At UA Little Rock we offer a minor in Gender Studies, or Gender Studies courses can be a part of a degree plan for students seeking an Interdisciplinary Studies BA. Gender Studies courses are also great choices for general electives outside of your major and/or minor.
The interdisciplinary minor in Gender Studies is designed to help students understand gender roles and how they are impacted by the challenges and opportunities brought about by social, economic, political, legal, and other changes in society. Our courses also explore the interrelationships among gender, class, and race. The program is particularly recommended to students who plan to pursue career choices involving working with women, children, the elderly, LGBTQ+, and socially disadvantaged populations. Gender Studies courses are good foundations for graduate studies in the social sciences, humanities, law, business, or social services.
See more specific information about the requirements for the Gender Studies minor.
Spring 2024 Gender Studies Courses
In the list below, the courses designated as the Gender Studies Capstone class for Spring 2024 are highlighted and marked with an *. If you are in your final semester of gender studies coursework, you must get your capstone course pre-approved before the semester starts and preferably before you register for the course. Email Dr. Barrio for more information or to get approved to take the capstone.
Sex Crimes CRJU 3315-972Overview of sex offenders and their motivations for offending, as well as the legislation addressing sex crimes and treatment options for this specific offending group. This course will also address victims of sex crimes and sex crimes targeting children.OnlineRaptopoulos, Kilby
| Course | Description | Class Meets | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro to Gender Studies GNST 2300- 991/9U1 |
Introductory course | Online | Martin, Londie |
| Women in a Changing Society SOCI 3333- 991/9U1 |
Analysis of the socialization of women for their ascribed roles, changes in contemporary society | Online | Avra, Shannon |
| Family Sociology SOCI 3346-01 |
Family dynamics for self, community, and society | TR 12:15pm-1:30pm | Briscoe, David |
| Family Violence SOCI 3350-991/9U1 |
Abuse, neglect, and conflict within the family | Online | Briscoe, David |
| Black Protest Literature* ENGL 4370-01 |
Exploration of major themes found in protest literature written by Black authors: systemic racism, poverty, sexual violence, nationalism, genocide, etc. | TR 9:25am-10:40am | Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Toni Morrison* ENGL 4380-01 |
Analysis of main works by Toni Morrison, with an emphasis on race and gender relations, family, friendship, socio-economic and cultural survival, memory, violence, and slavery, to name a few. | TR 10:50am-12:05pm | Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Gender-Bending in Britain ENGL 4370-02 | Take a cultural studies approach to the topic of gender (as well as sexuality) based on both real-life and fictional gender-bending characters on the stage and in the streets of England in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Plays, pamphlets, court proceedings, diaries, visual materials, memoirs and biographies (sometimes fictionalized) will serve as our primary readings. | TR 1:40pm-2:55pm | Hunter, Angela |
| Women in the Middle East* HIST 4390-993 / 5390- 993 |
Overview of the history of gender and women in the Middle East and North Africa from 1750 until the present. | Online | Yeaw, Katrina |
| Domestic Violence CRJU 3305-971 | A comprehensive overview of crimes within the family: intimate partner violence, family violence in a global context, child abuse, elder abuse, adolescent perpetrators, and the police and courts response to domestic violence. | Online | Raptopoulos, Kilby |
| Domestic Violence CRJU 3305-H01 | A comprehensive overview of crimes within the family: intimate partner violence, family violence in a global context, child abuse, elder abuse, adolescent perpetrators, and the police and courts response to domestic violence. | TR 12:15pm-1:30pm, Hybrid class (meets 25% or more in-person, with at least 25% of class held online) | Smith, Molly |
| Sex Crimes CRJU 3315-972 | Overview of sex offenders and their motivations for offending, as well as the legislation addressing sex crimes and treatment options for this specific offending group. This course will also address victims of sex crimes and sex crimes targeting children. | Online | Raptopoulos, Kilby |
| Topics in Nonfiction Writing: Memoir and Gender* RHET 4347-01 / 5347-01 | Learn about contemporary understandings of gender, and apply that learning to a close study of memoir as a powerful form of personal storytelling. We will read diverse memoirs, learn about the tools of creative nonfiction, and practice writing our own short-form memoirs through the lens of gender studies. | MW 1:40pm–2:55pm | Martin, Londie |
| Groundbreaking Women SPAN 4361-990 and 9S1 | This seminar examines representations about and by women’s experiences in Latin American literature and culture. We analyze the strategies (and identities) that Latin American women have employed to gain agency, and influence, in private and public spaces within specific historical periods. We will also examine how women have contributed to the creation of local and national identities. | First 9 weeks; section 9S1 meets R 6:00pm-8:40pm | Delgado-Solórzano, Edma |
Fall 2023 Gender Studies Courses
In the list below, the courses designated as the Gender Studies Capstone class for Fall 2023 are highlighted and marked with an *. If you are in your final semester of gender studies coursework, you must get your capstone course pre-approved before the semester starts and preferably before you register for the course. Email Dr. Barrio for more information or to get approved to take the capstone.
| Course | Description | Class Meets | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro to Gender Studies GNST 2300 991/9U1 |
Introductory course | MW 12:15-1:30 | Martin, Londie |
| Women in a Changing Society SOCI 3333 991/9U1 |
Analysis of the socialization of women for their ascribed roles, changes in contemporary society | Online | Avra, Shannon |
| Family Sociology SOCI 3346-991/9U1 |
Family dynamics for self, community, and society | Online | Avra, Shannon |
| Family Violence SOCI 3350-991/9U1 |
Abuse, neglect, and conflict within the family | Online | Briscoe, David |
| Women in Literature ENGL 3340-01 | 20th- and 21st-century literature written by women trailblazers of various ethnic and national backgrounds. Topics: sexism, violence against women, and social justice. | TR 9:25-10:40 | Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Postcolonial Literature* ENGL 4354-991/9U1 |
Literature by writers from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, who write back against the British empire, exposing the impact of colonialism, exploring the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, revising historical accounts, and creating “new” literary traditions. | Online | Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Queer Theory* PHIL 4380-01 |
The course will philosophically explore what the term queer could mean. By engaging some of this interdisciplinary field’s most fundamental and most recent texts, we will understand how queer theorists critique heteronormativity, binary gender, and identity categories. | TR 1:40-2:55 | McAuliffe, Jana |
| Gender and Horror* HIST 4390-991/9U1 |
Horror movies and their relationship to concepts of gender | Online | Yeaw, Katrina |
| Art, Children, and Youth ARED 4326-01 |
An inquiry into constructions of childhood, adolescence, and child/youth art within a variety of cultural contexts. The course examines historical, anthropological, psychological, and philosophical notions of children, youth, and child/youth art. | MW 4:30-5:45 | Hood, Emily |
| Gender Communication ACOM 3315-982 |
*This is a 7-week course. An examination of gender constructs as they influence verbal and nonverbal interaction. Topics include the ways communication in families, schools, media, and society creates and perpetuates gender roles. | Online (Second 7 Weeks) | Thompson, Carol |
| Senior Capstone Project* ACOM 4300-9S1 |
Integration of learning about human communication in various contexts, culminating in an applied qualitative research project and presentation. Intended to be taken in the last semester before graduation. | Synchronous online class meets virtually at MWF 11:00am-11:50am | McIntyre, Kristen |
Summer 2023 Gender Studies Courses
In the list below, the courses designated as the Gender Studies Capstone class for Summer 2023 are highlighted and marked with an *. If you are in your final semester of gender studies coursework, you must get your capstone course pre-approved before the semester starts and preferably before you register for the course. Email Dr. Barrio for more information or to get approved to take the capstone.
| Course | Description | Class Meets | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro to Gender Studies GNST 2300- 991/9U1 |
Introductory course | Online (Second Half Term) | Fritts, Megan |
| Victimology CRJU 3312-991/9U1 |
An examination of victim-offender relationships, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system, and the connections between victims and other institutions (such as the media, advocacy groups, and government). In exploring these connections, we will address the theory, research, legislation, and policy implications related to victimization. | Online (First Half Term) | Smith, Molly |
| Feminist Theory* PHIL 4333-991/9U1 |
Thinking critically and deeply about how gender works. As we explore the normative aspects of gender we will consult the work of feminists of color, queer feminists, and trans feminists, as the history of feminist thought teaches us that it is crucial to centralize the experiences of those most marginalized by the power dynamics we explore. | Online (First Half Term) | McAuliffe, Jana |
| Gender Communication ACOM 3315-991/9U1 |
An examination of gender constructs as they influence verbal and nonverbal interaction. Topics include the ways communication in families, schools, media, and society creates and perpetuates gender roles. | Online (Second Half Term) | Thompson, Carol |
Spring 2023 Gender Studies Courses
In the list below, the courses designated as the Gender Studies Capstone class for Spring 2023 are highlighted and marked with an *. If you are in your final semester of gender studies coursework, you must get your capstone course pre-approved before the semester starts and preferably before you register for the course. Email Dr. Barrio for more information or to get approved to take the capstone.
| Course | Description | Class Meets | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro to Gender Studies GNST 2300 991/9U1 10458/10459 |
Introductory course | Online | Martin, Londie |
| Women in a Changing Society SOCI-3333 991/9U1 10468/10469 |
Analysis of the socialization of women for their ascribed roles, changes in contemporary society | Online | Avra, Shannon |
| Family Sociology SOCI 3346-01 10475 |
Family dynamics for self, community, and society | MWF 9:00am-9:50am | Briscoe, David |
| Family Violence SOCI 3350-991/9U1 10476/10477 |
Abuse, neglect, and conflict within the family | Online | Briscoe, David |
| Jane Austen ENGL 4370-02 & grad level 5370-0210397/10395 |
We will study several novels by Austen and consider various theoretical approaches that help us view them from new perspectives, including popular culture representations of Austen and her world. Students will also study a contemporary adaptation of Austen. | MW 4:30pm-5:45pm | Hunter, Angela |
| African American Literature I ENGL 3326-991/9U1 11286/11287 |
Survey of African American literature from colonial times until 1920. We will consider, among other issues, how race, class, gender, sexuality, and culture affect the construction of Black identities and Black literature. | Online | Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Migration Literature* ENGL 4370-01 & grad level ENGL 5370-01 10385/10394 |
This class explores major themes and mythologies found in contemporary migration literature. We will rely on an intersectional analysis of what motivates various peoples to leave their homelands and what the process of acculturation entails. | TR 1:40 pm – 2:55 pm | Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Perspectives on Women in American History* HIST 4372-01 11598 |
US history centering on the experience of women from the colonial period to #MeeToo. | MW 12:15pm-1:30pm | Cieslak, Marta |
| Senior Capstone Project* ACOM 4300-9S1 10071 |
Integration of learning about human communication in various contexts, culminating in an applied qualitative research project and presentation. Intended to be taken in last semester before graduation. | MWF 11:00am-11:50am | McIntyre, Kristen |
Fall 2022 Gender Studies Courses
In the list below, the course designated as the Gender Studies Capstone class for Fall 2022 is highlighted and marked with an *. If you are in your final semester of gender studies coursework, you must get your capstone course pre-approved before the semester starts and preferably before you register for the course. Email Dr. Barrio for more information or to get approved to take the capstone.
| Course | Description | Class Meets | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro to Gender Studies GNST 2300 991/9U1 60311/60312 |
Introductory course | Online | TBD |
| Women in a Changing Society SOCI-3333 991/9U1 60322/60323 |
Analysis of the socialization of women for their ascribed roles, changes in contemporary society | Online | Avra, Shannon |
| Family Sociology SOCI 3346-991/9U1 60328/60329 |
Family dynamics for self, community, and society | Online | TBD |
| Family Violence SOCI 3350-991/9U1 60330/60331 |
Abuse, neglect, and conflict within the family | Online | Briscoe, David |
| Psychosexual Behavior PSYC 3365-991/9U1 62321/62322 |
The emotional, attitudinal, and developmental parameters of human sexual motivation and behavior; masculinity-femininity; sexual deviation; and prevalent sexual behaviors. | Online | Mastin, David |
| Gender Communication ACOM 3315-982/9U1 60285/60286 |
*This is a 7-week course An examination of gender constructs as they influence verbal and nonverbal interaction. Topics include the ways communication in families, schools, media, and society creates and perpetuates gender roles. | Online | Thompson, Carol |
| Afrofuturism and Black Speculative Fiction* ENGL 4370-02 & grad level ENGL 5370-02 60519/60533 |
Black speculative literature explores “what if” questions affecting Black populations across the globe, and offers a critique of the alienation experienced by Black people in the past, present, and even the future. From apocalyptic stories to Black lesbian vampires and spaceships, our readings will include science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres by Black writers, such as Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower, Jewelle Gomez’s Gilda Stories, and Rivers Solomon’s The Deep, among others. | In-Person TR 10:50 – 12:05 Stabler Hall 407 |
Barrio-Vilar, Laura |
| Groundbreaking Women* SPAN 4390-990/9U0 60483/60485 |
This seminar examines representations about and by women’s experiences in Latin American literature and culture. We analyze the strategies (and identities) that Latin American women have employed to gain agency, and influence, in private and public spaces within specific historical periods. We will also examine how women have contributed to the creation of local and national identities. | Online | Delgado-Solorzano, Edma |
| Women, Theatre, and Feminism(s) THEA 4340-01 60757 |
Explores the emergence and development of varying feminist perspectives in playwriting, performance, direction, and artistic leadership within a global framework. This course has two basic parts: an historical survey of prominent women playwrights, performers, and theatre managers prior to the Women’s Rights movement of the 19th century; and a close study of exemplary feminist theatrical productions and their cultural contexts during the 20th century up to the present. | MW 1:40 – 2:55 Center for Performing Arts 226 |
Smith, Lawrence |
Spring 2022 Gender Studies Courses
In the list below, the course designated as the Gender Studies Capstone class for Spring 2022 is highlighted and marked with an *. If you are in your final semester of gender studies coursework, you must get your capstone course pre-approved before the semester starts and preferably before you register for the course. Email Dr. Yeaw for more information or to get approved to take the capstone.
| Course | Description | Class Meets | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intro to Gender Studies GNST 2300 |
Introductory course | Hybrid MW 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. |
Martin, Londie |
| Women in a Changing Society SOCI 3333 |
Analysis of the socialization of women for their ascribed roles, changes in contemporary society | Online | Avra, Shannon |
| Family Violence SOCI 3350 |
Abuse, neglect, and conflict within the family | Online | Briscoe, David |
| Family Sociology SOCI 3346 |
Family dynamics for self, community, and society | In-Person MWF 9 – 9:50 a.m. Stabler Hall 107 |
Briscoe, David |
| Family Communication ACOM 4323/5323 |
Study of communication in the family setting and building family relationships. | Online & Hybrid T 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Ross Hall 115 |
Oliver, Bailey |
| British Novel ENGL 4351 |
Representative readings from the 18th and 19th centuries of the British novel | Online | Hunter, Angela |
| Women & War in the Middle East* HIST 4390/5390 |
Special Topic | Online | Yeaw, Katrina |
| Mean Girls* ENGL 4370/5370 |
Seminar: This course explores “mean girls” in a wide range of texts from ancient Greek myth to contemporary film, asking how these women work together and against each other to negotiate power. | Flex, Sync, or Online TR 3:05 – 4:20 p.m. Stabler Hall 107 |
McAbee, Kristina |
| Feminist Theory* PHIL 4333/5333 |
Course seeks a broad understanding of the development of various strands of feminist thought and the resulting range of interpretive possibilities. | In-Person TR 10:40 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. |
McAuliffe, Jana |
| The Queer South* GEOG 4300/5300 HIST 4390/5390 |
Special Topic: Upper-level and graduate course that critical geography and oral history as a means for destabilizing the co-construction of corporeal and geographical binaries. The US South (and to a lesser extent Midwest) are the primary regional areas of focus. | Online & Sync. T 6 – 7 p.m. |
Baylis, David |
