Students undertaking this minor examine how gender and sexual ideologies, practices, and politics impact their own lives, intimate and family relationships, art and literature, the creation of knowledge, and economic opportunities, as well as large scale social institutions like education, government, and religion. To facilitate this broad examination, Gender Studies minors take classes from a variety of academic disciplines and professors.
In addition to classes, students also develop independent studies that allow them to focus on a gender or sexual issue that they find particularly interesting. For example, students have received credit for independent research on reproductive rights, media images of masculinity/femininity, gender dynamics in literature, and the politics of homosexuality. Students are encouraged to do internship-based research projects that enable them to explore, through direct experience, various topics of interest.
Twenty to twenty-four hours of coursework as follows:
Students may use up to eight hours credit from their majors toward the Gender Studies Minor. Students are also strongly encouraged to take courses in at least three academic disciplines. Up to eight hours of coursework in any department may be added from outside this elective list, subject to the approval of a Gender Studies advisor. Such additions might include internships or special topics courses whose subject matter includes a strong focus on gender issues. Courses may also be approved in cases where a student is completing a significant project on gender issues within a course that is not on the elective list. Additionally, a student may include up to three hours of Independent Study in any department, subject to the approval of a Gender Studies advisor, for research and work on some aspect of gender studies.