Women's and Gender Studies Program

Women’s and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary minor degree program that explores gender as a system of relations and power. The program explores the diversity of women's social, economic, and political realities, and students apply feminist, gender, and queer theory to understand intersectional issues of gender, race, sexuality, and class.  Women's and Gender Studies empowers students to re-examine their world and create a society free of discrimination, harassment, and violence.

A required introductory course sets the tone for investigation by surveying women's contributions as well as gender roles and concepts in historical and contemporary society. Students then choose five specifically-designated women's and gender studies courses which will be useful in their major fields of study. These courses, approved as elective credits from departments across the disciplines, enhance students' education by addressing the theoretical and practical use of women's and gender studies related to their particular subject areas.

Students in the arts, business, counseling, education, humanities, pre-law, pre-medicine, science, and social sciences will benefit from this minor since it informs, challenges and directs students toward a meaningful assessment of practices and decisions that impact equality and inclusivity, and prepares them to work successfully in a globally diverse and rapidly changing job market.

For more information contact:

Dr. Sandra Loughrin, Director
Women's, Gender & Ethnic Studies Program
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE 68849

loughrins2@unk.edu

The Women's and Gender Studies minor program consists of 18 credit hours of designated Women's and Gender Studies courses: 3 required credit hours and 15 elective credit hours to be taken in at least two different departments.

Women's Studies (WSTD)

WSTD 220 – Women's & Gender Studies     3 credit hours

This course explores the interdisciplinary subject of Women's and Gender Studies where woman is understood as a category of analysis and gender is studied as a system of relations and power. Society's role in constructing gender, sexuality and race will also be explored, as will the idea that feminism is a historical process.

WSTD 420 – Research in Women's & Gender Studies     1-3 credit hours

This course will allow students to pursue their major field of study in relation to women's and gender studies. Under faculty direction, students will read independently, research, and write on a topic of interest. The seminar will meet to share research and to explore the larger issues of feminist theory.
Department Consent Required
Total Credits Allowed: 3.00
Prerequisite: WSTD 220

WSTD 499 – Special Topics in Women's & Gender Studies     3 credit hours

Topics are studied which are not assigned or covered in other Women's & Gender Studies courses. The format of this course will vary depending on the topic, instructor and the needs of the students.
Prerequisite: WSTD 220 or permission of instructor