Women’s and Gender Studies Minor

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Women’s and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program offered jointly by 18 departments and three colleges. Students majoring in any field may choose to minor in Women’s and Gender Studies or to take Women’s and Gender Studies courses. A minor in Women’s and Gender Studies helps students prepare for the sequence of careers that will be the hallmark of personal success in the 21st century. A background in Women’s and Gender Studies provides academic credentials and transferrable skills including critical thinking, writing, speaking and research skills through the methodologies and subject matters of multiple academic disciplines that study women’s abilities, history, values, and interests.

Women’s and Gender Studies helps students understand reasons for social changes in women’s roles. It provides informative perspectives on career options. It prepares students for graduate work in Women’s and Gender Studies and other disciplines. Women’s and Gender Studies educates students to become effective agents for change in the community and workplace. Thus, Women’s and Gender Studies enhances career preparation and provides a more accurate and balanced view of the society in which the student will serve.

Students who choose this minor should inform the Women’s and Gender Studies Director, who will serve as their advisor in cooperation with the Women’s and Gender Studies faculty.

Required Courses

The Women’s and Gender Studies minor requires a minimum of 15 credit hours in courses designated as Women’s and Gender Studies, including WGS 151 and WGS 495 , 3 credits in WGS Humanities, 3 credits in WGS Social Sciences, of which 9 credit hours must be at the 300- to 400-level.

WGS 151 - Introduction to Women’s & Gender Studies
WGS 495 - Advanced Seminar
3 credits in WGS Humanities courses
3 credits in WGS Social Sciences courses
3 credits WGS elective

1. Courses must be selected from at least three different departments

2. Courses must include at least one course from the Humanities

ART 350 - Women in Art
ENG 207 - African-American Literature
ENG 208 - Womanism/Black Feminism
ENG 333 - Studies in 18th Century British Literature when offered as Feminist Approaches to 18th Century Fiction
ENG 334 - Studies in 19th-Century British Literature when offered as Feminist Approaches to 19th Century Fiction
ENG 335 - Studies in 20th Century English and Anglophone Literature
ENG 363 - Gender Issues in Literature
FRN 493 - Special Topics in French when offered as French Women Writers: From the Middle Ages to the Present
HIS 327 - American Sexual Communities and Politics
HIS 328 - Black Gender and Sexuality in U.S. Culture
HIS 354 - European Women’s History
HIS 381 - Class, Gender and Sexuality in China
HIS 471 - Politics of Protest and Gender
HIS 393 - Special Topics in History when offered as History of Women in America, History of Black American Women
HIS 455 - Gender in European History
PHL 410 - Studies in the History of Philosophy when offered as Women Philosophers
PHL 446 - Ethics of Human Reproduction
REL 260 - Women and Religion
REL 376 - Women in Early Christianity
SPN 484 - Studies In Spanish American Literature when offered as Latin-American Women Writers in the 20th Century
THE 230 - Women in Theatre

3. Courses must include at least one course from the Social Sciences

ANT 224 - Sex, Gender & Culture
ANT 343 - Language and Gender
AST 350 - African American Family Life
COM 331 - Gender & Communication
COM 493 - Special Topics In Communication when offered as Gender Differences in Language
HSC 346 - Women’s Health
NUR 493 - Special Topics In Nursing when offered as Women’s Health
PSY 255 - Psychology of Women and Gender
PSY 352 - Human Sexuality
SOC 201 - Race, Class and Gender
SOC 317 - Sociology of Gender
CRM 349 - Women and Crime
UST 455 - Gender and Leadership

Note

WGS 151 and WGS 495 are required for the minor in Women’s and Gender Studies.

Up to 3 credit hours of Independent Study, WGS 496 ; Practicum, WGS 351 ; Internship, WGS 490 ; Special Topics, WGS 393 or Special Topics Writing, WGS 493 involving investigation of a topic relevant to Women’s and Gender Studies, will be accepted toward the required credits. Students who wish to take an independent study, practicum, or internship course, must first contact the Director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program to secure a pre-approval for their prospectus.