Gender and Women's Studies - BA
The gender and women's studies major prepares students to think critically, analyze ideas and policies skillfully, work with others very different from themselves, engage social justice concerns, and work toward social transformation. This preparation makes gender and women's studies majors in demand in organizations working towards positive social change. In the last few years, gender and women's studies students have found employment as public policy analysts, professors, pastoral ministers, corporate managers, filmmakers, financial analysts, lobbyists, lawyers, child advocates, and more.
See also: Women and International Development
This major is offered in the College for Women.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| WOST 2050W | Foundations of Gender and Women's Studies | 4 |
| WOST 3640 | Feminist Theory | 4 |
| or WOST 3900 | Feminist Philosophy | |
| WOST 4604 | Internship | 4 |
| WOST 4850 | Senior Seminar | 4 |
| Select one of these two 3000-level courses with a global focus 1 | 4 | |
| Women and Globalization | ||
| Women's Issues from Global Perspectives | ||
Or other 3000/4000-level WOST cross-listed course focused on global perspectives with permission of chair | ||
| One WOST course cross-listed in arts or humanities 1 | 4 | |
| One WOST course cross-listed in social sciences or sciences 1 | 4 | |
| One elective cross-listed with any department and WOST 1 | 4 | |
- 1
Of these four courses, one must be a WOST course cross-listed with Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity
Courses other than WOST 2050W Foundations in Women's Studies, WOST 3640 Feminist Theory, WOST 4604 Internship, and WOST 4850W Senior Seminar are cross-listed for women's studies within the originating department (see lists below).
Arts/Humanities
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH 3630 | Gender, Art, and Society | 4 |
| CLAS 3460W | Women in Greece and Rome | 4 |
| ENGL 2290 | Women and Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 2402 | Language in Society | 4 |
| ENGL 3400W | Language as Power | 4 |
| HIST 3250 | History of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights in the U.S. | 4 |
| HIST 3560 | Women in America to 1920 | 4 |
| HIST 3630 | Women in Asia | 4 |
| HIST 3650 | U.S. Women Since 1920 | 4 |
| HIST 3700 | History of Feminism in Western Society | 4 |
| PHIL 2400 | Philosophy and Women | 4 |
| PHIL 3900 | Feminist Philosophy | 4 |
| THEO 2000 | Maiden - Mother - Crone: Life Stages and the Spiritual Journey | 4 |
| THEO 3380 | Women, Gender and the Bible | 4 |
| THEO 3450 | Women in American Religious Traditions | 4 |
| THEO 3930W | Christian Women Mystics | 4 |
Science/Social Science
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 1120 | Biology of Women with Lab | 4 |
| COMM 2050 | Media, Culture and Society | 4 |
| COMM 3070W | Gender and Rhetoric | 4 |
| COMM 3100 | Communicating across Cultures, Identities and Differences | 4 |
| COMM 4600 | Leadership and the Art of Persuasion | 4 |
| CRST 2150 | Challenging Oppressions, Civic Engagement and Change | 4 |
| ECON 1120 | Economics of Social Issues | 4 |
| PSYC 3050 | Psychology of Gender | 4 |
| SOCI 2700 | Social Movements-Social Change | 4 |
| SOCI 3210 | Family, Identity and Inequality | 4 |
| SOCI 3250 | Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| SOCI 3450 | Women's Issues from Global Perspectives | 4 |
| SOCI 3510 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | 4 |
Courses with Race/Ethnicity Component
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CRST 2150 | Challenging Oppressions, Civic Engagement and Change | 4 |
| COMM 3100 | Communicating across Cultures, Identities and Differences | 4 |
| ENGL 2260 | Literature in Translation | 4 |
| ENGL 2290 | Women and Literature | 4 |
| ENGL 2402 | Language in Society | 4 |
| ENGL 3400W | Language as Power | 4 |
| HIST 3250 | History of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights in the U.S. | 4 |
| HIST 3630 | Women in Asia | 4 |
| SOCI 2700 | Social Movements-Social Change | 4 |
| SOCI 3210 | Family, Identity and Inequality | 4 |
| SOCI 3250 | Cultural Anthropology | 4 |
| SOCI 3450 | Women's Issues from Global Perspectives | 4 |
| SOCI 3510 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | 4 |
Other cross-listed courses include selected sections of topics courses, selected senior seminars and selected independent studies.
Gender and women's studies majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing WOST 2050W Foundations in Women's Studies and WOST 3640 Feminist Theory. They complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with two other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000W The Reflective Woman and CORE 3990W Global Search for Justice).