Undergrad. Catalog 07: Women's Studies

Revised May 2007

Women's Studies Program

211 Main Hall
610-436-2464
Jen Bacon, Director

WOMEN'S STUDIES FACULTY
Jen Bacon, English
Helen Berger, Sociology
Juanita Comfort, English
Virginia DaCosta, Art
Celia Esplugas, Foreign Languages
Karen Fitts, English
Susan Gans, Psychology
Robin Garrett, Nursing; Director, Women's Center
Karin Gedge, History
Anne Herzog, English
Lauri Hyers, Psychology
Lisa Kirschenbaum, History
Rodney Mader, English
Deborah Mahlstedt, Psychology
Lisa Millhous, Communication Studies
Merry G. Perry, English
Cherise Pollard, English
Ruth Porritt, Philosophy
Geetha Ramanathan, English
Stacey Schlau, Foreign Languages
Frauke Schnell, Political Science
Eleanor Shevlin, English
Carolyn Sorisio, English
LaTanya Thames-Taylor, History
Karin Volkwein, Kinesiology
Joan Woolfrey, Philosophy
Hyoejin Yoon, English

The women's studies program consists of an interrelated group of courses offered in a wide variety of academic disciplines. The program operates under the supervision of the Women's Studies Steering Committee. This program is envisaged both as an enrichment to liberal education and as a preprofessional field. The social transformation that is taking place in society and in intellectual life is making study in this area an asset in many arenas.

The aim of the program is to integrate the perception and experience of women into the curriculum and to encourage inquiry into previously neglected areas, such as women's history, women's literature and art, psychology of women, and women's position in society.

Bachelor of Arts in Women's Studies

120 semester hours

1. General ed. requirements, see pages 37-41 (48 semester hours)

2. Foreign languages
Culture cluster may be used.

3. Required courses (6 semester hours)
WOS 225 and 405
WOS 400, and 410 or 415 are strongly encouraged.

4. Other approved courses (18-24 semester hours)

5. Electives to complete 120 semester hours

Women's studies students, both majors and minors, take courses across disciplines. Several crosslisted courses are offered each semester, e.g., CLS 359 (women's literature II), PSY 365 (psychology of women), and PSC 301 (women in politics).

Other courses may be chosen from the list of women's studies offerings. Additional courses may be applied to the major, under advisement. At least six major courses must be completed at the 300-400 level.

These courses are open to all students who have any required prerequisite as student electives under general requirements. With the permission of their departments, students also may take these courses as electives within their major or minor disciplines.

Minor in Women's Studies (18 semester hours)

Required courses (6 semester hours)
WOS 225 and either WOS 405 or 410 or 415

Women's studies students, both majors and minors, take courses across disciplines. Several crosslisted courses are offered each semester, e.g., CLS 259 (women's literature II), PSY 365 (psychology of women), and PSC 301 (women in politics). No more than two courses may be taken in a single department. Additional courses may be applied to the minor, under advisement. For advising in women's studies, contact Dr. Jen Bacon, 211 Main Hall. Descriptions of WOS courses in women's studies appear below. See departmental listings for all other courses.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
WOMEN'S STUDIES

Symbol: WOS

225 Women Today: An Introduction to Women's Studies (3) An interdisciplinary course designed to enable students to analyze various kinds of statements on women, to question the implications of changing cultural patterns, and to sample first-hand efforts for change.
Diverse communities course
Approved interdisciplinary course

250 Women's Self-Reflections in Writing, Art, and Music (3) An interdisciplinary approach to ways women record their lives.
Diverse communities course
Approved interdisciplinary course

276 Sexual Identity and Culture (3) Interdisciplinary introduction to meanings attached to human sexuality, as well as exploring intersections between theories of sexual identity and theories of gender, class, race, ethnicity, age, and nationality.

305 Intellectual Roots of Western Feminism (3) The course examines the major issues and themes that have historically been included in feminist theory about women's situations and experiences, including ethical foundations, the origins of patriarchy, feminist epistemology, education, body issues, issues of difference, religion, civil rights, and psychological development. Chronologically, the course covers from the Enlightenment (Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Women) through Simone de Beauvior's The Second Sex.

315 Third-World Women (3) This course will examine the nature of women's lives in the Third World, focusing on topics such as family, education, health, development policies, and political change. Geographic areas studied include Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Diverse communities course
Approved interdisciplinary course

320 Independent Study (3) Independent research and study for upper-division students. Topic to be approved by supervising faculty member. PREREQ: WOS 225.
This course may be taken again for credit.

325 Special Topics in Women's Studies (3) Selected (and changing) topics, e.g., black women; women and work; love and sexuality.
This course may be taken again for credit.

329 Gender and Peace (3) An examination of the ways in which social constructions of gender intersect with perceptions and the experience of war.
Approved interdisciplinary course

335 Gender and Science (3) An interdisciplinary course on the role of gender and race in the formation of science.
Approved interdisciplinary course

350 Lesbian Studies (3) An interdisciplinary analysis of the lesbian experience, and a study of the informing ideas of lesbian studies.

400 Internship (3) This course is designed to allow students the opportunity to put into practice, outside the academic setting, the knowledge regarding women's experiences gained in other courses. Some possible sites might be a women's health clinic, a business, a newspaper, a social service agency, or an electoral campaign. There will be both an on-site and a faculty supervisor. PREREQ: WOS 225 and two other women's studies courses.
This course may be taken again for credit.

405 Feminist Theory (3) Designed to introduce and discuss basic questions in contemporary feminist theory, the course will explore different philosophies of feminism and include such issues as motherhood, intersections with other theories of oppression, and body politics. PREREQ: WOS 225 or permission of the instructor. Crosslisted with PHI 405.
Students may not take both coursed for credit. Approved interdisciplinary course

410 Senior Colloquium (3) Sample topics include global feminism, mothering, the experiences of women of color, and feminist utopias. PREREQ: WOS 225 and two other women's studies courses.
This course may be taken again for credit.

415 Senior Project (3) Preparation of research in any area of women's studies, to be decided by student and adviser. Supervision includes exercises in method and bibliography. Usually, a lengthy research paper will be the final result. PREREQ: WOS 225 and two other women's studies courses.
This course may be taken again for credit.