Graduate
Program
Undergraduate Program
Mothers Memorial Scholarship Fund
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
MEN'S
STUDIES PROGRAM
Minor in Women's Studies
For more information, contact
Amy K. Levin, Director
Reavis Hall, Room 103
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-1038
alevin@niu.edu
The minor in women's studies is recommended for all students interested in examining historical and contemporary roles, perceptions, and contributions of women and in exploring other gender-related issues. Such exploration should broaden students' understanding of current societal expectations for both women and men, thereby increasing their effectiveness and sensitivity in a variety of interpersonal and professional settings. The minor is particularly appropriate for students preparing for advanced study in a variety of disciplines or careers in business, communications, education, health, humanities, and human services. Elective courses for the minor are chosen to complement the student's background, interests, and career plans and, in some instances, also help satisfy distributive studies area requirements in the general education program. Faculty members from a wide variety of departments participate in the core and special topics courses of the minor.
Students interested in declaring this interdisciplinary minor should contact the Women's Studies Program, Reavis Hall 103, early in their college careers for information and advisement. To learn more about how a minor can work with your area of study, go to "How can I combine Women's Studies coursework with my undergraduate major?"
Requirements (18)
Students must complete 18 semester hours from the courses listed below. These 18 hours must include all three core courses and 9 hours from the list of approved electives below. Students are urged to complete the core courses in the minor as early as possible. Independent study and topics courses in a variety of departments may meet the minor requirements, with the approval of the director of the women’s studies program, when substantial treatment of women’s studies is included in the course.
Core courses (9)
*WOMS 230, Women in Contemporary America (3)
*WOMS 235, Women across Cultures and Centuries (3)
WOMS 4321, Feminist Theory (3)
Electives from the following (9)
AHPH 306, Human Sexuality (3)
ANTH 361, Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Women (3)
ANTH 449, Sex and Gender in Primates (3)
ANTH 468, Anthropology of Gender (3)
ARTH 485D, Topics in Art History: Images of Women (3)
BIOS 493**, Topics in Biology (1-3)
*COMS 410, Communication and Gender (3)
ENGL 298**, Topics in Literature (3), or ENGL 381*, American Ethnic Literature
(3), or ENGL 399H*, Topics in American Literature: Honors (3), or ENGL
400**, Literary Topics (3), or ENGL 499H*, Topics in English Literature:
Honors (3)
ENGL 382, Women Writers: The Tradition in English (3)
ENGL 383, Gay and Lesbian Literature (3)
FCNS 384, Asian American Families (3)
*FCNS 406, Global Food and Nutrition Issues (3)
FCNS 464, Social Psychology of Dress and Appearance (3)
FLFR 445, French Women Writers (3)
FLST 481**, Special Topics in Literature I (3)
FSLP 445, Latin American Women Writers
HIST 322, Women in Modern Europe (3)
HIST 346, Women in Asian History (3)
HIST 353, Women in African History (3)
HIST 360, Race, Class, and Gender in American History (3)
HIST 369, Women in United States History (3)
HIST 413, Family, Sexuality, and Society Since 1400 (3)
HIST 473, Topics in Women's History (3)
IDSP 402, The Africana Woman (3)
ILAS 350, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies (3)
MGMT 498, Equal Opportunity and Employment (3)
NURS 380, Nursing Care of Women (3)
PHIL 365, Philosophy and Feminism (3)
POLS 373, Women and Politics (3)
PSYC 424, Adolescent Development (3)
SOCI 354, Families and Social Change (3)
SOCI 357, The Sociology of Gender (3)
SOCI 385, Gender and Crime (3)
SOCI 454, Racial and Ethnic Minority Family Systems (3)
WOMS 332, Growing Up Female (3)
WOMS 3902, Internship in Women’s Studies
WOMS 4303, Special Topics in Women's Studies (3-6)
WOMS 434, Language and Gender (3)
WOMS 4394, Independent Study in Women's Studies (3)
Six or more semester hours in the minor must be taken at NIU.
* Available for general education credit.
**May be counted toward the minor when topic is appropriate
1PRQ: WOMS 230 or WOMS 235 or consent of the program.
2Work as an intern in activities related to Women’s Studies. Reading and paper preparation under the supervision of a faculty member in the university. May be repeated once. S/U grading. PRQ: Consent of program director; junior or senior standing.
3PRQ: junior or senior standing or by permission of the program director.
4PRQ: 9 hours in the minor, including WOMS 230 and WOMS 235.
Wanting to transfer a course? You will need to fill out this form.
Last updated: May 3, 2007