Women’s and Gender Studies Program

Women’s and Gender Studies Prog ram

Dr. Carl Riden and Dr. David Magill, Co-Directors of Women’s and Gender Studies

The Women’s and Gender Studies Minor at Longwood University offers students an interdisciplinary program that incorporates an understanding of gender perspectives in all areas of the curriculum. Women's and Gender Studies creates a framework for examining the historical, cultural, political, economic, and global conditions central to understanding both women as gendered beings and the processes of gender construction for all humans. It recognizes that not only gender, but race, class, ethnicity, age, ability and sexual orientation are crucial aspects of women's and men's experiences. Because issues of gender cut across most areas of knowledge, students can raise similar questions within different disciplines and by using various methodologies achieve a deeper understanding of the complexity and wholeness of human experience.

Requirements for 18-Credit Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies

In order to complete a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, students must:

1. File a form of intention to pursue the minor at the Office of the Registrar 2. Earn a grade point average of 2.0 in those courses chosen to meet the minor requirements, and 3. Complete 18 hours of course work (including at least 9 hours at the 300 or 400 level) from the following courses.

ANTH/WGST 106 Introduction to Women’s Studies/3 credits ANTH 325 Gender and Society/3 credits ART 360 Women in the Visual Arts/3 credits COMM 470 Gender and Communication/3 credits CRIM 323 Gender and Crime/3 credits ECON 411 Economics of Labor and Discrimination/3 credits ENGL 358 Women and Film/3 credits ENGL 432 Women and Literature/3 credits HLTH 430 Women’s Health and Health Care Issues/3 credits HIST 321 The History of Women in America/3 credits HIST 428 Gender and Sexuality in Latin American History/3 credits PSYC 350 Psychology of Sex and Gender/3 credits SOCL 233 Introduction to Social Inequality and Difference/3 credits SOCL 241 Marriage and the Family/3 credits SOCL 325 Gender and Society/3 credits SOCL 351 Sociology of Family Violence/3 credits SOWK 309 Human Sexual Adjustment/3 credits SOWK 325 Human Diversity: Populations-at-Risk/3 credits WGST 295 Selected topics in Women’s and Gender Studies/1-3 credits WGST 390 Directed or Independent Study/1-18 credits WGST 489 Directed Study/2-3 credits WGST 490 Directed or Independent Study/1-18 credits WGST 492 Internship in Women’s and Gender Studies/1-6 credits WGST 495 Special Topics/1-6 credits (and other courses to be approved by the Women's and Gender Studies Committee)

In addition to the above courses, students are encouraged to participate in Women’s and Gender Studies events on campus.

WGST 106. Introduction to Women’s Studies. The course will introduce students to literature in the social sciences by and about women. We will explore key roles which women play in society, how they have questioned these roles, and contributions which women make in different societies. We will read about women in our own and other societies as a way to explore these questions. 3 credits.

WGST 295. Selected topics in Women’s and Gender Studies. The topics will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topics change. 1-3 credits.

WGST 390. Directed or Independent Study. Must be approved by the head of the department. May be repeated as 391. 1-18 credits.

WGST 489. Directed Study. Symposium in Women’s Studies sponsored by the Washington Center. 40 to 60 hours of lectures, panel discussions, workshops, site visits, and bi-weekly discussion groups over a 2 to 3 week period in Washington, D.C. Prerequisites: two courses in Women’s and Gender Studies, 2.5 GPA, and approval of the Directors of Women’s and Gender Studies. The work done in the Symposium will be evaluated by a faculty member designated by the Program Directors, and cannot be double-counted at Longwood to meet the requirements of other disciplines. 2-3 credits.

WGST 490. Directed or Independent Study. Must be approved by the program directors. 1-18 credits.

WGST 492. Internship in Women’s and Gender Studies. Directed practice in a public, private, or community agency or organization which has as one of its goals the improvement of the status of women. Students work with an on-site supervisor who guides their internship in collaboration with a faculty liaison appointed by the Directors of Women’s and Gender Studies. Prerequisites: two courses in Women’s and Gender Studies, 2.5 GPA, and permission of the Longwood Women’s Studies Committee. 1-6 credits.

WGST 495. Special Topics. Selected topics in Women’s and Gender Studies. The topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topics change. 1-6 credits.