Program in Women's Studies

Director and Associate Professor:  Woodworth-Ney (History)

Assistant Director: Barger

Emeritus Faculty: Ruckman

Minor in Women's Studies

The program in Women's Studies promotes an interdisciplinary approach to learning that emphasizes gender as an essential component to understanding our past, present, and future. Grounded in contemporary scholarship, Women's Studies provides students with innovative perspectives from which to analyze and assess familiar subjects. Critical and analytical skills are developed and honed as students identify and contextualize profound connections between gender and one's place in history, one's assigned roles and statuses, and one's access to social, economic, and political power.

Women's Studies supports ISU's mission to create an effective and efficient learning environment that serves students of various ages, abilities, needs, and backgrounds. It enhances intellectual growth and complements the degree major by broadening academic knowledge bases and by developing a wide range of skills applicable in a variety of post-graduation settings.

The Women's Studies office is located in the Department of History, Liberal Arts Room 348 (208-282-8079).

An undergraduate interdisciplinary minor in Women's Studies consists of 18 credits of courses in gender topics offered by various departments and approved by the directors of Women's Studies.

Students should consult with the Women's Studies Program each semester for a list of approved courses in addition to the following:

Required Course:

W S 201         Introduction to Women's Studies       3 cr
W S 401         Feminist Thought                      3 cr

Choose 12 credits from:

ANTH 215        Anthropology of Gender                3 cr
H E g445        Human Sexuality and Health Education  2 cr
HIST g437       Families in Former Times              3 cr
HIST g439       Women in History                      3 cr
SOC 250         Women, Crime and Corrections          3 cr
SOC 321         Families in American Society          3 cr
SPCH g440       Gender and Communication              3 cr
W S 311         American Women's Movements            3 cr
W S 459         Internship*                         1-6 cr
W S g461        Independent Study*                  1-3 cr

*Students may take up to 6 credits of W S 459 Internship and up to 6 credits of W S 461
Independent Study. A maximum of nine credits from any combination of W S 459 Internship
and W S 461 Independent Study are applicable to the Women's Studies minor.

Women's Studies Courses

W S 160 Rape Aggression Defense 1 credit. Strategies for self-defense in physically threatening situations. Methods to enhance possibilities for avoidance of physical harm are also covered. Cross-listed as H E and P E 160. F, S

W S 201 Introduction to Women's Studies 3 credits. Interdisciplinary survey of the ways that various academic disciplines examine women's roles and women's issues past present and in various cultures, with a focus on American culture. F

W S 205 Topics in Women's Studies 3 credits. Examination of topics related to Women's Studies. D

W S 311 American Women's Movements 3 credits. Social, historical, and political examination of the 19th century women's suffrage movement, the 20th century women's rights movement, and the current status of women's rights activism. S

W S 401 Feminist Thought 3 credits. In-depth analysis and historical overview of various feminist perspectives including liberal, radical, Marxist-Socialist, psychoanalytic, post-modern, existential, multi-cultural, third world, and eco-feminism. PREREQ: W S 201. F

W S 405 Topics in Women's Studies 3 credits. In-depth examination of topics relating to women's studies, especially from a comparative or theoretical perspective. D

W S 459 Internship 1-6 credits. Directed student internship in organization related to Women's Studies. The student will be placed in a supervised position approved by faculty in the program. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. PREREQ: W S 201. D

W S g461 Independent Study 1-3 credits. Selected readings and research in areas of Women's Studies not covered by the regular curricular offerings. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. PREREQ: 3.0 cumulative GPA and W S 201 or equivalent; permission of instructor. D

IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY Academic Information  Contact: webmaster@isu.edu Revised: July 2005