A certificate of study in Women's Studies is also available (see Certificates of Study).
Program Leader
Kim Berry, Ph.D.
Women's
Studies Office
Lower Library 55
(707) 826-4329
www.humboldt.edu/~womensst
Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that encourages inquiry into the full range of human experience by raising fundamental questions about gendered relations in human behavior, culture, and society. As the academic branch of the women's movement, Women's Studies challenges assumptions upon which the Western tradition of scholarship has been based and seeks to integrate the diverse experiences and perspectives of women into the curriculum.
Our core curriculum offers students the analytical tools for understanding gender as it is constructed within and through differences of ethnicity, class, sexuality, and nationality. It enables students to interpret the diverse lives, issues, and voices of women in our multicultural and transnational world.
Women's Studies faculty, from departments campuswide, work closely with the program leader to offer a dynamic and student-centered major, minor, and certificate of study. Our program also works with the student-run Women's Center and other women's groups on campus to provide a network of resources, support, and referral on women-centered issues, organizations, and events. We sponsor programs of interest to women, including workshops, speakers, and an annual women's retreat.
This program is useful in the following careers: administrator of nonprofit women's organization, affirmative action officer, attorney, community organizer, computer software designer, coordinator of women's programs in government and business, counselor, editor, environmental activist, international development worker, journalist, legal assistant, lobbyist for women's issues, political advocate, psychologist, rape crisis specialist, researcher on women's projects, social worker, teacher, union organizer, urban planner, women's center director, women's health care specialist, writer.
The Interdisciplinary Studies major option in Women's Studies is comprised of 42 units, including 25 units in core courses and 17 units in one of four concentrations. Proficiency in a second language is either recommended or required, depending on the concentration selected.
Concentrations:
WS
106 Introduction to Women's Studies
WS
107 Women, Culture, History
WS
/ ES 108 Power/Privilege: Gender & Race, Sex, Class
WS
311 Feminist Theory & Practice
WS
315 Sex, Gender, & Globalization
WS
/ ES 330 Ethnic Women in America
WS
485 Seminar in Feminist Studies
WS
410 Internship or
WS
420 Community Service (2 units)
WS
340 Ecofeminism
WS 350 Women's
Health & Body Politics
WS365 Women
Writing Nature
Proficiency in a second language is recommended.
Eight units from the courses below:
ANTH / WS
317 Women & Development
BOT
300 Plants & Civilization
ENGR
305 Appropriate Technology
ENGR
308 Technology & the Environment
ENGR
380 Community Agriculture
ENGR 480 Sustainable Agriculture
GEOG
/ ES 304 Migrations & Mosaics
PHIL
/ WLDF 302 Environmental Ethics
PSCI
373 Politics of a Sustainable Society
RS
391 Religions of the Goddesses
WS
303 Third World Women's Movements
WS
305 Feminist Science Fiction
WS
/ SPAN / HIST 309 Revolution, Reform, Response: Latin America
in the 20th Century (3-9 units)
WS
480 Diversity Conference
Or other advisor-approved courses
WS
303 Third World Women's Movements or
WS
309 Revolution, Reform, Response: Latin America in the 20th
Century
WS 340 Ecofeminism
ANTH / WS 317 Women & Development
Study abroad is desirable.
Proficiency in an appropriate second language is required.
Eight units from the courses below:
ANTH 430 / WS 430 “Queer” Across Cultures
GEOG
/ ES 304 Migrations & Mosaics
MATH
301 Mathematics & Culture: an Historical Perspective
WS 303 Third World Women’s
Movements
WS
/ FREN / GERM / SPAN 306 Sex, Class & Culture: Gender
& Ethnic Issues in International Short Stories
WS / SPAN / HIST
309 Revolution, Reform, Response: Latin America
in the 20th Century (3-9 units)
WS 350 Women’s Health & Body Politics
WS
450 Threads of Communication
WS
480 Diversity Conference
Or other advisor-approved courses
SW
330 Social Work Policy or
ED / ES / WS 313 Education
for
Action
One of the following pairs:
Proficiency in a second language is recommended.
Eight units from the courses below:
EDUC/WS 318 Gay & Lesbian Issues in Schools
PSYC/WS 436 Human Sexuality
PSCI
316 Public Administration
SOC
306 The Changing Family
SOC
475 Community Organizing
SW
382 Social Work Research
WS 350 Women's Health & Body Politics
WS
/ HIST 389 Women in US History
WS
480 Diversity Conference
ANTH 430 / WS 430 “Queer” Across Cultures
Or other advisor-approved courses
WS 365 Women
Writing Nature
WS 305 Feminist
Science Fiction
WS
450 Threads of Communication or
ART / WS 301 Women
Artists
Proficiency in a second language is recommended.
Seven units from the following:
ES / WS 360 Race,
Gender & US Law
ENGL / ES 336 American
Ethnic Literature*
RS
391 Religions of the Goddesses
WS
/ FREN / GERM / SPAN 306 Sex, Class, & Culture: Gender
& Ethnic Issues in International Short Stories
WS
308B / ENGL 308 Women in Literature
WS
340 Ecofeminism
WS 375
/ PHIL 375 Postmodernism/Feminism
WS
400 Integration: Femininity & Masculinity
WS
480 Matrix Production
WS
480 Diversity Conference
Any upper division creative writing course.
Any upper division studio course in the fine arts (art, music,
theatre).
Any course in the arts or humanities focusing on women.
Or other advisor-approved courses
*When subject matter of course focuses on women writers.
The minor consists of 15 units: nine required units plus three units from the social sciences track and three units from the humanities track, as indicated below. (See the Women's Studies program leader for information on lower division courses and substitute courses that meet requirements.)
WS
106 Introduction to Women's Studies
WS
107 Women, Culture, History
WS 311 Feminist Theory & Practice
Electives (minimum 6 upper division units)
At least one course (3 units minimum) must have significant international content
(these courses are marked with an asterisk).
WS
/ PSYC 300 Psychology of Women
WS / ART 301 The
Artist (only when topic is "Women Artists")
WS 302
/ RS 300 Living Myths
WS
303 * Third World Women's Movements
WS
305 * Feminist Science Fiction
WS / FREN / GERM
/ SPAN 306 * Sex, Class, & Culture: Gender & Ethnic Issues in International
Short Stories
WS/ENGL 308B Women in Literature
WS/ENGL 308C * Women in Literature
WS / SPAN / HIST
309 * Revolution, Reform, Response
WS
/ COMM 309B Gender & Communication
WS
312 Women & Mass Media
WS / EDUC 313 Education for Action
WS 315 *
Sex, Gender & Globalization
WS / SOC 316
Gender & Society
WS / ANTH 317 *
Women in Development
WS / EDUC 318 Gay & Lesbian Issues in Schools
WS 319 Ecology of Family Violence
WS / ES 330 Ethnic Women in America
WS
340 * Ecofeminism: Global Women & Environment
WS 350 * Women’s Health & Body Politics
WS 360 Race, Gender, & US
Law
WS 365 * Women
Writing Nature
WS 370 Queer Women’s Lives
WS 375 / PHIL 475 Postmodern
Philosophies
WS
/ HIST 389 Women in United States History
WS
400 * Integration: Femininity & Masculinity
WS 430 / ANTH 430 “Queer” Across Cultures
WS
/ PSYC 436 Human Sexuality
WS 450 / EDUC 450 / SPAN 450 Threads of Communication
And other advisor-approved courses