Women's and Gender Studies (WGST)

WGST 2020. Race, Class, and Gender. 3 Hours.

Also offered as AFAM 2020. An exploration of social class, gender, and racial/ethnic relations as distinct, but linked dimensions of social inequality. Includes an examination of the historic underpinnings of discrimination by race, class, and gender and the present status of these issues.

WGST 3000. Introduction to Women's Studies. 3 Hours.

An exploration of the diversity of women's lives through essays, readings, and the study of scholarly theories and research. The course will examine a wide range of social issues which affect the status of women in an historical context and in contemporary society.

WGST 3100. Feminist Theory. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: WGST 3000 or permission of instructor. An examination of the development of feminist thought. Historical and contemporary feminist theoretical perspectives will be critically examined. Local and global perspectives on how race, ethnicity, class, nationality, and sexuality intersect with gender to shape women's situations and identities will also be addressed.

WGST 3200. Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies. 3 Hours.

An exploration of the historical and cultural contexts of gender and sexuality, in which categories of gender and sexuality inform and shape our understanding of the world.

WGST 3240. Philosophy of Sex. 3 Hours.

Also offered as PHIL 3240 and REL 3240. An examination of the historic and current definitions and scholarly trends involving human sexuality. Religious and philosophical constructs in both Western and non-Wester cultures will be emphasized.

WGST 3330. Studies in Women and Literature. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 2111 or 2111H or 2112 or 2112H or 3113, or 2113H or 2050. Also offered as ENGL 3330. An examination of selected topics in literature by or about women.

WGST 3500. Women and Gender in Early Christianity. 3 Hours.

Also offered as REL 3500. A study of images and representations of women and gender in the New Testament and other early Christian texts including aprocrypha, pseudepigrapha, and Gnostic writings with special attention paid to historical and contemporary significance.

WGST 3600. Women and Religion. 3 Hours.

Also offered as REL 3600. An introduction to historical, theological, spiritual and liturgical dimensions of women's experience within religious traditions. Research opportunities increase students' awareness of the implications of gender as an interpretive category.

WGST 3630. Native American Women. 3 Hours.

Also offered as PHIL 3630 or REL 3630 or NAIS 3630. An examination of the contributions of North and South American Indigenous women in the areas of epistemology, ontology, metaphysics, religion, spirituality, and ethics. The course will include a range of Indigenous cultures, such as Alaskan, Hawaiian, and Pacific and Atlantic islanders and will explore the issues faced by Indigenous women in the Western hemisphere.

WGST 4000. Masculinity Studies. 3 Hours.

An examination of the topic of masculinity in a variety of social arenas. This course explores the interconnectedness of masculinity to other relevant social constructs, with particular attention to the constructs of race, class, and sexuality. Topics will be approached from a social constructionist paradigm and will examine the social forces, processes and structures that create and sustain notions of masculinity and "manhood".

WGST 4100. Queer Theory. 3 Hours.

An introduction to queer theory, looking at the cultural context from which it emerges, its central tenets, debates within an field, and the activist strategies that have been connected with it.

WGST 4280. Women Activists and Social Reformers. 3 Hours.

An examination of women activists and reformers from different regions of the globe.

WGST 4300. Global Feminism. 3 Hours.

An examination of the historical, political, economic, and social spaces women inhabit in various parts of the world. The course will expose students to different theories of women's organizing. It will analyze the conditions that promote and inhibit activism around women's lives, taking into account how gender is defined, deployed, and deconstructed.

WGST 4400. Women's and Gender Studies Seminar. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: WGST 3000, and at least nine hours of approved electives with a grade of "C" or better. Sopen to WGST minors only. A capstone project culminating in a senior research paper that critically analyzes women and/or gender issues from a feminist theoretical perspective.

WGST 4450. Internship in Women's and Gender Studies. 3 Hours.

Prerequisites: WGST 3000 and at earned at least nine hours on approved 4000-level courses with at least a "C" or better; overall 2.5 GPA. Graded Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Maybe corss-listed with SOCI 4540. Open to WGST minors only. Supervised on-site field experience in a community, government, or private organization that serves women or educates the public about women and gender issues. Students will apply knowledge from WGST coursework, especially regarding gender equity and cultural diversity, to their internship setting. Must have approval of WGST Coordinator in collaboration with Internship agency. This course may be repeated for credit once.

WGST 4500. Directed Study. 3 Hours.

Prerequisite: WGST 3000 and permission of the Director. An interdisciplinary study designed in consultation with one or more instructors and/or departments participating in Women's and Gender Studies.

WGST 4600. Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies. 3 Hours.

Topics vary. Designed to provide an intensive study in a specific area of Women's and Gender Studies. May be repeated for credit.