Women and Gender Studies

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.

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 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 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.