Major and Minor in Women’s and Gender Studies

Our cross-disciplinary program in Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) offers a cross-displinary approach to both a major and a minor, empowering you to explore gender roles and statuses within diverse cultural contexts. You will gain an understanding that interrelated factors — e.g., race, ethnicity, class, age, disability, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation — inform knowledge of women’s history, culture, and social and gender roles. Explore the contexts and ideological origins of knowledge and examine the relationship between knowledge and power in society. A degree in WGS promotes social responsibility by examining the connections between personal experience and political activity, and validates our student’s contributions and voices.

Women’s and gender studies graduates acquire strong backgrounds for careers in such areas as counseling, education, human resources, public policy, politics, business, or law. Our program includes core courses in women’s and gender studies and cross-listed courses in anthropology, art history, classical studies, economics, English, history, health and human performance, political science, psychology, religion, sociology, speech communication, and world languages and cultures.

Major

In addition to general education course requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), WGS students complete at least 34 credits of core requirements, maintaining a 2.00 GPA. These include 16 core credits and 18 credits of coursework chosen from one of the following areas of emphasis:

• Communication and Cultural Representation
• Identities and Sexualities
• Leadership and Social Justice;

You can also work with your advisor to identify the set of courses supporting your personal and professional goals.

As LAS majors, WGS students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and University-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated above for the major. In total, a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level are required for graduation. Consult the ISU Catalog for details on courses in each of the above emphasis areas.

Minor

Any student can declare a major or minor in Women’s and Gender Studies or choose to co-major in another program. A minor requires 15 semester hours of women’s and gender studies classes in addition to other university requirements.

Courses include:

• WGS 2010: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
• WGS 3010: International Perspectives on Women and Gender
• One 4000-level WGS course and 6 additional credits in WGS; at least 3 of the additional credits must be at the 3000-4000 level.

University policy requires that at least 9 credits used for the minor stand alone and are not used to meet any other requirement. All WGS courses for the minor require a grade of C (not C-) or higher.

Any student can declare a major or minor in Women’s and Gender Studies or choose to co-major in another program. Students interested in a minor or major in Women’s and Gender Studies should contact the director or the undergraduate advisor in the program.

Experiences

Students at Iowa State University have the opportunity to tailor their experience to make sure they gain valuable skills for the future.

A wide variety of student organizations and clubs are available for students to join—including academic, honor societies, political & activism, intramural sports and Greek life.

Gain leadership and service experience through the Student Activities Center, go to one of the many fun campus events like the Cyclone Carnival, or learn more about clubs and activities at the annual ClubFest to see the many ways you can get involved during your time at Iowa State.