1. health and fitness
2. sexuality

New Program Proposal
Institution: The University of Kansas
Program Title: BA and BGS Major in Human Sexuality
BASIC PROGRAM INFORMATION
Proposing institution: The University of Kansas
Title of proposed program: Undergraduate major in Human Sexuality offered by the Department
of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Degree to be offered: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of General Studies in Human Sexuality in
the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Anticipated date of implementation: Fall 2014
Responsible department: Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Kansas
CIP Code: 05.0207
NEW MAJOR PROGRAM PROPOSAL
BA/BGS in Human Sexuality
offered by
The Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
University of Kansas
November 1, 2013
Table of Contents
NEW PROGRAM PROPOSAL & BASIC PROGRAM INFORMATION
1
PROGRAM PROPOSAL NARRATIVE
INTRODUCTION
3
A. Program Need and Student Characteristics
5
B. Curriculum of the Proposed Major
20
C. Program Faculty
22
D. Academic Support
25
E. Facilities and Equipment
27
F. Program Review, Assessment and Accreditation
29
APPENDICES
1. Curriculum Outline
32
2. Faculty Quality
34
3. Human Sexuality Major Career Path
38
4. Selected Examples of Organizations & Employment
39
5. Library Resources (statement by Tami Albin, WGSS Bibliographer)
43
3
Program Proposal Narrative
INTRODUCTION
The Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) at the University of
Kansas proposes to establish a new BA/BGS degree program in Human Sexuality beginning in
Fall 2014.
We need no new funding, faculty, staff or equipment to host this new major.
The WGSS Department has grown considerably since changing its name from Women's
Studies to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies in 2008. It has reached out to faculty in other
units at the University of Kansas and now enjoys the support of 38 courtesy faculty members
who teach courses that benefit the WGSS programs (see Appendix 2). In the Fall of 2008, we
inaugurated our Human Sexuality minor which has had 96 students as of Spring 2013. In
November 2010 the Kansas Board of Regents approved our proposal for a PhD program; we
admitted our first class of four students in Fall 2011, our second class in Fall 2012 and our third
class in Fall 2013.
The impetus for pursuing a Human Sexuality Major is student driven. In 2011-2012 one of
our Human Sexuality minors petitioned for a Special Major in Human Sexuality which was
approved. To determine whether student interest in a major was prevalent, we conducted a
survey in February 2012. The survey was administered in two courses and the results indicated
that student support for a regular major in Human Sexuality was strong.
We think a new major in Human Sexuality will appeal to undergraduates and will enhance
the already growing numbers of students interested in our programs. Additionally, a Human
Sexuality major aligns with the college of Liberal Arts & Sciences’ mission and would
contribute to several of the goals identified in KU’s Bold Aspirations.
A. PROGRAM NEED AND STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
1. Centrality to Mission
a. Mission Statement
The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university that
serves as a center for learning, scholarship, and creative endeavor. According to the Board of
Regents approved mission statement, the University is committed to offering the highest quality
undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, comparable to the best obtainable anywhere
in the nation. As the only AAU research university in the state, KU offers a broad array of
undergraduate and graduate study programs and fulfills its mission through faculty, academic
and research programs of international distinction and outstanding libraries, teaching museums
and information technology. These resources enrich the undergraduate experience and are
essential for graduate-level education and research.
In the 2007 strategic plan of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS Planning for
Excellence), the fourth "core goal" is to "promote and enhance innovative research,
scholarship and teaching, especially in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary areas." Our
proposed interdisciplinary major in Human Sexuality would implement this goal. Such an
undergraduate program would also support our new graduate program since several all of PhD
students are focusing on areas of human sexuality. The major would then compliment and further
the second "core goal" of the College: "enhance graduate studies at KU through strategic
program development, especially in interdisciplinary areas of study, and through increased
support for graduate students."
In addition to aligning with core goals of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the
undergraduate major in Human Sexuality also aligns with, and contributes to, the University's
mission and Bold Aspirations by offering undergraduate level education and research in this
relatively new and growing field of research. This new undergraduate program will train
interdisciplinary scholars to use gender and sexuality as analytic concepts for understanding
human behavior, society, history, literature, and the arts in a global, international, and crosscultural environment. The analytic and cultural literacy skills yielded from an education in
sexuality studies contributes to several of KU’s Bold Aspirations, particularly to “educate future
leaders in a competitive global economy, make discoveries that enhance the growth and wellbeing of our state, and build healthy communities.”
More concretely, a major in Human Sexuality dovetails with the third strategic theme of Bold
Aspirations: Building Communities and Expanding Opportunities:
A civil community depends upon equality of opportunity, a broader understanding of
cultures, and respect for differences. International peace and prosperity demand a renewed
spirit of civic engagement. Globally, disparities in wealth, health care, education, political
power, and social status threaten our world. Such divides are obstacles to human rights,
human development, and political stability.
In 2013, WGSS Professor Hannah Britton organized the Conference on Slavery and Human
Trafficking hosted by the KU Institute for Policy & Social Research. WGSS was one of the cosponsors. Explaining the significance of this issue and its relationship to Bold Aspirations: Building
Communities and Expanding Opportunities, Prof. Britton writes:
The global, national, and regional initiative to combat contemporary slavery and human
trafficking is one of the fastest growing movements to bring together practitioners,
academics, and civic leaders to find innovative strategies to identify trafficking patterns, to
prevent social inequality that fosters enslavement, and to build stronger communities.
Organizing the conference involved creating a collaboration with KU partners (Chancellors
Office, KU Law School, WGSS, Office of Graduate Military Programs, CREES, KASC, Emily
Taylor Center for Women’s and Gender Equality, KU Libraries) and regional partners (Office of
Governor Sam Brownback, the FBI office in Kansas City, the US Attorney for Kansas, the US
Attorney for Missouri, the Anti-trafficking Coalition for Missouri and Kansas, hospitals, police
stations, and the national guard.). The conference had 220 participants from across the region and
nationally. Participants inventoried the current state of scholarly research in the slavery and human
trafficking field and concluded:
KU is ideally positioned to develop multiple educational and research programs on this
issue, given our strengths in immigration, inequality, international studies, peace and conflict
studies, and gender studies... [moreover] The history of Kansas as a free state, the legacy of
anti-slavery sentiments in the region, and current efforts to combat human trafficking create a
rich foundation for future educational programs.
Stemming from the conference, a faculty working group on slavery and human trafficking
evolved. This group recently received a Level II Strategic Initiative Grant (endorsed and supported
by the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies) for its proposal entitled the Kansas
Anti-Human Trafficking and Slavery Initiative (KASHTI). The Strategic grant is being used to foster
an interdisciplinary research and educational agenda around this theme and pursue external grant
applications. WGSS Prof. Britton is the research team lead and WGSS Prof. Akiko Takeyama is
also an integral member of the team. The import of this research and educational theme has been
noticed by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and has been included in a 2014 Cluster Hire
Proposal titled “Migrations, Immigration, Diaspora, and Human Trafficking.”
The enthusiasm and concrete initiatives emerging from the conference, grant, and cluster hire
proposal underscore the growing demand for interdisciplinary scholars who are trained to use
gender and sexuality as analytic concepts for understanding human behavior, society, history,
literature, and the arts in a global, international and cross-cultural environment. A Human
Sexuality major would encapsulate these skills.
A major in Human Sexuality (offered by the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality
Studies) would be an inherently interdisciplinary undergraduate program spanning the
humanities and social sciences and would exemplify the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences’
mission to “learn without boundaries.” The faculty that would offer courses for the Human
Sexuality major comes from almost every unit in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and
consists of nationally and internationally recognized scholars in the fields of women's studies,
gender studies, and sexuality studies. The prominence of this faculty is evidenced by awards and
fellowships, standings in professional societies, editorial positions with journals of the field, and
the numbers and quality of publications.
Within the Department of WGSS alone, several members of the core faculty have won major
teaching and mentoring awards, including the W.T. Kemper Teaching Excellence Award and the
Byrd Graduate Educator Award. Additionally, other WGSS core faculty members have been
nationally and internationally recognized with prestigious awards such as the Alfred C. Kinsey
Research Award (2012), fellowships such as the Social Science Research Council Fellowship
(2011-2012), and external grants such as nearly $500,000 from the U.S. Department of State,
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to create a U.S. Institute on Women’s Leadership
(2010-2011). These examples represent a small selection of the WGSS core faculty members’
accomplishments that are directly relevant to demonstrating the expertise possessed by the
faculty in the area of sexuality studies. Faculty expertise in human sexuality would be
immediately available to deliver a quality major in Human Sexuality. Finally, the University of
Kansas Libraries and the Spencer Museum of Art contain several specialized collections that
provide unique opportunities for research on sexuality.
As the only such undergraduate program in the state of Kansas, this major in Human
Sexuality would satisfy a primary criterion in the University's mission statement, to offer a
unique curriculum of study to the people of Kansas (see Appendix 1). Another major aspect of
the mission statement is to promote multiculturalism. Human Sexuality examines differing
attitudes, behaviors and salient areas of research concerning vulnerable populations that have
often been ignored or shunned. Again, this major would provide a service to the people of
Kansas by focusing on an area of academic study not available elsewhere in the state or in the
immediate region.
An undergraduate major in Human Sexuality would be an interdisciplinary program, taking
advantage of faculty expertise, courses, programs, and research projects across a broad spectrum
of departments and units. This major would complement and strengthen the Women’s Studies
major, Women’s Studies minor, Human Sexuality minor, and Women, Gender and Sexuality
Studies PhD currently offered in the Women, Gender and Sexuality Department. As highlighted
above, a Human Sexuality major would fit with KU's Planning for Excellence which emphasizes
collaborative interdisciplinary research and teaching as well as enhance Bold Aspirations:
Building Communities and Expanding Opportunities at the undergraduate level by equipping
students’ with the tools to help foster solutions to the complex social issues society faces today.
Finally, as a budget-neutral major that easily pairs with various minors in other units, or as a
co- or double major, the Human Sexuality major would supplement existing programs in the
Humanities and Social Sciences. In sum, the Human Sexuality major will only benefit KU. For
these reasons, this program will of great importance to the university.
b. Statement of Aspiration
The proposed WGSS major in Human Sexuality would accord with several major goals of
the 2007 CLAS Planning for Excellence document. The document emphasizes the promotion
and "development of interdisciplinary and cross-cutting courses," "strategic program
development, especially in interdisciplinary areas of study," and promotion and enhancement of
"innovative research, scholarship and teaching, especially in interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary areas." As an example, the document specifically names a possible MA/PhD
Program in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies as a site of interdisciplinary cooperation —
that program is now in place and is supported by the Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender and
Sexuality Studies, and successful undergraduate programs (Women's Studies major and minor
and a Human Sexuality minor). The undergraduate major in Human Sexuality would thus
complete the scope of the undergraduate program.
The unique international faculty and multidisciplinary course offerings of the WGSS major
in Human Sexuality would further the stated goal of the College to increase efforts to "enhance
our standing in International and Global Studies" by focusing on sexual and "racial/ethnic/gender
inequality issues around the world."
The practical agenda of the proposed program is to begin admitting undergraduate students to
the Human Sexuality major in the course of 2014-2015, with the anticipation of having some 2030 majors graduating within five years (2020).
2. Student Demand
a. Volume of Student Demand
Although there had long been courses that dealt with human sexuality in various KU
departments, these courses have not previously been organized into a coherent program of study.
Responding to this shortcoming, WGSS began offering an undergraduate minor in Human
Sexuality in the fall of 2008. The program was immediately popular and by 2013, 39 Human
Sexuality minors were enrolled Additionally, WGSS has 43 students enrolled as majors, 38
minors, 18 graduate certificate students and 10 PhD students. Based on these numbers, and the
rapid growth in the Human Sexuality minor, WGSS faculty explored the possibility of proposing
a new regular major in Human Sexuality. In February 2012, WGSS surveyed undergraduate
students in two KU courses: WGSS 201 (Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Introduction)
and PSYC/WGSS 689 (Conceptual Issues in Human Sexuality); for the survey itself and the
results see the Academic Program Proposal Summary, Appendices C and D. All surveys were
administered anonymously. Students were asked the following question:
Would you major (or double major) in Human Sexuality, if this major were offered at KU?
(If you are a junior or senior, answer based on whether you would have majored/double
majored in Human Sexuality, had this major been offered when you first entered KU.)
Students could answer Yes, Maybe, or No, and there was space to explain their answers.
The students’ responses suggested a strong interest at KU in a Human Sexuality major. Of
the 23 students enrolled in WGSS 201, 26% answered Yes, 39% answered Maybe, and 35%
answered No. Of the 43 PSYC / WGSS 689 students, 40% answered Yes, 35% answered Maybe,
and 25% answered No.
KU student interest in a Human Sexuality major has been mirrored by the enthusiasm of
prospective college students. In the past several years, several high school organizations
dedicated to issues of sexuality and gender have recently been founded across the nation,
including Missouri and Kansas. These high school clubs reflect students’ desire to become more
educated in the area of human sexuality. In neighboring Missouri, the Gender Sexuality Alliance
(GSA) Network has more than thirty GSA clubs registered. 1 The Missouri GSA Network is
affiliated with the GSA Network (founded in 2005), which is a national youth leadership
organization dedicated to addressing the societal need for educating school communities about
human sexuality and countering harassment, discrimination and violence based on sexual
orientation and gender identity. Thirty-seven states currently have a GSA network.
Although Kansas does not have a GSA network yet, it has a burgeoning community of these
types of high school clubs. For example, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) organization
at Shawnee Heights High School (Tecumseh, Kansas) is dedicated to educating members about
gender and sexuality. GSA contacted the Women, Gender and Sexuality Department in the
spring 2013 semester to learn more about our program. WGSS hosted a field trip for GSA; 14
out of 20 members were able to participate in the field trip as well as two of the club’s adult
sponsors.
Relatedly, WGSS has been contacted by another high school organization, Young Feminists
Club (YFC) at Lawrence High School, which was founded in September 2013. The club has over
thirty members and has already requested that WGSS host them for a field trip. It would also
like to host a WGSS faculty member and students at one of the meetings to learn about our
program.
The student demand for a Human Sexuality major at KU, and the growth in Kansas high
school clubs addressing human sexuality issues, parallels the student demand for academic
programs in human sexuality nationwide. The website created by WGSS Advisory Board
member and former chair John Younger — "University LGBT/Queer Programs: Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual and Queer Studies in the USA and Canada" 2 — documents
the growth of sexuality studies as a discipline since 1995. At that time, there were only a few
courses and very few programs; today, almost every college and university in the US offers a
wide variety of courses in human sexuality and most offer some kind of undergraduate minor or
certificate program. 3 Undergraduate major programs, however, are recent and rare, with only
eight in the US at present. 4
At the graduate level, sexuality studies are offered either in social science disciplines like
Psychology or in a growing number of interdisciplinary departments like Women's Studies.
1
The Missouri Gender Sexuality Alliance Network “works directly with LGBTQA students to empower leaders and
cultivate advocates who fight homophobia and transphobia in schools around Missouri and strive for social justice”
(http://missourigsanetwork.org/). The Missouri GSA Network is affiliated with the national GSA Network, which is
dedicated to “empowering youth activists to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools.” In 2013, thirty-seven
states are affiliated with the GSA Network (http://gsanetwork.org/about-us).
2
http://people.ku.edu/~jyounger/lgbtqprogs.html, inaugurated in 1997 and maintained to the present.
3
This trend dovetails nicely with a 2008 survey of women's studies programs offered in the US conducted by the
National Women's Studies Association with support from the Ford Foundation: there are some 650 women's and
gender studies programs enrolling some 90,000 undergraduate students in 2005-6, with some 4500 undergraduate
majors and some 11,000 minors, while 85% of women's and gender studies courses were found to fulfill some
general education requirements.
4
In chronological order of establishment: Wesleyan (2003), Chicago, Brown, Hobart and William Smith, Miami
University (Ohio), Ohio State, San Diego State, Otterbein (2012).
There are currently 19 PhD programs in Women, Gender and Sexuality studies in the US 5 and
only one PhD program specifically in Sexuality Studies.6
Over the past decade, and more acutely within the past five to seven years, there has been a
trend to broaden the field of women's studies to formally include sexuality studies. At the 2009
annual meeting of the National Women's Studies Association a panel of department chairs
discussed the import of reflecting evolving research and teaching agendas in gender and
sexuality in the names of women’s studies departments. In the years following this panel
discussion, women’s studies department across the nation have elected to rename themselves to
provide a greater flexibility in accommodating new and developing research and teaching needs.
This was the case at KU in 2008 when the department renamed itself Women, Gender and
Studies to more accurately reflect the research and teaching agendas of faculty, which has
enabled the department to attract greater student and faculty participation at KU.
3. Demand for Graduates with a Human Sexuality Major
Possessing knowledge and expertise in diversity is a sought after skill in most jobs and
careers. Cultural competency is becoming a new expected norm in non-profit service
organizations and corporate culture as the lines between local and global boundaries continue to
blur in private industry. Human sexuality majors will be equipped to pursue careers in policy,
advocacy or legislative positions dealing with sexuality issues ranging from gender
discrimination to reproductive health to LGBT issues.
Additionally, in highly competitive entry level corporate and sales positions, prospective
employees that are culturally-competent often have a competitive edge over others seeking the
same positions. For example, Out for Work, which is a Washington, D.C. based organization,
sponsors an annual career conference for college students. Corporations and non-profit
organizations attend the conference to actively recruit future employees who are knowledgeable
and experienced with LGBT issues. Corporate sponsors include Lockheed Martin, IBM,
Marriott, Boeing, Prudential, Walgreens, and American Airlines to name just a few.
A major in Human Sexuality will equip students for a range of careers, and prepare them for
graduate education. Appendix 3 contains a flow chart that summarizes the potential career paths
a student can expect after graduation. Appendix 4 contains selected examples of organizations
working in various fields related to sexuality studies along with a small selection of specific job
opportunities for human sexuality graduates.
Students graduating with a bachelor degree in human sexuality will possess the expertise
necessary for careers in the field of sexual & reproductive health (i.e., maternal and reproductive
health; family planning; and teenage pregnancy and disease prevention); family & youth
health/services; sexual & domestic violence prevention; community/social justice advocacy; and
5
The PhD program in WGSS, approved in November 2010, was the 18th such program. The NWSA survey referred
to above found that graduate courses in women and gender studies had a total enrollment of nearly 2,700, with 1,076
students registered in doctoral courses in 2005-06.
6
Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies is the only doctoral program in Sexuality Studies at a
fully accredited university in the United States.
law enforcement (i.e., sex crimes; human trafficking). Although not an exhaustive list, dozens of
organizations located in Kansas work in these field. For example human sexuality graduates
interested in a career in reproductive and sexual health could potentially become employed by
the Trust Women Action League (Wichita, KS) or work in the field of human trafficking
prevention and advocacy with Veronica’s Voice (Kansas City). A multitude of national
organizations also exist in these fields, such as Planned Parenthood, the Guttmacher Institute,
NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Sexuality Information and Education Council, or the antihuman trafficking organization Polaris Project.
For human sexuality graduates interested in pursuing a career in family & youth health, local
Kansas/Missouri organizations such as Kansas City Passages or Lesbian & Gay Community
Center of Greater Kansas City would be potential organizations for employment. Likewise
Jana’s Campaign, Inc. and KCAVP (Kansas City Anti-Violence Project) would be organizations
that are well suited for graduates interested in the field of sexual and domestic violence
education, prevention and advocacy. Perform Out Kansas City would be an organization for
human sexuality graduates who would like to work in the area of community or social justice
outreach and advocacy. While far from exhaustive, these types of service and non-profit
organizations represent prospective employment outlets for human sexuality majors.
A bachelor’s degree in human sexuality would also prepare students for pursuing a MA
degree, which would lead to a more advanced tier of employment in the non-profit sector at the
executive director, director, policy analyst and program manager level, or prepare students for
continuing on to PhD studies and professional schools. Students who opt to further their
education with a MA degree in human sexuality would be qualified to work in gender and
sexuality diversity programs and human resources departments for private and non-profit
companies. Additionally, a MA degree in human sexuality is ideally suited for individuals who
are interested in being executive directors or directors in the fields of sexual and reproductive
health education, training and prevention centers (i.e., Executive Director for NARAL ProChoice South Dakota or Director of International Partnerships, or International Women’s Health
Coalition, New York). 7 Employment in fields related to LGBTQ specific issues, AIDS/HIV
Education and Prevention, among several other fields, would also be viable fields for people with
a MA in human sexuality.
A Bachelor’s Degree in Human Sexuality could also lead to a third career path: preparation
for PhD studies and professional schools in a wide variety of programs ranging from social
welfare to psychology to women, gender and sexuality. Multiple employment opportunities exist
for PhD scholars focusing on human sexuality, which is a growing and sought after field of study
in many universities. For example, the KU WGSS Department was authorized to conduct a
national job search for a scholar with a research and teaching focus in sexuality studies. KU
along with more than a dozen universities are seeking out a PhD with this type of expertise,
which underscores the burgeoning demand for this field.
7
All of the positions listed in this section regarding employment opportunities for a person with a human sexuality
BA, MA and PhD are positions that have recently been advertised.
4. Locational and Comparative Advantages of a Human Sexuality Major
No other universities in Kansas or the neighboring states of the Heartland offer a major in
human sexuality. KU is the only university in Kansas to offer an undergraduate minor in human
sexuality; other universities in the US that offer a minor in sexuality studies are too numerous to
list. 8 Regional universities that offer a major in sexuality studies, however, are just two: the
University of Chicago ("Gender and Sexuality") and Ohio State University ("Sexuality Studies").
Other colleges and universities in the US and Canada, however, offer similar undergraduate
majors: San Diego State University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the University of
Toronto, and York University offer majors in Sexuality Studies or in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender (LGBT) Studies. Other universities, such as Yale University and the University of
Cincinnati, offer majors in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies with a concentration, track, or
specialization in Sexuality Studies or LGBT Studies. Others, such as Brown University, Miami
University of Ohio, Rice University, and Wesleyan University, offer more generic majors in
Gender and Sexuality Studies.
Because KU is the only university in Kansas that has a significant number of courses devoted
to the study of sexuality, KU is an ideal institution for a Human Sexuality major in the state.
Although many departments offer courses related to human sexuality, WGSS is the best home
for the Human Sexuality major because it currently has a Human Sexuality minor; consequently,
housing the major in the same department is organizationally pragmatic and feasible. Moreover,
WGSS is interdisciplinary program whereas a disciplinary program might limit the scholarly
approaches students could take in studying human sexuality.
5. Characteristics of the Students Participating In This Proposed Program
KU undergraduate students interested in a multidisciplinary perspective on human sexuality,
including the biology of sexuality, the history of sexuality, sexuality in the arts and literature,
sexuality in health education, or cross-cultural explorations of sexuality, will be interested in the
academic field of human sexuality. While Human Sexuality minors are pursuing this academic
field to complement their major field of study, majors will be pursuing human sexuality as their
primary field of expertise and will choose other academic fields to complement their knowledge
in human sexuality. For instance, students wishing to understand better the sexual and romantic
mores in ancient Greece and Rome, in Jane Austen's novels, in the generations before and after
World War II, or in the countries of the Near East — all will find the study of Human Sexuality
profitable.
There are no special procedures or criteria for admission to the Human Sexuality major
beyond being a student in good standing at KU. There is no minimum GPA for admission to the
program, though a student with a GPA of less than 2.0 will not be allowed to graduate, as per
University rules.
Aside from classroom interaction (particularly in the required methods course and capstone
seminar course) in the Human Sexuality major, students can connect with each other through the
Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Facebook Page, which has been instrumental in keeping a
8
See Younger's website linked above in footnote 1, section labeled "FAQs" (Frequently Asked Questions).
virtual program space available for current WGSS majors, minors and Human Sexuality minors.
To augment students’ virtual community, WGSS will host an open house for all majors and
minors at the beginning of the fall semester and conclusion of the spring semester. Additionally,
there will opportunities to attend talks and lectures sponsored by various academic units, the Hall
Center's Gender Seminars, the Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity, the annual
Paul Rehak Symposium in Ancient Art and Gender sponsored by the Department of Classics,
and events sponsored by Student Union Activities (SUA).
B. CURRICULUM OF THE PROPOSED MAJOR
The curriculum of the proposed Human Sexuality major is modeled on that of the highly
successful Women's Studies major with appropriate changes.
WS major
intro: WGSS 101 intro to women's studies
Core course 1 (Humanities)
Core course 2 (Social Science)
Core course 3 (Theory)
International course
Seminar (capstone experience)
Elective 1 (Humanities)
Elective 2 (Social Science)
Elective 3 (general)
Elective 4 (general)
HSXL major 9
intro: HSES 489 Health & Human Sexuality;
or SW 303 Human Sexuality in Everyday Life;
or PSYC 502 Human Sexuality
Core course 1 (Social Science)
Core course 2 (Humanities or interdisciplinary)
Core course 3 (Humanities or Social Science)
Core course 4 (Humanities or Social Science)
Methods course
Seminar (capstone experience)
Secondary course 2 (Humanities or Social Science)
Elective 1 (general)
Seminar (capstone experience)
Students take 30 credit hours structured according to the following plan (see Appendix 1 for a
list of appropriate courses):
1 introductory course (either HSES 489, SW 303, or PSYC 502);
4 core courses in human sexuality in both the Social Sciences and the Humanities (or in an
interdisciplinary program) -- at least one course from each area;
1 methods course, designed to teach students the principles of research;
2 more courses in either the Humanities or Social Sciences, designed to allow the student to
explore an area of human sexuality in depth; and
1 elective course in human sexuality of the student's choice, designed to allow the student to
explore the subject in greater depth or breadth.
1 capstone seminar experience, designed specifically for majors to investigate a topic related
to human sexuality from an interdisciplinary perspective. Open only to human sexuality
majors and required of them. Course will be suggested for the senior year.
9
Similarly, the already established Human Sexuality minor parallels that of the Women's Studies minor:
WS minor
HSXL minor
intro: WGSS 201 intro to women's studies
intro: HSES 489 Health & Human Sexuality;
or SW 303 Human Sexuality in Everyday Life;
or PSYC 502 Human Sexuality
Core (1 course, Humanities or Social Science)
Core course 1 (Social Science)
Theory
Core course 2 (Humanities)
Elective 1 (Humanities)
Core course 3 (Humanities or Social Science)
Elective 2 (Social Science)
Elective 1 (general)
Elective 3 (general)
Elective 2 (general)
As the above outline makes clear, students who pursue the Human Sexuality major will emerge
with both a broad and a deep understanding of the subject from perspectives in both the
Humanities and Social Sciences; and they will have gained knowledge about designing and
conducting a research project through the methods course and the capstone seminar experience..
C. PROGRAM FACULTY
KU has the appropriate faculty for this major in Human Sexuality; no additional faculty would
be required.
1. The Number and Quality of the Faculty
WGSS has eight faculty with regular appointments, and one visiting assistant professor,
providing 5.5 FTE.
WGSS Core Faculty Members in 2013-2014
Rank
Name
Degree
FTE
Associate Professor, Chair Alesha Doan
PhD Texas A&M University
0.5
Professor
Charlene Muehlenhard PhD Wisconsin 1981
0.5
Professor
Ann Schofield
PhD SUNY Binghamton 1980
1.0
Professor
Omofolabo Ajayi
PhD Ife-Ife, Nigeria 1987
0.5
Associate Professor
Hannah Britton
PhD Syracuse 1999
0.5
Associate Professor
Marta Vicente
PhD Johns Hopkins 1999
0.5
Assistant Professor
Tanya Hart
PhD Yale 2006
0.5
Assistant Professor
Akiko Takeyama
PhD Illinois 2008
0.5
Visiting Assistant Professor Rachel Vaughn
PhD Kansas 2011
1.0
Assistant Professor
TBD Spring 2014
1.0
TOTAL FTE 6.5
The core faculty of the Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies consists of 8
members with regular appointments in the program and one visiting assistant professor, for a
FTE equivalent of 5.5 -- all have PhDs. Additionally, WGSS is conducting a job search for a 1.0
FTE assistant professor in sexuality studies to begin at KU in the fall 2014 semester.
The minimum staffing requirement for a Bachelor’s degree program is FTE 3 with PhDs, so
there are more than enough WGSS faculty members to offer this undergraduate major. Because
Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary program, the Department draws
upon broader faculty participation from throughout the university, especially those affiliate
faculty who hold courtesy appointments in WGSS (see Appendix 2). The total faculty available
for the Human Sexuality major thus far exceeds the minimum staffing standard. This allows
students a breadth of study that is multi- and interdisciplinary.
An additional 9.5 FTE is provided by 38 faculty member at KU, each of whom teaches at
least one course that contributes to the WGSS programs; these faculty members are distributed
across the University in the following departments: History of Art, Sociology, English, Social
Welfare, Psychology, Communication Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, Philosophy,
Jewish Studies, Classics, Political Science, Humanities and Western Civilization, French and
Italian, Anthropology, Spanish and Portuguese, History, Latin American Studies, African and
African American Studies, Theatre, Film and Media Studies, and Health, Sport and Exercise
Science (see Appendix 2). Affiliated faculty members specialize in a variety of disciplines,
including human sexuality, sexual orientation and identity, and sexual behaviors and attitudes.
All these affiliated faculty members teach courses that currently count as electives for the WGSS
Women's Studies major and minor and for the minor in Human Sexuality.
Of the core faculty in WGSS, five specialize in aspects of sexuality, sexual orientation,
reproductive policy, human trafficking and identity from an historical, political, psychological
and anthropological orientation. In the past five years the core faculty members of WGSS have
published over 60 book chapters or articles in peer reviewed journals and 10 books, some of
which have won awards. In addition, three core faculty members have been awarded Fulbrights,
four have won William T. Kemper Outstanding Teaching Awards, and another has won the Ned
Fleming Silver Anniversary Teaching Award. Two core faculty members have served as
presidents of national professional associations. And, in this same time period, core faculty sit on
the editorial boards of 12 professional journals, and have chaired the dissertation committees of
more than 30 PhD graduates at the University of Kansas.
2. Graduate Assistants to Serve the Human Sexuality Major
No additional graduate assistants are necessary to serve the new major in Human
Sexuality.
The projected cohort of 12 PhD students in WGSS (by 2014) will help serve the new major
in Human Sexuality, as they are now serving the minor in Human Sexuality. Indeed, our third
year PhD students are teaching WGSS 333 (The Politics of Physical Appearance) and WGSS
327 (Perspectives in LGBT Studies), both of these courses will satisfy requirements for the
proposed Human Sexuality major. Moreover, both of these courses are contained in the KU Core
and enrollment in these courses has been consistently high for several semesters prior to being
included in the KU Core.
D. ACADEMIC SUPPORT
1. Advising Services, Library, Audio-Visual, Computing Resources
No additional resources are necessary to support the new major in Human Sexuality.
The number of WGSS majors, minors, and human sexuality minors has continued to grow.
Consequently, to improve the consistency and efficiency of undergraduate advising, an
undergraduate advising specialist was assigned to the WGSS Department in October 2013.
WGSS works closely with the advising specialist to help address and meet students’ advising
needs.
For pertinent library holdings, Dr. Tami Albin, the WGSS Bibliographer in Watson and an
affiliate faculty member, supplies information (see Appendix 5).
The WGSS Department currently owns analog and digital cameras, digital voice recorders,
and computers. Instructional Development Services (IDS) and the Ermal Garinger Academic
Resource Center (EGARC) provide training and technical support for these items. EGARC also
supports a library of over 12,000 films and videos; it also offers WGSS over $500 per year for
the purchase of new items. When resources permit, EGARC also offers additional funds. This
has proved adequate for the needs of WGSS.
Faculty and GTAs are provided with computers. Laptops are available from the
Departmental office for loan to faculty and graduate students. Technical support is provided by
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences' Information Technology. These services have proved
adequate for the needs of WGSS.
2. Library Materials
No new special resources are required beyond ongoing collection development.
3. Supporting staff
No new staff would be needed at present.
E. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
1. Anticipated Facilities Requirements (existing, renovated or new)
a. Space
Existing space is sufficient: In August 2013, the WGSS Department was relocated to Blake
Hall, which is a larger space for the Department compared to its previous location in Bailey Hall.
We have six faculty offices in one office suite that contains additional office space for 12
graduate students. We also have been allocated additional offices in the same hallway as the
Department’s office suite. Additionally, we have a designated conference room.
b. Fiscal Note for Renovated or New Facilities
Any renovations will be part of the University's 10 year facilities improvement plan.
c. Sources of Funding for Renovation and New Construction
Funding for renovation and new construction will be part of the University's 10 year
improvement plan. These funds will be a combination of State monies and private donations.
2. New Equipment
a. Sufficient Equipment
Equipment needs for the proposed Human Sexuality major in WGSS are minimal and can be
met with currently available equipment, provided that it continues to be updated on a regular
basis as current equipment reaches the end of its life span.
b. Itemization of Available Inventory, Current Condition, Equipment Life Span
Equipment Survey for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
EQUIPMENT
PRESENT CONDITION
Canon Digital Camera
Excellent
Canon Powershot Digital
Good
HD Camcorder
Excellent
Mini DV Camcorder
Good
ScanSnap S510
Excellent
Macbook Air (2)
Excellent
Olympus Digital Recorder
Excellent
Epson Multimedia Projector
Good
HP Officejet Color Pro
Good
OBSOLESCENCE
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
2018
2014
2014
2013
HP Laserjet 1160
Fujifilm Finepix Camera
Dell computer (1), student use
Dell computer (2), GTA office
Dell desktop, WGSS secretary
Good
Excellent
Good
Good
Excellent
2013
2015
2013
2013
2014
c. Itemization of New Equipment Needs
Regular maintenance and timely replacement of the current equipment will be necessary, but
otherwise there are no new equipment needs.
F. PROGRAM REVIEW, ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION
1. Program Review Process
Board of Regents Review. In the last 10 years, WGSS has had two external reviews. In June
2003 the Women's Studies Program (as it was known then) underwent an internal review prior to
inaugurating its Graduate Certificate Program; and in 2009-2010, the Program in Women,
Gender and Sexuality Studies (as it was known then) underwent internal and external reviews
prior to its proposed PhD program being approved by the Board of Regents. In accordance with
the Board of Regents program review schedule, the Department of Women, Gender and
Sexuality Studies was reviewed in February 2013 and program continuance was recommended.
Self-Assessment Plan. In monthly faculty meetings the Department discusses the progress of
its students and the efficacy of its programs. Changes in the Human Sexuality major, such as
changes in course offerings and schedules and in the type and timing of benchmarks, can be
made at any of these faculty meetings.
A second layering of self-assessment occurs every Fall. The Chair and Director of Graduate
Studies attends a two-day conference of the Chairs of PhD-granting Departments of Women's
Studies to discuss issues (and solutions) faced by this rapidly developing academic discipline. 10
Finally, the WGSS faculty holds a regular "retreat" to assess the degree to which goals and
outcomes are being achieved, to discuss major challenges, and to evaluate the ongoing
development of its vision and mission. When the Human Sexuality major is five years old (which
would be in 2019 if the program is approved for fall 2014) there should be adequate data and
experiences to conduct a substantial review of the program. The following categories would then
be addressed:
• Faculty scholarship, publications, and recognition. The quality and quantity of faculty
publications related directly to the quality of an academic bachelor's degree (publication,
fellowships, and awards and grants are also reviewed annually).
• External funding and student support. The amount of funded research and support for
students will also be reviewed on an annual basis.
• Quality of the student major pool. The quality of the student major pool will be
assessed at both entry level (grade point averages, academic achievement and
involvement) and at exit level (length of residence at KU, career path, job and/or
internships taken).
• Diversity of the student body. Gender and racial diversity will be monitored and
diversity will be determined by the number of currently enrolled students in each
approved category.
• Career paths of graduates. A questionnaire will determine if the skills learned in the
degree program have contributed to advancement in our graduates' career paths or career
mobility.
2. Student Learning Outcomes and Measures
10
There are currently 19 such institutions in the US; KU's WGSS hosted the conference in late September, 2011.
The Department has just begun assessing Learning Outcomes in the area of written and oral
expression by examining the research papers of its majors in the Department's capstone seminar
(WGSS 601).
The Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies expects its graduates to possess
the following skills, research methods, and areas of knowledge:
• critical thinking about sexuality in society and culture;
• the history of liberation movements and the recognition and growth of women's and
men's sexual rights;
• critical analysis of empirical, epistemological, moral, and methodological
presuppositions of traditional disciplines or interdisciplinary programs;
• information literacy: library, archival, and information access skills;
• appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods as evidenced by their
performance in their methods course;
• advanced writing skills for preparation of professional reports and papers; and
• career planning and development skills.
•
The Department will establish a coherent student advising and tracking system to assist
students in evaluating their own progress as well as to assist the Department in its own selfevaluation. In addition to the advising received by the WGSS advising specialist, each student
will meet with a WGSS faculty advisor to evaluate their course performance and timely progress
toward their degree.
3. Program accreditation
a. Specialized Accrediting Agency
There is no specialized accrediting agency for a Human Sexuality major in WGSS.
APPENDIX 1
Curriculum Outline
New Degree Proposals
Kansas Board of Regents
I.
The New Degree
____________Human Sexuality major_________________________________________
II.
Courses required for each student in the major:
Course Name & Number
Credit
Hours
Survey
either HSES 489 (Health and Human Sexuality)
or PSYC 502 (Human Sexuality)
or SW 303 (Human Sexuality in Everyday Life
__3__
Core
Core Social Science Courses
__3__
AAAS 372/ANTH 372—Religion, Power & Sexuality in Arab Lands
ANTH 359—Anthropology of Sex
ANTH 583/WGSS 583—Love, Sex, and Globalization
POLS 640—Reproductive Policy
PSYC 410—Intimate Relationships
PSYC 555—Evolutionary Psychology
PSYC 521/WGSS 521—Women and Violence
PSYC 689/WGSS 689—Conceptual Issues in Human Sexuality
Core Humanities Courses
__3__
AAAS 598/HIST 598—Sexuality and Gender in African History
CLSX 315—Women in Ancient Art and Society
CLSX 374/HWC 374—Gender and Sexuality, Ancient and Modern
EALC 418/618—Sexual Politics Dynastic China
EALC 575—Love, Sexuality and Gender in Japanese Lit
ENGL 572—Women and Literature (if relevant)
HIST 608—History of Sexuality
PHIL 504—Philosophy of Sex and Love
REL 374—Religious Perspectives on Selfhood & Sexuality
WGSS 327—Perspectives: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
WGSS 333—The Politics of Physical Appearance
WGSS 345—Pop Culture in Africa: Thrills, Romance & Sexualities
WGSS 396—Topic: Gay & Lesbian Cultures
WGSS 396—Topic: Sexuality & Sexual Constructions
WGSS 396—Topic: History, Theory, & Representation of Lesbianism
WGSS 396—Topic: Gender & Sexuality in Cyberspace
WGSS 396—Topic: Sex & Gender: Fairbanks to Marilyn
WGSS 563—Gender, Sexuality and the Law
Capstone
Seminar
Two more Core courses from the above
__6__
WGSS 6XX—Seminar in Human Sexuality
3
Methods
One methods course
__3__
WGSS 3XX—Research Methods in Human Sexuality
Secondary
courses
Two Secondary courses (or survey or core courses)
__6__
AAAS 554—Contemporary Health Issues in Africa
ABSC 268—Introduction to Marriage and Family Relations
ABSC/PSYC 626—Psychology of Adolescence
AMS 110/112 / SOC 110/112—American Identities
AMS 344/WGSS 396—African Amer Women: Colonial to Present
ANTH 389/WGSS 389—Anth of Gender: Female, Male & Beyond
COMS 344—Relational Communication
COMS 440—Gender and Communication
COMS 455/REL 475—Loving Relationships
COMS 552—Rhetoric of Women's Rights
HIST 324/WGSS 324—History of Women and the Body
HWC 570/WGSS 570—Men and Masculinities
HWC 575/WGSS 575—The Body, Self and Society
PHIL 674—Philosophy of Law
POLS 600/WGSS 600—Contemporary Feminist Political Theory
POLS 630/WGSS 630—Politics of Identity
PSYC 465—Stereotypes & Prejudice Across Cultures
PSYC/WGSS 468—Psychology of Women
PSYC 642—Psychology of Families*
SOC 220—Sociology of Families
SOC 617—Women and Health Care
SOC 628—Families and Social Inequalities
WGSS 333—Politics of Physical Appearance
WGSS 396—Topic: Public Health & the Human Body
Electives
One elective course (or additional survey, core, or __3_
secondary courses)
Special Topics Courses / Studies in ___ / Seminar in ___
Independent Study/Directed Study (e.g., WGSS 498)
Internship Courses (e.g., PSYC 483: Undergraduate Internship)
Honors Thesis/Senior Essay/Honors Essay
Service Learning Courses (e.g., WGSS 650: Service Learning)
TOTAL
__30__
APPENDIX 2: Faculty Quality
Graduate Faculty Appointments (Core, Courtesy, & Affiliated), and Specializations
WGSS Core Faculty Members for 2012-2013
Name
Primary Unit
Omofolabo Ajayi
Theatre
Hannah Britton
Political Science
Tanya Hart
American Studies
Charlene Muehlenhard
Ann Schofield
Akiko Takeyama
Marta Vicente
Alesha Doan
Rachel Vaughn
Psychology
WGSS
Anthropology
History
Political Science
WGSS
Specialization
Dance and gender in central West Africa
African politics; human trafficking
Gender and sexuality of American women
of color
Psychology of women & sexuality
History of US Women, Gender, and class
Gender & sexuality in contemporary Japan
Women in early modern Spain
Reproductive Justice & Policy
Gender & Eco-Feminism
WGSS Courtesy Graduate Faculty Members (2012-2013) & Relevant Courses Taught
Name
Degree
Courses Contributing to WGSS
Sandra Albrecht
PhD Sociology, Texas
SOC 273 Women in Society; SOC 352
1979
Sociology of Sex Roles; SOC 623 Women
and Work
Giselle Anatol
PhD English,
ENGL 572 Women and Literature:
Pennsylvania 1998
Caribbean Women Writing ; ENGL 774
Topics in: Vampire Literature of the African
Diaspora
Barbara Ballard
PhD Political Science,
WGSS 351 Women in the Legislative
Kansas State 1980
Process
Christina Bejarano PhD Political Science,
POLS 562 Women and Politics
Iowa 2007
Naima Boussofara
PhD Linguistics, Texas
AAAS Women and Islam
Nyla Branscombe
PhD Social Psychology,
PSYC 465 Stereotypes & Prejudice Across
Purdue 1986
Cultures
Marta CamineroPhD English, California- ENGL 372 20th Century Women's Literature
Santangelo
Irvine 1995
Margaret Childs
PhD Japanese,
EALC 575 Love, Sexuality and Gender in
Pennsylvania 1983
Japanese Literature
Kelly Chong
PhD Sociology, Chicago SOC 450 Gender and Society; SOC 722
2002
Sociology of Gender
Kathryn Conrad
PhD English,
ENGL 205 Women's Autobiography; ENGL
Pennsylvania 1996
790 Studies in: Queer Theory
Ann Cudd
PhD Philosophy,
WGSS 381 Feminist Philosophy
Pittsburgh 1988
Alesha Doan
PhD Political Science,
POLS 640 Reproductive Policy
Texas A&M 2000
Dorice Elliott
PhD English, Johns
ENGL 334 Jane Austen; ENGL 572 Women
Hopkins 1994
and Literature
Christopher Forth
Pamela Gordon
Don Haider-Markel
Majid Hannoun
Susan Harris
Laura Herlihy
Marni Kessler
Jill Kuhnheim
Adrianne Kunkel
Elizabeth
MacGonagle
Beverly Mack
Brent Metz
Joane Nagel
Mehrangiz
Najafizadeh
Dorthy Pennington
Catherine Preston
Sonya Satinsky
Margaret Severson
Janet Sharistanian
Joey Sprague
Edith Taylor
PhD History, SUNYBuffalo 1994
PhD Classics
PhD Political Science,
Wisconsin 1997
PhD Anthropology,
Princeton 1998
PhD English, Cornell
1977
PhD Latin American
Studies, Kansas 2002
PhD Art History, Yale
1996
PhD Spanish American
Literature, UC-San Diego
1989
PhD Communication
Studies, Purdue 2000
PhD History, Michigan
State 2001
PhD African Literature,
Wisconsin-Madison 1981
PhD Anthropology,
SUNY Albany 1995
PhD Sociology, Stanford
1977
PhD Sociology, KU 2000
PhD African & African
American Studies,
Pittsburgh 1984
PhD School of
Communication,
Pennsylvania 1995
PhD Health Behavior,
Indiana 2010
PhD Social Welfare, New
York 1994
PhD English & American
Literature, Brown 1975
PhD Sociology,
Wisconsin-Madison 1986
PhD Paleobotany, Ohio
HWC 570 Men and Masculinities
CLSX 315 Women in the Ancient World
POLS Gender and Politics
AAAS 320/520. Religion, Power and
Sexuality in Arab Societies
ENGL 19th Century Women's Literature
LAA 503: Race, Gender, and Ethnic
Nationalism in Latin America
HA 502, Gender and Revolution: European
Art 1789-1848
SPAN 500 Translating Gender: Spanish
American Women
COMS 440, Communication and Gender
HIST 598 Sexuality & Gender in African
History; WGSS 837/AMS 837/HIST 897
Colloquium in Women’s History
AAAS 315/415/520 Women and Islam
ANTH 501, Masculinity in Cross-Cultural
Perspectives
SOC 970 Social Conflict and Change:
Ethnicity and Sexuality
SOC 780 Gender in the Global Context
AAAS 388 The Black Woman
FMS 620 International Women Filmmakers;
FMS 450 Representation of Race, Class, and
Gender in Visual Culture
HSES 489, Health and Human Sexuality
SW 303 Human Sexuality in Everyday Life
ENGL 572 Feminist Theory/Women’s Texts;
ENGL 334 Chopin, Wharton and Cather ;
ENGL 572 American Women Writers of 20
& 30s
SOC 601 Introduction to Feminist Social
Theory; SOC 808 Feminist Theories
BIOL 420/701 - Seminar on Women in
Sherrie Tucker
Leslie Tuttle
Kim Warren
Mary Zimmerman
PhD History of
Consciousness, UC-Santa
Cruz, 1999
PhD History, Princeton
2000
PhD History, Stanford,
2000
PhD Sociology,
Minnesota 1976
Science
AMS 560 Jazz & Gender
WGSS 320 Women in Premodern Europe
WGSS 511/AMS 511/HIST 531 History of
American Women—1870 to Present; HIST
609 History of Women and Reform in the
US
SOC 617 Women & Health Care; SOC 780
Gender & Social Policy; SOC 780 Gender
and Comparative Social Policy
WGSS Affiliated Graduate Faculty Members (2012-2013), Supporting Members
Name
Degree
Tami Albin
Libraries, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Barbara Anthony Twarog
PhD Astronomy, Yale 1978
Margaret Bayer
PhD Mathematics, Cornell 1983
Monica Biernat
PhD Psychology 1989, U Michigan
Lynn Davidman
PhD Sociology, Brandeis 1984
Susan Earle
PhD European and American Art, Institute of Fine Arts 1993
Stephanie Fitzgerald
PhD English, Claremount 1995
Donna Ginther
PhD Economics, Wisconsin-Madison 1995
Maryemma Graham
PhD English, Cornell 1984
Laura Hines
JD, Michigan 1995
Barbara Kerr
Psychology & Research in Education
Jana Krentz
Libraries, International Area Studies
Elizabeth Kuznesof
PhD Latin American History, UC-Berkeley 1976
Alice Lieberman
PhD Social Welfare, Wisconsin
K.McCluskey-Fawcett
PhD Psychology, KU 1977
Meagan Patterson
PhD Developmental Psychology, Texas 2007
Jean Peterson
PhD Social Welfare, North Carolina-Chapel Hill 1992
Suzanne Rice
PhD Educational Policy Studies, Illinois 1993
Delores Ringer
MFA, Pennsylvania State 1983
Katherine Rose-Mockry
Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center
Emma Scioli
PhD Classics 2005, UCLA
P. Simran Sethi
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Hagith Sivan
PhD History, Columbia, 1983
Erin Spiridigliozzi
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Susan Twombly
PhD Higher Education, Pennsylvania State 1985
Vicki Unruh
PhD Spanish, Texas 1992
Hui "Faye" Xiao
PhD East Asian Languages and Cultures, U Illinois 2009
Sandra Zimdars-Swartz
PhD Philosophy & Religion, Claremont 1980
APPENDIX 3
Human Sexuality Major Career Path
APPENDIX 4
Selected Examples of Organizations & Employment
Career Paths with BA in Human Sexuality
Selected Examples of Organizations Working in Areas of Sexual & Reproductive Health:
o Trust Women Action League, Wichita, KS
o Planned Parenthood Kansas & Mid-Missouri
o Alan Guttmacher Institute, NY and Washington D.C.
o NARAL Pro-Choice America, Washington D.C.
o Planned Parenthood Federation, Washington D.C.
o Sexuality Information & Education Council of the United States, NY and Washington D.C
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listings in Field:
• Sexuality Trainer/Educator, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, NY
• Human Sexuality Educator, Planned Parenthood Greater Iowa, Bettendorf, Iowa
Selected Examples of Organizations Working in Areas of Family & Youth Health:
o Midwest Alternative Family Alliance, KS
o KCLOVE: Kansas City Leaders Overcoming Violence with Education, KS
o Campfire USA-Heartland, KS
o EQUAL: Empowering Queer Activists and Leaders, KS
o GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, Greater Kansas City
o HRC: Human rights Campaign-Kansas City
o Kansas City Passages-Youth Center
o Lesbian & Gay Community Center of Greater Kansas City
o Midwest Alternative Family Alliance, KS
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
• The Lantern Program Director, Lexington KY
• Case Planner, Episcopal Social Services, New York, NY
• Childcare Improvement Project Trainer, Women’s Housing and Economic
Development Corporation, NY
• Development Director, New Beginnings, Seattle, WA
• Wellness Support Specialist, Behavioral Health Services Inc., Tucson, AZ
Selected Examples of Organizations Working in Areas of Sexual &Domestic Violence
Prevention Centers:
o KCAVP: Kansas city anti-Violence Project
o Jana’s Campaign, Inc., Hays, Kansas
o Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
o Willow Domestic Violence Center, Lawrence, KS
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
 Director of Administration, Rape Victim Advocates, Chicago, IL
Selected Examples of Organizations Working in Areas of Community/Social Justice
Advocacy:
o Perform Out KC, Kansas City
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field
 Community Advocate, Youth Care, Seattle, WA
 Facilities Coordinator, Delivering Innovation in Supportive Housing, CA
 Communications Manager, The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Washington,
D.C.
 Project Assistant, Center for Social Innovation, Needham, MA
 Community Relations Liaison, Valley Hospital, Phoenix, AZ
 Program Coordinator, University of Idaho Women’s Center
Selected Examples of Organizations Working in Areas of Law Enforcement: Sex &Hate
Crimes:
• Veronica’s Voice, KS
• Polaris Project, Washington D.C.
• Local Police Departments & Sherriff Departments
Career Paths with MA in Human Sexuality
Fields of Employment in Gender& Sexuality Diversity Programs:
• Human Resources Departments Responsible for Provision of Sexuality and Sexual
Orientation Anti-Discrimination (hiring facilitators, counselors, compliance officers
and risk managers)
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
• Director of the Pugh Center, Colby College
Preparation for PhD Studies & Professional Schools in Following Fields:
• Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Human Sexuality Studies
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Anthropology
• History
• Medicine
• Social Welfare
• Communication
Fields of Employment in Sexual & Reproductive Health:
• Reproductive Health Education, Research, Training and Prevention Facilities
• Sexuality Education at Regional Community Colleges
• Maternal Health
• Pregnancy Prevention
•
LGBTQ Sexual Health Outcomes
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
 Director of International Partnerships, International Women’s Health Coalition, New
York, NY
 Executive Director, NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota, Sioux Falls, SD
Fields of Employment in Family & Youth Health:
• AIDS/HIV Education, Prevention, Care Centers
• Sensitivity Training Related to Sexual Orientation and Sexuality Across Life Course
for Service Providers in Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing Homes
• Policy Research
• LGBTQ Community Centers
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
 Program Manager HIV/STD Prevention Initiative, Project CONNECT, Dallas, TX
 Health Service Coordinator, Community and Family Health Connections, Chatham
County Public Health Department, Chatham, PA
 Mental Health Counselor, University of Maine, Farmington, ME
Fields of Employment in Sexual & Domestic Violence Prevention Centers:
• Domestic Violence Prevention Centers
• Sexual Assault Prevention Centers
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
 Director of Strategic Innovation, Idaho Coalition against Sexual and Domestic Violence
Fields of Employment in Community/Social Justice Advocacy:
• Community Centers
• ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri
Fields of Employment in Law Enforcement: Sex & Hate Crimes
• Human Trafficking
• Criminology
• Local Police Departments & Sheriff Departments
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listing in Field:
• Director of Policy, Polaris Project, Washington, D.C.
Career Paths with PhD in Human Sexuality
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listings for Tenure Track Assistant Professor:
 Assistant Professor Sexuality Studies, Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality
Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
 Assistant Professor, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, Pace University, New
York, NY
 Assistant Professor LGBTQ Studies, Department of Women’s Studies, University of
Maryland, College Park, MD





Assistant Professor LGBTQ/Sexuality Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies,
Dartmouth College
Assistant Professor, Health and the Body, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Program, State University of New York at New Paltz
Assistant Professor Sexuality Studies, Department of Sociology, San Francisco State
University
Assistant Professor Sexuality Studies, Women Gender & Sexuality Program, The
University of Virginia
Assistant Professor Women and Health, Department of Women’s and Gender Studies,
Towson University, Baltimore, MD
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listings for Visiting Professor/Lecturer:
 Visiting Professor Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies Program, Middlebury
College, Middlebury, VT
 Lecturer in LGBTQ Studies, Women, Gender & Sexuality Program, University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
 Lecturer, LGBTQ Sexualities, Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Selected Examples of Specific Job Listings for Postdoctoral Positions:
 Sexuality and Queer Studies Mellon Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowships, Department of
Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program, University of Pennsylvania
 Sexuality Studies Two-Year Postdoctoral Fellowship, Northwestern University,
Evanston, IL
 Postdoctoral, Research HIV Research, Research Training Program in Adolescent/Young
Adult Biobehavioral HIV Research, Brown University
APPENDIX 5
Library Resources
Statement by Dr. Tami Albin, WGSS Bibliography in Watson Library
Library resources that support the programs in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies are
abundant. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
(WGSS) program, students use materials in Anschutz Library, Spahr Engineering Library, the
Art and Architecture Library, and the Music and Dance Library on the Lawrence Campus and
the Regents Center Library on the Edwards Campus. The majority of research is conducted on
the Lawrence Campus in Watson Library and Spencer Research Library.
The University of Kansas Libraries’ goal is always to support the teaching and research
programs of the faculty and students. This is accomplished by having a designated bibliographer
remain in close contact with the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty and students
regarding the course offerings, class assignments, research agendas, and changing foci. The
bibliographer always contacts the WGSS Chair before preparing the annual Collection Budget
Application to learn of any new hires, new directions, and new programs. When new faculty
arrive on campus, the librarian meets with them to talk about their classes, their research, and
their expectations of the libraries’ collections. If it's clear in any of these contacts that the
libraries’ collections are inadequate, an effort is made to either acquire additional funds or to
shift the acquisition priorities.
Faculty and students are encouraged to request that the libraries purchase specific titles. This
can be accomplished either through a direct request to the WGSS bibliographer or through the
use of the on-line "Make a Purchase” request option found on the libraries' web page. Such
requests are forwarded to the appropriate bibliographer for action and response. As long as the
item falls within the areas in which KU has teaching and research programs, the bibliographers
will buy the material. If the item is either very expensive or seems out of scope for the
collections, the bibliographer will contact the requestor for more information. An option for
borrowing the item through the Interlibrary Loan department may be offered as an alternative to
a purchase if the item is not going to be needed for continuing support in the program. The same
process is used for requesting electronic resources.
The Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies collection is located in Watson Library and
numbers over 1500 volumes, 400 print and electronic journal subscriptions, and 8 databases.
This core multidisciplinary collection is enhanced and supported by other WGSS information
located in other campus libraries such as the Spencer Research Library (rare books, manuscripts,
university archives, the Kansas collection and the Wilcox collection), the Music and Dance
Library (sound recordings, composers, musicians, and dancers), the Art and Architecture Library
(artists, photographers, women in art), Engineering Library (engineering, computer sciences),
Anschutz Library (international, national government information, sciences, health, business and
statistical data), and the Ermal Garinger Academic Resource Center (films and videos).
KU has used the Library of Congress (LC) classification scheme for all new items received
since 1970 and has reclassified many of the older volumes from the Dewey Decimal System to
the Library of Congress (all WGSS materials are in LC). The location of collections is generally
done according to a scheme based on the LC numbers. The WGSS collection has about 90% of
the items classed in HQ (family, marriage, sexuality, women studies, gender studies, and
feminism).
Additionally KU Libraries has a few books in virtually every LC class where the contents are
appropriate to the reference or research needs of the users of this collection. In other words,
when a new book or journal is purchased regardless of the fund that is used, the item will be
located according to the LC location scheme. Library users who need WGSS information will
find the majority of the collection in Watson Library, but may occasionally need to use other
campus libraries. The on-line catalog indicates all the locations while the continuing migration of
information to digital formats means researchers can access vast amounts of information (paid
for and licensed by the library) on their personal and university computers.
The strengths of the library's WGSS collection is material published in the last 20 years,
particularly modern and contemporary studies. Documentation on Women, Gender and Sexuality
Studies in the twentieth century is at a respectable level while documentation for transnational
feminism is adequate for supporting undergraduate level classes. The library has maintained
subscriptions to a range of Women, Gender, and Sexuality journals. All holdings can be searched
using an Online Public Access Catalog. Reserve materials for classes, which in the past were
only available for short-term checkout during reading room hours, are now available on-line
using the KU Libraries’ E-Reserve system. All E-Reserve materials are scanned and posted to
this system in PDF format.