The Women’s and Gender Studies minor comprises 18 credits in
approved interdisciplinary
courses. The curriculum covers a wide range of social,
political, philosophical, historical, artistic, scientific and
literary issues from the vantage point of women and
gender.
As indicated in a recent report by the National Women’s Studies
Association, “Women’s Studies reveals the gaps that emerge in
other discipline’s understandings of knowledge when scholars and
researchers take into account gender, race, sexuality, region,
ethnicity and ability as important research variables.”
Above all, the report states, the field “promotes access to
institutions and to paradigms of knowledge” for people who are
historically underrepresented in the Academy, the professions and
society.
Through the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, you examine many
of the most pressing questions arising from women’s and gender
issues:
- What is gender?
- How does recovering women’s history change generally?
- Is the Enlightenment ideal of rationality gender-biased?
- Does the female novelist have a distinct voice?
- To what extent are the traditional goals of natural science
andocentric?
- How do cultural ideas of masculinity shape politics?
- How do feminist political theorists envision a just
society?
Other Features
Students minoring in Women’s and Gender Studies have an
opportunity to choose and meet with an advisor from the Women’s and
Gender Studies committee. Students in Women’s and Gender
Studies also enjoy various
other benefits, including the following:
- The opportunity to showcase their research and projects at
annual University Research Day
- An annual speakers series allowing students to hear from
today’s most prominent figures in the discipline
- Participation in planning and implementing such Women’s History
Month events as trips and cultural activities throughout the New
York metropolitan area
- Discussions outside the classroom with faculty and community
members during sponsored lunches and book clubs