Gender and Women’s Studies Program
Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2013–2015 Undergraduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 6, 2013 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved. Please see www.uic.edu/ucat for the most up-to-date requirements.
BA with a Major in Gender and Women’s Studies
Minor in Gender and Women’s Studies
1223 University Hall (UH)
(312) 996–2441
http://www.uic.edu/depts/wsweb/WSweb.html
Administration: Director, Barbara Ransby
Assistant Director and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Natalie Bennett, ndab1@uic.edu
Gender and Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that explores issues related to the history and status of women, the broad range of social roles filled by women and men across human cultures, and the place of sexuality in society and culture. The program starts from the assumption that “gender matters” and then explores how and why it has mattered in the past and the present, and how it intersects with issues of race, class, and sexual orientation. In a world where women’s and men’s roles have been changing rapidly, studying the impact of gender both on everyday experience and society’s institutions will help students make more informed choices about their own lives. Through a sustained commitment to scholarship that engages communities and institutions beyond the campus, faculty equip students to meet the challenges of contemporary society.
As with other liberal arts and sciences programs, Gender and Women’s Studies pays special attention to developing the ability of students to think critically, to evaluate
evidence, to construct logical arguments, to engage in moral reasoning, and to write well. Graduates of Gender and Women’s Studies programs have found employment in such diverse fields as social services, criminal justice, publishing, teaching, educational administration, health services, and public policy advocacy. A major in Gender and Women’s Studies is a good basis from which to apply to graduate school as well as to professional schools like law and journalism.
BA with a Major in Gender and Women’s Studies
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and program degree requirements. The Gender and Women’s Studies Program degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| BA with a Major in Gender and Women’s Studies Degree Requirements | Hours |
| Major Requirements | 33 |
| General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours | 87 |
| Minimum Total Hours—BA with a Major in Gender and Women’s Studies | 120 |
General Education
See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.
Major Requirements
| Courses | Hours |
| GWS 101—Gender in Everyday Lifeab | 3 |
| GWS 102—Global Perspectives on Women and Genderac | 3 |
| GWS 292—History and Theories of Feminismd | 3 |
| GWS 390—Feminism and Social Change | 3 |
| One course each from three of the following four categories:e | 9 |
| Culture and Representation | |
| GWS 111, 117, 120, 192, 204, 211, 244, 261, 272, 275, 276, 304, 311, 361, 363, 406, 413, 428, 439, 462, 469, or 472. | |
| Science, Health, and the Body | |
| GWS 214, 238, 262, 312, 315, 419, 441, 450, or 462. | |
| Feminism, Social Policy, and the State | |
| GWS 110, 202, 224, 232, 259, 262, 275, 276, 356, 406, 412, 424, 425, 428, 462, 478, 484, or 485. | |
| Sexuality and Society | |
| GWS 117, 203, 204, 211, 224, 232, 252, 272, 290, 304, 311, 362, 363, 403, 419, 462, 484, or 490. | |
| Four additional GWS courses | 12 |
| Total Hours—Major Requirements | 33 |
a This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category.
b This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category.
c This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures General Education category.
d GWS 292 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.
e Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog to determine if any of the courses on these lists are approved General Education courses.
Of the 33 hours required for the major, no more than 9 hours can be at the 100-level and at least 6 hours must be at the 400-level. The same course cannot count toward more than one category requirement for the major. No more than 3 hours of GWS 396 may be applied to the major.
To view a recommended plan of study for the major in Gender and Women’s Studies, please visit the LAS website http://www.las.uic.edu/students/prospective-undergraduate/degree-programs/four-year-model-plans.
Minor in Gender and Women’s Studies
Gender and Women’s Studies provides undergraduates with an interdisciplinary understanding of the historyand representation of gender constructions and sexual identities, their intersections with other social categories such as race and class, and the economic and political implications of gender and sexual differences both in the U.S. and across the globe. Academic inquiry into the changing roles of women and men, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people allows students to understand themselves and their relationships with others and helps them make informed choices about their own lives. Further, a Minor in Gender and Women’s Studies provides valuable background for students who plan to pursue careers dealing with issues of gender and sexuality.
Students from other disciplines who wish to minor in Gender and Women’s Studies must complete 18 semester hours distributed as follows.
| Required Courses—Gender and Women’s Studies Minor | Hours |
| GWS 101—Gender in Everyday Life | 3 |
| GWS 102—Global Perspectives on Women and Gender | 3 |
| GWS 292—History and Theory of Feminisma | 3 |
| GWS 390—Feminism and Social Change | 3 |
| Two additional courses in GWS at the 200-level or aboveb | 6 |
| Total Hours—Gender and Women’s Studies Minor | 18 |
a GWS 292 is a Writing-in-the-Discipline course.
b No more than 3 hours of GWS 396—Independent Study/Research may be applied to the minor.
