2008-2010 Undergraduate Catalog

WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES

Minné Hall, Room 329 (507-457-5460)
www.winona.edu/womensstudies
Tamara Berg (Director)

FACULTY
Tamara Berg, Associate Professor; B.A., University of Wisconsin; M.A., Ph.D., Indiana University, Bloomington; 1995 –
April Herndon, Assistant Professor; B.A., M.A., Radford University; Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2006 –

PURPOSE
Women’s and Gender Studies is a multidisciplinary program that looks at the lives and experiences of women and men through many different disciplines—history, art, psychology, economics, literature, sociology, and public health, among others. Women’s and Gender studies students explore the ways in which gender shapes women’s and men's identities and experiences in national global cultures. They also consider how cultural differences affect women’s and men’s lives within multicultural societies.
The Women’s and Gender Studies Program is committed to integrating classroom and community. Women's and Gender studies students apply feminist theories and analyses to current social issues and develop the skills necessary for citizenship through a field experience with a community organization or agency.
The Women’s and Gender Studies Program sponsors and coordinates campus opportunities and events that promote understanding and awareness of diverse perspectives and gender-related issues among WSU students, faculty, and staff. The program centralizes information relevant to women’s and gender studies opportunities at WSU and provides students, faculty, and staff convenient access to and use of that information.
The Women’s and Gender Studies Program functions for and with all segments of WSU, including the Outreach and Continuing Education Department, the Rochester campus, and the larger Winona community. The program focuses on five major objectives:
1. Promoting understanding of gender issues on campus and in the wider community
2. Supporting gender-related social change activities on campus and in the wider community
3. Guidance and leadership in the process of integrating gender issues into the WSU curriculum
4. Centralization of information about existing opportunities for exploring and addressing gender issues
5. Coordination and administration of women's and gender studies course offerings.

The program operates in the following areas:
• Academic Opportunities: The program offers a minor in women's and gender studies composed of courses that focus on women and/or gender. The program identifies and promotes additional academic opportunities for all students and faculty interested in expanding their knowledge of women's and gender issues.
• Campus and Community Events: The program works with campus constituencies in developing and planning workshops, lectures, performances and other events related to women's and gender issues.
The women’s and gender studies minor provides students the opportunity to develop a clearer understanding of the lives and experiences of women, and the impact of gender differences on social development and experience. Women’s and gender studies students explore the ways in which gender shapes women’s and men’s experiences in different global cultures and consider how cultural differences affect women’s and men’s lives within multicultural societies. The minor in women’s and gender studies also develops among students an understanding of feminism both as a body of theory and an approach to social change. Through a combination of interdisciplinary women’s and gender studies courses, courses in other departments, and a field experience, the women’s and gender studies minor prepares students to assume roles as active citizens in addressing issues shaping women’s and men’s lives. Each student is required to complete a portfolio that represents and explains her/his growth and development as a minor in women’s and gender studies.

PASS/NO CREDIT (P/NC) COURSES
Except for independent study, students must take all courses in the minor on a grade-only basis. The P/NC option is available to non-majors unless otherwise noted. Courses offered on a pass/no credit only or grade only basis are so designated in the course descriptions.

UNIVERSITY STUDIES FLAG REQUIREMENTS
Students may use flag courses, which will usually be in the student’s major or minor program, to satisfy both University Studies and major requirements. Flag courses will usually be in the student’s major or minor program. The Women’s and Gender Studies Program offers the following flag courses in the University Studies Program:

Math/Critical Thinking 
WAGS 348 Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies (3)

For Women's and Gender Studies minors, Flag courses are identified in the lists of required courses and electives in this section.

B.A. MINOR Р WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES (WAGS)
23-25 S.H.

CORE COURSES - WAGS(14 S.H.)
148 Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies (3)
220 Power, Privilege and Gender (3)
373 Feminist Theory/Process (3)
420 Field Experience (3)
448 Senior Seminar (2)

CORE DISCIPLINARY COURSES (6-8 S.H.)
Students take 6-8 S.H. from the following list of courses; see the Women's and Gender Studies Director for an updated list:
BUED 350 Quality of Work Life (3)
ART 252 Survey of Women Artists (3)
 HIST 315 Women in U.S. History (4)
NURS 260 Women's Health Issues (3)
PSY 275 Psychology of Women and Gender (3-4)
PHIL 130 Moral Problems (3)
 POLS 450 Feminist Political Theory (3)
PSY 424 Women & Mental Health (3)
WAGS 234 Interdisciplinary Approach to Gender and Latin
American Society through 20th Century Literature (3)
WAGS 235 Interdisciplinary Approach to Women and Social
Justice Issues in Latin America (3)
 WAGS 348 Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies (3)

ELECTIVES (3 S.H.)
Electives may be chosen from courses listed above that are not used to fulfill core disciplinary course requirements and from a list of courses approved for women’s and gender studies elective credit. The following is a partial list of courses approved as WAGS electives:
History
 HIST 315 Women in U.S. History
Music
MUS 113 Women in Music
Nursing
NURS 260 Women's Health Issues
Philosophy
PHIL 130 Moral Problems
PHIL 240 Philosophy of Science
Psychology
PSY 275 Psychology of Women and Gender

Political Science
 POLS 450 Feminist Political Theory

Global Studies
GS 232 Introduction to Latin America
GS 233 Latin American and Caribbean Immigrants in the U.S.
Social Work
 SOCW 340 Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare
 SOCW 380 Social Welfare Policy

For a complete list of approved WAGS electives, see the Women’s and Gender Studies Program Director.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (WAGS)
148 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies (3 S.H.)
This course is an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of women and gender in society. The course, which is team-taught by faculty from different disciplines, examines women's social roles and contributions in various social groups, cultures, and areas of the globe; this course explores gender as a socially constructed category of human experience. It introduces students to feminism, both as a body of theory and as an approach to social change.
220 - Power, Privilege, and Gender (3 S.H.)
Explores the social construction of differences that lead to power and privilege in modern society. Issues of race, class, and sex, and gender are considered. Offered at least once a year.
234 - Interdisciplinary Approach to Gender and Latin American
Society through 20th Century Literature (3 S.H.)
Latin American literature conveys a vibrant sense of social history and nuanced perspective of gendered realities. This course will explore 20th century writers from Chile, Uruguay, and El Salvador as a means to better comprehend the underlying worldviews, social structure, and gender relations. Grade only. Offered every other year.
235 - Interdisciplinary Approach to Women and Social Justice Issues in Latin America (3 S.H.)
This course demonstrates how ordinary women have had transformational roles in the social and political spheres of their countries. It will explore how women have chosen to participate in collective action in Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico to address human rights issues and how family values can become a part of public life. Recommended prerequisite: SOC 150. Grade only. Offered every other year.
320 - Independent Readings (1-3 S.H.)
This course allows students to pursue a project or topic of their own design with supervision and evaluation by the instructor. Instructor’s written permission is required.
348 - Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies (3 S.H.)
This course presents an in-depth study of topics of current interest in the field of Women’s and Gender Studies. Offered as needed.
373 - Feminist Theory/Process (3 S.H.)
This course seeks to understand the creation and perpetuation of gender inequalities and their relation to other systems of inequality. This course seeks a broad understanding of the historical development of various strands of Western feminist thought and the range of interpretive possibilities such thought has opened up. Interdisciplinary readings investigate how feminist theory and process have affected our lives and our understanding of literature, philosophy, political science, law, science, film, history, sociology, and medicine. Prerequisites: WAGS 120, 220 or instructor's permission. Offered at least once a year.
420 - Field Experience (3-6 S.H.)
The Field Experience gives students an opportunity to explore gender-related issues and the gender dimension of social issues through experiences outside the classroom; integrate practical experience with feminist analyses developed in Women’s and Gender Studies courses; and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to act effectively as citizens of their communities. Prerequisites: Women’s and Gender Studies minor status.
448 - Senior Seminar (2 S.H.)
As the capstone for the Women’s and Gender Studies minor, this course requires students to review and assess their work in Women’s and Gender Studies and the relationship between the minor and their major. Prerequisites: WAGS 148, WAGS 220, WAGS 348, WAGS 420, and Women’s and Gender Studies minor status or instructor’s permission.