Program Requirements

About the major

The Women’s and Gender Studies program offers an opportunity for both men and women to participate in a comprehensive, coherent, and carefully chosen course of study that enables students to reach a more complete understanding of the history, position, and achievements of women in culture. Students will be introduced to the questions raised and methods used in new scholarship on women and gender. Courses in the program answer questions such as:

  • Is it true that “men are from Mars, women are from Venus”?
  • Is there a biological basis for differences in temperament and behavior between men and women, or are differences socially constructed?
  • What roles do gender, race, and class play in shaping the lives of individuals, institutional policies, and stratification in society?
  • How might we bring gender equity and justice to society — nationally and globally?

A Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s and Gender Studies consists of 27 semester hours.

About the minor

A minor in Women’s and Gender Studies consists of 15 semester hours.

Departmental honors

Majors seeking honors in Women’s and Gender Studies may do so by fulfilling the following requirements:

  • A minimum 3.50 grade point average in the core Women’s and Gender Studies curriculum and cross-listed courses
  • An overall minimum 3.50 grade point average
  • Successful completion of a senior research project at a level judged worthy of honors by a panel of three faculty members, with the director of the panel being a faculty member who teaches within the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.