253.535.7296 (fall, January term)
253.535.7213 (spring)
www.plu.edu/~womenstu
Women's Studies is a multidisciplinary program that enriches the
traditional liberal arts curriculum by adding new perspectives on
women's lives and accomplishments. Based on the study of women in
culture, society, and history, the program incorporates gender into
other basic categories of analysis including the dynamics of social
change, the creation and transmission of culture and the arts, the
legacy and cultural construction of our physical and intellectual
characteristics, and the origins and nature of current theories and
social issues. Women's Studies broadens the education of both male and
female students and enhances their career preparation and professional
opportunities wherever there is need to understand women and the new
role that they play in society.
Faculty: Women's Studies Executive Committee: Kraig, Chair; Breazeale, Hames, Higgenson, Lisosky, Miranda, Trelstad, Yerian.
Major: The Women's Studies major is a multidisciplinary and
interdisciplinary complementary major. Conferral of a baccalaureate
degree with a major in Women's Studies requires completion of a second
major from any discipline in the university. Students are encouraged to
declare both majors simultaneously and to plan a program aware of the
possibilities for applying individual courses to both majors. The
Women's Studies major allows application of courses from the second
major and for general university requirements (Core I and Core II) to
the Women's Studies major.
36 semester hours, including Women's Studies 101 and concurrent
enrollment in Women's Studies 491 and 499 (8 hours); four courses from
the approved list of program core courses from two different divisions
or schools (16 hours); two elective courses from two different
divisions or schools (8 hours); one service learning course (4 hours).
Students are required to complete a minimum of four upper division
courses in the program core and electives.
- Women's Studies 101 Introduction to Women's Studies (4)
- Program Core Courses (16 hours)
Students choose four courses from the following
program core courses that introduce Women's Studies in respective
disciplines.
Selections must be
from two different divisions or schools.
Anthropology 350 Women and Men in World Cultures - C, S1 (4)
Communication 334 Gender and Communication - A (4)
English 232 Women's Literature - A, LT (4)
English 341 Feminist Approaches to Literature - A, LT (4)
History 359 History of Women in the United States - A, S1 (4)
International Core 231 Gender, Sexuality, and Culture - A, I2 (4)
International Core 232 Topics in Gender - I2 (4) (pending approval of topic)
Philosophy 220 Women and Philosophy - A, PH (4)
Physical Education 315 Body Image - A (4)
Psychology 474 Psychology of Women - A, S2 (4)
Religion 368 Feminist and Womanist Theologies - A, R2 (4)
Sociology 440 Sex, Gender, and Society - A, S2 (4)
- Electives (8 hours)
Students choose two courses from the following options. Selections must be from two different divisions or schools.
- Additional courses from the program core courses.
- Courses from an approved list published in the class schedule.
- Courses from any discipline for which part of the course
requirements can be fulfilled with a research paper on women or women's
issues. This allows the integration of Women's Studies perspectives
into courses that are not explicitly or entirely structured around
those perspectives. Consent of the instructor is required. Students
should consult the Women's Studies chair before enrolling for the
course and are required to submit the syllabus, research paper, and
other relevant assignments to the Women's Studies Executive Committee
for approval upon completion of the course.
- Service Learning/Internship (4 hours)
Students must enroll for either a service learning course in
cooperation with the Center for Public Service or an internship through
Women's Studies and Cooperative Education. Internships required for the
second major may be applied to the Women's Studies major. Internships
should be approved by the chair of Women's Studies. When this course is
scheduled in the semester continuous with the semester in which
students enroll for Women's Studies 491/499, one-year service learning
placements or internships may be arranged, but are not required.
- Capstone Experience (4 hours): Women's Studies 499
Seminar in Women's Studies (2 hours) and Women's Studies 491
Independent Studies (2 hours)
Majors are required in their final semester of course work to enroll
concurrently for both Women's Studies 491 and 499. Majors may enroll
for Women's Studies 491 (Independent Study) with either the instructor
for Women's Studies 499 (Seminar in Women's Studies) or a faculty
member whose area of expertise qualifies her or him as a consultant for
the research project or internship planned for Women's Studies 499.
Requests for credit toward the Women's Studies major and minor from
transfer courses must be approved by the Women's Studies Executive
Committee. Submit syllabus and course assignments to the Women's
Studies chair. At least 17 hours of the major and 10 hours of the minor
must be completed at PLU.
Minor: 20 semester hours, including one Women's Studies core course
(4 hours), two program core courses (8 hours) from departments in
different divisions or schools; and two elective courses (8 hours) from
two different divisions or schools.
- Women's Studies Core Course (required - 4 hours)
Women's Studies 101 Introduction to Women's Studies (4)
- Program Core Courses (8 hours)
Students choose two courses from the following program core courses
which introduce women's studies in respective disciplines.
Selections
must be from two different divisions or schools:
Anthropology 350 Women and Men in World Cultures - C, S1(4)
Communication 334 Gender and Communication - A (4)
English 232 Women's Literature - A, LT (4)
English 341 Feminist Approaches to Literature - A, LT (4)
History 359 History of Women in the United States - A, S1 (4)
International Core 231 Gender, Sexuality, and Culture - A, I2 (4)
International Core 232 Topics in Gender (4) - I2 (pending approval of topic)
Philosophy 220 Women and Philosophy - A, PH (4)
Physical Education 315 Body Image - A (4)
Psychology 474 Psychology of Women - A, S2 (4)
Religion 368 Feminist and Womanist Theologies - A, R2 (4)
Sociology 440 Sex, Gender, and Society - A, S2 (4)
- Elective Courses (8 hours)
Students choose two courses from the following options. Selections must be from two different divisions or schools.
- Additional course from the program core courses.
- Courses from an approved list published in the class schedule.
- Courses from any discipline for which part of the course
requirements can be fulfilled with a research paper on women or women's
issues. This allows the integration of Women's Studies perspectives
into courses that are not explicitly or entirely structured around
those perspectives. Consent of instructor is required. Students should
consult the Women's Studies chair prior to enrolling for the course and
are required to submit the syllabus, research paper, and other relevant
assignments to the Women's Studies Executive Committee for approval
upon completion of the course.
Course Offerings
101 Introduction to Women's Studies - A
Explores the richness and diversity of women's lives and experiences
from a variety of perspectives, including the social sciences,
humanities, and arts. Open to all students. (4)
491 Independent Studies: Undergraduate Readings
Reading in specific areas or issues of Women's Studies under the supervision of a faculty member. (1-4)
499 Capstone: Seminar in Women's Studies - SR
A seminar for students who will do either an internship or a research project in Women's Studies. (2)
