Women's Studies Major

Contact:
Lisa J. McLeod, Assistant Professor

Anna Oerther, Assistant Professor

The Women's Studies curriculum posits gender relations as a basic organizing principle of analysis. Gender is explored as a social construction that reflects and produces differentials of power and opportunity in many social systems. In a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts, women's studies majors explore the interactive matrix of gender, class, race, age, ethnicity, nationality, and sexual identity through works produced primarily by women. Hence majors will study women in the dominant culture and in cultures of women of color, both national and international. Such analysis illuminates the variety of men's and women's experiences and expressions, while identifying those that have been scripted into social definitions of normative human behaviors.

Women's studies majors study and develop feminist critiques of traditional disciplinary knowledge, yet there is an integrative component that draws on the valuable contributions of traditional knowledge as well. Exploration of the roots and forms of women's political activism, and the feminist reconstruction of history, contribute to the formulation of inclusive perspectives toward social life and the understanding of models and examples of social change. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum, women's studies majors apply multiple methodologies in developing research and critical thinking skills, and forms of personal expression. In IDS 400 courses, internships, and thesis projects, students integrate knowledge from different classes to conceptualize new, fuller ways of understanding.

Degrees Offered

The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered in women's studies.

Major Requirements

The women’s studies major is an interdisciplinary major that requires a second disciplinary major and an adviser in each.

Because the women’s studies major is an interdisciplinary major, courses must be selected from at least four departments, with some courses in both the humanities and the social sciences. At least one senior integrative experience, a women’s studies IDS 400 capstone, is required. Other integrative experiences, internships, independent study or thesis, are encouraged.

 

Specific Course Requirements

Students must take a minimum of 33 credit hours (nine courses) in women’s studies in the following pattern:

  1.   One course from:

4 credits

         HIST 223 Gender and Power in US History

  

         REL 222 Feminist Theology

  

  2.   One course from:

4 credits

         ENGL 151 HP: Women in Ancient Greece      

 

         ENGL 151 HP: Black Women’s History and Literature

  

         ENGL 223 Shakespeare

  

         HIST 223 Gender and Power in US History

  

         HIST 268 History of Chinese Women

  

         JAPN 220 Women in Modern Japan

  

         PHIL 231 Philosophy and Sexuality

  

         PHIL 232 Gender, Identity & Experience

  

         PSY 213 Class, Race and Gender

  

         REL 222 Feminist Theology

  

         SOAN 235 African Families in Transition

  

         THEA 262 Gay & Lesbian Cinema

  

         WMST 217 Literacy Seminar

  

         WMST 250 Special Topics

  

         WMST 260 Independent Study

  

         WMST 290 Internship

  

3-4.  Two courses from:

8 credits

         ENGL 331 Black Women Writers

  

         ENGL 332 Black Men Writers

  

         ENGL 334 African Women Writers                

 

         ENGL 377/IDS 409 Gay, Lesbian, Queer Studies

 

         FREN 311 The Francophone World

  

         HIST 343 Women in Modern Africa

  

         JAPN 310 Media, Gender & Nation in Japan

  

         PSCI 305 Politics of Gender

 

         PSY 351 Psychology and Gender

 

         SOAN 313 Sociology of Sex and Gender

  

         WMST 350 Special Topics

  

         WMST 360 Independent Study

  

         WMST 390 Internship

  

   5.   One course from:

4 credits

         ENGL 151 HP: Black Women’s History & Literature

  

         ENGL 331 Black Women Writers

  

         ENGL 334 African Women Writers

  

         FREN 311 The Francophone World

  

         HIST 268 History of Chinese Women

  

          HIST 343 Women in Modern Africa

  

         JAPN 220 Women in Modern Japan

  

         JAPN 310 Media, Gender & Nation in Japan

  

         SOAN 235 African Families in Transition

  

         SOAN 267 Race and Gender in Media Focus

 

         SOAN 415/IDS 411 Gender & Development in Africa

  

   6.   One course from:

4 credits

         IDS 407 Sacred Images, Altars & Rituals

  

         IDS 409/ENGL 377 Gay, Lesbian, Queer Studies

 

         IDS 411/SOAN 415 Gender & Development in Africa

  

         IDS 418 Science, Sex and Nature

  

         IDS 455 Human Sexuality

  

         IDS 464/SOAN 413 Gender Violence

  

         IDS 466 Great Goddess, Dying God

  

         IDS 481 Notions of Beauty

  

         IDS 485 Arab and Islamic Feminisms

 

    7.  One course from:

4 credits

         IDS 407 Sacred Images, Altars & Rituals

  

         IDS 409/ENGL 377 Gay, Lesbian, Queer Studies

 

         IDS 411/SOAN 415 Gender & Development in Africa

  

         IDS 418 Science, Sex and Nature

  

         IDS 455 Human Sexuality

  

         IDS 464/SOAN 413 Gender Violence

  

         IDS 466 Great Goddess, Dying God

  

          DS 481 Notions of Beauty

  

         IDS 485 Arab and Islamic Feminisms

 

         JPS 425 Family Violence

  

         SOAN 429 Gender in Organizations

  

         SPAN 403 Women in Literature and Film

  

         WMST 450 Special Topics

  

         WMST 460 Independent Study

  

         WMST 470 Senior Thesis

  

         WMST 490 Departmental Honors

  

   8.   One course from:

4 credits

          ENGL 151 HP: Women in Ancient Greece

  

          ENGL 151 HP: Black Women’s History and Literature

  

          ENGL 223 Shakespeare

  

          ENGL 288 Shakespeare and Film

  

          ENGL 331 Black Women Writers

  

          ENGL 332 Black Men Writers

  

          ENGL 334 African Women Writers

  

          ENGL 377/IDS 409 Gay, Lesbian, Queer Studies

 

          FREN 311 The Francophone World

  

          HIST 223 Gender and Power in US History

  

          HIST 268 History of Chinese Women

  

          HIST 343 Women in Modern Africa

  

          IDS 407 Sacred Images, Altars & Rituals

  

          IDS 411/SOAN 415 Gender & Development in African

  

          IDS 418 Science, Sex and Nature

  

          IDS 455 Human Sexuality

  

          IDS 464/SOAN 413 Gender Violence

  

          IDS 466 Great Goddess, Dying God

  

          IDS 481 Notions of Beauty

  

          IDS 485 Arab and Islamic Feminisms

 

          JAPN 220 Women in Modern Japan

  

          JAPN 310 Media, Gender & Nation in Japan

  

          JPS 425 Family Violence

  

          PHIL 231 Philosophy and Sexuality

  

          PHIL 232 Gender Identity & Experience

  

          PSCI 305 Politics of Gender

 

          PSY 213 Class, Race and Gender

  

          PSY 351 Psychology and Gender

 

          REL 222 Feminist Theology

  

          SOAN 235 African Families in Transition

  

         SOAN 267 Race and Gender in Media Focus

 

          SOAN 313 Sociology of Sex and Gender

  

          SOAN 429 Gender in Organizations

  

          SPAN 403 Women in Literature and Film

  

          THEA 262 Gay & Lesbian Cinema

  

          WMST 217 Literacy Seminar

  

          WMST 250, 350, 450 Special Topics

  

          WMST 260, 360, 460 Independent Study

  

          WMST 290, 390 Internship

  

          WMST470 Senior Thesis

  

          WMST 490 Departmental Honors

  

     9.  WMST 460 Independent Study-Senior Forum

1 credit
 

Total credit hours required for A.B. degree in women’s studies

33 credits

Because this is double major, two courses can double count for the women’s studies major and other requirements without petitioning. Students must still fulfill the 33-hour requirements in women’s studies and the total hour requirement in their other major.

First-year students should take HIST 223 or REL 222, to begin the major.