Requirements

The program offers two introductory-level courses recommended as first courses in women's studies: WOST C100 (Women and Society), and WOST C150, (Women, Culture and Identity). Each provides a good foundation for intermediate and advanced work in women's studies. Both fulfill core requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, each in a different distribution area.

Department-Based Women's Studies Courses

Majors in women's studies may count four courses from this list of department-based courses toward completion of the major. Students completing the requirements for a minor may count three. Some courses on this list may not be taught every year.

Amst 210 (American Dreams/American Realities)
Amst L228 (SOCIOL L228) (Asian Women in the United States)
Amst L350 (BLKSTY L350) (Race, Class, and Gender: Issues in Diversity)
Amst 393 (The Social History of American Women)
Amst L372 (ENGL L372) (American Women Writers and American Culture)
Art 343 (Issues in Feminist Art History)
AfrSty 230 (Black Women's History)
Clsics 287 (Women in Greek Society and Literature)
Clsics 288 (Women of Rome)
Clsics 390 (The Heroines of Greek Drama: Problems in Analysis)
Econ 392 (Women's Economic Roles)
Econ 394 (Sex-Segregated Labor Markets)
Engl G180 (Women Between Cultures)
Engl 216 (Writing As Women)
Engl 370 (Gay Literature)
Engl 357 (African American Women Writers)
Engl 359 (African Women Writers)
Engl 366 (Women and Men in 19th Century Literature [British])
Engl 361 (Modern and Contemporary Women Poets)
Ital 273 (The Feminine Presence in Italian Culture)
Ital G266 (Women in the Renaissance)
Phil 222 (Moral Issues in Medicine)
Phil 230 (Philosophy and Feminism)
Phil 308 (Feminist Ethics)
Phil 410 (Feminist Legal Theory)
Phil 437 (Topics in Feminist Theory)
Psych 236 (The Psychology of Women)
Sociol 316 (Family Violence)
Sociol 382 (The Sociology of Gender)
Sociol 460 (Internship in Urban Social Service)
Span 324 (Women in Spanish Literature)
ThrArt 240 (Women in the Theatre)

Requirements and Recommendations
The Major

1. General Requirements
A major in women's studies consists of a minimum of ten courses (or 30 credits). Five courses (or 15 credits) must be taken at the 300 level or above; six courses (or 18 credits) must be selected from the program-based curriculum (WOST courses). A maximum of 6 credits of independent study may be counted toward the requirements of the major.

2. Admission and Prerequisites
Students are encouraged to declare a women's studies major in their sophomore or junior year. It is recommended that all majors take one of the two introductory-level core courses, WOST C100 (Women and Society), or WOST C150 (Women, Culture and Identity). With the approval of the program director or a faculty advisor, students may instead begin the program with intermediate courses.

3. Transfer Credit Policy
Transfer students may count up to 9 credits of course work taken elsewhere toward the major. Transfer students should make an appointment with the program director for transfer credit advising.

4. Multicultural Awareness Requirement
All women's studies majors are required to take at least one of the following courses, which center on the perspectives and experiences of women in non-Western cultures or women from ethnic and racial subcultures in Western societies. This requirement is distinct from the CAS diversity requirement.

WoSt 225 (Latinas in the US)
AmSt L228 (Sociol L228) (Asian Women in the United States)
AfrSty 230 (Black Women's History)
Engl 357 (African American Women Writers)
Engl 359 (African Women Writers)
WoSt 230 (Women in Pre-Industrial Society)
WoSt 270 (Native American Women in North America)
WoSt 340 (Women in African Cultures)
WoSt L355 (Sociol L355) (Women in the Third World)
WoSt L359 (Easian L359/Hist L359) (Women in Modern China)
WoSt 375 (The Dynamics of Discrimination)

5. History or Feminist Thought Requirement
All majors must take one of the following:
WoSt 400 (Feminist Thought);
AmSt L393 (Hist L393) (The Social History of American Women)
WoSt L394 (AmSt L394) (Women in US Social Movements)
Phil 437 (Topics in Feminist Theory).

6. Interdisciplinary Research Requirement
All majors must take one of the following:
WoSt L311 (AmSt L311) (American Oral History) or
WoSt 440 (Research Seminar in Women's Studies) or
WoSt 498 (Honors Research Seminar).

7. Internship/Field Experience Requirement
All students majoring in women's studies are urged to take advantage of the internship program (WoSt 490/490a) during one of their last two years. This provides the opportunity to acquire career-related skills and to test their understanding of feminist ideas in community organizations and agencies or other vocational settings.