COURSE CURRICULUM

The coursework in the Women’s and Gender Studies program is designed to explore how gender intersects with politics, culture, identity, and social systems across different societies and historical periods. Students engage with a wide range of topics that examine the lived experiences of women and other gendered identities while critically analyzing power structures and systems of inequality.Core courses such as Women and Politics examine how gender influences political participation, representation, and policy-making at local, national, and global levels. Women in the Middle East provides an international perspective on gender roles, cultural traditions, and social change within specific regional contexts. Growing Up Female in the U.S. explores the socialization and experiences of girls and women in American society, while Gender Violence and Resistance addresses issues of abuse, systemic violence, and the movements that challenge and resist these injustices.Creative and cultural perspectives are also included through courses like Deconstructing the Diva and Female Identities: Young Adult Literature, which analyze gender representation in media, literature, and popular culture. These courses help students understand how gender narratives are constructed and communicated in different forms of storytelling and expression.The program also offers several thematic concentrations that allow students to focus their studies. These include Gender and Human Development, Gender, Culture and the Arts, International Perspectives, Perspectives on Race and Class, Social Justice and Public Policy, Theoretical Perspectives, and an Individualized Concentration. These pathways enable students to tailor their academic experience to their interests and career goals.Overall, the curriculum combines theory, cultural analysis, and real-world application to help students understand gender in a global context. Graduates develop strong critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills that prepare them for careers in education, advocacy, public policy, social services, and other fields focused on equity and social justice.