Florida State University General Bulletin 1998-1999

Academic Departments and Programs (course descriptions)

Program in Women's Studies

College of Arts and Sciences

Director: Jean Bryant (History/Women’s Studies);

Participating Faculty: Pohl (Anthropology); Hartwell, Lindbloom (Art); Finnegan (Art Education); Bearor, Teilhet-Fisk (Art History); N. DeGrummond, Sickinger (Classical Languages, Literature, and Civilization); Jordan, Nudd (Communication); Bush-Baskette (Criminology and Criminal Justice); Young (Dance); MacDonald, Masemann, Shargel (Education Foundations); Mann (Educational Leadership); Batker, Braendlin, Gardner, Hawkins, Laughlin, McGregory, Montgomery, North, Rosenthal, Rowe, Saladin, Walker (English); Cappuccio, Cloonan, Graham-Jones, Walters (Modern Languages and Linguistics); Amankwaa, Shannahan (Nursing); Marcus (Oceanography); Morales (Philosophy); Pitts (Physical Education); Kemp (Political Science); Carbonell (Psychology); Bartholomeusz, Erndl (Religion); Maxwell, Montgomery, Vinton (Social Work); Boyd, Brewster, Martin, Padavic,(Sociology); Davis (Textiles and Consumer Sciences); Thompson (Theatre); Miles-Doan (Urban and Regional Planning)

Women’s studies courses are taught by faculty in more than 20 departments throughout the University.

Women’s studies is an interdisciplinary and interdepartmental program that examines the status, accomplishments, and perspectives of women in history, culture, and contemporary society. Women’s studies further seeks to delineate the richness and diversity of women’s experiences and viewpoints by exploring the dynamics of gender, race, culture, and class.

By placing women at the center of inquiry, women’s studies courses offer students new perspectives on human history and the human condition. Using gender as a category of analysis, these classes help students examine the systematic arrangements in society that have shaped the lives of women and men and reevaluate traditional gender-based stereotypes. The courses foster critical analysis of assumed truths about society by examining paradigms based upon the feminist scholarship of the last two decades.

By encouraging inquiry into the full range of the human experience, women’s studies enriches the University curriculum and prepares students for life in a rapidly changing, complex world.

Students pursuing research in women’s studies at The Florida State University will find a rich array of materials on women and gender in the government document holdings and numerous microform manuscript collections of the Strozier Library and in the extensive collections of the College of Law Library and the Mildred and Claude Pepper Library. The nearby State Archives is an additional source of research material.

Women’s studies graduates have described women’s studies as a versatile major that prepared them for life, not just a career. In particular, graduates have cited its interdisciplinary focus, its attention to developing critical skills, and its ability to empower students with a new sense of their potential and the courage to design their own careers and life plan. Women’s Studies graduates can be found in nearly all occupations.

The Women’s Studies Program offers an undergraduate major within the interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree Program in Humanities and an interdisciplinary minor at the undergraduate, MA, and PhD levels.

Admission Requirements

Please review all college-wide degree requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences section of this General Bulletin.

Any student with a 2.0 grade average who meets the admission requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences is eligible to declare a major in women’s studies. Students who wish to declare a major in women’s studies must apply for admission with the women’s studies office and complete an advising form.

Requirements for a Major in Women’s Studies

Students are required to take thirty-three (33) semester hours of women’s studies courses and approved cross-listed courses distributed as described below. Only one of these courses that is used to satisfy the requirement for liberal studies may also be counted toward the fulfillment of the major. Honors thesis hours may be applied toward the bachelor of arts (BA) degree, but only three (3) semester hours will be accepted for major credit. All courses counted toward the major must carry the grade of C or better. Majors must maintain a 2.0 average for graduation. Women’s studies majors are required to complete a minor, and are strongly encouraged to complete a minor in a single discipline. No course used to satisfy requirements for a minor may be counted for the major.

Distribution

WST Requirement

Nine (9) semester hours in WST interdisciplinary courses: a) WST 3251 Women in Western Culture: Images and Realities (3); b) WST 4931 Seminar in Women’s Studies; c) either WST 4930r Topics in Women’s Studies (3), or WST 4940r Women’s Studies Internship (36) as approved by the program director.

Cross-listed Core Courses

At least twelve (12) semester hours of cross-listed courses listed below. Specifically required are three (3) semester hours from each of the four groups below:

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Electives

Twelve (12) semester hours may be selected from among the following options: a) WST 4904r Directed Individual Study in Women’s Studies, WST 4930r Topics in Women’s Studies, WST 4940r Women’s Studies Internship; b) the cross-listed courses in Groups A-D; c) approved related courses, special topics courses, seminars and workshops. Majors should consult the women’s studies offerings in the Directory of Classes and check with the women’s studies office each term for a list of approved courses that can be used to fulfill elective credits.

Exit Surveys/Interviews

To be eligible for graduation, each student must complete an exit interview or survey.

Honors in the Major

The Women’s Studies Program offers a program in honors in the major to encourage talented students to undertake independent and original research. For requirements and other information, see the University Honors Program and Honor Societies section of this General Bulletin.

Requirements for a Minor in Women’s Studies

At least fifteen (15) semester hours of approved courses, distributed as follows:

1. At least three (3) semester hours of interdisciplinary women’s studies courses selected from WST 3251 Women in Western Culture: Images and Realities, WST 4930r Topics in Women’s Studies, WST 4931 Seminar in Womens Studies;
2. At least nine (9) semester hours of cross-listed core courses;
3. the remaining three (3) semester hours may be selected from approved WST courses, cross-listed core courses, approved special topics courses or related courses. Minors should consult the women’s studies offerings in the Directory of Classes and check with the women’s studies office each term for a list of approved courses that can be used to fulfill these three credits.

Only one approved course from the students major may count toward the women’s studies minor. Courses counted for the minor may not be used to fulfill requirements for liberal studies or the major. Students who intend to minor in women’s studies should declare their intent with the Program Director at least two semesters before graduation. Students must have at least a C average in the minor.

Undergraduate Courses

Cross-Listed Core Courses

Interdisciplinary Women’s Studies Courses

Note: see the appropriate individual departments for full course descriptions.

Graduate Courses

Note: see the appropriate individual departments for full course descriptions.

Definition of Prefix

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate Courses

WRITING: see English

ZOOLOGY: see Biological Science