The Women’s Studies Program engages the study of women’s issues in an effort to promote the appreciation of human differences. Through the prism of a woman’s perspective, matters of gender, race, ethnicity and class are explored. The program’s aim is to develop interdisciplinary research and critical thinking among students by raising feminist questions regarding the exclusionary functions of existing knowledge.

This will be accomplished by offering a range of courses from a variety of disciplines that address women’s influence and involvement in family, history, literature, politics, religion, psychology, law, business, medicine, philosophy, art, education and the economy.

The larger goal of this program coincides with that of the field of Women's Studies: to restructure our thinking about society at large by developing new perspectives and transforming traditional disciplines.

Students who take Women's Studies tend to do so for one of two reasons. The first is that they find a perspective available in our courses that is not readily found in others. Our students want to know the side of a story that is at most only hinted at in other courses.

They find it with us, and often express their surprise that more of the female side of the story is not more generally known. So our students are, simply put, curious to know more.

The other reason students tell us they take our courses is that they want more variety of coursework than is found in their traditional major. Because Women's Studies is interdisciplinary, students are encouraged to take courses that center on women, but do so from a wide variety of perspectives.

So they can take a business, journalism, literature or sport course and find those all within our program. It broadens them even while they simultaneously remain focused on one issue — women.

In summary, Women's Studies offers a different approach for some of our more inquisitive students.

The Women's Studies Program offers a B.A. in women's studies and a minor in women's studies.

Bachelor of Arts in women's studies

The major in women's studies helps the student develop interdisciplinary research and critical thinking skills by raising feminist questions regarding the exclusionary functions of existing knowledge.

Degree requirements and a four-year plan for the major in women's studies

Minor in women's studies

For non-majors, the women's studies minor provides a solid background in women's studies to complement their major fields.

Requirements for the women's studies minor