Academic Bulletin Gender Studies Minor - 2015-16

Minor in Gender Studies

Description

Wabash College is committed to preparing its students for leadership and service in a diverse and changing society. As part of that commitment, the Minor in Gender Studies affords students the opportunity to gain a firm grounding in an interdisciplinary field that investigates the social, cultural, and biological factors that constitute femininity, masculinity, and sexual identity. Gender Studies explores the similarities and differences between the experiences, perspectives, and voices of women and men by analyzing variations in gender roles that occur across cultures and over time, examining relationships between biological differences and social power, and investigating the complex interaction of gender with race, class, and culture. Gender Studies also involves a critical investigation of strategies that aim to transform unjust or coercive social systems based on gender. Through coursework and an independent senior project, students undertake a systematic and critical analysis of gender issues across academic disciplines. The program is administered by the Gender Issues Committee.

Wabash College students who participate in the Minor in Gender Studies will enhance their preparation for careers in a wide variety of areas. These include, but are not limited to, human services, law, government, teaching, the arts, clinical work, social work, public relations, advertising, and journalism. Some graduates with expertise in Gender Studies may also pursue further study of gender as graduate students in a wide range of academic fields.

Requirements for the Minor

The requirements of the program include the following:

• GEN 101: Introduction to Gender Studies
• In addition to GEN 101, three course creditss designated as Gender Studies courses from at least two different departments. A rationale of the courses and description of planned senior capstone project should be sumbmitted in the spring semester of the students junior year to the Gender Issues Committee chair.
• A full-credit capstone course in fall or spring of the senior year. This may be either an independent study project that explores the student’s chosen focus in greater depth or, if enough students are completing concentrations, a seminar class in which students will explore their topics comparatively. These will be assigned as GEN 490 Independent Study courses, and they have to be approved by the Committee Chair.
• Each student’s program will be approved and supervised by the Gender Issues Committee, and a member of this committee, or other faculty with relevant expertise, may serve as secondary field examiner on the senior oral examination.

Application

Students are encouraged to declare the Minor in Gender Studies by the end of their sophomore year (although they are free to declare any time before fall semester of their senior year). To declare, the student should submit a written proposal to the Gender Issues Committee, presenting a rationale for the courses selected for the Minor. The forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.

Courses

The following regularly offered courses focus primarily on gender and may be included in the Minor in Gender Studies, so long as they do not conflict with the student’s major:

Occasional courses (Special Topics or other courses of particular relevance to Gender Studies) may also count toward this requirement with the approval of the Gender Issues Committee. Interested students should consult with a member of the Gender Issues Committee for advice regarding relevant courses and the frequency of offerings. Students should also consult the Academic Bulletin and semester-by-semester information from the Registrar’s office regarding when courses are offered.