This is an archived copy of the 2016-17 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.

Women and Gender Studies

www.ndsu.edu/wgs/

The goals of Women and Gender Studies include: Examining the contributions of all genders to aspects of society; exploring the intersections of race, class, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability with gender both globally and nationally; investigating the heritage, challenges and concerns of women and men; and providing a newer and broader understanding of women and men in all fields.

A Women and Gender Studies program provides the benefits of a liberal arts education with an emphasis on critical thinking, writing, and organizational skills, making oral presentations, and expands the traditional acknowledgement that a liberal education produces well-rounded individuals. There also are multiple practical applications of a Women and Gender Studies major. The interdisciplinary curriculum, with an emphasis on equality and diversity, prepares students for leadership in the workplace, politics, health care, sport, family life, education, and law.

Women and Gender Studies Major

The major consists of 36 credits, including a 15 credit core, six hours of general Women and Gender Studies elective classes, and 15 hours of topic-intensive work (Women and Liberal Arts; Women, Families, and Health; and Women, Work, and Public Policy). Many of the courses in the topic-intensive electives are at Concordia College and Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Women and Gender Studies Minor

The Women and Gender Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program appropriate as a complement to various majors. This minor is particularly useful in acquiring perspectives that complement traditional studies for developing leadership roles or for pursuing careers that involve concerns about gender.

Major Requirements

Major: Women & Gender Studies

Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122

General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree

  • A dynamic list of approved general education courses offered by term is available on the NDSU General Education Requirements website.
  • General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, if applicable.
First Year Experience (F)1
Skills For Academic Success (Also offered with the following prefixes: ABEN, AGRI, BUSN, HD&E, ME, NURS, PHRM)
Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits40

Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Degree Requirements                                                                            

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree – The completion of a minor program of study, a second major, or a second degree is required.                                                                            

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree – Second year language proficiency at college level required.

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences College Requirements

An additional 9 credits are required by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for all Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs of study, except the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Music degree, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree, and the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree:

AH&SS College Requirements
Courses used to satisfy any general education requirement cannot be used to also count toward the AH&SS College Requirements. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the 3 following areas for a total of 9 credits. Choose only those courses with the prefixes listed for each area. A course with the WGS prefix can only be used in one area.
Area One: Humanities3
ARB, ENGL, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUM, PHIL, RELS, SPAN, or WGS
Area Two: Social Sciences3
ANTH, CJ, COMM, EMGT, POLS, SOC, or WGS
Area Three: Fine Arts3
ARCH, ART, ENVD, LA, MUSC, or THEA
Total Credits9

Major Requirements

Major: Women & Gender Studies

Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122

Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree - The completion of a minor program of study is required.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree - Second year language proficiency required.

General Education Requirements

First Year Experience (F):
UNIV 189Skills For Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take UNIV 189.)1
Communication (C):
ENGL 110College Composition I3
ENGL 120College Composition II3
Select one of the following:3
Business and Professional Writing
Writing in the Technical Professions
Creative Writing
Writing in the Sciences
Writing in the Health Professions
Visual Culture and Language
Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal
COMM 110Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
Quantitative Reasoning (R): Select from current general education list3
Science & Technology (S):10
A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education courses
Humanities & Fine Arts (A):
Select from current general education courses 6
Social & Behavioral Sciences (B):
Select from current general education courses 6
Wellness (W): Select from current general education list2
Cultural Diversity (D):
Global Perspectives (G): Select from current general education list
Total Credits40

Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences College requirements

An additional 9 credits are required by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for all Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs of study, except for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Music degree, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree, and the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree:

AH&SS College Requirements
Courses used to satisfy any general education requirement cannot be used to also count toward the AH&SS College Requirements. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the 3 following areas for a total of 9 credits. Choose only those courses with the prefixes listed for each area. A course with the WGS prefix can only be used in one area.
Area One: Humanities3
ARB, ENGL, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUM, PHIL, RELS, SPAN, or WGS
Area Two: Social Sciences3
ANTH, CJ, COMM, ENGT, POLS, SOC, or WGS
Area Three: Fine Arts3
ARCH, ART, ENVD, LA, MUSC, or THEA
Total Credits9

Major Requirements

General Education Requirements40
AH&SS College Requirement9
Women & Gender Studies Major
HIST 260Women In America3
WGS 110Introduction to Women's Studies3
WGS 350Perspectives in Women's Studies3
WGS 489Internship/Capstone3
SOC 424Feminist Theory and Discourse3
Electives: Select 6 credits from the following:6
Gender and Communication
Language Bias
Issues In Sexuality
SOC 219
Sociology of Sexual Behavior (MSUM)
SOC 308
Social Gerontology (MSUM)
SOC 310
Dominant-Subordinate Group Relations (MSUM)
Introduction to Masculinities
Seminar (10 hours = 1 credit)
Field Experience
WS 407
Inclusive Science: Women, Gender, and Science (MSUM)
SOC 415
Media and Diverse Identities (MSUM)
Topic Electives: Students must take classes in at least 3 topic areas.15
Topic Area 1: Women, Work and Public Policy:
Organizational Communication I
Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal
Children, Families and Public Policy
Families and Work
Gender Issues and the Law
Women and Politics
Cultural Diversity
Social Inequality
Social Change
Topic Area 2: Women and Liberal Arts:
ANTH 303
Cross-Cultural Gender (MSUM)
Intercultural Communication
ENGL246
Women in Literature (MSUM)
ENGL 248
Intro to American Ethnic Literature (MSUM)
British and American Women Writers
Contemporary Women Writers
Multicultural Writers
ENG 365
Writing of Women (CC)
FREN 223
Race, Gender and Power in the Francophone World (CC)
Women in French Literature
Women in European History 1400-1800
HIST 344
Women and Development: The Asian Experience (CC)
SPAN 325
Hispanic Women Writers (CC)
THR 323
Women and Theatre (CC)
Topic Area 3: Women, Families and Health:
Health Communication I
Life Span Development
Couples, Marriages and Families
Children, Families and Public Policy
Methods of Family Life Education
Children and Families Across Cultures
Common Medicines & Diseases
Human Sexuality
Developmental Psychology
Sociology Through Literature (M)
Sociology of the Family
Social Change
Degree Requirements: Potential of 37 credits to reach 12237
Total Credits122

Minor Requirements

Women & Gender Studies Minor

Minor Requirements

Required Credits: 18

Minor Requirements

Women & Gender Studies Minor

Minor Requirements

Required Credits: 18

Required Courses
WGS 110Introduction to Women's Studies3
WGS 350Perspectives in Women's Studies3
Core Courses: Select 12 credits of the following12
AHSS Courses - at least 3 credits from this area:
Gender and Communication
British and American Women Writers
Contemporary Women Writers
Multicultural Writers
Language Bias
Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal
Women in European History 1400-1800
Gender Issues and the Law
Women and Politics
Cultural Diversity
Sociology of the Family
Feminist Theory and Discourse
Social Change
HD&E Courses - at least 3 credits from this area
Life Span Development
Couples, Marriages and Families
Children, Families and Public Policy
Issues In Sexuality
Families and Work
Children and Families Across Cultures
Other Available Courses:
Human Sexuality
Developmental Psychology
Introduction to Masculinities
Seminar
Total Credits18

Minor Requirements and Notes

  • A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU