Women Studies Program

Program Director and Associate Professor:  Kuhlman (History)
Emerita:  Ruckman

See Faculty Information    
See Program Web Page  
See Advisory Committee   
See Minor  
See Courses   

Advisory Committee

Members of the Advisory Board meet to review curricula, advise the Director on program content, consider issues facing the field or program, and formulate strategy for the future of Women’s Studies at Idaho State University. Students may consult with any of the faculty in the program or on this committee:

•    Dr. David Adler (Political Science)
•    Dr. Nicole Hill (Kasiska College of Health Professions)
•    Dr. Ann Hunter (Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice)
•    Ms. Kathleen Lane (Music)
•    Dr. Shannon Lynch (Psychology)
•    Dr. Rebecca Morrow (Anderson Gender Resource Center)
•    Dr. Priscilla Reis (College of Business)
•    Ms. Nancy Renn (Kasiska College of Health Professions) 
•    Dr. Lynn Shutters (English)
•    Ms. Valerie Williams (College of Education)
•    Dr. Laura Woodworth-Ney (History)

Minor in Women Studies

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

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

Required Course:

WS 2201		Introduction to Women Studies		3 cr
WS 4401		Feminist Thought 			3 cr

Choose 12 credits from:

ANTH 2215	Anthropology of Gender			3 cr
HE 4445		Human Sexuality and Health Education	2 cr
HIST 4437	Families in Former Times		3 cr
HIST 4439	Women in History			3 cr
SOC 2250	Women, Crime and Corrections		3 cr
SOC 3321	Families in American Society		3 cr
SPCH 4440	Gender and Communication		3 cr
WS 3311 	American Women's Movements		3 cr
WS 4459		Internship*				1-6 cr
WS 4461		Independent Study*			1-3 cr
	OR
Choose from courses listed as approved for this component in semester-by-semester course listings in the Class Schedule.

*Students may take up to 6 credits of WS 4459 Internship and up to 6 credits of WS 4461 Independent Study. A maximum of nine credits from any combination of WS 4459 and WS 4461 are applicable to the Women Studies minor.

Women Studies Courses

WS 1160 Women’s Rape Aggression Defense 1 credit. Realistic self-defense tactics and techniques designed for women. Awareness, prevention, risk reduction, risk avoidance, and basic hands-on defense training. R.A.D. is not a Martial Arts program. Cross-listed as HE 1160 and PE 1160. PREREQ: Permission of Public Safety office or sponsoring program. F, S

WS 2201 Introduction to Women 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

WS 2205 Topics in Women Studies 1-3 credits. Examination of topics related to Women Studies. D

WS 3311 U.S. Women's Activism 3 credits. Social, historical, and political examination of the 19th century Women Suffrage Movement, the 20th century Women's Rights Movement, and the current status of women's rights activism. S

WS 4401 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: WS 2201. F

WS 4405 Topics in Women Studies 1-3 credits. In-depth examination of topics relating to Women studies, especially from a comparative or theoretical perspective. D

WS 4459 Internship 1-6 credits. Directed student internship in organization related to Women 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: WS 2201. D

WS 4461 Independent Study 1-3 credits. Selected readings and research in areas of Women Studies not covered by the regular curricular offerings. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. PREREQ: 3.0 cumulative GPA and WS 2201 or equivalent; permission of instructor. D

IDAHO STATE UNIVERSITY Academic Information  Contact: webmaster@isu.edu Revised: July 2010