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Women and Gender Studies

Undergraduate Minor

Director: Alison Bailey
Assistant Director and Academic Advisor: Becca Chase

Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS)

The minor in Women’s and Gender Studies enhances any undergraduate major by integrating a working knowledge of gender issues with the student's field(s) of study. Women’s and Gender Studies employs gender as an analytical category, along with race, class, ethnicity, ability, age, nationality, and transnationality to focus on women's contributions to society and the gender implications of cultural, political, and economic processes. By broadening a student's knowledge base, this interdisciplinary minor has theoretical and practical applications in scholarship, the workplace, and personal growth and relationships.

The 21 credit hours required for the minor are drawn from diverse academic disciplines, and are made up of the required courses and electives listed below.

Required Courses

Four courses are required:

  • WS 120: Women, Gender, and Society--provides an overview of the historical and contemporary context of women's lives
  • ENG 160: Women in Literature--explores literary works from the perspective of women’s richly varied experiences.  
  • HIS 261 or 262: History of Women in the United States to 1865 or since 1865
  • PHI 246: Feminist Political Philosophy--an examination of feminist political theories addressing women’s oppression.

Electives

Students draw the remaining 9 hours from the electives listed below:

  • ANT 270
  • CJS 339
  • COM 128 or ENG 128 or FOR 128
  • ENG 206/FOR 206
  • ENG 260, 261, 360
  • FCS 112 or HIS 112 or SOC 112
  • FCS 222, 233
  • HIS 261 or 262 (if not chosen to fulfill requirement), HIS 264, HIS 330
  • IDS 121.39
  • PHI 202
  • POL 225, 337, 338
  • PSY 123 or SOC 123
  • PSY 305
  • SOC 264, 265, 341, 366
  • WS 390, 391, 398

New Courses in 2008

New courses are available this spring! Check out WS 391, which offers duel credit with the Latin American and Latino/a Studies minor. A number of selected topics courses are also available for both graduate and undergraduate credit.

NOTE: This program must be planned in consultation with the Women’s and Gender Studies Academic Advisor. With approval of the Director or Advisor, courses other than those listed above may be counted toward the minor. To qualify, other courses should devote at least 50% of content to women’s and gender issues.

To declare a women's and gender studies minor, contact the WGS advisor.