Women's and Gender Studies

(School of Arts and Letters)

WGS 1011 Introduction to Women's Studies (I)
4 cr.
Provides studentswith a theoretical foundation for the issues explored in other Women's Studies courses. Topics include the effect of gender dynamics upon: selfidentity, relationships, family, work and institutions. Students will further develop their reading, writing, thinking, speaking and listening skills as they study women's issues from a global perspective within the context of race, class, ethnicity and sexual preference.

TRS/WGS 2243 Women and Religion (X)
4 cr.
Examines scriptural and historical understandings of women's roles in religion and churches. This course emphasizes the work of contemporary women thinkers who are exploring various dimensions of this question.

WGS 2777 Topics in Women's Studies
2-4 cr.
Various departments offer topics courses which are applicable to women's studies. Check with the coordinator for current offerings on the schedule.

WGS/HIS 3324 African American History I (I, VII)
4 cr.
Examines significant topics in African American history from the period of forced migration to the Americas through Reconstruction. Analyzes the roles African Americans of different classes and genders have played in shaping U.S.history.

WGS/HIS 3325 African American History II (I, VII)
4 cr.
Examines significant topics in African American history from Reconstruction through the current experience of diverse members of the African diaspora living in the U.S. Analyzes the roles African Americans of different classes and genders have played in shaping U.S. history.

WGS/HIS 3350 Feminism and Globalization: Women, Religion and the Body
4 cr.
Explores how European imperialist accounts of experiences by non-European women have been crucial to the formation of culturally dominant ideas about feminism, globalization and the legacy of the colonial state throughout the so-called "Third World." Beginning with a critical and historical overview of feminist theory and practice, the course will trace recent studies, both historical and ethnographic, of how terms such as "women," "religion" and "the body"were radically changed by the colonial projects of the 19th century (e.g. in South Asia and Africa)-projects that are intimately related to contemporary debates on transnational women's movements and globalization.

WGS 4488 Herstory (WI)
4 cr.
Autobiographies and memoirs are employed as tools to help students understand women's lives and experiences. Topics include: the connection between truth and art, the role of memory in telling one's life story, and the ways in which life stories confront history. Auto biographies and memoirs will serve as windows into others' lives and mirrors into one's own.

WGS 4555Women's Studies Practicum/ Seminar (WI)
4 cr.
Provides students with an opportunity to work in an agency/organization as a women's studies intern and to explore areas of interest, such as feminist scholarship, in a seminar format. This course is the capstone course for minors. Prerequisite: WMS 1011