Women’s Studies, B.A.

The Women’s Studies major is an interdisciplinary study of the way gender (the social distinctions between men and women) and sexuality (sexual identities, practices, discourses, and institutions) affect the structure of cultures and the experiences of their members. Students examine the history, expression, and diversity (such as racial, ethnic, cross-cultural, or class) of women’s experiences, using various methods of feminist scholarship to identify the origins of and changes in cultural and social arrangements.

The Women’s Studies’ emphasis on critical thinking and interdisciplinary inquiry prepares students for a range of careers including law, management, education, health care, social services, government, the arts, journalism, and publishing.

Program Outcomes

The student will:

• Analyze and synthesize multiple perspectives and disciplines
• Apply theory and strategy for action and problem-solving
• Recognize and analyze current conflicts or situations as a matrix of cultural, historical, and social forces
• Exercise the higher-level thinking and flexibility needed for multiple employment opportunities and life-long learning
• Recognize the social construction of what is deemed “natural”
• Conduct research and write position papers