Designing and Teaching Courses on Sex, Gender, and the Brain: Two Implementations in the Undergraduate Classroom

Abstract

Courses on the neuroscience of sex and gender can support inclusive and integrative neuroscience curricula. However, developing and teaching such courses can be intimidating for educators due to the subject’s complexities and nuances, the increasingly politicized nature of the subject material, and the difficult conversations that the material invites. In this article we discuss how we approached the development of two undergraduate courses on sex, gender and the brain. In describing our thought process we discuss the institutional contexts for our courses and the rationale for the selected course structures, learning objectives, and content. We also describe how we fostered inclusive learning environments – particularly within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic – and implemented course activities and diverse assessments aligned to the course learning objectives. We hope that readers of this article can apply our insights into developing courses on sex/gender in neuroscience at their home institutions.