Women's and Gender Studies - Undergraduate Program
Overview
The Women's and Gender Studies Program provides students with the opportunity to engage in critical analysis of issues related to women, gender, and sexuality. Courses typically emphasize how women, gender, and sexuality have shaped and been shaped by history, culture, and society, with particular attention to the role of race, ethnicity, class, nation, age, and religion in forming gender identities. This interdisciplinary program is taught by faculty from diverse fields and offers a unique opportunity for students to complement their work in traditional disciplines with courses that can be tailored to meet specific interests and needs.
Students may receive a Minor in Women's and Gender Studies by taking 18 credit hours from a selection of courses offered across several disciplines. Most of our courses are cross-listed with courses offered in other departments. Students should consult the Women's and Gender Studies website for a list of the courses being offered in any specific semester.
Women's and Gender Studies Minors are encouraged to take two foundation courses: WOMS 2310: Introduction to Women's & Gender Studies and WOMS 2315: Introduction to Gay & Lesbian Studies.
Women's and Gender Studies Minors may also consider taking the Internship course, which involves working off campus at a local organization that addresses women's or gender issues.
Students seeking the Women's and Gender Studies minor should first consult with the advisors in their major departments or programs for approval, then with the Women's and Gender Studies Program advisor.
Courses
WOMS 2301. TOPICS IN WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES. 3 Hours.
Special topics of interest in the disciplines of Women's and Gender Studies. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.
WOMS 2307. WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD. 3 Hours.
Exploration of roles and images of women in ancient Greece and Rome, using a variety of primary (ancient) sources: literature, legal and medical texts, visual art, and inscriptions. Offered as CLAS 2307 and WOMS 2307. Credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 2310. INTRO TO WOMEN'S & GENDER STUDIES. 3 Hours.
Provides an introduction to Women's Studies and Gender Studies as fields that place women and gender at the center of inquiry. Examines topics such as work, family, reproduction, sexuality, politics, art, literature, and contemporary media. Explains the diversity of methods and theories employed in Women's and Gender Studies scholarship, emphasizing the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and class.
WOMS 2315. INTRODUCTION TO GAY AND LESBIAN STUDIES. 3 Hours.
Provides an introduction to Gay and Lesbian Studies, including the study of transsexual, transgender, and queer identities. May address topics such as LGBTQ history; sexuality and civil rights; the representation of LGBTQ in art, literature, and popular culture; and/or feminist analysis of sex, gender, and sexuality. Explains the methods and theories employed in gay and lesbian studies, emphasizing the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, and ability/disability.
WOMS 2317. BASIC CONCEPTS IN HUMAN SEXUALITY. 3 Hours.
The physiological, psychological, and sociological aspects of human sexuality. Offered as BIOL 2317, HEED 2317, PSYC 2317, and WOMS 2317. Credit will be granted for one of these courses only. Students seeking certification in Health Education must enroll in HEED 2317. Students seeking credit toward their science requirement must enroll in BIOL 2317. May not be used for biology grade point calculation or biology credit toward a BS degree in biology, microbiology, medical technology, psychology, or sociology.
WOMS 3300. TOPICS IN WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES. 3 Hours.
Special topics of interest in the disciplines of Women's and Gender Studies. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.
WOMS 3305. WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES. 3 Hours.
Will address specific issues of importance to women and their health, including growth and development, nutrition, reproductive health, pregnancy, chronic diseases, and relationship/family issues. Offered as HEED 3305 and WOMS 3305. Credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3309. WOMEN AND WORK, 1600 TO THE PRESENT. 3 Hours.
Examines the history of women and work, both waged and nonwaged, in Europe and the Americas, including the United States. Highlights differences within women's work cultures as well as variation in women's employment opportunities and their efforts to achieve equality with men in the workplace, by ethnicity, region, and nation. Offered as HIST 3309 and WOMS 3309; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3310. U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY TO 1860. 3 Hours.
Women in politics, work and society from the colonial era to the Civil War. Women's efforts to reform society, including the abolition of slavery and acquisition of suffrage. Offered as HIST 3310 and WOMS 3310; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3311. U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY 1860 TO PRESENT. 3 Hours.
American women in politics, work and society since 1860, focusing on race and class and women's struggles for rights and liberation. Offered as HIST 3311 and WOMS 3311; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3313. CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY. 3 Hours.
Theory and research regarding psychological issues related to gender and cultural diversity. These issues will be approached from different perspectives within psychology, including clinical, developmental, social, health, and cognitive psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 1315. Offered as PSYC 3313 and WOMS 3313; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3314. THE LATINA EXPERIENCE. 3 Hours.
Examines the social, cultural and economic experiences of Latin American women in the United States, with particular emphasis on Mexican-origin women. The course surveys the historical and contemporary experiences of Latinas in the United States with respect to family dynamics, religion, education, politics, health and illness, the labor market, mass media, and the arts. This course is also offered as MAS 3314, SOCI 3314, and WOMS 3314; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3328. MARITAL AND SEXUAL LIFESTYLES. 3 Hours.
Contemporary American lifestyles selected from: singles, traditional marriage, homosexuals, single-parent families, open marriage, non-marital sexuality, cohabitation, dual-career marriage, childless couples, egalitarian marriage, families in later life. Offered as SOCI 3328 and WOMS 3328; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3331. SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY. 3 Hours.
The family's role in American society and in other cultures past, present, and future. Family research methods, comparative family systems, child development/parenting, culture and personality, minority families, social class variation in families, work and family. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of the instructor. Offered as SOCI 3331 and WOMS 3331; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3334. GENDER ROLES. 3 Hours.
Theories of gender role socialization and change in female and male roles. Impact of biology, psychology, and socialization on gender role development. How we learn gender in various social contexts including the family, education, and the peer group. Offered as SOCI 3334 and WOMS 3334; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3338. COMPARATIVE KINSHIP AND FAMILY SYSTEMS. 3 Hours.
Variation in kinship and family systems from crosscultural and evolutionary perspectives. Structure, function, and dynamics of kinship and family systems as adaptations to diverse ecological, social, and historical circumstances. Implications of this approach for understanding kinship and family in American society also addressed. Formerly listed as ANTH 4338. Credit cannot be given for both ANTH 3338 and ANTH 4338. Also offered as WOMS 3338; credit will be granted only once. Offered as AAST 3332 and ANTH 3338; credit will be granted in only one department.
WOMS 3356. WOMEN, WORK AND SOCIAL CHANGE. 3 Hours.
Women's work experiences, how these experiences are changing, and relationship between paid employment and non-wage household labor. Paid and unpaid work experiences are empirically examined in terms of a variety of theoretical perspectives. Offered as SOCI 3356 and WOMS 3356; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3360. GENDER AND THE PERFORMING ARTS. 3 Hours.
Examines the role of gender in the performing arts, including theory and practice focused on gender. Additional topics may include female pioneers in the performing arts, the image of gender in different media, the way gender affects actors and artists, and the effect of cultural definitions of gender on audience reception. Offered as THEA 3360 and WOMS 3360. Credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3361. WOMEN IN THEATRE. 3 Hours.
Examines the history, theory, and practice of women in theatre. Pioneering female writers, directors, producers, actors, designers, and activists will be explored as will their influence upon drama in its historical, social, and cultural contexts. Students will also be introduced to theory that examines female characters in plays and their impact on the artist and audience. Offered as THEA 3361 and WOMS 3361. Credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3364. GAY AND LESBIAN LITERATURE. 3 Hours.
Examines modern representations of same-sex desire in relation to a variety of texts---religious, philosophical, literary and scientific--from the ancient world up through the 'invention' of homosexuality in the nineteenth century. Prerequisite: for English majors, ENGL 2350; for non-majors, 6 hours sophomore literature or 3 hours sophomore literature with a grade of A. Offered as ENGL 3364 and WOMS 3364; credit will be granted in only one department.
WOMS 3366. SEX, GENDER, AND CULTURE. 3 Hours.
The ways gender and sexuality are culturally constructed. Readings include ethnographies, life histories, and fiction. Debates within anthropology and within specific cultures over maleness and femaleness. Offered as ANTH 3366 and WOMS 3366; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 3368. TOPICS IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY. 3 Hours.
Examines a variety of topics to do with issues of gender and sexuality, which include literary, theoretical, and philosophical texts that foreground questions of desire, sexual identity, and gender asymmetry. Considers how gender and sexuality shape and are shaped by race, ethnicity, class, ability/disability, religion, and age. May be repeated for credit as course content changes. Offered as ENGL 3368 and WOMS 3368; credit will be granted in only one department. Prerequisites: for English majors, ENGL 2350; for non-majors, 6 hours of sophomore literature or 3 hours of sophomore literature with a grade of A.
WOMS 3370. WOMEN IN LITERATURE. 3 Hours.
Works by women writers and/or images of women in literature. May be repeated for credit as subject matter changes. Offered as ENGL 3370 and WOMS 3370; credit will be granted in only one department.
WOMS 3385. WOMEN AND CRIME. 3 Hours.
This course examines criminology and criminal justice issues as they relate specifically to women. The three major areas of coverage include (1) women and girls as victims of crime, (2) women and girls as criminal offenders; and (3) women working in the criminal justice system. Offered as CRCJ 3385 and WOMS 3385; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 4190. CONFERENCE COURSE. 1 Hour.
Independent study for the advanced undergraduate. A close examination of a chosen topic through research and/or reading; format designed by instructor and student. May be repeated for credit when the subject matter varies, but only with permission of director of Women's and Gender Studies Program.
WOMS 4290. CONFERENCE COURSE. 2 Hours.
Independent study for the advanced undergraduate. A close examination of a chosen topic through research and/or reading; format designed by instructor and student. May be repeated for credit when the subject matter varies, but only with permission of director of Women's and Gender Studies Program.
WOMS 4301. ART AND GENDER. 3 Hours.
Approaches to the interpretation of art from the stance of gender and feminism. Emphasis is placed on the work of significant female artists and on the gendered representations of art. Offered as ART 4301 and WOMS 4301; credit will be granted only once. Fulfills the Social/Cultural Studies requirement. Prerequisite: ART 1309 and ART 1310.
WOMS 4303. WOMEN IN SOCIETY. 3 Hours.
Women's status in contemporary American society, including the family, workplace, and politics. Women's status will also be examined in historical and crosscultural perspectives. Offered as SOCI 4303 and WOMS 4303; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 4316. WOMEN IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. 3 Hours.
This course introduces students to the unique experiences of women in the political process, the impact of these experiences on the political system, and theories of gender and politics. Offered as POLS 4316 and WOMS 4316; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 4318. LANGUAGE AND GENDER. 3 Hours.
The role of language in the expression and creation of gender identities. Gender differences in language structure and use, women's and men's language in other cultures, the acquisition of gendered ways of speaking, and sexism in language. Offered as LING 4318 and WOMS 4318; formerly offered as LING 4392/WOMS 4392; credit will be granted only once. Prerequisite: LING 3311.
WOMS 4323. FEMINIST POLITICAL THOUGHT. 3 Hours.
Issues raised by the feminist critique of political theory; the exclusion of women from the political sphere until the 20th century; Marxist, liberal, and radical feminist political thought; alternative feminist conceptions of the political. Offered as POLS 4323 and WOMS 4323; credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 4325. WOMEN IN SCIENCE. 3 Hours.
Explores the role of women in science. Emphasis on gender and science, the history of women in science, gender equity in the classroom, strategies for the retention of women scientists, the current culture/climate for women in science, and contemporary women in science. Offered as EDUC 4325, SCIE 4325, and WOMS 4325. Credit will be granted only once.
WOMS 4327. WOMEN IN HISPANIC LITERATURE. 3 Hours.
Considers women as characters in and writers of Hispanic literature. Includes the analysis of themes, language, and how the writings of women often give voice to lesser known aspects of culture. Offered as SPAN 4327, MAS 4327, and WOMS 4327; credit will be granted only once. Prerequisite: SPAN 3315 with a grade of C or better.
WOMS 4340. LITERATURE BY WOMEN. 3 Hours.
Focus on women's writing in a particular genre or historical period or on a concept or issue of importance to women writers. May be repeated for credit as course content changes. Offered as ENGL 4340 and WOMS 4340; credit will be granted in only one department.
WOMS 4390. CONFERENCE COURSE. 3 Hours.
Independent study for the advanced undergraduate. A close examination of a chosen topic through research and/or reading; format designed by instructor and student. May be repeated for credit when the subject matter varies, but only with permission of director of Women's and Gender Studies Program.
WOMS 4392. SPECIAL TOPICS IN WOMEN'S STUDIES. 3 Hours.
Special topics related to women's and gender studies. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes, with permission of the director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program.
WOMS 4393. WOMEN'S STUDIES INTERNSHIP. 3 Hours.
Supervised internship through which students apply the academic skills they have acquired in Women's and Gender Studies courses by working in a related business or non-profit environment. Required coursework will be determined by instructor. Prerequisite: WOMS 2310 and permission of Director of Women's and Gender Studies.
WOMS 5301. TOPICS WOMEN'S STUDIES. 3 Hours.
Special topics of interest in the discipline of Women's Studies. May be repeated for credit when the topic changes.