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Introduction | What Can You Do? | Required Courses | Elective Courses Welcome to the Eastern Illinois University Women's Studies Minor. Our aim is two-fold: to examine, stimulate and promote scholarship in the area of Women's Studies and to encourage traditional departments to broaden their fields of study to fully integrate women's issues. Our faculty come from across the university community. Historically, the attention paid to women's perspectives has altered our understanding of events and change, social, economic, and political life, as well as the arts and sciences. In addition, Women's Studies highlights the necessity of understanding important social divisions other than gender; those of age, race, economic status, sexuality, and nationality. It provides key conceptual tools that women and men can use in educating themselves and others while in college and can later employ in achieving a personally and professionally successful life. The Women's Studies minor is an 18-hour interdisciplinary program. Only two 3-credit courses are required while the other four 3-hour courses are taken from a variety of departments as electives. Many of the courses can be "double-counted" with many majors. For instance, WST 2309G is a required course but it also counts in the social/behavioral science category of the general education curriculum as well as being writing intensive and applies to the cultural diversity general education requirement. One of the elective courses can be a women's studies cross-listed senior seminar (EIU 4162G, EIU 4108G) to fulfill that general education requirement as well. Another could be a course which is cross-listed in one's major department, such as "Psychology of Gender Differences" or "Women, Literature, and Language." Thus many students find they are able to complete a minor in Women's Studies with as few as 3 courses beyond standard university and departmental requirements. What can you do with a minor in Women's Studies?
A Women's Studies minor combines an interdisciplinary and multicultural curriculum to give students the necessary skills for a variety of careers. Also, a Women's Studies minor gives students a solid liberal arts education along with several abilities considered valuable in any workplace, including critical thinking, excellent writing and oral skills, and a broad understanding of the diversity of various people's views. Students combine their minor in Women's Studies with another degree such as... Business, education, family and consumer sciences, humanities (art history, literature and writing, history, philosophy, communication studies), journalism, pre-law, pre-med, psychology, sociology to better enable them to focus on helping women in these fields. Women's Studies minors have achieved jobs in...
Business, education, women's resources, government service (local, state, national), writing, healthcare, publishing, law, theology, human rights organizations, environmental and consumer groups, journalism, policy and lobbying organizations, unions, research centers, library science, community agencies, psychology, social work, and countless others. Women's Studies minors are also specifically qualified to work in... Many social service agencies in the United States (one website reported more than 2000) that are related to women, such as crisis intervention services, counseling centers, health clinics, and other nonprofit organizations. The critical thinking skills developed in Women's Studies courses also prepares students for graduate work in many fields, such as... Law, social work, business, film, management, humanities, social sciences, education, counseling, women's studies, public administration as well as other traditional disciplines. Many careers need individuals with a background in Women's Studies, for instance... Due to the international focus of businesses today, corporations need people skilled in handling people with diverse backgrounds, issues of discrimination, and the problem of sexual harassment in the workforce. Likewise, careers in fields such as law or education need people who understand the special needs of women, minorities, and people with different cultural backgrounds.
For a list of next semester WS Courses, please see the last page of the current newsletter. Required Courses WST 2309G - Women, Men, and Culture. What does it mean to be female? To be male? How are gender roles created? How have they varied over time and across cultures? These and other questions will be addressed. In addition, students will look at how gender is reflected in the way we communicate and the experiences we have with various social organizations and institutions. (WI; Cultural Diversity Requirement) WST 4309 - Feminist Theory. This interdisciplinary course examines feminist theory and its application to cultural and academic issues. (WI) Prerequisites & Notes: 9 semester hours in Women's Studies or permission of the instructor or Coordinator of Women’s Studies Program. back to top » Elective Courses (12+ hours required) ART 3685 - Women in Art. A study and evaluation of the place of women in the history of art. The course will cover both the images of women conveyed in the art of various periods and the contributions of individual women artists from the Middle Ages to the present. The social conditions contributing to attitudes about women and to the success or failure of women in the professional role of artist will be emphasized. CMN 3903 - The Rhetoric of Women. Study of the issues relevant to the Women's Movement and the answers given by women through public communication. (WI) ECN 3873 - Economics of Race and Gender (3-0-3) Exploration of the economic status of women and of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Surveys the historical role of women and minorities in the U.S. labor market including trends in labor force participation, occupational distribution, wage differentials, labor legislation, and discrimination. (WI) Prerequisites & Notes: ECN 2802G or permission of the instructor. EIU 4108G - The Changing World of Women. This course examines historical perspectives on a variety of women's issues. In a time of gender role flux, where roles are no longer clearly defined by sex, it is necessary to examine these changes and how they have impacted women and the world around them. (No majors are excluded. WI) Prerequisites & Notes: Completion of 75 semester hours. EIU 4112G - Women and Technology. A dialogue on the relationship between women and technology during the past, present, and into the future. Key issues which have affected the mobility of women into technical occupational fields will be studied. Projection will be made for the next decade. (Majors in Industrial Technology are excluded. WI) Prerequisites & Notes: Completion of 75 semester hours. EIU 4155G - The European Witchhunts. Through a study of the events and circumstances surrounding the European Witchhunts, this course will explore the roles that misogyny, social dislocation, economic crisis, religious belief, and challenges to authority played in the age of intolerance that resulted in the execution of many thousands of women and men. (History majors are excluded. WI) Prerequisites & Notes: Completion of 75 semester hours. EIU 4162G - Women's Voices: Women in the Theatre. A discussion course that examines the contributions of women to the theatre and the effect those contributions have had on society in general. Attention will be given to the political/social concerns expressed in the dramatic literature. (Theatre majors and English majors are excluded. WI) Prerequisites & Notes: Completion of 75 semester hours. EIU 4169G - Women in Science. The course examines the lives and accomplishments of women in science throughout history. Special attention is paid to the current issues confronting women in science and historical events that have contributed to the current situation. (Biological Sciences majors are excluded. WI) Prerequisites & Notes: Completion of 75 semester hours. ENG 3903 - Women, Literature, and Language. May focus on roles of women in literature, on literature by women or on women’s relation to language. May be taken as many as three times with permission of the Department Chairperson. (WI) Prerequisites & Notes: ENG 1002G. FCS 2831 - Women in Contemporary Society. An interdisciplinary study of the emergence of women as a viable force in contemporary society. HST 3560 - Women's Health. An examination of the biological and psychosocial dimensions of women's health; the relationship between women and the health care system, and the impact of cultural stereotyping on women's physical and emotional health. Prerequisites & Notes: HST 2000 and HST 3500 or consent of instructor. HIS 3900 - Women in American History. A survey of American women's history from pre-colonial times to the present, with a special emphasis on the historical diversity of women's experience. Students will also be introduced to the historiography of women, men, and gender. (WI, US) HIS 4845 - Women and Gender in Modern Europe. Explores the political, social, and cultural history of women and gender relations in Europe from 1789 to the present. Cross-listed with WST 4845. (WI) JOU 3903 - Women and the Media. An overview of women's roles as media participants and consumers. Effects of media treatment of women on society and individuals. Examination of the images and roles of women in media such as newspapers and magazines. Prerequisites & Notes: ENG 1002G. PLS 3903 - Gender and Public Policy. This course offers an analysis of the policies affecting the relative status and rights of women and men with emphasis on Supreme Court decisions and national legislation designed to promote equality of the sexes. (WI) PSY 3720 - Psychology of Gender. Examines the biological, psychological, and social influences related to gender and how gender-related expectations interact with other cultural assumptions and stereotypes to affect experiences and behavior. Research and theories relevant to understanding gender are emphasized. SOC 3903 - Gender Roles and Social Change. A sociological study of women’s roles, the development of female and male roles and problems of men and women in the changing socio-cultural environment of the modern world. (WI) WST 3309 (1-3 credits) - INDEPENDENT STUDY By Arrangement with Coordinator of WST or other WST Faculty. WST 3309-001 (1 credit) - WOMEN'S LIVING HISTORY One credit hour course for students interested in presenting short monologues in the character of an important woman from history at area elementary schools during the month of March. WST 4275 (1-12 credits) INTERNSHIP By Arrangement with Coordinator of WST or other WST Faculty. WST 4800 - Non-western Feminisms: Gender, Culture, and Nation. In-depth study of major social concerns and theoretical issues raised in non-western feminist discourses by male and female writers from non-western countries. The course will explore the treatment of gender themes in relation to culture, class, race, and nationality. Prerequisites & Notes: Women’s Studies 2309 or permission of the instructor or Coordinator of Women’s Studies Program. WST 4845 - Women and Gender in Modern Europe. Explores the political, social, and cultural history of women and gender relations in Europe from 1789 to the present. Cross-listed with HIS 4845. (WI)
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