This course will develop students' understanding of concepts and theories of gender and sex, as well as examining the aims of feminist theory in general. The course will trace changes from the late 1960s to the present in the status of the categories of 'women', 'gender' and ‘sexuality’ as foundational concepts in feminist theory. Topics to be covered include: biological and cultural theories of sex and gender; feminist analyses of identity, power and sexuality, the relationship between gender and differences of race and class; feminist theory, postmodernism and postfeminism.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- understand the foundational concepts of feminist theory, including the relationship between sex and gender;
- recognise and understand some of the key currents, debates and texts in feminist theory;
- critically analyse and engage with theoretical texts; and
- engage in advanced exposition and argumentation.
Indicative Assessment
- Essay 1 (1500 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Essay 2 (2000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Learning journal (4 x 400 words) (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Tutorial participation (10) [LO 3,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of workshop and workshop-like activities, and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Not applicable.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4080 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $5280 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8577 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |
