Women's Studies Program — Requirements & Recommendations
The Major
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.
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 three introductory-level core courses, WOST 100 (Women and Society), WOST 110 (Women in Global Perspectives), or WOST 150 (Women, Culture and Identity). In general, students enrolling in 300-level women’s studies courses should have junior standing and at least one prior women’s studies course (or permission of instructor). For 400-level women’s studies courses, students should have senior standing and at least two prior women’s studies courses (or permission of the instructor).
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.
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 of color in Western societies. This requirement is distinct from the CLA and CSM diversity requirement.
- AFRSTY 230 (Black Women’s History)
- AMST L228 (SOCIOL L228) (Asian Women in the
- ANTH 360 (Gender, Culture, and Power)
- ENGL 357 (African-American Women Writers)
- ENGL 359 (African Women Writers)
- WOST 225 (Latinas in the
- WOST 270 (Native American Women in
- WOST 340 (Women in African Cultures)
- WOST L355 (SOCIOL L355) (Gender, Development and Globalization)
- WOST L359 (EASIAN L359/HIST L359) (Women in Modern
Feminist Thought Requirement
All majors must take one of the following:
- PHIL 230 (Philosophy and Feminism)
- PHIL 308 (Feminist Ethics)
- PHIL 437 (Topics in Feminist Theory)
- WOST L356 (Feminist Theology and Spirituality)
- WOST 400 (Feminist Thought)
Historical Perspectives Requirement
All majors must take one of the following:
- AFRSTY 230 (African-American Women’s History)
- WOST 290 (The Legal Rights of Women)
- AMST L393 (The Social History of American Women)
- WOST L394 (Women in
Interdisciplinary Research Requirement
All majors must take one of the following:
- WOST L311 (AMST L311) (American Oral History)
- WOST 370 (Research Seminar in Women’s Studies) (formerly WOST 440)
- WOST 498 (Honors Research Seminar)
Internship/Field Experience Requirement
All women’s studies majors complete a supervised internship in an appropriate agency or organization. Students are urged to take advantage of the program’s own internship course, WOST 490/490A, during the spring semester of the junior or senior year. This course provides students with the opportunity to acquire career-related skills and to test their understanding of feminist ideas in community organizations and agencies or other vocational settings. Another way to satisfy this requirement is to take SOCIOL 460 (Internship in Urban Social Service) with an appropriate placement. Consult the program director for more information on this option.
The Minor
General Requirements
A minor in women’s studies consists of a minimum of six courses (or 18 credits). Three of them (or 9 credits) must be taken at the 300-level or above. Of the six courses, three (or 9 credits) must be selected from the program-based curriculum (WOST) and one of these must be upper level; others may be selected from the list of department-based courses. A maximum of 6 credits of independent study may be counted toward the requirements of the minor.
Admission and Prerequisites
Students may enroll in the minor at any time during their undergraduate career. It is recommended that all students in the minor begin with introductory or intermediate courses.
Transfer Credit Policy
Transfer students may count up to 9 credits of course work taken elsewhere toward the minor. Transfer students should make an appointment with the program director for transfer credit advising.
Multicultural Awareness Requirement
All women’s studies minors are required to take at least one course which centers on the perspectives and experiences of women in non-Western cultures or women of color in Western societies. (See the listing of these courses under requirements for the major.)
One Additional Major Requirement
All minors must take one course out of the following list:
- AFRSTY 230 (African-American Women’s History)
- WOST 290 (The Legal Rights of Women)
- AMST L393 (The Social History of American Women)
- WOST L394 (Women in
- PHIL 230 (Philosophy and Feminism)
- PHIL 307 (Feminist Ethics)
- PHIL 437 (Topics in Feminist Theory)
- WOST L356 (Feminist Theology and Spirituality)
- WOST 400 (Feminist Thought)
- WOST L311 (American Oral History)
- WOST 370 (Research Seminar in Women’s Studies)
- WOST 498 (Honors Research Tutorial)
- WOST 490/490A (Internship in Women’s Studies)
- SOCIOL 460 (Internship in Urban Social Service)