Feminist scholarship, which arose in the late twentieth century in response to the historically masculine bias of the academy, explores the important but often hidden ways that gender and gender inequality have shaped, and been shaped by, our cultural, social, and personal worlds. In recent years, scholars in the field have increasingly recognized that gender and gender inequality cannot be understood in abstraction from other axes of social identity and power, especially those of race, class, sexual orientation, and nation. Thus, the program in Women's and Gender Studies offers students the opportunity to examine, from both disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, gender's intersections with other dimensions of social power and identity. In addition to addressing these intersections, courses may focus on developments within feminist thought, on applications of feminist scholarship to a particular field of study, or on selected topics concerning gender and gender inequality. All Women's and Gender Studies classes encourage students to think systematically and critically about gender and to confront the challenges of moving toward a more equitable world.
Requirements for the Women's and Gender Studies Program Major (36 semester hours)
There are 36 semester hours required for the WGS major [prerequisites are listed in brackets behind each course]
1. Students must take at least one of the following courses: (4 semester hours)
2. Students must take the following three required courses: (12 semester hours)
- WGS 353W Feminist Theory (4) [WGS 134 or WGS 245]
- One disciplinary methods/theory course (should be chosen in consultation with an advisor and dependent on WGS interests and proposed senior thesis) [WGS 134 or WGS 245--NOTE: Some courses also require WGS 353W]
- Courses that will count (additional courses considered by petition):
- AES 330 Theory and Methods of American Ethnic Studies (4) [AES 150; junior or senior standing; and at least one elective course in AES]
- ARTH 362W Theories and Methodologies of Art History (4) [A 200-level art history course]
- CCM 220W Analyzing Public Discourse (4) [no prerequisites]
- HIST 306 History through Biography: Women in World History (4) [no prerequisites]
- PHIL 335 History, Sexuality, and Power (4) [One Philosophy course or consent of instructor; closed to first year students]
- PSYC 252W Research Methods and Analysis I (4) [PSYC 210 or consent of instructor]
- SOC 402W Qualitative Methods in Social Research (4) [SOC 303 or WGS 353W]
- Courses that will count (additional courses considered by petition):
- WGS 499W Senior Thesis [WGS 353W and at least one disciplinary methods course plus senior standing]
3. Five additional courses chosen from the following: (20 semester hours)
- CCM 258 Gender and Mass Media in Asia (4)
- CCM 265 Rhetorics of Sex and Gender (4) [CCM 220W, CCM 221, or WGS course]
- CCM 341 Feminist Media Before 1920 (4)
- CCM 342 Feminist Media Since 1920 (4)
- CCM 360 Topics in Public Discourse (topic depending) (4) [CCM 220W or CCM 221 or consent of instructor]
- CCM 361 Citizenship and the Public Sphere (4) [CCM 220W, CCM 221, WGS 245 or WGS 353W or consent of instructor]
- CLAS 247 Women in Roman Literature and Life (4) [no prerequisites]
- CLAS 260 Gender and Sexuality in Greek Society (4) [no prerequisites]
- ENGL 355 Feminist Film Criticism (4) [Previous course in ENGL, FILM, or WGS, or consent of instructor]
- ENGL 381 Latinx Literature and Culture (4) [ENGL 101W or other]
- FREN 285W Gender and Sexuality in African Literature and Cinema (4)
- HIST 131 Culture, Power, Society (topic dependent) (4) [first and second-year students only]
- HIST 262 Gender and Women's History in the United States (4) [no prerequisites]
- HIST 306 History through Biography: Women in World History (4) (may count as methods/theory course instead) [no prerequisites]
- HIST 375 Women and Gender in Medieval Europe (4) [no prerequisites]
- PHIL 335 History, Sexuality and Power (4) (may count as methods/theory course instead) [One philosophy course or consent of instructor; closed to first-year students]
- PPLE 351W Women in American Politics (4) [PPLE 210 or consent of instructor]
- RUSS 245W From Russia with Love: Family and Sexuality in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature (4) [no prerequisites]
- SOC 399 Topics in Sociology: (topic depending) (2-4) [SOC 186 or any 100-level Sociology course)
- SPAN 435 Contemporary Latin American Women Writers (4)
- SPAN 438 Contemporary Spanish Women Writers (4) [SPAN 340, SPAN 352, SPAN 353, SPAN 355, SPAN 356, or consent of instructor]
- SPAN 445 Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Spanish Literature (topic dependent) (1) [SPAN 340, SPAN 352, SPAN 353, SPAN 355, SPAN 356, or consent of instructor]
- WGS 390 Independent Study in Women's and Gender Studies (4) [WGS major or minor and consent of instructor]
- WGS 394 Internship in Women's and Gender Studies (2-4) [WGS 353W, junior or senior standing, or consent of department chair]
- No more than 4 total courses at the 100-200 level and no more than 3 courses with same departmental prefix (other than WGS) can count toward the WGS major.
Requirements for the Women's and Gender Studies Program Minor (20 semester hours)
There are 20 semester hours required for the WGS minor [prerequisites are listed in brackets behind each course]
1. Students must take at least one of the following courses: (4 semester hours)
2. Students must take the following required course: (4 semester hours)
3. Three additional courses of the following, at least one of which must be at the 300 level or higher: (12 semester hours)
- CCM 258 Gender and Mass Media in Asia (4)
- CCM 265 Rhetorics of Sex and Gender (4) [CCM 220W, CCM 221, or WGS course]
- CCM 341 Feminist Media Before 1920 (4)
- CCM 342 Feminist Mdia Since 1920 (4)
- CCM 360 Topics in Public Discourse (topic depending) (4) [CCM 220W or CCM 221 or consent of instructor]
- CCM 361 Citizenship and the Public Sphere (4) [CCM 220W, CCM 221, WGS 245 or WGS 353W or consent of instructor]
- CLAS 247 Women in Roman Literature and Life (4) [no prerequisites]
- CLAS 260 Gender and Sexuality in Greek Society (4) [no prerequisites]
- ENGL 355W Feminist Film Criticism (4) [Previous course in ENGL, FILM, or WGS, or consent of instructor]
- ENGL 381 Latinx Literature and Culture (4) [ENGL 101W or other]
- FREN 285W Gender and Sexuality in African Literature and Cinema (4)
- HIST 131 Culture, Power, Society (topic dependent) (4) [first and second-year students only]
- HIST 262 Gender and Women's History in the United States (4) [no prerequisites]
- HIST 306 History through Biography: Women in World History (4) (may count as methods/theory course instead) [no prerequisites]
- HIST 375 Women and Gender in Medieval Europe (4) [no prerequisites]
- PHIL 335 History, Sexuality and Power (4) (may count as methods/theory course instead) [One philosophy course or consent of instructor; closed to first-year students]
- PPLE 351W Women in American Politics (4) [PPLE 210 or consent of instructor]
- RUSS 245W From Russia with Love: Family and Sexuality in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature (4) [no prerequisites]
- SOC 399 Topics in Sociology: (topic depending) (2-4) [SOC 186 or any 100-level Sociology course)
- SPAN 435 Contemporary Latin American Women Writers (4)
- SPAN 438 Contemporary Spanish Women Writers (4) [SPAN 340, SPAN 352, SPAN 353, SPAN 355, SPAN 356, or consent of instructor]
- SPAN 445 Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Spanish Literature (topic dependent) (4) [SPAN 340, SPAN 352, SPAN 353, SPAN 355, SPAN 356, or consent of instructor]
- WGS 390 Independent Study in Women's and Gender Studies (4) [WGS major or minor and consent of instructor]
- WGS 394 Internship in Women's and Gender Studies (2-4) [WGS 353W, junior or senior standing, or consent of department chair]
Indicators of Achievement
Student Learning Outcomes for the Women's and Gender Studies Major
- Identify and analyze a diverse range of historical and contemporary feminisms
- Articulate and apply theories of feminism and gender to a variety of social, political, and cultural issues
- Recognize and analyze intersections between gender and other axes of social identity and power such as race, class, or nation
- Integrate knowledge, perspectives, and/or methods from multiple academic disciplines
- Experience community engagement on behalf of gender equity
Faculty
- Leslie Dunlap, Continuing Professor of History
- Melissa Buis, Professor of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics
- Mary R. Bachvarova, Lindsay and Corinne Stewart Professor in the Humanities, Fall 2023 Sabbatical
- Sarah Clovis Bishop, Associate Professor of Russian
- Wendy Petersen Boring, Associate Professor of History,
- Maegan Parker Brooks, Associate Professor
- Rebecca J. Dobkins, Professor of Anthropology, Curator of Native American Art - Hallie Ford Museum of Art
- Marva Duerksen, Associate Professor of Music, Women's and Gender Studies, Coordinator, Musicianship, Major Advisor
- Meredyth Goldberg Edelson, Professor of Psychology
- Amadou Fofana, Professor of French and Francophone Studies; French Department Chair,
- David Gutterman, Professor of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics
- Teresa Hernández , Assistant Professor of English
- Ortwin Knorr, Professor of Classics, Director, Center for Ancient Studies and Archaeology (CASA), Chair, Comparative Literature and History of Ideas
- Cecily McCaffrey, Associate Professor of History
- Frann Michel, Professor Emerita
- Ana Montero, Professor of Global Cultural Studies
- April Overstreet, Associate Professor of Spanish
- Cindy Koenig Richards, Professor, Director of Ringe Media Lab
- Saghar Sadeghian, Associate Professor of History, Sabbatical Leave-Fall 2023 semester
- Rachel Kinsman Steck, Faculty Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Professor of Theatre and Women's & Gender Studies
- Abigail Susik, Associate Professor of Art History
- Huike Wen, Professor
- Aili Zheng, Professor of German
Course Listings
WGS 134 Thinking Sex (4)
This course examines assumptions, arguments, evidence and underlying values about biological sex differences, sexuality and gender construction and asks: Who is a woman? Is sex a stable category? What is the future of sex and why does it matter? Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches, we further analyze the packaging of sex by consumer culture, global markets and social movements with the goal of exposing some of the varied uses of sex and the implications of what we view as sex differences.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences; PDE
- Prerequisite: Open to 1st and 2nd year students only
- Offering: Annually
- Instructor: Staff
WGS 158 Womxn in the Arts (4)
This seminar examines the lives and contributions of womxn “artists” in multiple art forms and from a range of cultural and geographical settings. A series of case studies establishes a methodological foundation for subsequent student-directed investigations of womxn of particular interest to them, with an emphasis on contemporary artists and contemporary art forms. Topics may include: historiography of womxn; womxn’s artistic products (music, visual art, street art, literature, (slam) poetry, drag performance, videos, (e)motion pictures); womxn’s lives as fine artists in their respective historical, demographic, and cultural milieu; womxn’s representations of themselves as artists in such documents as letters, self-portraits, videos, blogs, and other sources; and challenges of womxn fine artists both historically and in the present.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Arts & Humanities
- Offering: Alternate years
- Instructor: Duerksen
WGS 199 Topics in Women's and Gender Studies (1-4)
A semester-long study of topics in Women's and Gender Studies. Topics and emphases will vary according to the instructor. This course may be repeated for credit with different topics. See the New and Topics Courses page on the Registrar’s webpage for descriptions and applicability to majors/minors in other departments.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
- Prerequisite: Topic dependent
- Offering: Occasionally
- Professor: Staff
WGS 245 Feminism, Gender and Society (4)
This interdisciplinary course will explore the ways that gender inequality structures aspects of personal lives and social institutions. We will examine a variety of feminist perspectives on work, family, sexuality and culture and will consider the role of class, race and ethnicity in feminist thought. Emphases will vary with instructor.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences; PDE
- Offering: Fall
- Instructor: Michel, Dunlap
WGS 299 Topics in Women's and Gender Studies (1-4)
A semester-long study of topics in Women's and Gender Studies. Topics and emphases will vary according to the instructor. This course may be repeated for credit with different topics. See the New and Topics Courses page on the Registrar’s webpage for descriptions and applicability to majors/minors in other departments.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
- Prerequisite: Topic dependent
- Offering: Occasionally
- Professor: Staff
WGS 353W Feminist Theory (4)
This interdisciplinary course will examine such basic issues as gender difference and its relationship to women's subordination; the intersections of gender with other dimensions of social identity and power (e.g., class, race/ethnicity, sexuality, nation); the way gendered discourse shapes social reality. These issues will be discussed from a variety of feminist theoretical perspective (e.g., those influenced by liberalism, Marxism/socialism, psychoanalysis, radical feminism, post-modernism, and post-colonialism). Closed to first-year students.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing-centered; Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences; PDE
- Prerequisite: WGS 134 or WGS 245
- Offering: Spring
- Instructor: Staff
WGS 358 Topics in Women's and Gender Studies (4)
This course enables faculty and students to focus on a specific topic in Women's and Gender Studies within an interdisciplinary framework. Topics will involve an exploration of some combination of sex, gender, sexuality. Designation of specific topics and relevant cases and theories will be made at the time of course offering.
- Prerequisite: Four semester hours in Women's and Gender Studies
- Offering: Alternate years
- Instructor: Staff
WGS 390 Independent Study in Women's and Gender Studies (4)
Qualified students will undertake a program of independent research with a Women's and Gender Studies faculty member. Closed to first-year students.
- Prerequisite: WGS major or minor and consent of instructor
- Offering: Every semester
- Instructor: Staff
WGS 394 Internship in Women's and Gender Studies (2-4)
The Internship in Women's and Gender Studies course allows students the opportunity to obtain applied experience at an agency or in a social setting where women's or gender issues are prominent. This will allow WGS students the opportunity to go beyond the classroom, thus enabling students to translate and apply knowledge gained in WGS courses into social world experiences.
- Prerequisite: WGS 353W and junior or senior standing, or consent of Department Chair
- Offering: Every semester
- Instructor: Staff
WGS 399 Topics in Women's and Gender Studies (1-4)
A semester-long study of topics in Women's and Gender Studies. Topics and emphases will vary according to the instructor. This course may be repeated for credit with different topics. See the New and Topics Courses page on the Registrar’s webpage for descriptions and applicability to majors/minors in other departments.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
- Prerequisite: Topic dependent
- Offering: Occasionally
- Professor: Staff
WGS 429 Topics in Women's and Gender Studies (1-4)
A semester-long study of topics in Women's and Gender Studies. Topics and emphases will vary according to the instructor. This course may be repeated for credit with different topics. See the New and Topics Courses page on the Registrar’s webpage for descriptions and applicability to majors/minors in other departments.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
- Prerequisite: Topic dependent
- Offering: Occasionally
- Professor: Staff
WGS 499W Senior Thesis (4)
Senior Women's and Gender Studies major will research and write senior papers on topics of their choice.
- General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing-centered
- Prerequisite: WGS 353W and at least one disciplinary methods course plus senior standing
- Offering: Every Fall
- Instructor: Staff