Major Courses

WMNST 210 Introduction to Women's Studies. (3)
Introduction to women's studies. Woman-centered interdisciplinary investigation into women's experiences in Western culture and introduction to the discipline of women's studies.

WMNST 220 International Women's Issues. (3) 
Introduction to international women's studies issues.  Woman-centered  interdisciplinary investigation into women's experiences in non-Western culture.  Emphasis on contemporary issues framed by historical context.

WMNST 410 Feminist Theory.  (3) 
Historical and contemporary survey of the women's movement and development of feminist theories within a social and political context.  Liberal, existentialist, Marxist, socialist, psychoanalytic, radical, multicultural, global, ecofeminist, and postmodern schools of thought addressed in detail.  

Prerequisite: junior or senior standing.

WMNST 499 Women's Studies Capstone.  (3) 
Intensive summary of Western and non-Western women's studies issues, feminist theories, and interdisciplinary women's studies subjects.  Includes career planning and development strategies.  

Prerequisite: WMNST 210; permission of the Women and Gender Studies program director.

Group 1: Women's studies electives, 3 hours from:

WMNST 310 Women's Studies Symposium. (3)  
Survey and investigation of women's studies-related topics or subjects in the discipline of women's studies with emphasis on material not covered by existing courses.  Exact content announced in advance of each offering.

WMNST 314 Women's Studies Symposium in Communication.  (3) 
Survey and investigation of women's studies-related topics or subjects in communication, information, and media, with emphasis on material not covered by existing courses.  Exact content will be announced in advance of each offering.

WMNST 369 Paid Internship. (1-6)
Supervised work in paid job settings in which students integrate job experiences with their acquired knowledge of women's studies. Involves assigned duties in an organization, agency, corporation, or business, with appropriate monetary compensation.

Prerequisite: WMNST 210; permission of the Women and Gender Studies Program director.

A total of 6 hours of credit may be earned.

WMNST 479 Unpaid Internship. (1-6)
Supervised participation in a mentorship relationship in which students gain work-related experience and apply acquired knowledge of women's studies. Involves voluntary participation in an organization, agency, corporation, or business.

Prerequisite: WMNST 210; permission of the Women and Gender Studies Program director.

A total of 6 hours of credit may be earned.

WMNST 498 Independent Study. (1-3)
Topics for independent study and research to be chosen and investigated in consultation with instructors with special competence in the topic involved. The credit hours may be accumulated in more than one semester.

Prerequisite: permission of the Women and Gender Studies program director.

A total of 3 hours of credit may be earned.

Group 2: Humanities and fine arts electives, 3 hours from:

AJS 301 Special Topics in History of Art. (3)
Survey and investigation of a particular topic, problem, or issue in art history with emphasis on those not covered in other courses (women in art, history of museums and collecting, problems in methodology, etc.). Exact content will be announced before each offering. A particular topic can only be taken once.

Prerequisite: AHS 100 or 101 or permission of the instructor.

A total of 9 hours of credit may be earned, but no more than 3 in any one semester or term.

CC 302 Women in Antiquity. (3)
The study of women in ancient Greece and Rome, based on evidence from literary and nonliterary sources. Explores the influence of social, political, and legal institutions on the status of women and on their relationships with men.

ENG 328 Language and Gender. (3)
A detailed examination of the relationship between language and gender. Differences in the way that men and women use language (from pronunciation to conversational and narrative styles) will be documented and analyzed.

ENG 490 Literature and Gender. (3)
Study of gender and sexuality as understood, constructed, and contested in one or more cultural/historical settings. Texts may include literary, critical, and theoretical writings and works in other media.

Prerequisite: ENG 210.

Prerequisite recommended: at least two courses in literature or permission of the department chairperson.

FL 307 European Women Writers. (3)
Readings in English translation of selected works of major twentieth-century women writers in European languages. Topics and works may vary. May not be applied to foreign language majors or minors.

HIST 215 Women in American History. (3)
An introduction to the study of women in American history; considers the social and economic status of women at various times, changing conceptions of their roles, attitudes toward women, women's ideas about themselves, and the women's rights movement.

HIST 452 Women in Modern European History. (3)
Survey of women's experiences in modern European history. Examines the impact of major socio-cultural, political, and economic developments upon their lives; attitudes toward women's social roles; and their diverse attempts to change their social, political, economic, and sexual status.

Group 3: Social sciences and sciences electives, 3 hours from:

ANTH 341 Anthropology and Women. (3)
Development of the female phenotype; variation in the roles assigned to women in cultures of differing levels of complexity from gatherer-hunters to industrial societies--both Western and non-Western--and the contributions of women anthropologists to understanding this variation.

Prerequisite: ANTH 101 (waived for Women's Studies minors) or permission of the instructor.

CJC 311 Race, Ethnic, and Gender Issues in Criminal Justice. (3)
Examination of racial, ethnic, and gender issues regarding criminal offenders, victims of crime, and employees of the criminal justice system.

Prerequisite: CJC 220, 221, 230, 240, 250; or permission of the instructor.

HSC 261 Health, Sexuality, and Family Life. (3)
Health aspects of human sexuality and family life with a focus on human reproduction, physiology of sexual response, sexual disorders and dysfunctions, sexually transmitted diseases, promotion of sexual health, and the family's role in sex education.

HSC 472 Women and Health. (3)
General overview of issues related to women and health: health needs of working women, special nutritional concerns, the gynecological exam, reproductive anatomy and physiology, fertility and infertility, breast problems, wife abuse, and rape.

POLS 241 Family Law. (3)
Acquaints students with legal problems in domestic relations. Covering problems such as separation, divorce, child custody, adoption, and nonsupport.

POLS 474 Women and Politics.  (3)  
National survey of women and the political process, with an emphasis on women and contemporary public policy issues. 

Prerequisite: POLS 130 or permission of the department chairperson.

PSYSC 277 Psychology of Sexual Behavior. (3)
An examination of the determinants of human sexual behavior, focusing on the development of sexual identity and attitudes. Uses perspectives from social psychology, personality theory, and physiological psychology to build an understanding of this most complex behavior.

Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

PSYSC 324 Psychology of Women. (3)
Psychological study of women with emphasis on achievement motivation and dependency, attitudes toward women, sex-role identity, biological and social influences on women's behavior, self-concepts and psychological conflicts, and a study of research in sex differences.

Prerequisite: PSYSC 100.

SOC 424 Family. (3) 
Advanced topics in the sociology of the family.  

Prerequisite: SOC 100 plus 6 SOC hours, or permission of the instructor.

SOC 434 Sociology of Human Sexuality. (3) 
Analyzes gender and sexual issues.  Topics include gender identity, sexual deviance, and sociological factors that affect sexuality.  

Prerequisite: SOC 100 plus 6 SOC hours, or permission of the instructor.

SOCWK 330 Human Behavior and the Social Environment 2. (3)
Focuses on human growth and development from the prenatal period through later adulthood. Biological, psychological, and social aspects of human behavior are discussed. The complex interaction between human development and various social, cultural, spiritual, familial, organizational, and community factors are highlighted. Emphasizes applying concepts and theories to assessment.

Prerequisite: SOCWK 200, 220, 230; PSYSC 100, 267 or BIO 254; SOC 242 or 100; permission of the department chairperson. (PSYSC 267 or BIO 254; SOC 242 or SOC 100 waived for minors, family life educator certification candidates, and WMNST majors and minors).

Open only to social work majors and minors; family life educator certification candidates and women's studies majors and minors.

15 additional hours distributed among groups 1, 2, and 3, and/or special topic courses.

Students may earn no more than 6 hours from WMNST 369 or 479. The 15 elective hours must be selected from more than one group, and at least 9 hours of the electives must be at the 300 or 400 level.

Symposia content for WMNST 310 and 314 will be announced prior to each course offering. Additional special topic courses will be announced in advance and may be applied toward the major with the approval of the Women's Studies program director. Students must have AHS 301 Special Topics approved by the Women's Studies program director since not all topics will apply toward the Women's Studies major.

Students should follow the outline of Bachelor of Arts degrees and the University Core Curriculum requirements. 

Students should check individual departmental listings for prerequisite requirements for interdisciplinary electives.

Students should consult the Women's Studies program, BB 108, (765) 285-5451, http://www.bsu.edu/womensstudies for additional advising information.

This program leads to a B.A. degree only.

For more information, call the Women's Studies program at (765) 285-5451.