Women’s and Gender Studies Minor

Women’s and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program in which students explore feminist theoretical perspectives and the critical role of categories of sex, gender, and sexuality. Such explorations are always made within intersectional frameworks. Developed to enable the study of history, experiences, and contributions of women to various fields of learning, and expanded to consider the larger implications of gender, sex, and sexuality, the Women’s and Gender Studies minor is both interdisciplinary and integrative, engaging students, faculty and staff through coursework, community-based learning, and campus-wide programming. Courses in the program are frequently co-taught so that students experience the material through the methodological and intellectual lenses of more than one faculty area of expertise, and students are encouraged to participate in internships, special projects, and individualized research. Each March, the program offers a range of programming and activities in celebration of Women’s History Month and each October the program works with partners on campus to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month. In addition, the Women’s and Gender Studies minor promotes various year-round, co-curricular initiatives, sometimes in conjunction with other departments and programs.

The program enables students to demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Roles, contributions, experiences, and perspectives of diverse women.
2. Theories of gender and ways that gender shapes human experience.
3. Ways in which race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other social positions affect how gender is experienced. 

The minor consists of five courses in several programs.  One course is required of all students while the remaining four may be chosen from a list of electives: