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Sex in Science (HPSC20023)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5Not available in 2020
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
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Biological sex is both fundamental to reproduction and, in humans, the basis of the primary social category of gender, making it both an important and politically charged variable in scientific research across the biological and social sciences. In this subject, students will explore fundamental and controversial questions at the intersection of sex and science, and consider their wider social implications, as well as for science. The subject will tackle questions including:
- What is biological sex? Is it stable, fixed and binary?
- How do cultural assumptions about sex influence scientific questions, methods, analysis and interpretation: from genetics and endocrinology to neuroscience and evolutionary science?
- What does science tell us about how to think about the relations between sex and gender? What are the social and political implications of different accounts?
- What is the impact of scientific claims about sex in society? What should they be?
Students will encounter varied disciplinary perspectives on sex, and critically examine both academic and popular resources.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject students will:
- Be able to locate contemporary gender debates in a scientific context.
- Begin to develop an understanding of the empirical, methodological, epistemological, and social and cultural foundations of controversies in science and scientific practice.
- Begin to develop an understanding of the role of socio-political values in science.
- Acquire skills in clear, coherent and persuasive written presentation.
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
A paper identifying the assumptions about sex in a scientific article, and explaining their influence on the research.
| Week 8 | 40% |
A "The Conversation" style piece (1000 words) that provides a critical assessment of a contemporary gender debate informed by scientific research. This is to be supplemented with an annotated bibliography providing references and brief justifications for claims made in the piece (400 words).
| During the examination period | 30% |
Hurdle requirement Hurdle requirement: students must attend a minimum of 75% of lectorials in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted in order to pass this subject. | Throughout the semester | N/A |
3 summaries of key concepts and/or articles (200 words each, 10% each)
| From Week 1 to Week 6 | 30% |
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Dates & times
Not available in 2020
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 15 February 2024