Gender Studies
Minor offered

Masculinity and femininity vary as a result of cultural, historical, political and institutional forces. The gender studies program helps students understand the multiple ways gender and gender relations are socially constructed, and how these understandings of gender in turn shape political institutions, law, the economy, education, work, art, music, literature, religion, sexuality and the family. As an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to explore gender from multiple perspectives, gender studies can help students broaden their understanding of other disciplines while facilitating recognition of gender dynamics in students' lives. Each gender studies course is designed to do the following:

1. Acquaint students with the scholarly analysis of gender and gender relations.

2. Promote an understanding of the social construction of gender in society.

3. Help students become aware of the impact of gender in their own lives and in society.

4. Enable students to analyze gender relationships through the use of feminist theories and methodologies.

5. Encourage reassessment of the gendered social distribution of power.

6. Recognize how gender inequality is related to other social hierarchies such as race, ethnicity, class and sexuality.

7. Foster a classroom climate that encourages student participation and helps students to develop the tools with which to connect the content of the course to their own lives.

Minor Requirements

The minor in gender studies consists of six courses. Required courses are: Gender Studies 103 (Gender and Society), 290 (Gender and Feminist Theory) and 460 (Senior Seminar). In addition, gender studies minors must take three gender studies or cross-listed electives, at least two of which should be at the 300 or 400 level. No more than one of these elective courses may be taken from any single department other than gender studies.

For students declaring a minor during or before Spring 2005: The minor in gender studies consists of six courses and completion of the research requirement: Required courses include Gender Studies 103 (Gender and Society) and 290 (Gender and Feminist Theory or Feminist Philosophy) plus three gender studies or cross-listed electives, at least two of which are 300 or 400 level. No more than one of these courses may be from a single department or program.

A research project or paper must be completed as part of either a 300- or 400-level cross-listed elective seminar or a 400-level gender studies independent study. Students must secure the consent of the instructor and the approval of the gender studies curriculum committee prior to undertaking independent study.

Elective courses are approved for cross-listing by the gender studies curriculum committee, and are listed in the Class Schedule with both gender studies and the relevant department or program (i.e., anthropology, Canadian studies, English, fine arts, global studies, government, history, modern languages and literatures, performance and communication arts, philosophy, psychology, religious studies and sociology).

Special Events and Activities

The program regularly sponsors or co-sponsors speakers and performers on campus; we ­encourage students to learn about gender through these events. Each spring the program also awards the Don Makosky Award, named ­after one of the founding faculty members of the program, to a senior student who has worked to transform the campus in relation to gender and sexuality issues.

Courses
Because gender studies is interdisciplinary, the majority of its courses are taught in several academic departments. These courses are approved by the curriculum committee and are listed in the Class Schedule with both gender studies and the relevant department(s). Since approximately 15 departmental courses count toward the minor, students are advised to consult each semester’s Class Schedule and secure the listing of genders studies cross-listed elective courses from the program coordinator for complete course descriptions.

Advisory Board

Valerie Doris Lehr, B.A., South Florida; M.A., Ph.D., Maryland
Professor of Government and Coordinator of Gender Studies

Judith A. DeGroat, B.A., M.A., Wisconsin   (Milwaukee); Ph.D., Rochester
Associate Professor of History and Chair of Department

Rhonda Danielle Egan, B.A., Goucher; Ph.D., Boston College
Associate Professor of Gender Studies

Evette Hornsby-Minor, B.S., M.S., Ed.D., San Diego State
Assistant Professor of Gender Studies