WGST 113-001 and J10

Women’s Health
Online Asynchronous Web Delivery
(3 credit hours)
Spring 2021

Professor: Kathryn Luchok, PhD

E-Mail: luchok@mailbox.sc.edu (Preferred mode of communication)
Office Hours: 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Tu/TH 505 Close-Hipp (WGST Office) and
by appointment--virtual or in-person
Teaching Assistant: Mattie Atwell, PhD Candidate in Anthropology
E-mail: atwellm@email.sc.edu

*When emailing us, please put WGST 113-001 or J10 in the subject line so we can
easily identify emails from students for this class. Thanks!

Academic Bulletin Course Description

Basic functioning of the female body; effects of society on processes of health and disease.
Not for natural sciences credit.

Carolina Core: GSS

Graduation with Leadership Distinction: Diversity and Social Advocacy

Graduation with Leadership Distinction: Professional and Civic Engagement

Course Overview

Women’s Health is one of two introductory courses in Women’s and Gender Studies at the
University of South Carolina.  Women’s and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program
established at the University in 1974. The mission of Women’s and Gender Studies is to
promote an understanding of the experiences of women and other underrepresented groups
so that students learn to think critically, to communicate effectively, to solve problems, and to
interpret human experience.  The range of courses offered allows students to explore
questions beyond the scope of many traditional courses of study.  Students may obtain a
Bachelor of Arts and a Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. 

The goal of this course is to better understand female bodies, their health, how to take care
of their health, and the impact of the society we live in on health. A basic principle of the
course is that the habits that young people develop related to eating, exercise, and self-care
build the foundation for their health that will last the rest of their lives. Most young people who
develop life-long healthy habits will continue to be healthy at age 30, 40, 50 and
beyond. Unfortunately, people who develop unhealthy habits at a young age tend to continue
with those habits as they get older, and their health suffers as a result.

This course will cover women’s health throughout the lifecycle and thus will help students to
develop an understanding of middle aged and older women’s health. These are the health
issues that students’ mothers and grandmothers may be dealing with, and that students
themselves may manage when they are older. Another goal of this course is for students to
become equipped to make informed choices concerning health care issues. Individuals who
take an active role in partnership with medical professionals can take responsibility for
decisions that affect their health. People who are informed about their health also tend to
receive better medical care, because they are able to advocate for their health needs. This
course deals with issues in the US but includes a cross-cultural perspective using factors
such as age, ethnicity, political influences, medical models, spirituality and social structure. .

Course Introduction

This is a fully online course. Online classes are not easier than lecture classes, and you
should expect to spend as much or more time as you would spend on a lecture class. To
succeed in an online class, you must be extremely motivated and well-organized. Course
materials are available via Blackboard. Weekly modules are in Blackboard with everything
you need for that week. Quizzes and Exams will be in ASSIGNMENTS folder. Regular high-
speed internet access is essential for successful completion of the course. To adequately
view the lectures, which are large files with embedded audio, you need access to a lap top or
desktop computer, PowerPoint, and a MAC or a PC with the latest version of Windows Media
Player. You may find you need to access the lectures on a computer at USC in the computer
lab or library if you cannot open them properly on your home computer.

You will need to find 9 hours per week to succeed with this course in this format –
approximately 3 hours should be devoted to the online materials such as Power Points,
videos, and websites, with an additional 6 hours devoted to readings and assignments. If you
do not have 9 hours each week, you will become very frustrated and can jeopardize your
opportunity for success. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:

 Evaluate current women’s health issues such as: high rates of unwanted pregnancy in
the US vs. other industrialized nations, who pays for healthcare in certain societies,
gender differences in substance abuse. Critically appraise these issues and consider
what is needed to develop new and better solutions.
 Analyze how political, economic, legal, and social factors influence women’s
healthcare access on topics such as pregnancy, birth and family planning. Evaluate
how competing interests affect the everyday decisions women have to make about
their health and the health of their families.
2
  Demonstrate critical thinking skills applied to global and local problems such as the
spread of HIV/AIDS, women’s mental health issues, and intimate partner violence.
 Compare and contrast different cultural views on body image, ideals of beauty, infant
feeding practices, issues of morbidity/mortality in the developing vs. developed world
to understand how cultural diversity shapes social behavior.

No Required Text: Readings will be posted in Weekly Modules section of Blackboard

Overall Structure of the Course

The typical class structure will consist of weekly modules, which include:

 Readings
 Websites and activities on those websites
 Videos
 Lectures
 Quizzes

Weekly schedule: In preparation for the lectures (found on Blackboard), you should 1) read
the readings listed on the syllabus, 2) browse the websites and do the activities listed on
Blackboard for each week, 3) Watch the videos listed on Blackboard for each week. The
lecture will focus on topics from these sources. Then, watch (and listen to) the lectures. After
watching the lectures and completing these activities, you should complete weekly your quiz
by Sunday at 11:59 pm. There will be one Women’s Health Research/Interview paper due
March 23 .

 Monday-Saturday: Do assigned readings, website activities, and videos for week.

Watch lectures.
 Sunday by 11:59 PM: Complete quiz on Blackboard by this time. Quiz will cover all
materials covered that week.
 One paper will be due March 23 at 11:59 pm.

Assignments

Midterm Exam – 65 items (covers first half of the course material)

Final Exam – 65 items (covers second half of the course material—not cumulative).

Exams: There will be two exams given throughout the semester, one scheduled during
the final exam period. The exams will have multiple choice and true/false questions—
questions will be worth 0.4 points each. Exams and quizzes will cover assigned
reading and materials presented on Blackboard including things such as videos,
power point presentations, websites, etc. The exams will open across 3 days but they
will be timed—once you pick the time to start you need to finish within 75 minutes. The
exams are not cumulative.
3
Quizzes

There will be 12 quizzes throughout the semester, covering most of the weekly
modules. The quizzes will be given through the Assignments link on Blackboard. You
can take the quiz on your own time each week, but it must be completed by the date
and time listed in the course schedule. You can have your notes with you, but quizzes
will be timed.  Each quiz has 10 questions worth 0.25 points each in multiple choice or
true/false format. While each quiz is worth 2.5 points, if you start skipping them you
will quickly fall behind in reaching your maximum 100 points. There are no make-up
quizzes.

Paper –20 points due 3-23

Students will write a short (4-page double spaced minimum) paper based on an interview
with an important woman in your life who is over the age of 40 (examples: your mom,
grandma, great-grandma, aunt). Your job is to develop approximately 5-10 interview
questions about a women’s health issue that is interesting to you, and ask her your
questions. Examples of possible topics: Menopause, birth control, pregnancy, childbirth,
quitting smoking, or dealing with a particular health issue that your interviewee has
experienced. It is a good idea to videotape or record the interview. A recording is not
required, but it will help you write the paper. The paper should introduce a particular health
issue with background information about that issue from a library search of the topic—
Academic Complete is a good online search engine to use at the Thomas Cooper Library.
Then the rest of the paper will be a summary of what you learned from the interview, with
conclusions tying your interview back into the larger concepts of your topic. Include your
interview questions in the paper as an appendix (not part of the 4 pages). Include a reference
list of the articles you used to research the topic in APA referencing style. The paper will be
due on 3-21 by 11:59 pm on Assignments (Blackboard). If the paper is turned in after this
date, 1 point will be taken off for each day the paper is late.

Grading Rubric (18 points total):

2 points: Uploading your paper topic to Blackboard by 2-21 at 11:59 pm. One half point will
be taken off for each day it is late. This is a paragraph describing what topic you want to do
your paper on, who you will interview, and when you will conduct the interview. Include a
draft version of the questions you will ask.

3 points: Introduction to the paper. The introduction should introduce the health topic and
give some background on the health issue from the library research you did that is the focus
of the paper, and introduce the person you interviewed and your relationship to that person.

5 points: Body of paper. In the body of the paper, summarize in your words the person’s
answers to each of your interview questions. You should also tell the reader what you
learned about your topic from interviewing this person.

4
3 points: Conclusion. The paper should have a conclusion that briefly summarizes the main
points of what you learned from your interview and how it ties back into the research you
had done on the topic.

2 points: Quality of writing. The paper needs to be clear and well-written. Have you ever
read something that was so poorly written, you could not tell what point the writer was trying
to make? That is what you want to avoid. Also avoid flowery language; use formal, not
casual, language. Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

2 points: Quality of references—peer reviewed sources for at least 3 references, properly

cited in-text, provide a reference list of materials you used in APA referencing style.

1 point: Include your interview questions in an appendix to the paper (not part of the 4
pages).

A word about plagiarism: Plagiarism is claiming someone else’s work as your own. It is a
form of stealing. In my experience, the most common way that students plagiarize is by
copying and pasting from a text they find online. Never, never do this. Even if you cite the
source that you copied and pasted from, it is still plagiarizing. (If you include the text as an
exact quote, use quotation marks, and cite the source appropriately, that is not plagiarizing
– BUT avoid use of exact quotes in your essays because the papers are short and I
want them to be in your own words. Instead of copying and pasting the text, you need
to restate the ideas presented in the text in your own words, and then cite the source
appropriately. When in doubt, always cite! Plagiarizing will result in, at minimum, a 0 on
the assignment, and possibly a failing grade in the course and a report to the Office of
Academic Integrity.

For information on APA referencing see:

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_gui
de/general_format.html

Extra Credit – During the semester events of interest may be scheduled. To get extra credit
you would need to attend the event (many of them are virtual) and then write 3 things you
learned from the event and how each of these relates to the topics in this class. Worth up to
1.5 points. All extra credit must be submitted on Blackboard through Assignments by the time
and date it is due. LATE EXTRA CREDIT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

In addition, one optional extra credit module (Cosmetic Surgery/Beauty) will be offered, and
the Quiz will be an extra credit quiz.

All extra credit due by the date listed in the assignment schedule on Blackboard.

5
Grading:

TASK Points
Midterm Exam 26
Quizzes (12 at 2.5 each) 30
Women’s Health Interview Paper 18
Final Exam 26
Grades will be awarded on an A, B,
TOTAL 100
C, D, or F schedule—Points are a
straight 100-point scale—that way you can always know where you stand. Letter grades
possible are as follows:

A 90-100 C 70-75
B+ 86-89 D+ 66-69
B 80-85 D 60-65
C+ 76-79 F <=59

Concerns regarding grading: The grade cutoffs posted above are FINAL and ABSOLUTE. If
you miss a grade by a poin or less will not add an extra point to your grade since there are
opportunities for doing extra credit during the semester.

Academic Success

I will be contacting you via the email address you have in Blackboard. If you primarily use
another email account, you should make sure that the Blackboard account is linked to that
address. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email accounts work properly in order to
receive mail.

If you are having trouble with this course or its material, you should contact me via email to
discuss the issues. As a student in this course you also can get help from:

• The Student Success Center: http://www.sa.sc.edu/ssc/

• The Academic Centers for Success: http://www.housing.sc.edu/ace/

As a student in this course, you also have access to support from University Technology
Services for Blackboard and computer issues.

• Blackboard Support: http://uts.sc.edu/academic/blackboard/support.shtml

• Technical Support from University Technology Services:

http://uts.sc.edu/support/helpdesk.shtml or call 803-777-1800

If you need to improve your writing skills, the University Writing Center offers free
assistance as does a new writing help service through the Student Success Center. There is
also a Peer Writing Lab.

6
  http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/write/university-writing-center
703 Byrnes Building, Columbia, SC 29208 803-777-2078

Peer Writing & Communications Lab in Sims Hall, S109.

https://www.sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/student_success_center/study-smart/peer-
writing-and-communications/index.php

Students with Disabilities

Students with mental or physical disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor as soon
as possible to discuss the logistics of any accommodations needed to fulfill course
requirements. In order to receive reasonable accommodations from the instructor, students
must be registered with the Office of Student Disability Services. Any student with a
documented disability should contact the Office of Student Disability Services to make
arrangements for appropriate accommodations at 777-6142 or
http://www.sa.sc.edu/sds/about/.

Student Well-Being:

Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every
day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live and believes this may affect their
performance in the course, is urged to contact the Division of Student Affairs and Academic
Support. If you are comfortable doing so, please notify me as the professor so that we can
find resources that may be helpful.

Students do not learn when they do not feel safe. If you feel unsafe on campus at any time
in any place, please contact Police Dispatch at 803-777-4215 (in an emergency, please call
911) and reach out to the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support. Again, if you are
comfortable doing so, please notify me as the professor, and I will do my best to make
appropriate accommodations.

Students may experience situations or challenges that can interfere with learning and
interpersonal functioning including stress, anxiety, depression, substance use, concern for a
family/friend, or feelings of hopelessness. Pay attention to what is happening in the
classroom and in the lives of your fellow students. There are numerous campus resources
available to students including University Counseling & Psychiatry Service and University
Student Health Services. Help is available 24/7. Students who need immediate help should
call 803-777-5223. An outside resource is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-
8255).

Academic Integrity

7
University policy regarding academic responsibility (Student Affairs Policy STAF 6.25) states
“It is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina Columbia to
adhere steadfastly to truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud, or deceit of any type in
connection with any academic program. Any student who violates this rule or who knowingly
assists another to violate this rule shall be subject to discipline.” Students who commit an act
of academic dishonesty may receive a failing grade on the assignment or in the course, and
be reported to the appropriate University offices. More information regarding this policy can
be found in the Carolina Community: USC Student Handbook and Policy Guide at
http://www.sc.edu/policies/staf625.pdf

Consult Carolina Community for what constitutes plagiarism. You are responsible for reading
and abiding by these rules. Below are some websites for you to visit to learn more about the
University policies.

 Carolina Community (http:/www.sa.sc.edu/carolinacommunity/)

 Carolina Creed (http:/www.sa.sc.edu/creed)
 Academic Responsibility (http:/www.sc.edu/policies/staf625.pdf)
 Honor Code Violations (http:/www.housing.sc.edu/academicintegrity/violations.html)
 Guidelines for Responsible Computing
(http:/www.uts.sc.edu/network/guidelines.shtml)

8
Course Schedule 

Date Topic Readings Assignments

Week 1 Introduction to A Century of Women’s Health* Introduce Yourself on

Women’s Health
1/11-17 *Note: this column shows the
major readings for each
module. There are always other
(usually shorter) articles to read
on Blackboard for each module,
in addition to lectures, videos,
and other activities.
Articles on Women in the South
and about SC specifically
Discussion Board
No Quiz for week 1
Weekly modules start on
Monday except for first
week; Quizzes due on
Sunday at 11:59 pm of
the week.

Lecture Intro; 2 Lectures History

and Context

Week 2 Economics of See Blackboard Week 2 Quiz 1 due 1-24

Health and
1/18-1/24 Health Lectures on Health Economy
Promotion and Health Promotion

Week 3 Female/male See Blackboard Quiz 2 due 1-31

anatomy
1/25-1/31
Sexual
differentiation

Gender: going
beyond the
binary

Week 4 Reproductive See Blackboard Quiz 3 due 2-7

Health –
2/1-2/7 Contraception

Sex Ed Policy

9
Date Topic Readings Assignments

Week5 Menstruation See Blackboard Quiz 4 due -2-14

2/8-2/14 Female
sexuality

Week 6 Sexual health Readings: see Blackboard Quiz 5 due 2-21

2/15- STIs/HIV Interview Paper Qs Due

2/21 2-21
Week 7 Pregnancy and See Blackboard Quiz 6 due 2-28
Childbirth
Film: Business of Being Born
2/22-
2/28 Breastfeeding

Week 8 Reproductive Readings: see Blackboard No Quiz

Justice;
3/1-3/7 Abortion Abortion worldwide and in the US MIDTERM EXAM
(Guttmacher Institute) AVAILABLE Covers
MIDTERM weeks 1-7 due 3-7
Miller, Barbara (2001) Female-
Selective Abortion in Asia: Patterns
Policies and Debates.  American
Anthropologist 103(4):1083-1095.

Midterm exam released on 3-3

until 3-7 at 11:59 pm

Week 9 Global Issues in WHO: Women’s health around the Quiz 7 Due 3-14
Women’s Health world
3/8-3/14-
NPR article on Female genital
operations
Female Genital
Mutilation Walley, Christine. (1997) Searching
for Voices: Feminism, Anthropology
Fistula and the Global Debate on Female
Genital Operations. Cultural
Anthropology 12(3):405-438.

Date Topic Readings Assignments

10
Week 10 Infertility and Readings: see Blackboard Quiz 8 due 3-21
Assistive
3/15- Technologies Research/Interview
3/21 Paper due 3-21 11:59
Menopause and pm
Hormone
Replacement
Therapy
Week 11 Women and Readings: see Blackboard Quiz 9 due 3-28
Cancer
3/22-3/28

Week 12 Cardiovascular Readings: see Blackboard Quiz 10 due 4/4

disease
3/29-4/4
Chronic
Disease

Week 13 Intimate partner Readings: see Blackboard Quiz 11 due 4/11

violence and
4/5-4/11 sexual assault

Week 14 Nutrition Readings: see Blackboard Quiz 12 due 4/18

4/12/- Eating disorders Your last quiz!

4/18

Week 15 Mental Health Readings: see Blackboard NO Quiz

4/9-4/25 Substance
Abuse

Optional Cosmetic Kaw, Eugenia. (1993). Optional extra credit

extra surgery/Beauty Medicalization of Racial quiz due 4/26
credit Features: Asian American
module Women and Plastic Surgery

See Blackboard
Final The final exam will be released FINAL EXAM Covers
Exam at 8:00am on 12-7 and you will weeks 8-15 Due at
have until 11:59 pm on 12-10 to 11:59 pm
take the final.

11
Please note I reserve the right to change this syllabus at any time and will give students ample notification if such
changes occur via Blackboard group email and I will post a new syllabus.

Did you know this course is on an approved course list for Graduation
with Leadership Distinction? Do you engage in research, study abroad,
internships, or community service? If so, you could be eligible to
graduate with leadership distinction. Sign up to meet with a GLD
Advisor to learn more and consider ways to get involved throughout
your time at UofSC. You’ll even have your achievements recognized on
your transcript and diploma. Demonstrate to graduate/professional
schools and future employers how you can apply course concepts in
real world settings and apply what you learned to make decisions and solve problems! Graduation with
Leadership Distinction: Your Pathway to Purpose!

INTERESTED IN A WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES MAJOR or DOUBLE MAJOR?

WGST prepares students to think critically and examine society through the lens of equality and
social justice. Our interdisciplinary field offers you the opportunity to explore a wide variety of topics
ranging from women’s health to globalization. The program looks at gender and its intersections with
race, class, sexuality and other important categories of identity to understand people's lives both
historically and today.
https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/womens_and_gender_studies/my_wgst/
current_undergraduates.php

INTERESTED IN AN ANTHROPOLOGY MAJOR or Double Major?:

The Anthropology major is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to
appreciate the cultural and biological diversity of humans and to apply their knowledge to a variety of
career endeavors. For more information on becoming an Anthropology major/minor contact the
Undergraduate Director.

ANTHROPOLOGY STUDENT ASSOCIATION:

Join the Anthropology Student Association (ASA) and learn more about Anthropology. ASA is a
student organization that promotes anthropology and cultural awareness through various activities
throughout the year. This involves both the university and non-university communities. One of the key
goals of ASA is to encourage the interaction between anthropology undergraduate and graduate
students, faculty, professionals, and other interested members of the community in both academic
and social settings. For more information email ASA at: anthdept@mailbox.sc.edu

Have a great summer and congrats to all our grads!

12