Women and Gender Studies

This course seeks to develop an appreciation of the strengths and challenges of the dominant American way of life as embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. It studies the roots of the American Republic, the formulation of its worldview, its principal values, representative character, codes of behavior, and institutions. It then views these through the lens of the Gospel. The course is designed to lead students to appreciate what it means to be faithful citizens and American Catholics, enabling them to bring the Catholic voice into the public discourse.

American political life, in attempting to separate religion from politics, has, at times, tried to separate politics from ethics and the development of virtue. The first part of this course will argue that such a separation, however well intentioned, cannot sustain effective civic life, and in fact runs the risk of falling into authoritarianism. In the classical and medieval periods—and in the formation of the United States of America—certain personal virtues have been thought to be foundational for a healthy society. This course will consider how those virtues still constitute that foundation. It will show how various political theories are based in suppositions about human nature, and examine those suppositions critically.

The best means for the Church to evangelize is through dialogue with the world (Redemptor Hominis). Christians, therefore, must be masters of dialogue. This course will focus on developing those communication skills that are essential for bringing the Good News into the public sphere.

This course is an introduction to the history and development of the Church’s understanding and teachings on marriage of which God is the author. This will include: How Church law has changed in the last 100 years, away from a juridical to a personalist, spiritual understanding of marriage as a path to holiness (Lumen gentium, V) and “an intimate partnership of life and love” (Gaudium et spes, no. 48ff); marriage as covenant, sacrament and “vocation in service to communion” (Catechism, no. 1602 ff) is central to the call and mission of the domestic church. This will include an understanding of the goods of marriage, including the quality of intimacy and communication, as well as the quality of freedom required for valid consent to mutual self-giving of the vows. The contemporary challenges of fertility management, divorce, and related concerns will be addressed within the overall charism of marriage as covenant love, a living sign of Christ and his church.

This course traces the historical development and understanding of sexuality, gender, feminism, and the sexual revolution in both secular philosophy and in Catholic Christian context.

This course traces the historical development and understanding of sexuality, gender, feminism, and the sexual revolution in both secular philosophy and in Catholic Christian context.

This course philosophically and theologically grounds the understanding of sex, gender, and human sexuality within the metaphysics of human personhood: the body, the soul, the mind, epistemology, ontology, and humans as rational animals.

This course philosophically and theologically grounds the understanding of sex, gender, and human sexuality within the metaphysics of human personhood: the body, the soul, the mind, epistemology, ontology, and humans as rational animals.

Informed by the relevant scientific and social science evidence, this course examines what we know about sexuality and gender. Are the causes genetic or environmental (nature vs. nurture), what is the effectiveness of various interventions, what are the comorbidities and other risks associated with various sexual identities?

Informed by the relevant scientific and social science evidence, this course examines what we know about sexuality and gender. Are the causes genetic or environmental (nature vs. nurture), what is the effectiveness of various interventions, what are the comorbidities and other risks associated with various sexual identities?

This course synthesizes and applies the philosophical, historical, and scientific knowledge gained in the rest of the certificate's courses and helps students learn to apply that new knowledge in professional and practical settings. Through practical application and case studies, the course will unify and also deepen students' command of multiple facets (legal, educational, medical, and pastoral) of sexuality and gender.

This course examines the call for a "new feminism" and focuses particularly on insights from the Catholic female intellectual tradition.

This course synthesizes and applies the philosophical and historical knowledge gained in the Catholic Feminism certificate’s courses and helps students learn to apply that new knowledge in professional and practical settings. Through practical application and case studies, the course will unify and deepen students' command of the information gained and formulate pathways of bringing this good news to the world.

This course explores the evolving history of gynecology, the shifting standards for women’s health practices, and the impact of these changes on women's overall health and wellness. It will also delve into diverse topics, from fertility methods to ethical treatment options for women's reproductive diseases, exploring the advancement of women's health practices and the occasional medical and ethical tension with current best practices.

This course is an exploration of reproductive medicine through the lens of sexual differentiation, guided by the principles of the Ethical and Religious Directives from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

This course synthesizes and applies the philosophical and historical knowledge gained in the Women's Health and Wellness certificate's courses and helps students learn to apply that new knowledge in professional and practical settings. Through practical application and case studies, the course will unify and deepen students' command of the information gained and formulate pathways of bringing this good news to the world.

This course delves into the status of the family in public policy, exploring especially shifting definitions of family, and the family's relationship to Church and State and its role in society. It will also examine public policy related to gender. We will explore the identities of men, women, the changing dynamics of sex, and the important ramifications transgender policy has on civil liberties and marriage

This course delves into the status of the family in public policy, exploring especially shifting definitions of family, and the family's relationship to Church and State and its role in society. It will also examine public policy related to gender. We will explore the identities of men, women, the changing dynamics of sex, and the important ramifications transgender policy has on civil liberties and marriage

This course synthesizes and applies the knowledge gained in the Gender and Family Policy certificate's courses and helps students learn to apply that new knowledge in professional and practical settings. Through practical application and case studies, the course will unify and deepen students' command of the information gained and formulate pathways of bringing this good news to the world.

This leadership course will afford the student the opportunity to study, analyze, and acquire the attitudes and habits of leadership in the style of Jesus of Nazareth. It will provide the student with the vision, values, attitudes, and behaviors that any Christian leader must espouse for effective leadership either in the religious or the secular context. While much good can be found in contemporary leadership management courses, far more than management skills is expected of a leader who follows Christ.

There is fascinating evidence from the far reaches of the outer universe to the inner workings of the atom that bear striking analogies to theistic religious beliefs. This class will discuss four ways that science and religion can relate: conflict, independence, dialogue, and integration. It will be made accessible in language that non-scientists can understand. A dialogue then will ensue on the analogies of those discoveries to theistic religious beliefs with particular emphasis on Christianity and Catholicism. The course starts with assumptions, and then proposes convergence trends in four broad categories: physics to metaphysics, chemistry to life, biology to consciousness, and psychology to mysticism. A discussion of the science of the brain will coincide with the experience of mysticism. The objective of the course is for students to have a better understanding of how faith and science in recent times have come to be mutually affirming over a broad range of disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, and psychology.

Treatment of selected topics of mutual interest to the professor and students.

This class requires synthesis across all areas of the subject matters in Catholic Feminism, Women's Health and Wellness, and Gender and Family Policy areas of study. From the history of the women's movement to the evolution of gender ideology and including working knowledge of the effects of policy on the delivery of women’s healthcare, students will pull together all knowledge gained in the MA program to display their command of the information and application in the world.