissions will be accepted. The questions are available on the WebCt course homepage: “Article Questions”. Use the “Assignment” tool to submit your answers. Your submissions should include:

 

·         article # & title

·         the review questions (abbreviated)

·         Your answers to the questions in the course packet

·         Any opinions, disagreements or comments regarding the reading

 

Exams: 3 @ 150 pts each 

Exams will cover material from the text and reserved readings, lectures, guest speakers, and videos.  Exams will be multiple choice, true-false, and short answer. The exams will NOT be cumulative. Make up exams will only be given under dire emergencies with documentation and are administered during finals week.

Ø      See Text study guide on WebCT

 


Extra Credit (15 pts)

You may submit 1 extra credit paper anytime during the semester before the final date noted on the schedule.  These will be two page reviews and personal reactions to events, speakers, performances related to sexuality.  I will be announcing opportunities and welcome your contributions.  You MUST GET APPROVAL from me in advance! Below is a list of movie possibilities for extra credit. 

Ø       Use the “Critical Movie Review” in WebCT to guide your movie review.

 

On gender: The Crying Game, Boys Don’t Cry

On sexual orientation: But I’m a Cheerleader, Beautiful Thing,

On attraction & desire: Fatal Attraction

On relationships: Harold and Maude

On Sexual Violence: The Accused

On pornography: Boogie Nights

On Sexual Variance: Quills (Marquis de Sade)

 

 

Grading Scale:

 

Article Responses (7 @ 20 points each)                          140

Exams (3 @ 150 pts)                                                     450                  

Autobiographical paper (2 @ 10 pts.)                                 20

Discussion group points (12 @ 10 pts)                           120                  

Total                                                                             730                  

                                .

                                    B+  =    88 - 89%           C+  =    78 - 79%           D+  =    67 - 69%

A   =     94 - 100%         B    =    84 - 87%           C    =    74 - 77%           D    =    64 - 66%

A-  =     90 - 93%           B-   =    80 - 83%           C -  =    70 - 73%           F     =   63% or less

 

Remember: lecture attendance will be taken randomly.  You can be absent 1 time without penalty, for each additional absence, your final letter grade will be reduced 1/3 letter grade.

 

 

Letter grades in this course are in accordance with CSU academic policy:

A: Superior Work - A level of achievement so outstanding that it is normally attained by relatively few students.

B: Very Good Work - A high level of achievement clearly better than adequate competence in the subject matter, but not as good as the unusual, superior achievement of students earning an A.

C: Adequate Work - A level of achievement indicating adequate competence in the subject matter.  This level will usually be met by a majority of students in the course.

D: Minimally Acceptable Work - A level of achievement which meets the minimum requirements of the course.

F: Unacceptable Work - A level of achievement that fails to meet the minimum requirements of the course.

 

 


COURSE SCHEDULE

 

DAY

TOPIC

READINGS/

ASSIGNMENTS

Group

Meetings

1/25

Introductions & Healthy Sexuality

 

 

 

2/1

Sexual Attitudes & Values

Ch. 1 & 2

Autobiographical paper #1

1

2/8

Gender and Sexuality

Ch 3

Article #1

2

2/15

Psychosexual Development

Ch 8 & 9

 

3

2/22

Sexual Orientations

Ch 11

Article #2

4

3/1

Exam 1

Movie: Ma Vie En Rose

6-7:30 pm

7:30 – 8:50 pm

 

3/8

Anatomy & Response

 

Ch 4, 5, 10

Article #3

5

3/15

SPRING BREAK

 

 

3/22

Conception & Pregnancy

 

Ch 12

 

6

3/29

Birth Control

Ch 13

Article #4

7

4/5

HIV  & other STIs

 

Ch 15

Article #5

8

4/12

Exam 2

Movie: TBA

6-7:30 pm

7:30 – 8:50 pm

 

4/19

Sexual Attraction, Relationships, & Communication

Ch 6 & 7

Article #6

9

4/26

Power and Sexual Coercion

Ch 17

All extra credit due

10

5/3

Sexual Variance & Expression

Ch 16

Article #7

11

5/10

Commercial Sex

Ch 18

Autobiographical paper #2

12

5/17

Exam 3     8-9:50 pm

 

 

 

Articles (in Reading Packet)

#1: Transgressing sex and gender: Deconstruction zone ahead?

#2: Should Same-sex marriage be legal?

#3: The New Eroticism

#4: The limits of Conscientious Objection – May Pharmacists refuse to fill prescriptions for Emergency Contraception?

#5: College students' perceptions and practices of sexual activities in sexual encounters.

#6: In Search of Erotic Intelligence

#7: The Pleasure of the Pain

 


First Autobiographical Paper

Purpose

 

The purpose of this paper is to provide you with an opportunity to evaluate a personal intentional stance regarding yourself as a sexual person.  This type of writing assignment may be difficult at first.  You need to assess yourself and others of significance in your life honestly and realistically.  If you can discuss your feelings openly (in writing) you may experience a reduction of fears and embarrassments; you may develop some newer understandings and appreciations of your own behavior and/or that of someone else close to you; and you may find solutions or alternatives to meet the requirements of your own situations.

 

Procedure

 

DO NOT write your name or any identifiable number on the paper.  Instead, write your name on a small piece of paper and attach it to the manuscript with a paper clip.  When you turn your paper in during class, you will separate the slip of paper with your name from your autobiographical paper and put them in different envelopes. This way, you will get credit for submitting the paper, but your name will not be associated with anything you write. You will NOT be identified with your manuscript and your discussion leader and course instructors are the only ones who will see them.  The manuscripts will be destroyed once the course has been completed. 

 

The manuscript must be typed and must be NO LESS than 2 pages long.

 

Suggested sexuality aspects that you might want to consider when preparing the assignment are:

 

· relationships with parents and siblings

· the sex education received at home

· where your attitudes and sexual knowledge were learned

· teenage sexual practices/experiences

· present sexual practices/experiences

· your attitudes toward sexuality in general and toward you as a sexual person

· view of yourself in the future as a sexual person

 

Make 2 copies of your manuscript; keep one for any grading inconsistencies.

 

Second Autobiographical Paper

 

The purpose of this paper is to provide you with an opportunity to reevaluate your personal stance regarding yourself as a sexual person.  The procedure is similar to the first autobiographical assignment.  DO NOT write your name or any identifying number on the paper.  Instead, write your name on a small piece of paper and attach it to the manuscript with a paper clip.  The slip with your name on it will be detached as you submit the autobiographical paper. You will not be identified with your manuscript.

 

For this assignment, reflect currently your attitudes, knowledge, and behavior dealing with human sexuality.  What (if any) new insights, experiences, information has occurred since the first paper about you as a sexual person? Describe how the course has, or has not, affected you relative to sexuality.  What have you gained from the lecture sessions? What have you gained from the discussion groups?  How could the course be improved?  Where are you now in your feelings about sexuality?  What else do you need to deal with in arriving where you want to be sexually?

 

This assignment must be typed and no less than 2 pages.  Make a copy since these will not be returned.

 


HOW TO SUCCEED IN THIS CLASS

 

 

  1. Examinations: Note-taking, text reading, and preparation:

a)      Lecture: Don’t just write down what is on my overheads.  My overheads are outlines - you should write related information, emphasis, and issues discussed corresponding to information on overheads.

b)      Text:  use the review questions at the end of each chapter to study for your exam.  If you can answer those questions, you will do well on the text portion of the exams.

c)       Read your text readings once, then answer study questions.  Write review questions answers out, then reduce to essential words/concepts. You should be able to reduce text info to 2-4 pages of abbreviated facts for each exam.

d)      I predict about 4-7 hours studying for each exam, AFTER you have done the text reading.

 

  1. Attendance!  Study after study shows students who are simply IN CLASS do better. Attendance is so important I’ve made it part of your grade.  Don’t miss getting the grade you’ve earned by missing classes.

 

  1. COME TALK TO ME if you have any questions, problems, concerns!  Come see me BEFORE you are at the end of your options.  For example, an incomplete must be negotiated well in advance of the end of the semester.  I don’t bite, and I do care about your success in this class and in college.