Women's Studies

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Requirements for MinorWomens Studies Courses

The women’s studies program emphasizes the teaching and study of women in culture and history. Its major aim is to focus on women as a heterogeneous group that is frequently overlooked by traditional disciplines within the academic community. Students explore women’s lives and cultural contributions, as well as the history of feminism and current feminist approaches to social issues. Women’s studies also serves as the focal point at SOU for the study of gender (the social process and consequences of being male or female). Women’s studies courses examine the numerous ways in which gender shapes both women’s and men’s experiences throughout life.

Students may minor in women’s studies at SOU. The women’s studies program also participates as a support area in the school area master’s program. Seventeen faculty members representing eleven different departments teach courses for the program. Courses originating in women’s studies and department-based courses that are approved as electives for the Women's Studies minor are listed below.

Requirements for Minor

A minimum of 24 credits in approved courses.

Women in Society: Introduction to Women’s Studies (WS 201)	4
Research (projects approved by Women’s Studies Council) (WS 401) and/or Practicum (WS 409)	4
Gender Issues (Anth 340)	4
Seminar: Women in Development (Anth 407)	4
Race, Gender, and Ethnicity in Art (ArtH 450)	4
Special Topics in Art History (ArtH 459)	4
Gender and Human Communication (Comm 425)	4
Culture, Identity, and Communication (Comm 460)	4
Gender, Race, and Media (Comm 470)	4
Gender Issues in Economics (Ec 340)	4
Class, Culture, and Feminism in Victorian and Edwardian England (Eng 341)	4
British Women Writers (Eng 367)	4
Women Writers in the U.S. (Eng 368)	4
Chicano Subjectivities and the Intersection of Race, Gender, Class, Sexuality, and Religion (Eng 447)	4
Wilde's Worlds: 1880s-1890s (Eng 447)	4
Nonwestern Literature (Eng 455)	4
Topics in Women’s Writing (Eng 498)	4
Seminar: Contemporary Ethical Issues III (Ho 493)	3
Latin American Women (Hst 335)	4
Feminism and Philosophy (Phl 425)	4
Women and Ethics (Phl 426)	4
Seminar: Women in Politics (PS 407)	3
Human Sexuality (Psy 369)	4
Seminar: Feminism as Therapy (Psy 407)	4
Women and Relationships (Psy 490)	4
Psychology of Women (Psy 492)	4
Lesbian and Gay Studies (Psy 495)	4
Women in Science (Bi 385)	3
Poverty, Family, and Policy (Soc 304)	4
Sociology of the Family (Soc 312)	4
Sociology of Gender Roles (Soc 340)	4
Third World Women (Soc 407)	4
Social Inequality (Soc 434)	4
Families and Work (SSc 399)	4
Seminar: Feminist Theory (SSc 407)	4
International Women’s Movements (WS 301)	4
Contemporary U.S. Women's Movements (WS 302)	4
Reading and Conference (WS 405)	TBA
Feminist Theory (WS 407)	4
Sexual Politics in U.S. History (WS 417)	4
Intimate Violence Victim Advocacy Skills (WS 407)	4

Note: Other SSc 399 and 407 courses are occasionally offered for women’s studies credit.
Courses from the Women’s Studies Summer Forum, which is offered through Extended Campus Programs, also count toward credit for the women’s studies minor. See the summer course listing or contact the program office for more information.
Students are strongly advised to plan their course of study with the program director. They are also urged to complete an application for minor degree status. Applications are available at the program office.

Womens Studies Courses

See Course Prerequisites Policy

Lower Division Courses

WS 201 Women in Society: Introduction to Women's Studies

4

Provides an introductory survey of the concepts, issues, and new scholarship on women and gender in American society. Sources and readings are drawn from different disciplines, including literature, history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, communication, economics, and the arts. Topics may include gender relations in the home and workplace, language and gender, body image, media, sexuality, intimate relationships, the dynamics of patriarchy, diversity and differences among women, the intersection of gender with race and class dynamics, violence against women, feminism, and women's movements.

Approved for general education (Explorations)

Upper Division Courses

WS 301 International Women's Movements

4

Examines contemporary feminist movements worldwide. Explores the emergence or reemergence of feminist organizing in the U.S., Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Topics include the relationship of religion, race, class, and sexual orientation to conceptualizations of feminism worldwide; women's rights as human rights; economic development, transnational corporations and their impact on women's roles; and sexual rights and reproductive freedom. Prerequisite: Completion of all lower division General Education requirements.

Approved for general education (Synthesis)

WS 302 Contemporary US Women's Movements

4

Explores the origins of contemporary feminist movements in the U.S. Examines such controversial topics as pornography, date/acquaintance rape, sexual harassment, abortion, and reproductive rights. Studies the history of feminist social movements, organizations, and the development of feminist social theory. Includes the contributions of feminists of color and lesbian feminists and looks at the ways in which race, class, and sexual orientation affect women's lives.

WS 399 Special Studies

Credits to be arranged

WS 401 Research

Credits to be arranged

Stresses the development of research and writing skills. Research projects must be approved by the program director and Women's Studies Council.

WS 405 Reading and Conference

Credits to be arranged

WS 407/507 Seminar

1 to 4

WS 409 Practicum

Credits to be arranged

Students work in organizations and settings that focus on women's and gender issues. Students analyze this experience using the critical perspectives gained in women's studies courses. Placements are arranged to suit individual interests and career goals and may include social service agencies (on and off campus), women's advocacy programs, political and nonprofit organizations, and mentorship programs with professional women in the area.

WS 417 Sexual Politics in U.S. History

4

Examines historical changes in and struggles over the meaning, regulation, and politics of sexuality in the United States from the period of settlement to the present. Explores the relationship of gender, race, class, and region to sexual experience and identity. Focuses on the rise of gay, lesbian, and bisexual identity and politics. Also investigates debates over sex education, moral panics over prostitution, birth control, abortion, AIDS, and other issues of past and contemporary sexual politics. Topics vary each term.