Human Sexuality Studies

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Dean: Joel Kassiola

Human Sexuality Studies Program
HSS 336
415-338-2055
Director: Gilbert Herdt

Faculty

Professors—Brogan, DeCecco, DeVries, Diaz, Doub, Goldman, Herdt, Hittner, Hoffman, Jenkins, Mann, McCoy, Ovrebo, Prinz, Scully, Tapper, Wardlow, Warren, Yep

Associate Professors—Bhat, Hossfeld, Levy, Loomis, Soh

Assistant Professors—Blando, Carrington, Elia, Fields, Leitao, Moffatt

Lecturers—Assali, Auleb, Teunis

Program

Minor in Human Sexuality Studies
Master of Arts in Human Sexuality Studies

Program Scope

Human Sexuality Studies provides students with knowledge about the processes and variations in: sexual functions and reproduction; intimate relationships; sexual and gender role development and behavior; and the social, cultural, historical and moral contexts of sex and love. This interdisciplinary field relies primarily on faculty from the Colleges of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Health and Human Services, Humanities, and Science, who serve as advisers to students wishing information or assistance in making curricular choices. Students can use the minor in Human Sexuality Studies to complement their majors. The program provides an opportunity to gain basic knowledge; develop an awareness of attitudes; and to acquire skills for counseling, teaching, and conducting research. The university also offers a Minor in Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Studies.

MINOR IN HUMAN SEXUALITY STUDIES

The minor consists of 26 to 28 units of undergraduate study. With proper advising it is possible to use these courses to fulfill some undergraduate major, minor, and General Education requirements. Written declaration of the pursuit of the minor is not necessary prior to enrollment in any of its required or elective courses.

Introduction: Students should try to complete HMSX 300 and either BIOL 330 or H ED 320 before taking any further courses in the minor. (These courses may, however, be taken concurrently.)

On-line course descriptions are available.

MASTER OF ARTS IN HUMAN SEXUALITY STUDIES

Graduate Advisers--Herdt, Diaz

Career Options for M.A. Graduates

The career outlook for graduates with specialized knowledge of human sexuality has never been better in our society, due to the changing positive attitudes regarding the role of sexuality in the universities and colleges, high schools, local and national government, research and training, clinical and mental health training, and private sector positions that call for expertise of human reproduction, sexuality, sexual identity and diversity, sexual orientation, gender, and human resources.

The degree is designed to meet the career needs of students including:

• Students who will work in public health settings, especially those related to AIDS education, AIDS/HIV treatment and care centers; e.g., the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California at San Francisco, and welfare centers throughout the Bay Area.
• Preparation for graduate studies professional schools such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, history, medicine, social work, or communication.
• Reproductive health education, research, training, and prevention facilities and organizations; i.e., Planned Parenthood.
• Sexuality education for students at the regional community colleges and at the local school boards that offer or plan to offer courses and curricula on sexuality, including counseling in the secondary schools.
• Students who are preparing for work in policy or research public policy institutes located at Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley.
• Service provision and training for service providers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and others that require sensitivity training related to sexuality across the life course and sexual orientation issues.
• Human resource departments of businesses and corporations, responsible for the provision of sexuality and sexual orientation anti-discrimination and partner benefits areas for employees.
• Research, policy, and education providers who are needed to fill gay and lesbian agencies and community centers in the Bay Area and elsewhere.
• Internships at such local media and commercial organizations as the San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner newspaper or the KGO, KQED, KPIX, and KRON television stations, which have a need for expertise in human sexuality education and policy.

Admission to Program

A prospective student must fulfill the general university requirements as stated in the section on Graduate and Post-baccalaureate Admissions of this Bulletin. To be considered for unconditional admission to the M.A. in Human Sexuality Studies, a student must have completed an undergraduate major in an appropriate field under advisement with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. It is expected that applicants will primarily come from behavioral and social sciences (psychology, anthropology, sociology, history), health education (social services professions (social work), business (human resources, management, marketing), humanities (speech and communications, women studies). Students whose undergraduate major did not include human sexuality studies courses should consult the graduate coordinator about making up course deficiencies in human sexuality studies. The usual pattern is for the student to complete the equivalent of a B.A. in a field related to human sexuality studies before being accepted into the program.

If the students' undergraduate record meets the basic requirements and gives promise of a successful pursuit of graduate work, the department will recommend that the student be admitted either to classified graduate status (which means that the student may immediately proceed to take graduate courses and seminars) or conditional status, specifying the conditions and time limit within which they must be met.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: satisfactorily meeting the writing requirements in HMSX 800. Level Two: satisfactorily completing any other graduate-level seminar.

Advancement to Candidacy

Besides meeting all general requirements for advancement to candidacy, applicants must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all human sexuality courses taken for the degree, and may not list on the Graduate Approved Program any course in which the grade received is below B-.

Prerequisite Courses

Completion of the following undergraduate courses is also required: HMSX 300, Introduction to Human Sexuality Studies, and BIOL 330, Human Sexuality. The equivalents at a community college or other university is also acceptable upon petition. Upon admission to the M.A. program, these classes can be taken during the first semester in the program.