UPLASASE-LAS2068-SEM2-AE-2024-5-F - L-Università ta' Malta

Course Title

LAS2068 - Gifted by Nature: The Science of Being a Woman

MQF Level

Duration and Credits

Semester 2

4 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-Time Evening

Information for International applicants

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This micro-credential is offered as part of the programme for the Liberal Arts and Sciences and will only be offered subject to a minimum number of applications received. More information can be found on the PLAS website.

Not all women have a strong sense of who they are. In the modern world, women struggle with many issues, including gender issues such as the pay gap, discrimination, harassment, gender-based violence, etc.; feelings of guilt, anxiety, and inadequacy as a working mum; lack of self-esteem, confidence, and assertiveness; failure to get to the top; fear, anxiety, disorders, feeling of isolation; and being a victim of abuse, exploitation, cheating, and manipulation.

Being a woman is not about being equal to a man. Being a woman is about having a different nature, a mind of your own, and being able to access the opportunities you desire and achieve the goals you set for yourself. To pursue this strategy, you need to be aware of your nature as a woman and to have a knowledge of the tools that you have been gifted.

This unit offers just that. Using evolutionary science, we take a closer look at the nature of a woman and understand her psychology, exploring aspects such as personality, mating strategies, motherhood, friendships, emotions, status, leadership, fears, aggression, attitudes to risk, etc. For each of the chapters – motherhood, work, mating, emotions, status, friendships – we will explore, discover, and understand the biological truths that are part and parcel of the female human nature.

The idea behind this unit is that women have been gifted by nature with some unique talents that enable them to solve problems, offer solutions, and bring about change. Knowledge about their nature is meant to inspire, equip, and empower women to aspire, overcome barriers, and participate with liberty in modern society bringing progress and prosperity. The aim of this unit is to bring women some of the benefits of awareness, so that they can be empowered to choose how to care for their children; how to grow in work and career; how to harness the strengths of their personalities; how to trust their instincts and their feelings to guide them; how to protect themselves from cheating, abuse, violence and manipulation; and how to be better partners and friends.

Main Reading List

CAMPBELL, A., 2002. A Mind of Her Own: The Evolutionary Psychology of Women. Second Edition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
BUSS, D. M., 2015. Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind. Fifth Edition. USA: Taylor & Francis.

Supplementary Reading List

MILLER, G., 2001. The Mating Mind. How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature. Great Britain: Vintage.
PINKER, S., 2002. The Blank Slate. The Modern Denial of Human Nature. USA: Penguin Books.

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the Unit the student will be able to:

Evaluate better the evolutionary biology of women and sex differences, and how these differences, of degree rather than type,
in physical size and shape, mental abilities, personality traits – in turn determine differences in aptitudes, inclinations, preferences, and willingness; and ultimately dictate different behaviour in many domains of life;
Demonsrtate knowledge of the evolutionary psychology of women in aspects related to esteem, status, fear, aggression, maternal and parental investment, friendship, competition, culture and creativity;
Assess the social and anthropological aspects of women’s roles as team players, educators, mind readers, healers, and as leaders and collaborators in Government, civil society, and commercial businesses;
Recognise the nature of a leader as someone who is able to inspire trust and command respect, does the right thing, focuses on people and their potential rather than on systems, has long-term goals, originates, innovates and develops new processes;
Gain knowledge of leadership as the process of building and motivating teams, nurturing a vision, communicating well, negotiating with impact, tolerating ambiguity, solving problems, adopting flexible management styles, resolving conflict, and maintaining open, co-operative and decisive control.

Learning Outcomes: Skills

By the end of the unit the student will be able to draw on and apply a number of skills for leading in society in public life and in commercial enterprises with confidence and control.

Social skills: A knowledge and an understanding of the biological, cultural, social and anthropological foundations for a women’s role will help to build important intra-personal and inter-personal social intelligence and skills;
Communication skills: Building on the same body of knowledge, the student will also be able to develop good communication skills, as the ability to find one’s passion,
harness the power of expertise, speak with confidence, negotiate with tact, present one’s ideas with impact, and pitch with knowledge and assertion;
Management skills: Students will understand how and when to apply management skills – in planning, risk management, people and organisations;
Leadership skills: The emphasis here is the distinction between effective managers and leaders with purpose, that are able to inspire followers and influence the behaviour of others to bring about change. Students will be able to apply the knowledge of the fundamentals of leadership and entrepreneurship and understand the traits of a leader. Leadership skills are not only learned, they are nurtured progressively with effort, but a deep awareness of the true meaning of leadership is a good start.

Non EU Applicants:

EUR180

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Micro-credentials offer the possibility of providing flexible learning pathways to respond to evolving needs and new developments, thus enabling students to tailor their studies to their needs. Micro-credentials may be combined or transferred into larger credentials, such as certificates, diplomas and degrees, provided that the relevant programme requirements are met. Applicants wishing to transfer micro-credentials to a programme of study are encouraged to seek the advice of the relevant academic entity.