Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies

Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies (SMF) provides students with opportunities to explore the research and theory about human sexuality and relationships from a wide range of disciplines and across the humanities and social sciences.

Many courses in SMF promote interdisciplinary scholarship, and adopt a social justice perspective that challenges students to think critically about often overlooked subjects: human interactions within relational, sexual, and societal contexts;  basic anatomical knowledge and sexual health; the formation and maintenance of relationships; parenting skills; the impact of culture on sexual and family-related values, ideas, and attitudes; the impact of media on our understanding of gender, sexuality, and relationships; sexuality education; attitudes toward sexualities; the effects of pornography on societal attitudes; family conflict and its escalation to violence; sexual problems or difficulties; and couple, family, and sex therapy.

This provides an excellent foundation for historical, theoretical, and ethical discussions around many exciting topics, such as the role of major discourses (e.g., media, law, medicine, religion) in shaping our perspectives on sexuality and relationships, the ways that our identities are formed and how these shape our interactions in the world, and the role of education around sexuality and relationships in Canada and the broader global context.

The department of Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies offers the following programs and academic plans, including Four-Year General Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies; Honours Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies; Counselling Specialization; Human Services Practicum Specialization; Intensive Research Specialization; Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies Minor; and Diploma in Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies.

The courses offered by the St. Jerome's University SMF department are listed below.

For information on academic plans please visit Sexuality Marriage, and Family Studies on the Programs and Plans section of the Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar.