The Minor in Gender Studies

The mission of the Gender Studies minor is to provide students with an interdisci-
linary program using gender as a category of analysis to help understand cultural configurations. This is accomplished through the coursework and the interaction of students and faculty.

The minor examines how definitions of masculine and feminine difference constitute social, aesthetic, economic and historical structures and perceptions within historical and trans-national contexts. The Gender Studies Program offers cross-listed courses in eight departments across campus. Because our world is constantly changing, the role of gender is certainly a dynamic issue. As such, course topics are constantly being developed and offered to students in the minor. Since students come of a variety of majors and backgrounds, the class room collaboration which occurs between students and faculty creates a synergy that helps prepare students for the global world in which they will work and live.

Program Requirements: Courses vary by semester and may be offered in the Departments of Anthropology; Biological and Allied Health Sciences; Communication Studies and Theatre Arts; English; Health and Physical Education; History; Philosophy; Political Science; Psychology; Sociology, Social Welfare and Criminal Justice and those identified as interdisciplinary studies.

Core Courses

Students are required to take one course from the following four core courses:

• COMMSTUD 309 Gender Issues in Communication
• ENGLISH 288 Feminist Reading of Culture
• PHIL 408 Feminist Philosophy
• POLISCI 377 Feminist Political Theory

Elective Courses

Students are required to take their remaining 5 course from an expansive list, which is available on the university gender studies site (click here). The courses are listed there because the list is always being updated. You must take those remaining credits from a minimum of three departments.

Petitions for Independent Research or Internships

Independent studies, individualized instruction, departmental research and writing courses, and internships can be counted toward the minor if the project, study, or agency specifically reflects the curriculum goals of the Gender Studies Minor.

To obtain approval for these individualized courses, a petition must be admitted to the minor director and approved of by the majority of the advisory board members.

Contact Information:

The minor is housed in the English Department and is directed by an advisory board, which is chaired by Dr. Ferda Aysa of the Department of English. Members of the advisory board include:

Addtional information is on the University Gender Studies Web Site, which can be accessed by clicking here. In addition, the student worker has office hours in the alcove area outside of Dr. Asya's office (115A BCH).

For More Information Please Contact Dr. Ferda Asya (she is on sabbatical during the 2011/2012 academic year, so please contact the department chair)
Office: 115A Bakeless * Email: smccully@bloomu.edu * Phone 570-389-4434