Major and Minor

As a department in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Center for Women’s Studies offers a major and minor in women’s studies. Students receive academic training and leadership skills with the goal of improving women’s lives in domestic and professional arenas. The analysis of gender, race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality is central to the major. Crosscultural and international perspectives represent the department’s commitment to move beyond culturally and nationally parochial understandings of women’s identities and struggles. Women’s studies is interdisciplinary in approach, and the major reflects a thematic rather than disciplinary focus. The four core areas—internationalism, representation and media, social issues, and religion and thought—provide critical understanding of
women, culture, and society. Students may elect to double-major in women’s studies and other
fields in the liberal arts and sciences or other colleges. The major prepares students for careers in a variety of fields.

Major. The major in women’s studies consistsof 30 hours:

  1. Required core—12 hrs.: WOMS 190, 287,387, 587;
  2. Core area—9 hrs. (3 courses) taken within a core area; and
  3. Electives— 9 hrs. (3 courses) in any of the four core areas, taken in any combination.

One course must be a diversity course such as WOMS 334, 370, 385, 482, 513, 514, 532, 542, 579, or 588.

Of the 30 credit hours, no more than 3 hours in courses numbered 100–199 may be counted toward the major except WOMS 190. Students are strongly encouraged to take WOMS 190 and WOMS 287 as early as possible in the major.

Required Core:
WOMS 190, Women in Popular Culture
WOMS 287, Women in Society: Social Issues
WOMS 387, Women in Society: Cultural Images
WOMS 587, Theories of Feminism

Core Areas:

Some courses may appear in two core areas if course content is appropriate.

Core Area I: Internationalism
WOMS 482, Latinas in Culture and Society
WOMS 513, Women in Africa
WOMS 514, Women in the Middle East
WOMS/HIST 532, Women in Ethnic America
WOMS/ANTH 542, Women in Other Cultures
WOMS/HIST/ETHS 579, Asian Women in Modern History
WOMS 588, Gender, Race, and the West/East Divide

Core Area II: Representation and Media
WOMS 330/ENGL 336, Women’s Personal Narratives
WOMS 382, Feminism and Girl Culture
WOMS 385, Intro. To LGBT Studies
WOMS 510, Hollywood Melodrama
WOMS 523, Feminist Film Criticism
WOMS/ENGL 536, Writing by Women
WOMS 537, Contemporary Women’s Drama
WOMS 585, The Femme Fatale in Film

Core Area III: Social Issues
WOMS/SOC 306, Intro. to Gender Studies
WOMS/SOC 316, Men and Masculinities
WOMS/POLS 325, Women in the Political System
WOMS/SCWK 340, Human Sexuality
WOMS 345, Women and Dependencies
WOMS 380, Special Topics (1–3)
WOMS 385, Intro. To LGBT Studies
WOMS 386, Women and Sports
WOMS 533, Women and the Law
WOMS 534, Psychology of Women
WOMS/SCWK 541, Women, Children, and Poverty

Core Area IV: Thought
PHIL 345, Philosophy of Love and Sex
WOMS/PHIL 338, Philosophy of Feminism
WOMS 586, Gender, Race and Knowledge

Minor. The minor in women’s studies consists
of a minimum of 15 hours of women’s studies
courses, including WOMS 287 and 387. Restrictions
on 100-level courses in the major (see above)
also apply to the minor.