Women's Studies B.A.

Women's studies is an interdisciplinary major focusing on three areas of knowledge:

¿ the study of women's lives, experiences, achievements, and expression;

¿ feminist analysis and transformation of knowledge and society;

¿ the construction and intersection of gender, race, and class.

The major emphasizes the diversity of women's lives and provides a historical and contemporary examination of women of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, religions, classes, and sexual orientations. With liberation, justice, and equity issues as central concerns, women's studies provides feminist analyses of the knowledge generated by other academic disciplines and of societal institutions and processes, and it explores the possibilities of feminist transformation of these. Women's studies also examines the construction of gender, its intersections with race and class, and its implications for society. Finally, women's studies actively engages students in the generation of new knowledge and areas of inquiry.

The mission of the Department of Women's Studies is to provide a nurturing environment for the whole person--to help each student find her or his own strengths, gifts, and path, as well as to raise awareness about the way that path concerns and connects with others.

Within the women's studies major, students are able to plan courses to meet specific career, academic and life goals. In consultation with their adviser students have specialized in some of the following areas:
1) An applied feminism focus that includes coursework paired with internship to prepare them for a career in social services, public policy, government, activism, or graduate program emphasizing these.
2) A transnational focus that includes coursework representing the wide scope of feminism and feminist scholarship around the globe which connects students with a transhistorical and transnational understanding of women's lives, experiences, political situations, and accomplishments. Students who focus their major in this way are prepared for international careers, policy development, and further graduate academic study.
3) A liberal arts focus allows students to diversify their coursework and develop a broad base of understanding and scholarship preparing them for further work in almost any field of work or study.

Because women's studies is an interdisciplinary major that builds critical thinking, writing, communication, planning and analysis skills, students are able to easily add a second major or minor in another discipline with the guidance of their adviser that complements women's studies and further broadens career and academic opportunities.

Admission Requirements

For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the   Office of Admissions Web site.

General Requirements

Program Requirements

Requirements for the B.A. in women's studies include:

¿ Completion of at least 120 degree credits, including the liberal education program, an approved major for the B.A.

¿ A second field of study (either a minor or another major).

¿ Elective credits.

¿ Degree candidates must complete at least 30 degree credits at UMD. At least 20 of the last 30 degree credits immediately before graduation must be taken at UMD.

¿ A 2.00 cumulative University of Minnesota grade point average (GPA). Transfer grades and credits outside the University of Minnesota system are not calculated into the University GPA; however, transfer credits are counted as degree credits.

¿ A 2.00 cumulative GPA in the major(s) and minor(s).

¿ SSP 1000 - Introduction to College Learning (1 cr)
or CLA 1001 - Learning Community Integrative Seminar (1 cr).

¿ Advanced writing requirement: WRIT 31xx (3 cr) to be completed before taking WS 4000.