253.535.7296
www.plu.edu/~womenstu
Course Offerings
At the core of the Women's Studies program at PLU
is a vibrant, diverse, and supportive community of feminist women and
men, working to enhance and reinforce the individual goals and
strengths of each student. This multiplicity of resources and
talents allow our courses to draw upon many different academic areas,
explore themes such as gender and sexual identity, emphasize critical
examination of racism, classism, and other forms of inequity and
discrimination, and focus on the pursuit of social justice.
Women's Studies courses offer critical analysis of
traditional social institutions, such as religion, arts, science, law,
education, medicine, and the family, and their relationship to each
person's gender, sexual identity, class, and race. Reflecting the
importance of dialogue and collaboration in feminism, classroom
activities include a rich mix of group-based projects, discussion, and
other forms of inquiry. The multidisciplinary nature of our
program invites Women's Studies students to sample many topics and
learn through a variety of intellectual and life experiences, from
reading the literatures of under-represented communities to creating
visual artwork, visiting a prison for women, and learning how to
initiate, mediate and engage in an ongoing discourse about challenging
issues.
The Women's Studies senior capstone exemplifies our
program's emphasis on combining inquiry with experience. For the
capstone, each Women's Studies major works with faculty mentors to
design an internship or service learning project that fits creatively
her or his unique vocational and academic interests. One student
with a background in nursing or biology, for example, might work in a
program that offers pre-natal care for low-income women, while another
student with expertise in social work and public policy might assist an
organization working to reduce domestic violence. Or, a
student interested in feminist theater could work with the Women's
Center to shape PLU's annual production of "The Vagina Monologues"!
The Women's Studies program gives students the
important tools, resources, and language needed for personal
empowerment, especially useful since it is easy to feel overwhelmed and
resigned in the face of injustices. Upon completion
of this program, each PLU Women's Studies graduate is prepared to
creatively and effectively pursue social justice in her or his own
way. As teachers, scientists, volunteers, artists, writers,
entrepreneurs, or family members, our graduates are making positive
changes in the way gender and sexual identity are understood globally
in the 21st century. We invite you to join our community of
scholars and agents of social change.
Faculty: Women's Studies Executive Committee: Kraig, Chair; Breazeale, Goedert, Lisosky, Marcus, Rosell, Sklar, Trelstad.
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.
32 semester hours, including Women's Studies 101 and completion of
the Capstone Experience: Women's Studies and Vocation (4 hours); four
courses from the approved list of program core courses from two
different divisions and schools (16 hours); and two elective courses
from two different divisions and schools (8 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.
- Capstone Experience: Women's Studies and Vocation (4 credit hours
minimum)
This requirement can be satisfied in three ways:
- WMST Service Learning (4 credits total of WMST 491, SR, Independent
Study: Service Learning)
Service learning refers to those broad or introductory experiences with
groups, in agencies or organization that enable the student to gain
awareness, to develop ideas, and to pursue social justice. Student
identify a faculty sponsor approved by WMST, arrange for a service
learning experience through the Center for Public Service or directly
with the site of the service, then develop, with the approval of the
WMST sponsor, a learning contact that includes learning objectives
specific to women, feminism or gender. Service learning contracts also
require the approval of the agency or organization supervisor. - b1. WMST Internship (4 credits total of WMST 495, SR, Internship)
Internships are pragmatic, employer based experiences in which students
apply knowledge they've already acquired, build competence, and test
values in setting like those in which they may seek employment.
Students identify a faculty member approved by WMST, arrange for an
internship through the Center for Public Service or directly with the
site of the service, then, with the approval of the WMST sponsor,
develop a learning contract that includes learning objectives specific
to women, feminism or gender. Internship learning contacts also require
the approval of the agency or organization supervisor.
b2. WMST Internship concurrent with another, non-WMST internship (2
credits of WMST 495, SR, plus at least 2 internship credits from
another discipline)
Some fields of study allow or require students to complete an
internship in which they integrate knowledge, demonstrate skills and
act upon values learned in the classroom with current practice in an
agency or organizational setting. For such an internship to count
toward the WMST major, students must select a faculty member approved
by WMST and develop a learning contract that pertains to the internship
in the other major but reflects WMST skills, knowledge, and
applications. The student must then arrange for 2 additional internship
credits in WMST 495 with the sponsoring WMST faculty member. Internship
learning contracts also require the approval of the agency or
organization supervisor and the PLU faculty member supervising
internship within the discipline. Earning credits from both WMST and
another department may not always require additional hours at the site,
but the learning contact will require additional research, reading and
writing to incorporate content specific to women, feminism or gender.
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 – WMST
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 – SR
Readings, research projects, or service
learning projects in areas or issues of Women's Studies, under the
supervision of a faculty member. With approval of WMST chair, may be
used to satisfy WMST capstone requirement. (1–4)
495 Internship – SR
A pragmatic, employer based experience in which
students apply knowledge already acquired, build competence, and test
values in settings like those in which they may seek employment.
Internships require the approval of a WMST faculty member who will
supervise the work of the agency or organization supervisor who will
directly supervise the student. With approval of WMST chair, may be
used to satisfy WMST capstone requirement. (2–4)
